Chapter twenty-one: Egypt
After securing the money, Kate goes back into the pub, she nearly collides with Grace exiting the 'Shelby room', as Kate's dubbed it.
"Sorry."
"It's alright."
"You know, what John," Arthur says drunkenly. "I think it's that lovely barmaid," she and Grace both turn towards the door, unabashedly eavesdropping on their conversation. "that pretty barmaid that just walked out… that's made our bother go all soft."
"Drinks to that." John says, just as jovial.
Thomas says nothing, but merely laughs at his brother's words. Grace shoots her a knowing smile, which suggests that she, like Thomas's brothers, have mistaken where Thomas's actual affections lie. Kate says nothing, even though she has information to the contrary. It's not the barmaid that's made Thomas seemingly soften up. It was the lunatic restaurant owner who tried to shoot his heels off and argued with him constantly that had a hold on him.
Grace moves away from the door and she peers in, taking in the sight of all three brothers seated at the table. All three are happy, even Thomas has a rare smile pasted on his face. At that moment, he turns towards her and she smiles faintly at him. Everything's been going so fast tonight, that it's almost scary for her.
She waves at him before heading towards the piano, smiling at Grace who's behind the bar. "Will you tell Mr. Shelby I'm stepping out to check on something? I'll only be gone five minutes."
Kate nods and shrugs. "Sure thing."
She sits down and begins to play the piano. She decides that 'fascination' is a nice quiet little song as they wait for news about Ada. Thomas sits down on the edge of the piano bench, exhaling from his cigarette. She smiles at him. "Hello."
"Hi."
She turns back to concentrate on the piano. "Grace stepped out for something."
He nods his head. "That's good."
He reaches up and begins to pull a hairpin from her hair. Kate stops playing to look at him. "What are you doing?"
"Just, indulge me for a moment." Kate blushes as he continues to pull pins from her hair, allowing it to fall to her shoulders.
"Thomas, what if someone sees me like this?"
"Birmingham, remember? Not London. Besides, you wore it down last night."
"I was brushing it out and you really shouldn't have seen it like that."
"Not proper?" she nods, causing him to shake his head. "You should wear it this way more often. It shapes your face nicely."
She bites her lip. "To be honest, I never really liked wearing my hair up, I prefer it down."
"Then, I hope you consider wearing it down." he takes another puff on his cigarette. Kate reaches up and pulls out the final few pins, shaking her head as her hair flows down her shoulders. "What were you playing?"
"Fascination. I heard it over in Kimber's club and got the music."
He shrugs. "I wasn't listening to the music. Sing it for me."
It was fascination, I know. And it might have ended, right then, at the start. Kate smiled faintly, noting how the song seemed to reflect the beginning of their relationship. Just a passing glance. Just a brief romance. And I might have gone, on my way, empty hearted. That was true. Had Thomas not offered her a job in the Garrison, they wouldn't It was fascination, I know. Seeing you alone, with the moonlight above. Then I touch your hand. And next moment, I kiss you. Fascination turned to love.
"You can't imagine," he mashes out his cigarette onto the ashtray atop the piano. "how badly I wanted to hit you when you started playing the piano after I told you not to."
She laughs as she switches over to Pathique 2. "I can, actually. You slammed the piano lid down on my fingers, remember?"
Thomas groaned, suggesting that he'd forgotten that moment of anger. "I am sorry about that."
She laughs. "I know, you missed everyone's reaction when I started playing the music. Grace and Harry just about wet themselves when you came barreling out of the room."
"And you missed Arthur and John telling me just to let it go." He shook his head. "You weren't scared of me, even dared to yell back at me."
She laughs. "You're not as scary as you think you are."
'Well, I do know how to scare you now."
"Is that so?" Kate felt him grip her elbows and turn her towards him. The look in his eyes causes her heart to begin pounding in her chest.
"Yes." He smiles as he leans forward. "I know exactly what scares you."
With that, Thomas kisses her firmly. There's something different in this kiss, Kate could swear that it starts a fire in her stomach. Suddenly, they were clinging to each other as if they were the only stable thing in an earthquake.
Slowly, ever so slowly as Thomas worked his mouth against each hers. He tightly wrapped one hand around her shoulder and the other around her hip, pulling her against him. She manages to pull one hand free to run a hand through his hair, which she suspected she'd been dying to do since they first met.. She should be frightened by the way his hands moved around her body, touching her in somewhat intimate places. But he was good at reading her body reactions, if he felt her tense, he'd move his hand away to another spot.
Soft moans and whimpers started easing out of her mouth as they continued kissing. Then, she wondered if it was simply anxiousness and adrenaline on his part. After all, this had been a very active day. At that thought, Thomas bumped his hip against her, causing her to break the kiss. He looked at her, his breathing heavy as she inhaled deeply. Her limbs felt like jelly as she brought a shaking finger up to her mouth.
God, she could barely hold the intense look in his eyes. He stands up abruptly, stating. "I need a drink."
She nods as she allows him pulls her up from the bench. "Right." Thomas goes around the bar and takes two glasses. "Gin, please." He nods. "And, there's tonic water under the bench."
He frowns. "What for?"
Kate chuckles at the confused expression on his face. "I'll show you." He reaches under the bar and hands her the gin and water, along with a glass. He watches as she adds the tonic water to her gin. "It's a night for celebration, but I'm not getting overly drunk like before."
"Hmm." he mutters as he comes around the bar, full glass of whiskey in his hand, which he downs quickly. Kate nervously sips her gin and tonic, knowing that he's going to say something to her. He grips his glass firmly in his hand before setting it down on the counter.
"What is it?" she asks hesitantly. He looks at her curiously. "There's something on your mind, I can feel it."
"It's just…it doesn't feel like we just started courting. It feels like we just got f**king engaged." Kate can only stare at him as he pins her in place with that penetrating stare of his. "Or is it just me?"
Kate shakes her head. "No. no, it's not." He refills his glass. "It's moving way too fast."
"I know, but, I don't want to stop seeing you to make it slow down."
Kate laughs. "Me neither." She exhales. "We barely know each other."
"I wouldn't say that." He snorts. "Kate, we haven't been apart from each other the day we met, which has been almost three months."
Kate blinks. "I-I suppose that accounts for something. We've done a lot of fighting in that brief time though, haven't we?"
He nods. "Yeah, never really met a woman who argues like you."
"Have you had…many girls before me?" his eyes narrow suspiciously. "I mean serious relationships. Liaisons and Lizzie don't count."
"Just one." He's silent for a moment. "Greta Jurossi. Haven't thought about her in a while."
"From your tone…I'm guessing it didn't end happy."
"She died of consumption in 1918." He poured himself another glass. "I was in Verdun."
"I'm so sorry." She exhales. "My mother passed away in January this month, influenza."
"My mother died after having Finn." He lights himself another cigarette. "My father had already abandoned us."
"Oh, hold on." she takes a gulp of her gin and tonic. "I haven't had enough alcohol to discuss fathers yet!"
He studies her. "I can imagine yours was just as bad, if not worse than mine."
"My father's only redeeming quality is that he loved my mother."
"Mine only used her." his eyes darkened. "He'd hit her and leave her alone for months. Seemed to only come back to knock her up, dying was a relief for her."
She places her hand atop of his. "Mother dying was the ruination of father. He's become a darker person without her in the world. We're not our parents."
"How do you do it?" he asks quietly.
"Do what?"
"Get me to talk to you?" he looks up at her. "I don't tell anybody anything."
Kate swallows hard. "As you said before…it doesn't feel like we're courting."
He nods as he leans forward to kiss her again. "Miles past it."
"Thomas." On cue, the back door opens and Grace walks in. Kate places a hand on his chest, stopping him. He exhales with a groan, but moves back to his drink. Kate exhales and runs her hand through her hair. "Hello Grace."
"Hi." Her eyes narrow slightly. "Was I interrupting something?"
"Yes." Thomas states before Kate can concoct a response. "But," he smirks at her. "I'm sure Kate's thankful for the interruption."
Kate blushes. "Stop it, Thomas."
"Are you two courting?" Grace asks, her facial expression is still, but Kate can see she's hoping that it's not true.
Thomas nods. "Asked her tonight." He smiles at her. "The girl said yes."
"Congratulations." Grace's expression does show that she's definitely heartbroken about this news. She turns towards Thomas, keeping a brave smile pasted on her face. "You want me to open that champagne now?"
Thomas shakes his head as the doors to the pub burst open. It's Polly. She and Thomas turn towards her with a smile, but Polly, isn't smiling. "It's a boy." Thomas straightens up as Polly suddenly lunges for him. Arthur and John now chose to come out of the room in time to restrain her from hitting Thomas. "But the police came and took his father away!" the anger in Polly's tone is chilling, as well as the tears in her eyes. "Don't you dare look at me like that!" Thomas is completely stunned; Kate can see and sense that. John and Arthur appeared to be sobered up by the news and are looking at him with a look of disgusted disbelief. Polly spits at Thomas. "You liar."
"Everyone," Kate says calmly. "just take a minute." Now, everyone aims their dark looks at her. "Thomas wouldn't do that to Ada."
"You don't know him!" Polly shouts at her. "Sometimes, I don't even think I know him! No one will ever know him!"
"He gave his word that Freddie would be safe!"
"He won't even swear on the bible! It means nothing to him!" Polly bites out. "He believes in nothing."
"His word does!" Kate says firmly. "He's a man of honor when it comes to his word."
"Man of honor." Polly snorts before stating sharply. "If you had any sense in your head, you'd get back in your restaurant and stay away from him before he hurts you. If he can do a thing like this to his own sister, he'll do worse to you." Polly pulls free and glowers at them both. "I'm headed back to Ada."
Thomas is without words as he watches his aunt turn and walk out of the pub. "Nice going tom." Arthur says darkly before turning and following Polly out of the room. John simply surveys them and leaves the room with a shake of his head.
Thomas turns back to the bar, grabbing the bottle of whiskey. "Both of you," he orders. "out now."
Kate shakes her head. "I'm not going anywhere."
Thomas slams the bar countertop, causing her to flinch for a second. "I said…get out."
"Don't you dare try and push me away." Kate stated firmly. "Right now, I'm the only person who knows that you didn't do such a thing."
"Kate." she reaches for his hand and holds it. He's silent for a moment and she can feel the anger dying down in him.
She rests her head against his shoulder and closes her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere."
"I didn't turn Freddie Thorne in." he turns his hand over so he can lace his fingers with hers.
"I know that. You don't have to convince me.
"How come you believe me?" he asks. "You're not even family. We just agreed to begin our relationship not even five hours ago, yet you believe me."
"Because, I do know you somewhat, Thomas Shelby." She looks up at him. "I know that you dislike Freddie immensely, but he is married to your sister. Your love for her, trumps any animosity you have towards him. You wouldn't hurt her like that."
He exhales deeply. "Thank you Kate."
"I'm not a fool though, I've seen the darkness inside you and I know you can be cruel to other people in regards to business." His eyes narrow as he watches her face carefully. "But I've also see your love and loyalty towards your family. You're an honorable and good man. You're also sentimental," he shakes his head with a short laugh. "Deny it all you want, but you are."
"Sentimental?" he shakes his head. "Not a word I'd use to describe me."
"No, but it's how I'd describe you."
"Kate," he studies her face carefully. "you're making me fall in love with you."
"Oh." She breathes lightly, momentarily without words.
Luckily, she doesn't have to find them because Grace comes around the corner, clearing her throat. "I'll be leaving now Mr. Shelby. Will you please lock up?"
Thomas straightens upright and heads to the backroom. "Let me grab my coat, I won't be staying. You can lock up behind me after I walk Kate to her place."
Grace nods uneasily as Thomas vanishes. Kate stands and goes for her hairpins, which Thomas has left on the piano. Kate takes them and puts them in her purse. The tension between them is awkward. Kate knows she'll need to have a word with Grace, but not tonight, there's been enough drama in the air already.
Thomas comes around the corner, pulling on his coat. "Right then, see you tomorrow Grace."
"Night Mr. Shelby."
"Thomas, does Grace live far away?"
He shakes his head. "Not really."
"Why don't you make sure she gets home safe, and then come back?" he eyes her suspiciously. "I've got something for you and I'd like a few minutes to get it ready."
He nods. "Alright. I'll see you in five minutes."
"Right. Goodnight Grace."
"Night." Though Grace walked out with her head held high, her body language testified that it was anything but a good night for her.
Idcam: He certainly will be! I wrote a nice long chapter to keep everyone entertained. With this whole coronavirus pandemonium ensuing, I've had to start prepping the kitchen with essential stuff. Mom, invested in emergency food, a few years ago, which helps. I also garden, so, I've got plenty of food to grow so I can or freeze them.
