Chapter twenty-eight: The Fog


"What?" Thomas frowns as she steps away from him and stops towards Grace. "Kate?"

Grace spots the look on Kate's face and immediately turns to head back into the pub. "Grace!" Kate shouts as she grabs her skirt and hurries towards her, ignoring all the pain screaming through her entire body. "Don't you dare run away from me!"

"What the f**k has gotten into her now?" Arthur yells from behind Thomas.

"Damned if I know! Kate?"

Kate lunges for Grace, tackling her around the waist and knocking her to the ground! Both females let out a shriek as they hit the floor. Kate has Grace under her and manages to punch Grace right in the eye! Grace lets out a shriek as she grabs a hold of Kate's hair, pulling on it. All the men in the pub clear out of the way, as both the women tussle on the sawdust-covered floor!

She can feel Thomas staring at her in complete shock as Grace pins Kate on the ground, hand over her throat. Kate brings up her arm and smacks Grace upside the head with her fist, causing her to let go! Kate rolls so she is on top of Grace and she grabs a hold of the newly filled spittoon, which is fortunately within her reach! Grace's eyes widen as Kate pours the contents of the spittoon all over Grace's shocked face.

At that moment, Thomas finally comes out of his shock and pulls Kate off Grace. "Alright, break it up. What the f**k got into you?"

"Teaching her a lesson!" Kate snaps as Harry helps Grace up from the floor. "Who do you think called my father to let him know where I was?"

Thomas stiffens and stares at Grace who's wiping the saliva, wads of tobacco, brown liquid and bits of fresh vomit off her face. "Did you do that to Kate?"

"My brother turned you in!" Kate snaps. "I already know! Did you really think that once you got me out of the way, that you'd have a chance with Thomas? Do you really think that he wouldn't come after me?"

"Kate," Harry says. "calm down. We all know that Grace has been upset recently, but she wouldn't do that."

"I don't hear her denying anything!" Kate points out.

Thomas turns to Grace and Kate can feel his anger starting to rise in him. "Is this true, Grace?" She bites her lip before nodding. "Harry, find a new barmaid."

"I wanted the reward her father offered for information." Grace says quietly. "25,000 pounds is a lot of money. It wasn't personal." Everyone stares at her in shock that is a lot of money.

"Oh, now that just makes it alright then!" Kate says sarcastically.

"I don't care how much f**king money, her father put up as a reward," Thomas snarls. "you don't go selling out people down here! Especially when you know we're in a relationship. I would cut you now," Grace flinches, but doesn't move. "but you helped me yesterday, so, for now, I'll let you be. Collect your things and be out of here by the end of this week. If I see you again...you won't be looking so pretty to the next man who sees you."

"Understood." Grace nods her head stiffly as she clutches her wounded eye. "I shall be gone by tomorrow." She then walks out of the room, clutching her eye and still wiping the spittoon contents off her.

Thomas turns to the crowd in the pub. "And if anyone thinks of selling my wife out, you'll lose your tongue and ears! Is that f**king clear?" everyone nods in fearful agreement. Kate exhales deeply as she smoothes her skirts and walks out of the pub with her head held high. Thomas follows her. "Hold it." she turns towards him as he takes her hand and looks at her hand He smiles as he kisses her knuckles. "Didn't even break the skin."

"What?" she asks mischievously. "Do you really think that was my first time throwing a punch?"

"You don't fool me for a minute Katherine Elaine Kovach." He wraps his arms around her waist and caresses her face gently with his hand. "You come off as this sweet, shy and innocent girl. But I see inside you. And you," he leans forward to kiss her again. "are a passionate, fighter of a woman. And one day, if you'll let me," he grins at her. "I'll make you the happiest woman alive."

Kate smiles broadly. "What makes you think I'm not happy now?"

"Because," he adds in a lower voice. "you're not my wife yet."

"Well, you've practically announced to everyone that we're as good as married."

"I'd say we are."

"Kate," Christopher says. "not that I'm enjoying the fact that I get to clean everyone in the pub out of all their hard earned cash."

"Can you get the bullet out of him," Abigail half-shrieks. "before he bleeds to death!"

Kate turns to see Christopher on his feet, holding a towel in place against his wound. "Of course, Sarah, get my medical kit out from under the sink and bring it out here. John, I need some hot water and a clean, unused towel." She turns to Thomas. "Now, you back to your business. I'm sure you've got things to take care of."

Thomas nods. "I certainly do." He kisses her forehead. "I'll talk to you later."


Back in the office,


Kovach residence. How many I help you?

"Put Gilbert Kovach on the line." Thomas orders. "I have information about his daughter that he'll want to know about."

All is quiet for a second. One moment please.

Thomas nearly snorts. No wonder Kate ran away from that place. If things were as high and mighty as this butler sounded, she would have gone mad in a place like that. Who is this? An angry voice of a man demands.

"The name's Thomas Shelby and I'm the man who has your daughter." The blustering stills on the other end of the phone. "Do you want her back?"

Of course I do!

"Good. Now, you listen to me. I'll send you the address to pick her up at in two days from now."

Two days?! I want her back now!

"And I'm saying it'll have to be two days. Your daughter jumped out of your son's moving car to get away from him."

What? My daughter would never do that.

"Well, she did. She needs those days to recover and I have business to tend to first. She's currently being tended to by my aunt. And if you want to take her without a fight...she can't suspect anything."

Right.

"And be sure to bring the reward in cash." He states out. "I've got a family that needs to be taken care of."

Yes. Her father growls with disdain.

"How much is it again?"

25,000 pounds.

Thomas's brow arches. Her father must care about her to some degree, otherwise he wouldn't be offering such a sum. "She'll be ready for you to pick up in one piece."

She had better be.

"Oh trust me. I want that reward. She's under my protection and won't suspect anything."

Good. I'll be awaiting your message. Also, you sound like a very cocky, young man. Be sure that you fully know whom you're dealing with in the future, else it could end badly for you.

"I assure you, I've dealt with worse than you in my time."

With that, Thomas hangs up on her father, a smile tugging at the corner of his smile. Today was a good day. Nothing else could go wrong!


Shariebery: Thank you for the lovely review. The good news with this coronavirus is that now, I've got nothing to do but write. I'll admit Kate & Thomas are one of my better written couples. (Almost as good as Sherlock & Tammy.) However, this story will end at chapter 40.

Idcam: Well, she got more than a punch to the face. But heaven help Thomas when Kate finds out that he's collecting the reward on her!