"You will survive and you will find purpose in the chaos. Moving on doesn't mean letting go." Mary Vanhaute.

Peaky Blinders - Book 2

Unfinished Business

"I promised my friend, Freddie Thorne, that I'd say a few words over his grave if he should pass before me. I made this promise before he became my brother-in-law, when we were in France, fighting for the King."

"Amen."

Ada swallowed as she readjusted Karl on her arms before looking away from her own husband's sleek black coffin. She was barely twenty-five and was already a widow. And the one person she really wanted to have by her side to get through this ordeal couldn't even be here.

She struggled to keep a clear face despite the tears threatening to flood behind her eyes. Those people around her were like vultures. They expected to see her collapse. She wouldn't give them that satisfaction.

"And in the end, it wasn't war who took Freddy, Pestilence took him. But Freddie passed his soul and his spirit to a new generation before he was cruelly taken."

Far too late for her liking, the crowd dispersed. She confided Karl to Polly and her cousins before crossing her arms over her chest to take time for herself. Her mind was restless, in mourning. She needed some time to herself. And probably to share a good bottle with a friend. However, it was not long before she felt a new presence at her side. The familiar scent of her brother filled her nostrils. And Ada was almost ashamed to say the smell was almost comforting. However, there was so much feud between them now. He remained her brother. But Thomas had goals, ambitions that she didn't share.

"We thought now Freddie's gone," Thomas paused as he tilted his head slightly towards her."You might come back to Birmingham."

Ada instantly gave a sarcastic smile before casting a brief contemptuous look over her shoulder."God, you know how funny it is that you got chauffeurs in uniform?"

"Just for the occasion, Ada." Thomas defended, his cigarette in his hand.

"Do you know how unfair it is you've got four Bugattis when half the country's starving?" She asked, committed.

Thomas glanced in front of him before wincing with a slight twitch along his jaw in annoyance."So now they've made you ashamed of us?"

Ada stopped to face him before measuring him as he cleared his throat before pulling on his cigarette again."When I think how I used to be, it makes me embarrassed."

"Karl's with his cousins." Suddenly Polly intervened as she approached their taut duo, a black veil covering part of her face and hat."I caught them trying to pinch flowers off a grave." She let a smile curl her lips. "Ada. Are you coming home?"

Ada pursed her lips in negation."No, I'm going to go see a friend. And then I'll go home."

"It's all right, Pol." Thomas commented indifferently. "We make Ada embarrassed."

"That's not what I said." Ada hissed, rolling her eyes, annoyed.

Thomas looked back at her gravely."There's another reason we want you home. We're planning an expansion. I'm taking premises in London. "

Ada immediately left an incredulous scoff at her brother's familiar audacity. She shook her head before looking away in exasperation. Obviously he would talk business. That was all he knew how to do lately. It has been two years. Two years since Adele had been gone and she hadn't seen her brother smiling once.

"It's a funeral, business can wait." Polly warns.

"Polly," He said before pointing at his sister, cold. "If Ada was weeping then I'd stop. But she's not." Ada looked up at him with her jaw clenched."The expansion means it'll be dangerous to be a Shelby in London for a while."

"Yeah." Ada replied flatly, furious."Well, I'm not a Shelby anymore." She added."And I'm not a Thorne now either. I'm free."She shook her head, emotional. "I have got to get Karl."

Polly immediately spun on her heels, hoping to hold her back. "Wait, Ada! Where are you going ?"

"I'm going to see the only person who had the intelligence to leave before she was cursed with the name Shelby!" Ada snapped back as she spun on her heels before meeting Thomas' gaze over Polly's shoulder.

Polly immediately gave her niece a warning look."Ada, no."

"Ada, yes!" She replied as she held Thomas' gaze. The sight of the small change in his expression was a clear indicator that she had gotten his attention."You know who I'm talking about? Right Tommy?"

She didn't wait for his answer. She even doubted she would get one at this point. She just turned on her heel as Thomas looked away, his jaw clenched in a malicious rappelling vice.

He ran his tongue along his teeth as he looked at the cigarette between his fingers before bringing it to his lips.

Polly suppressed a grimace before slowly turning to her nephew in sympathy."Thomas-"

He cleared his throat, interrupting her."Since when?"

Polly took a moment to observe the impassive profile of her nephew, worried . She knew that despite his indifference, the feelings had not changed. As she predicted, he was soft. He hadn't changed. And he would probably never change on that point.

"Since Lucinda's funeral." Polly finally answered as she crossed her arms over her chest. There was no real reason to lie anymore."She needed someone. You know she and Ada have always been close."

"I know." He replied coldly."I was there."

"Why didn't you come to offer your condolences?" Polly asked, contrite. This situation was ridiculous. Adele was unhappy and so was he. These two were the biggest idiots she knew.

Thomas sniffled as he released the smoke from his lungs before clearing his throat again as he gave Polly a pointed look from under the visor of his cap."You know why."

"I was thinking maybe we should contact the New York Art Foundation and-"

"Miss. Lancaster?" Called Jarvis as he poked his head through the half-open door to interrupt the meeting."Miss. Ada and young Karl are waiting for you in the winter lounge."

Adele briefly met her grandfather's impatient gaze over her notes before clearing her throat as she could see the vultures gauging her with smirks. Now was really not the time. She was in the midst of a power struggle with a room full of businessmen.

Ada really knew how to choose her moment.

She suppressed a grimace at her selfish thought. She was horrible. Ada had just lost her husband. Of course she would drop by to see her on the way home. It was Ada after all. If there was one of this damned family she couldn't cut from her life, it was Ada. The brunette Thorne had made sure to convey her thoughts on her leaving. She had never seen Ada so angry as on that famous day.

However, she had to finish this meeting.

She cleared her throat lightly as she readjusted herself in her seat before returning her eyes to Jarvis."I'm in the middle of a meeting. Can you please ask her to wait? I'll join her right after."She didn't wait for his response as she quickly made the transition."Like I said, we need to contact the New York Art Foundation. They should be able to add value to the Birmingham Museum."

"That's an interesting idea." William Gibson nodded as he used his glasses to inspect her proposal before returning his eyes on her."What do you do with the striking painters who claim to be exploited by the aristocracy?"

Adele was about to respond when another clearing of the throat from the entrance called out to her."I'm afraid she's very insistent."

Adele held back a roll of her eyes as she forced a hypocritical smile on her lips before turning to her grandfather's business partners.

She met Gerald's gaze at the other end of the long oak table before standing up using the armrests of her imperial-style chair."Well, I guess you're going to have to finish without me, gentlemens."

"Isn't that a matter that can wait?" Niccolo, one of her grandfather's lawyers and Adele's last suitors, asked immediately. He was a gentleman. And an arrogant prick.

Seamus immediately left a scoff."Believe me gentleman, you don't want to get in the way of Ada Shelby."

"Seamus." Adèle immediately warns.

"Shelby?" Niccolo asked."That name sounds oddly familiar."

Adele held back a scoff to put it mildly. If only she could forget that name in its entirety. She would probably sleep better at night. It was certain.

George, one of London's posh leaned over the table."Aren't they the good fortune tellers who took over the business on the midwest racetrack from a man named Kimber? It seems to me that they're planning to expand to London."

Gerald immediately gave his granddaughter a sharp look at her mistake. He wasn't particularly fond of the Shelbys. Or even Ada to start with. He had made his point very clear. And many times elsewhere.

Adele already knew she was going to have to put up with another of his long speeches about the importance of keeping status. It seemed that the association with gypsies was not particularly well regarded in his eyes. That and the fact that her stupid little brother had stupidly alluded to her connection to… whatever.

She apologized a second time as she picked up her view holder containing plans for the next expansion before pushing the huge, heavy door on her way outside the meeting room.

"Jarvis?"

"Yes?"

She handed him her holder."Could you take this back to my quarters?"

"Right away, Miss."

She thanked him with a polite smile and a nod before easily venturing through the long hallways. The sound of her heels followed her as she made sure to greet the various employees of her grandfather as she passed.

It wasn't long before she paused in front of the double doors leading to the winter lounge before taking a deep breath. She struggled to compose her expression before finally pushing open the doors to make her way into the luxurious living room.

"Aunt Adele!"

The brunette Lancaster barely had time to react as she soon felt two small chubby arms close around her legs.

"My, my Karl! Look at you !" She let out a breath of laughter before leaning in to hug him. She let a genuine smile curl her lips."How beautiful you are."

"He wanted to see his aunt."A familiar voice called. "I'm sorry if I interrupted another boring meeting."

Adele took her eyes off Karl with a raised eyebrow as she gave Ada a questionable look."You look really sorry indeed."

She shook her head as she returned her eyes to Karl with a genuine admiring smile. This little angel was adorable. He never ceased to amaze her. It was as if she suddenly found herself cradled in his innocence every time she saw him. She didn't feel that burden so much on her shoulders anymore.

"How are you ?" Ada finally asked as she approached her son and her best friend with an arched eyebrow, worried."You look tired."

Adele stopped playing with Karl as she gave Ada a sympathetic look at the sight of her mourning outfit. She pursed her lips."I should be the one asking you that. I'm so sorry for your loss, Ada. Freddie was a good man."

"He was above all a real mulberry head." Ada sighed as she raised her hand to stroke her son's cheek with a tight smile. She was refraining from showing her true emotions."Sometimes I look at Karl and I think I see him in his eyes."

"I'm sure he's watching over you from up there." Reassured Adele.

Ada instantly arched an eyebrow as she turned her head to the brunette."Since when do you believe in god?"

"You're really hard to comfort, you know?" Adele replied with a semblance of a smile curving her lips.

Ada met her gaze with a smile threatening to break her mourning mask. She knew there was only Adele to successfully lift her spirits. She was the only one who had supported her when she chose to go to London with Freddie. She was also the only one she could turn to when she was cold with her family. A bit like now. She let a weak weary sigh pass her lips before pulling back to observe the huge living room with a critical eye. She took in the huge shelves filled with expensive first editions before crossing her arms over her chest as she settled down on one of the thick green fabric and padded sofas.

"Look at you." She breathed."A real little palace, eh?"

Karl waved lightly in her arms and Adele put him back on the floor to let him play with the toys Jarvis had probably brought out especially for him. She watched the little one settle down calmly on the fur rug before joining Ada, the fire in the fireplace lightly infiltrating her Lanvin robe.

"Is this another one of your engaged moments where you go complaining about my comfortable living conditions?"

Ada arched an eyebrow."Has this ever worked on you?"

"Not really, no." Smiled Adele before giving her a questioning look."You didn't think about calling."

Ada gave a sarcastic smile. "Right, sorry. I didn't really have time between my husband's fucking funeral and my fucking brother's grandiosity!"

Adele moaned at the familiar, frustrated language of Ada before looking away as she felt a simple shiver come up her shoulders at the mere mention of her brother. She didn't have to hear his name to know who she was speaking. Unfortunately.

She stood up, clearing her throat under Ada's watchful eyes, before leaning in front of the liquor bar. She pulled out a good bottle of famous gin before taking two tumblers to make her way to Ada. She put them on the coffee table between the two sofas before pulling the cork of the bottle to serve them.

"Isn't that a bit early for that?"

"It's happy hour somewhere." Adele replied as she handed Ada a drink before settling down again at her side with her drink in her hands. She took a deep breath as she observed the clear liquid in her hands."So… how are they? Your family, I mean."

Ada swallowed her acrid mouthful, nodding her head before giving Adele a pointed look."They're doing pretty well if you ignore the fact that they all look like ghosts. Arthur is on edge. John is trying to be a good husband and a good father, but I doubt he's going to be able to do anything about the expansion. Right, because we're going to have an expansion in London now."

"That's what I thought I heard." Adele nodded."The men were already talking about it upstairs. You know we're already dealing with the Italians, right?"

Ada arched an eyebrow."You're doing business with the Mafia now?"

"Legal only." Assured Adele as she took a sip from her glass."They're important partners."

Ada scoffed."God, you remind me so much of him. You haven't found a better way than to both dive into business, eh?"

"Ada." Adele warns.

She clenched her jaw as she returned her eyes to Karl as she tried to ignore the pointed gaze of the brunette Shelby. She knew what she was going to say. It was obvious she was going to talk about him again. It was Ada after all. There wasn't a single moment she didn't complain about her brother. It was also the best way to see how much she cared about him. Despite everything, she sincerely loved her brother. Just like Adele loved hers.

She cleared her throat hoping to change the conversation."What about Polly?"

"You know her." Ada replied, shrugging her shoulders."She always tries to be impartial but she always ends up on his side."

Adele left a snort."Oh, Pol."

Ada let out a low sigh as she brought the glass to her lips again before leaning her elbow against the back of the sofa. She bent her legs under her buttocks before giving Adele a look. She leaned over slightly to play with her long brown curls."You made the right choice, you know."

"Mhm?"Hummed Adele as she raised her eyebrows as she took another sip.

"The name Shelby is a curse." Ada sighed before giving her son a concerned look."Sometimes I wonder if I would see my son grow up."

Adèle immediately bent her head on the brunette seriously."Of course you will see him grow up. You're not in business, Ada."

"And you ?" Resumed Ada."Are you really safe ? I mean... the Italians, Adèle."

Adele immediately gave Ada a sharp look."I've always had a connection with the Italians, Ada. You know that better than anyone."

"Right, Gretta."

"Gretta." Sighed Adele, raising a toast. Over the past few years, it had become less difficult for her to talk about Gretta. She figured she had much more difficult things to avoid now."If you want to do business in London you have to choose sides. Gerald had already made this choice before we even arrived. We just adapted to the situation."

Ada knowingly arched an eyebrow."And how did Seamus adjust to the situation?"

Adele rolled her eyes."He jumps on anything that moves. A real goujat. But overall, he seems to be enjoying the life of posh. And he's really good with the books."

"He learned from the best." Ada reminded.

Adele gave a snort at the mere thought."Believe me Gerald is careful not to mention it when he praises Seamus's merits. He's very proud of him. But of his past with the Peaky Blinders? Not so much."

"Well, I don't particularly like the old man but can you really blame him?" Ada replied, shrugging her shoulders."You're doing legal business. It's not very trustworthy to brag about the name Shelby."

Adele immediately gave Ada a flat look as she pointed at her with her glass."You don't really mean what you're saying. You're just mad at them."

"Oh, really?" Ada challenged before raising her chin confidently."So why didn't you stay? You'd probably be a fucking Shelby by now."

Adele straightened up to give the brunette a warning look."Fuck you, Ada."

She looked away clearly hurt despite her best efforts to hide the pain the mere thought gave her. She knew very well what she had left behind. She didn't need to be reminded so explicitly. She had made her choices. She knew it was for the best. And yet she couldn't really help but think about what her life would be like now if she had acted differently.

Ada's strong assumption was most likely.

Ah, Adèle Shelby.

The thought sounded almost surreal honestly.

She despised the very idea of marriage and yet she could feel it in the depths of her being. She could have turned her back on all her principles for one man. It was probably the best of all indications for her. She couldn't let herself be walked on. These were her mother's last words. If she had stayed then she would have let go. She would have given way to her feelings. It wasn't who she was. And to be honest, part of her was happy now. She was satisfied with her progress in life.

It was already a lot for a woman.

Ada pursed her lips as she realized her mistake. She had probably gone too far. Adele didn't deserve her venom. It was just sometimes inevitable. She couldn't help but think of her brother every time she saw her. Part of her was almost disappointed that she couldn't count her as a real member of her family. At least Thomas would probably be a little less fucking sad and moody the whole time. He might also be less of a count. But it was a bonus.

"Sorry. It was uncalled for."She apologized as she put her hand on her shoulder with a hesitant little smile."I can be a real bitch sometimes."

Adele let out a laugh as she shook her head."Damn right, you can!"

"Anyway how's Niccolo?"Teased Ada in the hopes of easing the tensions between them.

Adele rolled her eyes."Don't start. He's an arrogant prick. Do you know he tried to kick me off the board? He thinks a woman should be interested in jewelry, not the construction business."

"He seems lovely." Snorted Ada, a sly grin crossing her lips."But he's still a handsome man. A handsome man who would do anything to put you in his bed anyway."

"He's shallow and dumb." Said Adèle. "He keeps talking about himself. And I'm not even telling you about his strong opinions. Don't tell him you're a Communist. His daddy hates communists and like a daddy's perfect son he hates them too."

"God, listen to yourself! You really sound like a posh now."Chuckled Ada.

"Thank you." Adele commented rolling her eyes before pointing her with her glass as she spoke in Rroma."And you are a real pain in the ass for a communist."

Ada paused through her laughter before laughing harder, clearly surprised by Adele's use of language. The contrast was almost too hilarious not to laugh. She was laughing so hard that it wasn't long before she felt the tears welling up behind her eyes leaving Adele to watch her in sympathy. She saw the subtle judgment between her mirth and sadness as Ada suddenly started to cry for real. The loss of the man she loved caught up with her in spite of herself.

She hurriedly put her drink down on the coffee table before quickly approaching Ada to catch up with her as she collapsed. She immediately hugged her arms around Adele in an attempt to hold onto something as she let the sobs leave her lips. Adele stroked her hair in an effort to comfort her.

"Shhh… shhh. I'm here. Let it go."Adele whispered." Let it go, Ada. It's okay. Just let it go ..."

Hi guys,

So it's been a while since I published. I think Helen's passing shocked me a bit.

Anyway, I'm back with the sequel.

I hope you enjoy the rest of Adele's adventures.

Once again, a huge thank you for all who take the time to favorited this story and comment.

Xxo Imagine-write-and-love