Bobby Wright had been unable to forget the girl his father had smuggled down to Camden Town all those months ago. She had not been from Birmingham, nor was she a common girl. He didn't know anything about her, but he soon found out. He wasn't a clever boy, but he wasn't a fool. He remembered how Robert Kimber had sent men to look for a girl.
A girl who was coincidentally called Elizabeth.
But this was after she had disappeared. He had said nothing, nor had he dared to. But everything was changing now. War was on the horizon and Bobby knew it was only a matter of time before he was called up to join and he couldn't do that. War scared him. He was not a man to use his strength. He didn't know how to.
But he had no option. That was until he saw Elizabeth Poole in The Garrison on the Sunday morning many men had headed off to war.
And he knew who she was. She was a Kimber. Bobby knew the wealth of Billy Kimber and how he had bought his way to what he wanted. He had even heard that he was immune to being called up for war, should the army start enlisting people instead of relying on volunteers. No doubt he had bought that if he knew the right officers in the right place.
Perhaps he could offer Bobby the same thing should he have something in return. And that something would be his sister. Bobby wasted no time in setting his plan in action, knowing that he had to act quickly. He just had to send the message quickly.
….
Liz was on the last train to London for the evening. She had spent her afternoon in The Garrison, silently sipping on water and reading the newspaper for what seemed like hours on end. She decided to make a move for the train station an hour before her train was due. The streets were quiet and dark as she moved with haste, adjusting her gloves on her arms and keeping her head bowed with her hat covering her face.
She moved quickly and silently, finally arriving at the station and moving down the platform to wait for her train.
"My sweet sister."
Liz froze all of a suddenly, startling at the noise she heard. She looked up and straight down the platform, her blood chilling as she heard his voice enter her ears. Taking a step back, Liz knew that she had to go. She had to run quickly before she was trapped here and with him.
Turning on her heel, she moved swiftly back down the platform, her feet hitting the floor quicker than ever before as she ran as fast as possible. It only took a few seconds for his hand to wrap around her arm and haul her back to him. She shrieked loudly as his other arm managed to wrap around her waist, pressing her back flush against his chest.
"Let me go!" she roared to him.
"Not a chance, Lizzie," he whispered in her ear, his nose pressed against her neck as she shivered and tried to kick her way from his grip. "I have my men with me, sweetling. You're off nowhere but home now."
Liz could feel herself grow faint at the announcement, but she did her best to escape her brother's grip. She didn't do anything but fight him, knowing that this would be the only chance she had to leave his grip. Sobbing to herself, she stopped the sadness from clouding the anger she felt at the news. But Billy Kimber was not a man to give up. And he knew exactly what he wanted and how to get it.
…
Liz had not stopped trying to fight her brother for the entire journey home, snarling and spitting whenever she could. But Billy was stronger than she was. He had his hand holding her arm as he dragged her through the manor she had grown up in. He pulled her up the staircase and she remained grounded on a step, refusing to go any further.
"You've turned into a bit of a pain in my arse, Lizzie," Billy told her, continuing to pull at her. "And I want to know where you've been and what you've been doing. Do you understand that, Liz?"
"Go to hell," Liz hissed at him.
It was then when Billy sighed and moved his hand with haste, allowing it to make contact with her cheek. His grip on her was released and he watched her fall down a step, her hand hitting the wall to try to keep her on balance. She grunted in pain, unable to recall the last time her brother had raised his hand to her.
The hat she wore tumbled off her head and her curls hung loosely around her face. Billy inhaled sharply and moved down the step, his hand tangling in her hair and hauling her to her knees as she groaned in pain and Billy bent down to look at her, his other hand moving to caress the spot on her cheek he had hit.
"Now, now, Liz," he whispered to her. "You remember your place, don't you? You know what you are when you are back here?"
Liz managed to glower through the pain. "I heard that you had a wife now," Liz spat out. "I had imagined that she would be your punching bag now, Billy?"
His glare increased further then and Liz could only feel smug at what she had said to him. She detested her brother more than she cared to admit and she only hoped that he could see that from the way she was looking at him. He may be wealthy and have everything he ever wanted, but he was nothing like Tommy. Tommy was twice the man he was. But Liz knew that she had to keep Tommy safe. She wanted her brother to know nothing of him. She only dreaded what he would do if he knew.
"Now, Liz," Billy said in a low voice. "I don't know what happened to you in the last year or so, but you know that is not how you speak to me, don't you?"
Liz laughed at that, pushing herself to her feet and pulling his hand from her. Her hands clenched into fists and her chin jutted out to glower at him. She had been treated like this before, but she had grown. She wasn't the little girl who would accept it anymore. She would fight her brother at every chance.
"And this is how you treat me?" Liz demanded from him. "You are nothing but an abusive bastard. You and father were the worst people I have ever met. Do you wonder why I never wanted to come back? Or why mother ran off in the first place?"
"Do not speak of father like that," Billy demanded from her, pointing his finger at her with anger. "He brought this family up from nothing to this," Billy held his hands out, looking around the grand hall they stood in. "And mother never appreciated what he gave her. She was an ungrateful wench, just like you."
"Then cast me out," Liz demanded. "If I am so ungrateful then let me leave."
Billy chuckled at that, shaking his head back and forth as he did so. He stepped closer to Liz down the staircase, his finger curling under her chin and his grip vice like as he gripped her.
"You had a purpose, Liz," Billy informed his sister. "I want to see if you can still serve that purpose."
Liz suspected that he was speaking of marrying her off to Sabini, but he said nothing more of the matter and she didn't look as though she understood what he was speaking of, but the ring on her finger suddenly seemed to weigh her down all of a sudden. She was grateful that her gloves hid the ring on her finger. She knew that she would have to hide it before Billy had the chance to see it.
"No," Liz snapped. "I am my own person, Billy. I have made a life for myself. I do not wish to return here. I want to go and you cannot stop me."
Billy chuckled at that. He couldn't quite understand what had happened to his naïve sister. She was not a girl anymore: he could see that. She had grown and she had found a defiant streak. Unfortunately for her, Billy had other plans.
"Look at you," Billy hissed. "Stood there in a cheap dress…muddy boots…you look a fright. And is that the life you wish to run back to, Liz? What are you, eh? Some whore on the street? Let men have you when they want?"
"Don't you dare!" Liz yelled louder than she had done. "What I do is no concern of yours. I will not stay here and you cannot force me to."
She turned on her heel and rushed down the staircase. She only got as far as the front door to find it locked. Billy remained stood at the bottom of the grand staircase, his eyes set on his sister as he watched her feebly attempt to pull at the wooden door. She groaned in annoyance as it didn't move and Billy chuckled.
"You're off nowhere, Elizabeth," he promised her and moved with haste to grab hold of her by the arm. "You're going to go to your bedchamber and we shall have a discussion about your behaviour when I return. Do you understand me?"
Liz cried out when she felt her brother grab her by her legs, tilting her to fall on his shoulder. She slapped at his back as he carried her back up the staircase to the furthest corridor, depositing her in her bedchamber on the stool by her bed.
"Be a good girl, Liz, and keep quiet," Billy hissed at her as he slammed the door to her bedchamber shut.
Liz was about to move to open it, but she heard the sound of a key turning and she knew that he had locked her in. Huffing to herself, she looked around and wondered how else she could escape her brother.
…
Billy kept Elizabeth locked in her room for the next three days. Only the serving staff brought her food in the evening and even then they did not acknowledge her, nor did she eat the food they brought. She had found herself not remotely hungry as she curled into a ball on her bed; her hand holding the ring Tommy had given her.
She would hide it in her bedside drawer whenever she heard footsteps approaching. Nothing in her room had changed. The long drapes were constantly shut, as she did not wish to look over the gardens or acknowledge the sunlight. Her wardrobe was full of her old gowns. Her drawers were full of her undergarments. Nothing had changed.
Yet everything had changed in her life. She no longer had Tommy Shelby. She wished that she could write to him, but she knew that her brother would demand why. He would put two and two together and know what Tommy had done for her. There was nothing Liz could do. Billy had her locked away and she didn't know how much more she could stand.
All she could do was think of how Tommy would write to her, but he would never receive a reply. It made her feel sick to her stomach. Would he come back for her? Would he even find out where she was?
Liz did her best to stifle the sobs escaping her. She had to try to escape, even if it took time. She couldn't understand why her brother was in such a need of her. It made no sense. Surely this Sabini chap had moved on by now? Why would he want someone like Liz?
It was only after a week had passed did Billy demand for his sister to dine with him and his wife. Liz had revolted at first, but one of his men had grabbed hold of her by the arm and dragged her to the dining hall. The grand twenty-place table was set for just three, and two already filled their spaces. Billy sat at the head of the table and his wife sat halfway down on the right.
Liz took her seat as the man released her. She kept her hands in her skirt as her hair fell down her face and her eyes remained cast downwards. She had caught a brief glimpse of her brother's wife. She was fair enough with a pale complexion. Her dark hair was curled and her eyes were wide and staring straight at Liz.
"Chin up, darling," Billy demanded from his sister. "Things could be much worse."
"Could they be?" Liz demanded, looking to her brother.
His wife's narrow gaze increased as she spotted a fading purple spot on Liz's cheek. She looked to her husband and worry instantly grew inside of her. She had seen her husband's mean side, but he had never harmed her. He yelled and swore, but he never laid a finger on her. But the stare he was giving his sister scared her. He looked at her as though she was nothing but his to torment.
"Your purpose never materialised," Billy shrugged. "Father had offered you in marriage to a powerful man named Sabini. It turns out he isn't interested in you now…says he doesn't know where you might have been. Not that I can blame him…you looked like a cheap whore when I found you."
"And you would know of whores," Liz mumbled, hoping that he couldn't hear her.
"What was that?" Billy demanded.
"Nothing at all," Liz falsely smiled. "I was no whore. I was a seamstress if you must know."
Billy chuckled at that, motioning to his wife. "As was Mary until I married her. She made clothes for a living."
Liz looked across to Mary, wondering if she was happy in her marriage. Mary Kimber didn't look happy. She didn't look anything, just bored. Liz nodded to her, wondering what more she could offer the woman. There was nothing Liz could say or do to make her marriage any better. What the hell she saw in Billy beat Liz anyway.
"But you are back now, and I trust you to be obedient after your week of sobbing."
Liz scoffed then, shaking her head back and forth. "Do you think that I will ever be obedient? Does your dear wife here know what you are like, Billy? Does she know how horrible you and father were to make me and mother leave? If you think that I shall sit and put up with this then you are mistaken."
Elizabeth refused to back down and Mary was trying not to shrink back in her seat. Fear of her husband suddenly overwhelmed her and she tried not to let it escalate. However, she didn't exactly know what to do. It was only when the dinner was visible through the double doors did she clap her hands together and smile widely, diffusing the atmosphere.
"The food is being served," she exclaimed and Liz was shocked that she sounded like Tommy. "Wonderful. Perhaps we can dine and discuss what it is you sew, Elizabeth? No doubt we have much to bond over."
Mary prompted Liz to nod in agreement with her as she smiled across to her husband as his plate was placed in front of him. Liz looked back to Mary. The woman was trying to help, and Liz knew that. But what Mary didn't know was that her husband's temper only postponed until he could let it all out.
…..
Mary Kimber was in a loveless marriage. She knew that. She had been infatuated with Billy to begin with. He could provide her with lavish gifts. He could dote upon her and she loved that. But that soon died down. She soon found herself wanting nothing more than to leave her husband and find someone else.
But that time never came. She doubted Billy would let her leave.
But it was his sister she now pitied. The girl was in his study being yelled at and Mary was stood in the foyer, pretending to admire the new bouquet of flowers on the mahogany stand. She could hear her husband raise his face and yell obscenities to his sister. The girl did not yell back, nor did she sob. She was silent. She let Billy say what he wanted to.
After ten minutes she came out, pulling the sleeve of her dress onto her shoulder and running a hand through her curls.
"Elizabeth," Mary said her name and Liz looked over to her, trying to conceal the tears threatening to escape her. "Why don't you come with me and I shall fix us a cup of tea?"
"I'm quite tired," Liz whispered to her.
"I insist," Mary said, moving to place a hand on her arm gently. "It will help you sleep much better."
Liz had no chance but to agree. Mary moved to the sunroom, picking up a throw and handing it to Liz. She took it and wrapped it around her shoulders as Mary opened the patio doors to sit outside and watch the setting sun. Liz followed her and sat down too. She didn't know if she could be an ally. It would take time for Liz to trust her. She only stared at the sun and wondered where Tommy was.
….
Tommy wrote a letter every single day. He sent it to her address in London and waited patiently for a response from her. He would say nothing of particular interest for they had not done anything as of yet. Tommy was a sapper. He was the one digging the tunnels underground, but they had not dug very far. It was a dirty job and Tommy didn't particularly enjoy it.
John was constantly moaning and Arthur was always trying to raise spirits. The three brothers were close though. Nothing pulled them apart and nothing threatened them. They had made friends with other lads, laughing and joking about things they wished they could do. Tommy knew it was ridiculous to laugh, but war was too serious. If they didn't laugh then they would go mad.
It was only three weeks after war did he receive a letter. He smiled in anticipation of opening it. He took it back to his bunk, resting his back on the hard mattress as he noted the handwriting. It wasn't Liz's handwriting. Tearing the envelope, he looked at the words and struggled to realise what he was reading.
Dear Mr Shelby,
Whilst I have no doubt that Elizabeth would be thrilled to hear from you, it is with regret that I must tell you that I have had no contact from her since she visited you in Birmingham. I have alerted the police that she is missing, but nothing has come of it as of yet. I understand that this is news you will not want to hear, but I do not wish to keep you guessing. I shall inform you if I discover anything, but for now I have had to find a new girl to share a room with for the purpose of rent.
Yours sincerely,
Dorothy Wallace
Tommy read and re-read the letter. Elizabeth had not gone back to London. But where was she? What had happened to her? Tommy didn't know, but he had to find out. If could run away then he would. But he knew that he had to find the truth out. His hands shook as he picked up a pen and began to write a letter to Aunt Pol, pleading with her to find out where Liz could have gone.
His stomach churned and his head felt light. He needed Liz to be safe. He had promised her so much. He couldn't break his promises: not to her.
Thoughts ran through his mind. Had she been injured? Had she moved on elsewhere? Tommy didn't know, but he would find out.
