Elizabeth knew exactly what it was she had to do. As she walked back to the Manor shrouded in darkness, she understood what was needed. Her hat sat on top of her head, covering her face, but she looked up as the lights of the Manor came into sight. Her hands were flat against her thighs as she walked up. For once there was a purpose to her stride.
She had something to do. She knew what she was about to do was potentially madness, but she didn't care. Her brother has gotten away with too much. He had hurt her too much and she would not let him do that anymore. She would leave and she would see another life. He would not stop her this time.
Moving down the gravel, she felt it crunch under her feet. The noise was loud and her pace was fast. Her steps were heavy as she came to the stairs leading to the door. She took them with haste, opening the door slowly as it creaked. The lights were still burning and it was then when she saw him in the foyer.
He was stood by the fireplace. One arm was resting on it and the other picking letters from the marble top. It was then when Lizzie allowed her eyes to widen in shock at what was happening. The stack of letters were nothing to do with him. He had found her letters to Tommy. She said nothing, knowing full well that it would do her no good. She would not argue. She would tell him what was happening and he would accept it.
However, she had been intending to tell him that she was leaving. She had no intention of bringing Tommy's name into this mess. Yet that didn't seem to be an option anymore. Billy knew of Tommy. He said nothing, however. He was silent. His hands continued to throw the letters into the flames as Liz stood by the door, wondering where the hell her engagement ring was.
"Shocking, ain't it, Liz?" Billy spoke loudly and Liz kept her head held high, tilting her chin forward and allowing her hat to uncover her face. "How the only family you have can lie to you…stand there…for years…and lie to your face. Don't know Thomas Shelby, eh, Liz? Well, this seems to suggest otherwise to me."
Elizabeth inhaled sharply. "Do you wonder why I did not tell you?" she demanded, her voice low and dangerous as Billy turned to look at her. He had been expecting her to beg for forgiveness. But she stood there defiantly. "I knew that you would hurt him. You are nothing but a controlling bastard, Billy. Mother could see that. I can see it. But I am finished. You shall do nothing more. You shall not hurt me. You will let me leave this Manor and I will never see you again. Is that understood?"
She knew that she had pushed the boundaries. Billy's harsh glower and reddening cheeks told her as much. He could hit her as much as he wanted to. He could do what he wanted, but she didn't care. She would walk out of this Manor. She would leave and she would never see Billy again. As he threw the letters to the ground, scattering them on the tiled floor, relief swept through Liz.
This was the end.
"You're his whore!" Billy shouted at his sister, storming towards her. "You are nothing but a gypsies personal whore, Elizabeth. A Shelby. Fuck sake…I knew you were a dumb bitch, but I never thought you were this dumb."
"Oh, be quiet," Liz hissed. "I know Tommy. I know him more than you do."
"Really?" Billy snapped. "Because I saw him at the races today with that pretty blonde thing. Do you think he will marry you? I read some of the letters. You're pathetic…nothing but a stupid little girl…thinking that she can have everything she wants with a man like Thomas Shelby."
Liz would have laughed. His words did nothing to her. She knew Tommy. She knew how he felt. She had felt it when he had pressed her against the door the moment he had gotten close to her. She knew that he may seem tough. She knew that he may even come across as uncaring, but they hadn't seen him before the war.
"Say what you like," Elizabeth shrugged. "I am packing a suitcase and I am leaving."
"Is that what you think?" Billy demanded from her. "You think that you are leaving here? You stupid girl."
Elizabeth moved closer to him, her head held high and her face full of determination. She was leaving.
"I am," she whispered menacingly. "I am leaving and there is nothing you can do to stop me."
Billy moved his hand into his pocket then, pulling out the one thing Liz had only cared about. The engagement ring from Tommy. Billy threw it at her, watching it hit her coat covered chest and tumble down to the ground. Liz continued to watch Billy as she crouched down and picked it up. It was then when Billy struck though. She barely had a chance to place it securely in her pocket before Billy's hands were on her hair, pushing her forwards to the floor as he straddled her back. His hands continued to hold her heated cheek to the cold floor as Liz tried to buck him from her.
"You are going nowhere near a filthy Shelby. Do you understand me? You are mine, Elizabeth. You are mine to do with as I please."
Elizabeth ground her teeth together, still trying to push Billy from her back. "You do not control me," she snarled. "I am my own person and I am leaving."
"No," Billy hissed, his hand making contact with her cheek. "You are going nowhere. You are staying here...and as soon as I am finished with you I will find that Shelby scum! I will kill him in front of you, Liz...his worthless life...drained from him."
It was only as Billy wrestled with his sister did he turn her onto her front, his hands grabbing at her arms. She did her best to push him from her until she finally allowed her knee to make contact with his groin. She used as much force as possible, but even the smallest hit was enough to make Billy lose his grip slowly. Liz pushed him from her and scrambled to her feet.
She looked back to him as he laid on the ground and she turned towards the door as he moved to his own feet. Flinging the door open, she ran. She ran away from Billy Kimber with nothing more than the determination she felt for getting away from him.
…..
Tommy left the pub the following evening. He had woken to Liz not being there and had grown with anger. He had told her not to go back to Billy but she couldn't help herself. It was only the next night when he saw her again. She was sat on the doorstep of his house, wearing the same clothes she had been wearing the previous night.
She stood as she heard the voices approach. She looked anywhere but at Tommy. It was almost as though she was scared to look at him. Tommy suspected she thought that he was angry with her. He had been. But now he was relieved. She had come back and he had no intention of letting her leave again.
Of course his family now knew of Pol's lies. The worst part had been the fact that they had believed her. They had listened to her on the matter and had done nothing to defend Tommy. It made Tommy feel sick inside of his stomach. Tommy told his family to go inside before he was left alone with Liz. Of course there had been the torrent of abuse and Liz had looked at Pol with disgust at what the woman had done.
Moving towards Liz Tommy took a final drag of his cigarette.
"Now," he spoke, "what is it, Liz?"
Liz inhaled sharply. "He knows," she spoke.
"And?"
"And he threatened you," Liz said.
Tommy took no time to move his hand to cup her cheek. He had seen the mark there, yet another mark grew on her other cheek. Billy had done nothing but use his sister as his personal punching bag. It made Tommy feel sick to his stomach. He had to do something about this.
"Seems he hit you too, aye," Tommy said and Elizabeth glanced downwards, almost as though she was ashamed of her actions. "Elizabeth Kimber, you might just be the death of me yet."
Those words were enough to bring Elizabeth's gaze back to him. She had feared that he might not want her after what she had done last night. Of course, she had been imagining the worst possible scenario, but that was all she could imagine. She needed Tommy more than she cared to admit. Everything inside of her was refraining herself from wrapping her arms around him.
"You still want me?" she checked with him. "I understand, Tommy. I left last night-"
"-Aye, you did," Tommy interrupted her. "And that pissed me off…specially because I told yer not to go anywhere."
Holding a breath, Liz could do nothing but move her hand to Tommy's as it cupped her cheek. He looked at her like he was weighing up what was going inside of her head. Tommy had always tried to read Liz. He tried to read everyone. He was clever enough to know most people.
Moving a hand into her pocket, Liz pulled out the ring Tommy had not seen in five years. He recognised it instantly and his lips moved upwards the slightest bit. Outstretching his hand, he took it from her fingers as his other hand delicately took hold of her fingers and he slid the band onto her finger.
"Best keep it there for safe keeping, eh?" Tommy managed to say.
It seemed those words were enough to cause tears to well in Liz's eyes. She did her best to contain them, but failed miserably. The tears fell and she wrapped her arms around Tommy's waist, her head pressed against his neck. Tommy stiffened for a moment before relaxing, his own arms moving securely around Liz, his hands running through her hair.
"I have you, Liz," he whispered softly. "I could never 'ate you…everyone else…but not you…yer the only good thing about me…if I had any sense I would tell you to go and find someone else. Find someone who is good…hasn't done what I 'ave done."
Liz pulled back, wondering what he was speaking of. She didn't want to know. She would find out, but right now she didn't want to know. She knew that everything was different. She knew that Tommy lived dangerously, but she didn't know just how dangerously.
"And I would refuse to leave," Liz replied. "I have no interest in anyone else. I know you, Tommy…you are not the man you seem to think you are."
Tommy sighed and shook his head. "I 'ave changed, Liz. Things 'ave changed. I'm not…I'm not the same boy from Birmingham."
"Do not think that you can scare me away," Elizabeth whispered in a harsh tone.
"I will if I tell you what I did," Tommy said. "Yer innocent, Liz. You'd run a mile if you knew…not just the war…but what I've done 'ere. People 'ave died. People 'ave been injured. I'm not safe. I don't want to scare you off, but you deserve the truth."
"Just stop," Liz pleaded with him. "Tommy…stop it…I don't…not now…don't tell me this now. I…I do not want to hear it. I do not want to hear that you have become as heartless a killer as my brother or father. Or how innocent people have died because of you…none of that."
"Innocent is a strong word," Tommy mumbled.
It was the first time Liz had really looked into Tommy's intense stare, and she knew he wasn't joking with her. Things had changed. He had changed. He had grown into this man she didn't entirely recognise. As she continued to watch him she realised that the boy who would move to London with her had gone. He was no more. He wouldn't leave whatever he was plotting for anyone, not even her.
