Elizabeth had been bouncing Charlotte on her lap, perched on the bench by the front door when Tommy returned from business the following morning. He had met the woman with the money the previous night. The Duchess had been full of her own self-importance, but Tommy had done his best to ignore her, promising her that the transport would be ready and transported to them in time.
"How did it go?" Elizabeth asked, not sure if she wanted the answer.
Sitting down besides his wife, Tommy draped his arm over the back of the bench, his other hand holding the ends of a cigarette he was finishing off. He took a drag from it and then tossed it to the floor, the heel of his boot making contact with it.
"I 'ave the money," Tommy told her. "It's at the shop in the vault."
"Good," Elizabeth nodded. "So what happens now?"
"Now I wait," Tommy said. "But we 'ave bigger problems to worry about. John and Arthur 'ave gone and pissed off the Italians. Yer know Lizzie Stark?"
Elizabeth arched a brow, wondering if Thomas was being serious. The first sight she had seen when she had returned to Thomas in Birmingham was him with Elizabeth Stark pressed up against the wall, kissing her heavily. Nodding, Thomas remembered that moment and sniffed, wiping his nose as he gave his wife a small smirk.
"Yer, can't forget that," Tommy said. "Anyway, she'd been seeing this guy…Angel Changretta. His restaurant ended up bein' burned down…stopped him from comin' to our Charlotte's christening."
"Why did you do that?"
"Not my idea, for once," Tommy said, holding his hands up in defence before going back to wrap his arm around her shoulders, his other hand moving to run over Charlotte's small head.
"Anyway, 'is father, Vicente, went to meet John and Arthur and they made the situation worse. Threatened 'is son."
"Why can those two not make anything better?" Elizabeth demanded. "Do they not know that you have enough to deal with right now? Never mind bailing them out of the mess they find themselves in?"
Tommy chuckled. "Pol's on it," he assured her. "I 'ave her on the case."
"Oh, she will sort it out," Elizabeth spoke, her voice wry. "Your aunt is nothing if not direct and demanding. I have to say, I was slightly wary of her to begin with, but she has been nothing but pleasant to me recently. If anything, she has been a rock."
"Aye," Tommy said. "And she's offered to look after Charlotte this evening while you and I go and see a show of some kind in the city."
Elizabeth let her eyes widen at hearing him and Tommy smiled at the sight of her looking so taken back by his offer to take her out that night. He knew what was to happen that night. He was to meet with Father Hughes, the man he had conducted business with that morning. He didn't entirely know what Hughes was doing, but he had heard that he was working alongside the Russians, hence why Tommy had to work alongside him. But Tommy didn't want that business to take long. He wanted a one minute conversation before enjoying an evening with his wife.
"I did not know we were going out," Elizabeth snapped Tommy away from his thoughts.
"Yeah," Tommy told her. "Thought it'd be a nice surprise for yer…after everythin' that 'appened. It's the theatre…some Shakespeare play. You were cultured when you were younger."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes and Tommy moved to kiss her on the forehead before picking Charlotte from her lap as the little girl held her arms out towards her father. Elizabeth watched her husband for a moment before pushing her hair behind her ear as she spoke.
"I will have you know, Thomas Shelby, that I am still rather cultured…well…I like to think I am," she said. "That was until I married you and was corrupted."
"Corrupted, eh?" Tommy asked of her and then picked Charlotte up, looking her in the eye. "Did I corrupt, mummy, Charlotte? Or did she willingly come?"
Rolling her eyes, Elizabeth couldn't help but smile at the sight of Tommy with Charlotte. Moving towards him, she wrapped both of her arms around one of his, her hands grasping hold of his as Charlotte remained sat in his lap. She rested the side of her head against his shoulder and Tommy peered down to her.
"I am sorry," she spoke, her voice low and soft. "I have been a pain to you and I never meant to be. I just want you to be safe, but…perhaps I have been going about it the wrong way."
"No," Tommy said, shaking his head back and forth. "You've been 'ow I thought, Liz…and I get it…"
"Well, I just wanted to apologise and from now on I support you," Elizabeth said. "But just promise me that we will all be fine…you, me and Charlotte…that is all that matters, right?"
Tommy could sense the desperation in her voice and so he nodded to her, moving to look down at her as she rested on his shoulder. They hadn't been this at ease with each other in a long time. Tommy knew that their relationship had been fraught and he was just as much to blame as she was, but he was past that now. He would rather focus their efforts on getting through this together.
….
Standing at the bottom of the stairs, Tommy fidgeted wit the black tie on his neck as he looked into the mirror. Pol was stood to the side, holding Charlotte in her arms and making the little girl laugh and gurgle as she pulled faces and spoke in gibberish to her.
"How is she?" Pol asked, not taking her gaze from Charlotte as she directed the question to Tommy who managed a small shrug, tugging on his suit jacket.
"Fine," Tommy spoke. "We've worked it out. What 'ave yer been doin' with John and Arthur?"
"Apart from wanting to smack their 'eads together?" Pol asked and Tommy let his lips quirk for a moment. "I told 'em that I'd 'ave Lizze Stark sort it out."
"Good," Tommy nodded his head at her.
"Well, don't you look a treat," Pol exclaimed and Tommy frowned, wondering if she was talking to him.
It soon became apparent who he was taking to as his wife walked down the steps. Even Tommy did a double take at the sight of her. She had pulled her hair back and into a bun, some strands still dangling loose at the front of her face. The dress she wore was a deep blue and clung to her tightly, raising to her neck in a halter neck style. She had on white gloves that ran up to her elbow as she carried a simple black coat over her shoulder.
"Is it not too much?" Elizabeth wondered.
"I doubt it," Pol said, scoffing as she looked to Tommy and smirked.
"Aye," Tommy managed to agree. "It…you…look…well…"
"Lost for words," Pol scoffed and Tommy shot her a glare as Elizabeth smiled softly and took hold of Tommy's tie around his neck, straightening it out for him.
They took it in turns to peck Charlotte goodbye before leaving to the car out front. Tommy opened the door for Elizabeth, helping her into the vehicle before he went to his side and looked to her. She felt her cheeks warm up for a couple of moments under his stare before she felt his hand move to her cheek, pulling her face in his direction and in time for him to kiss her.
"You look stunning," he whispered to her and she managed a soft smile.
"Thank you," she whispered. "And you're looking rather handsome yourself, Mr Shelby."
"This old thing?" Tommy joked as he started the car and Elizabeth laughed along with him as they pulled out of the driveway.
…
The concert hall was brimming with well dressed people in the lobby, sipping on champagne and eating canapés. Elizabeth had kept by Tommy's side during the socialising event. Most people knew her husband while not many knew her. They had heard how she was a teacher, asking if she intended to go back to work. She said she would when Charlotte was older, but for now she was enjoying maternity leave.
"How do you know half of these people?" Elizabeth asked from Tommy as they stood by the door to the theatre hall, waiting to be let in for the start of the performance. Charlotte was sipping an orange juice while Tommy had champagne.
"Business," Tommy sad. "You'd be surprised how many of 'em 'ere aren't straight laced."
She scoffed. "I doubt it. I remember socialising with these people when I was younger and Billy was with me…asking me to entertain his friends…"
"Not much 'as changed, I'd guess," Tommy informed her before he saw a familiar sight out of the corner of his eye.
He remained stood where he was, stepping closer to Elizabeth as he saw the man come closer along with someone else Tommy vaguely recognised. Elizabeth wondered what was happening as her husband moved to stand next to her and she saw the men stand before her. One wore long robes, clearly a man of the church while the other she recognised as the Right Honourable Patrick Jarvis, a blading man who had done nothing for his constituency as far as she knew.
"Mr Shelby," the man in robes spoke.
Tommy wanted to keep Elizabeth as far away from Father Hughes as possible. He didn't even want her to acknowledge his existence as Tommy suspected he was worse than a spy.
"And this must be the lovely Mrs Shelby," he spoke.
"Aye," Tommy said, seeing him begin to extend his hand, but Tommy quickly grabbed his wife's free hand to stop her from shaking his. "What is it you are doing here, Father Hughes?"
"Oh, you know, me and Patrick just wanted a chat to see how progress is coming along," he spoke.
"With the vehicles?" Elizabeth whispered, but the men looked to her, Hughes crunching his face up as he heard her speak. Tommy sighed once and looked between Hughes and Jarvis.
"So you told your wife, Mr Shelby?"
"Well, a man did break into my house and threaten our daughter," Elizabeth answered. "So if you have anything to do with him then I suspect you are not good news."
"Feisty," Jarvis chuckled. "No, we are just here to deliver a message really. You see, the Russians would like to see the vehicles. The Duchess Tatiana will come along and see them with you, Mr Shelby."
"I don't think so," Tommy answered, feeling Elizabeth's grip on his hand increasing and he moved his thumb to run over her knuckles.
"I don't think we gave you a choice, Mr Shelby?" Father Hughes spoke.
Elizabeth observed the man. He had a strong face and jawline, his eyes narrow and wrinkles lining his forehead and side of his face. She saw him hold a look of threatening to him and she instantly knew that he was someone not to mess with.
"Never asked for one," Tommy said and Father Hughes turned to look to Elizabeth.
"And how old is your little girl, Mrs Shelby? I trust she has someone looking after her this evening."
Elizabeth felt uneasy as she heard him speak, swaying on her feet slightly as Tommy stepped forwards, knowing exactly what was going on as the doors to the theatre hall opened. Tommy looked at Hughes as Jarvis wandered off, knowing that the business would be done.
"Do not threaten my daughter," Tommy demanded from him.
"Do not give me reason to," Hughes replied, voice low and demanding as he nodded his head to Tommy. "I take it we have an understanding then?"
Tommy grunted in agreement and Hughes left without another word while Elizabeth felt herself grow weary, watching the man wander off before she felt Tommy take hold of her waist as she wrapped her arms around his upper arms.
"We need to go home," she whispered, voice harsh and demanding. "I want to be with her…please…can we just go home?"
Nodding, Tommy agreed with her, holding her tightly for a minute before taking her hand and returning home to their daughter, the threat still ringing loudly in his ear.
….
A/N: Thanks to everyone reading and reviewing! Please do leave me a comment!
