Elizabeth had rushed into the house ahead of Tommy; her feet hitting the ground quickly as she slammed the door open and Tommy caught it before it bounced against the wall. Closing it, he pulled his coat from his body, tossing it over the bannister before following Elizabeth upstairs, looking around the large landing as she rushed into their bedroom.

Polly stood up from where she had been crouched at the side of the cot, swaying Charlotte off to sleep as she pushed it from side to side and sang a song to the little baby in the crib. Elizabeth doubled over with relief at the sight of their daughter. Her hands wrapped around the wood of the crib as she bent, gasping for breath as Pol looked to her.

"What the 'ell 'appened?" she demanded and Elizabeth shook her head as Tommy came to stand beside his wife, looking to Charlotte before making a move.

He was the one to bend down, leaning into the cot to pick up their daughter, cradling her against his chest as he closed his eyes and let his hand rest and cup the back of her head. She was silent while Liz took hold of him by the arm, resting her own forehead on his shoulder.

"Father Hughes," Tommy said. "He said somethin'…somethin' about Charlotte. We 'ad to get 'ome and be 'ere with 'er."

"How dare he?" Pol seethed, unable to control her temper as her hands balled into fists by her side and she shook her head back and forth. "Who does he think he 'is to make threats against 'er?"

"The man in charge," Elizabeth whispered, looking between the two of them. Pol kept her lips pursed as Elizabeth's eyes went back to Tommy and he shook his head at her. "He is, isn't he?"

"No," Tommy answered her. "He isn't in charge, Liz. He's the one negotiating between me and the Russians, but there's somethin' off about 'im…somethin' I don't trust."

Shaking her head back and forth, Elizabeth moved back to look up to Tommy as he watched her and sighed, taking a deep breath before speaking what he knew. He watched on as his wife and Pol stood next to each other, both of them clearly ganging up on him to find out what he was keeping from them.

"If he was with that MP tonight then there is a chance he is double crossin' the Russians," Tommy informed them, still holding his daughter tightly against his chest as she slept soundly and he relished the feeling of her in his arms. "I think he is betrayin' the rebels. Workin' with the government to go against 'em."

"And why would you think that?" Elizabeth wondered.

"Because he was with Jarvis," Tommy said. "And I…well…I 'ave a hunch, but I need Ada to speak to her Communist friends and find out more. They'll 'ave some details, I think."

"And if he is a spy?" she enquired and Tommy shrugged.

"Then I tell the Romanov's there's a spy and it's 'im," Tommy responded. "They either kill 'im or I do."

"You are not killing anyone," Elizabeth said, her voice harsh and stern as she sent Tommy a look that told him not to push her any further on the matter. Her glare on him was harsh and Tommy didn't bother to tell her that he would relish the chance to murder the man.

"I agree with Elizabeth on that one," Polly spoke, nodding her head as she motioned to the little girl in Tommy's arms. "You 'ave someone else to think about now, don't yer?"

"She is all I think about," Tommy answered without missing a beat, his words honest and his voice hoarse as he thought about anything happening to Charlotte. He could not contemplate it. "My family is all I think of. Let me deal with the rebel Russians and see if he is spyin' on 'em for the government."

"But what does it matter?" Elizabeth asked of Tommy. "You are the one who has been told to do this by Churchill, for goodness sake. This is too deep, Tommy. All of this is too deep. Who do you trust?"

"No one," Tommy answered her truthfully. "I don't trust anyone, Liz, because that way I know where I stand."

"This is too much," Polly said with a shake of her head. "I'll need to go to confession at this rate and get everythin' off my chest."

Elizabeth would have laughed, but nothing about the situation they found themselves in was particularly funny. Instead all she could do was shake her head and look away, moving closer to the window and peering out of it as Tommy watched her, well aware that he had to do his best not to lose her or Charlotte. He couldn't bear the thought of that.

"Are you dealin' with Arthur and John and the Italians?" he asked of Polly as Elizabeth took a couple of moments to gather herself.

"I am," Pol confirmed. "Told 'em to stay away from the Italians. If they 'aven't listened to me then I'll be doin' more than 'avin' words."

"Good," Tommy told her. "Look, why don't yer stay 'ere for the night?"

"Yes," Elizabeth said with haste, turning around and shrugging out of the coat she had kept on, tossing it onto the bed before looking to Polly. "The guest room you usually use is made up and ready. Honestly, Polly, it would be safer, especially after tonight."

Polly nodded then, wondering if it would make Elizabeth feel any better by staying here. She suspected she had some form of bond with the young woman now, especially after everything they had been through together. Polly agreed to it, bidding them her goodnights and shutting the door, wondering if another argument was brewing between them.

"I hate this as much as you, Liz," Tommy informed his wife as she nodded, slipping out of her shoes and kicking them into the corner of the room, promising to clean up the next morning.

"I know you do," Elizabeth said, peeling the gloves from her fingertips. "That is why I want to do this by your side, Tommy. When you go to London and next meet with these people then I want to come with you."

"I don't think so," Tommy said, a dark chuckle escaping him. "Yer goin' nowhere near 'em."

"Why not?" Elizabeth shrugged. "I want to help you."

"You 'elp me more than yer could ever know," Tommy promised his wife, moving to place Charlotte back down in her cot before pointing to her and taking his wife by the hand. "You and 'er are all that I need. I am not draggin' yer into this because if something does 'appen to me then she needs you. She needs you and you need 'er."

"I need you just as much," Elizabeth said, her hands going to grip the lapels of the jacket he wore. "I need you, Tommy. I cannot see you get hurt. I cannot let that happen. That man…what will he do if he finds out you suspect him of being a spy?"

"Nothin'," Tommy whispered. "Because he will never find out. Just listen to me, Liz, listen to me."

"I am."

"I will get the information' before doin' what needs to be done," he promised his wife. "Yer know me, Liz. I plan things before doin' anythin'. I always 'ave done. I've never been spontaneous…well…except for when it comes to you and Charlotte."

Offering him a slim smile, she nodded at that and then moved to kiss Tommy on the cheek, leaning against him as he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her softly against him. She closed her eyes tightly while Tommy let his chin go and rest on the top of her head as he thought about what he was going to do.

Tommy had the information that he needed. There was a spy working with the government, in particular a branch of government Thomas had never heard of. He was working against the exiled Russians. Tommy had received the information from Ada and in turn had told her that he wanted to make her head of the foreign office when business went global.

She had laughed at him, demanding to know when that was going to happen, but he had kept her silent with a look that told her he was very serious. He had big things in store for the company and he intended to make them legal too.

Once this business with these Russians was over then Tommy would be on his way and would never see them again. That thought filled him with more joy than he knew he was capable of. The Duchess Tatiana was on her way to Birmingham and Tommy had arranged a meeting with her at the office.

"Is she 'ere yet?" Tommy demanded as he entered the shop in Birmingham, cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth as Pol shrugged her shoulders, still wondering what Michael was doing out with Arthur and John. No doubt he was up to no good.

"Who?"

"The Duchess," Tommy said. "She wanted a meetin' after I told 'er I 'ad information. Her uncle and aunt said she would come 'ere for the meetin'."

"Aven't seen 'er," Pol shrugged.

Groaning to himself, Tommy was about to leave before the phone in his office rang. Picking it up, he placed it to his ear.

"Yeah?"

"You need to come home," Liz's voice entered his ears and Tommy held the phone tighter, wondering what the hell could have happened. "There is someone here to see you."

Her voice was tight and Tommy suspected that whoever was there to see him was stood in front of her. She sounded too restrained to be yelling at him and demanding for him to come back home. Tommy suspected he knew who it was.

"She was supposed to come 'ere for the meetin'," he informed his wife.

"Well, apparently the location has changed," Elizabeth said. "I shall see you soon."

His wife hung up without another word and Tommy moved with haste. The last thing he wanted was for her to be alone with the Duchess. He didn't know what she would say to her and Tommy didn't know what his wife would say in return. Elizabeth was known to have a temper when provoked. Tommy knew that no one would want to see that.

Elizabeth felt relief when she heard her husband enter the study that he shared with her. The woman had made herself at home behind his desk, her hands running over the wood of it as Elizabeth sat at her own desk, pretending to do work while they waited for Tommy to return. Standing up, Elizabeth moved over to Tommy as he took his time to kiss her on the cheek.

"I apologise for changing the venue, Mr Shelby, but I was intrigued as to where you lived."

"You could 'ave let me know," Tommy said.

Elizabeth couldn't stop looking at Tatiana. The woman was stunning. There could be no denying that. Charlotte was sleeping upstairs and Elizabeth had kept the door open to listen out for any sounds from her. Thankfully, the baby had kept quiet which meant Elizabeth could keep an eye on Tatiana. There was something about her she didn't trust.

"I could have," she nodded, standing up as her intricate gown fell down her legs and Elizabeth suddenly felt underdressed in her simple blue dress. "But where would the fun in that be?"

"Yer," Tommy grunted. "Well, I found yer spy. Father Hughes is workin' for Economic League…a branch of the government…he's feedin' all of the information you give him back to the government and the Russians."

"And how do you know this?" Tatiana asked and Tommy shrugged.

"My sources," he said. "I won't divulge how I know it, just that I do know it."

"How interesting," the woman said, moving around the desk, trailing a finger along it. "You see, Father Hughes did warn us that you had taken a disliking to him. He told me that you were rather rude to him the other night."

"I don't like men who 'urt children," Tommy said, arching a brow. "I know what he does."

Elizabeth let her eyes widen, feeling sick at the thought of what Tommy had said. She suspected that made sense as to why Tommy had not let her shake his hand. She felt relief for that now as she dropped her hand to her hips.

"He denies those rumours."

"Of course he does," Tommy scoffed, turning to look away for a moment. "But I 'ave told yer. He will play you…your entire family."

"I doubt it," she responded. "No one has played us yet. You know that, Mr Shelby. You have seen us plead poverty, but if people knew what was underneath the house then they would be shocked. Father Hughes will not get away with betraying us, but my uncle will require further evidence."

"What evidence?" Tommy asked, keeping the conversation flowing. She had just divulged where the Georgians kept their treasures buried. She was either foolish or not concerned. "I told yer, I won't tell yer who told me, but let's just say it was some important Soviet people."

She frowned then before shrugging her shoulders and Elizabeth watched her walk up to Tommy, her hand moving to his cheek and pinching it. Elizabeth wanted to slap her wrist away, but she knew better. Instead she remained stood behind his shoulder, her hands balled into fists.

"I hope for your sake you are right, Mr Shelby," she whispered.

"Rarely wrong," Tommy replied, pushing her hand from him.

"We shall see," she spoke, backing out the room, looking between Elizabeth and Thomas. "What a lovely couple you both make. No doubt my uncle would like to meet your wife, Mr Shelby. Bring her to London next time you are down."

"I don't think so," Tommy muttered.

Tatiana smirked. "That wasn't a request," she declared before disappearing from the house.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "If you kill the priest then I want permission to kill her," she grumbled, knowing she was speaking of something that would never happen, but it was enough to make Tommy smirk. "Touching you like that…who does she think she is?"

"A very powerful woman," Tommy said as Elizabeth moved to the door, making sure that she had gone.

"For how much longer?" Elizabeth asked.

"Not much longer," Tommy responded, his voice low and dangerous. "Not long at all."

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has read/reviewed. I hope you will let me know what you think!