Elizabeth finished looking through the post as she placed her letters on her desk and Tommy's on his desk. Settling down in her seat, she perched on the edge of the leather chair and began to open the letters. The majority of them were Christmas cards from people she had not even met, but people who wanted favour with her and her husband. A card was from Mary, her brother's widow and Elizabeth made a note to write a letter back to her.
Smiling softly, Elizabeth placed that card up on her desk. It was another moment before Tommy walked in, cigarette dangling in his lips. Looking to his wife, he moved over to her, pulling his cigarette into his fingers and bending down to kiss her chastely, his hand running down her arm.
"Did yer 'ave a good day?" Tommy asked from her.
"Yes," Elizabeth responded. "We finish for Christmas next week. Do you intend to shut the factory over Christmas?"
Tommy shook his head and went to his desk, sitting down and looking to his letters, not bothering to open them. Instead he simply chucked them to the side, silently promising to come back to them later.
"Can't," Tommy responded. "Things don't shut because of a day. I'll pay 'em double. But I do 'ave an issue."
"And what issue is that?" Elizabeth enquired.
"A woman named Jessie Eden," Tommy replied. "She came into my office today and asked me about paying women the same as men. Reeled off a list of all of my businesses."
Elizabeth chuckled and looked down to the books she had brought back to mark. "That is impressive considering I do not know how many businesses you have nowadays, Tommy," she informed him. "Besides, you have them under different names which makes it very confusing."
"Aye, well, she threatened to take her members out on strike," Tommy spoke. "She wants me to increase women's pay."
"And if I say I agree with her?"
Rolling his eyes, Tommy did his best not to tell his wife exactly what he thought. Instead he watched as she held a pencil in her fingertips and began writing in the children's books. Ever since she had returned to teaching, Elizabeth had been snowed under with work, but Tommy suspected she didn't care. He had seen his wife in the playground with the children. He had seen how she coddled them compared to the older member's of staff. Elizabeth was too tender with them. She was nothing like the teachers he had.
"I knew yer would."
"Women work just as hard as men," Elizabeth said. "Besides, doesn't Thomas Shelby OBE want to cause change?"
"Thomas Shelby OBE just wants to keep his businesses afloat and find out what Luca Changretta is doing," Tommy responded.
"Thomas Shelby isn't the only one," Elizabeth muttered and peered over to him. "Has there been any news?"
"I've 'eard it's quiet," Tommy informed her. "I 'ave Ada looking in on John and Arthur though, to make sure everything is fine. They were the ones who started this mess with the Changretta family."
"Which makes it even more confusing why they would come after you," Elizabeth said. "Regardless, I wonder exactly what he has planned."
"You are not the only one," Tommy said. "And where is Charlotte?"
"She is in her room," Elizabeth said. "Finn is with her. Ever since everyone…well…went to jail…came back…Finn has been feeling lost. I think he thought it might go back to how it was, but it hasn't. He asked if he could come and stay here while Ada is visiting Arthur and John. I told him he can stay for as long as he likes."
Tommy nodded. "He's goin' to 'ave to learn though, Liz."
"Learn what?"
"What it means to be a Shelby."
"No." Elizabeth said firmly. "Tommy, if Finn does not wish to be like you or Arthur then he does not have to be. He can do as he pleases. Can you not just leave him be?"
Tommy took out a cigarette from the pocket of his jacket and lit it up, placing it between his lips before taking a drag. He looked over to his wife as she finished her marking and closed her books, stacking them on the edge of her desk. Moving to her feet, she walked around to Tommy's desk, her hands moving to rest on it as she bent over to look at him.
"Are we in agreement?" Elizabeth enquired from her husband.
"He's a Shelby, Liz, he needs to learn 'ow to protect 'imself. Even yer 'ave learnt that," Tommy said and Elizabeth nodded her head.
"Yes, I have," she said with a nod of her head. "But Finn is just a child. I am an adult. We should be protecting him and at his age he should be nowhere near guns. Would you want Charlotte near guns at his age?"
"Charlotte is a girl."
"Thomas Shelby," Elizabeth said in a warning tone to him. She shook her head. "Pol tried to protect Michael and look what happened. He ignored her and followed you into this business. I know that he is working for you and I know that he is doing snow. I am not blind, Tommy. Pol…she wanted to keep him safe and she couldn't because he got involved into the business. I do not want Finn in this business. I want him safe."
Tommy pulled the cigarette from his lips, blowing out smoke before stubbing out his cigarette. Moving to his feet, Tommy looked over his desk to his wife as she stood up, folding her arms over her chest as she arched a brow in his direction.
"Finn goes to school," Elizabeth continued. "He can stay with us, but he does as he wants. He can do what he wants."
"Yer drive a 'ard bargain."
"No, I don't," Elizabeth responded to him. "I am your wife, Tommy. I am also a member of your family and Finn is…well…he is now my brother in law."
"And he thinks the world of you."
"And our daughter," Elizabeth said to him, her lips rising into a smile. "You know that that he asked me if he thinks he might be her favourite uncle. I think that he might be. Charlotte seems to adore him."
"Aye, that she does," Tommy nodded his head.
"So all the more reason to keep him safe," Elizabeth said, "for your daughter."
Tommy's lips quirked upwards and he moved around the desk. "As I said, yer drive a 'ard bargain."
Moving to kiss him chastely, Elizabeth closed her eyes for a second as her lips pressed to his. Pulling back after a moment, her hand roamed over his cheek slowly as her thumb skimmed his cheekbone. It was another moment before she walked away, heading towards the door. As she opened the door to the study, she saw Finn walking down the steps, his hand holding Charlotte's as she walked by his side.
"Uncle Finn said we can go outside. It's snowing," Charlotte declared and Elizabeth saw her little face light up as Tommy came to stand behind her, his hand going to the small of her back.
"She's never played in a snowball fight," Finn said.
"Well, just be careful," Elizabeth urged from him.
She watched on as Charlotte took her coat and slipped into it with a little bit of help from Finn. He opened the door and led her out into the garden. The snow was settling down on the ground as Finn walked with Charlotte towards the grass.
Elizabeth and Tommy moved to stand by the window, looking out as Finn knelt near Charlotte and gathered snow into his hand. He formed it in a ball before throwing it into the distance. Charlotte followed his actions, her small hands picking at the snow before she tossed it into the distance. She laughed loudly as she saw Finn throw another one and she copied his actions.
"He's good with her," Elizabeth commented. "Charlotte enjoys spending time with him. He's…he's the only member of your family she really sees now. She does remember Pol, though."
"Don't doubt it," Tommy said. "And one day she might see 'em all again."
"Do you think so?"
"I think so," Tommy said as Charlotte and Finn began rushing through the snow. "But I know what yer mean. Finn is the youngest out of all of us. We 'ave looked after him and I think he wants to look after someone."
"He does an excellent job," Elizabeth said. "So that is settled? Finn can stay with us and continue as normal."
"Aye," Tommy nodded his head. "Sounds good to me."
…
Biting down on her bottom lip, Elizabeth finished doing her work for the day. She closed her eyes for a brief moment as she sat up in bed. Tommy was finishing undressing for bed. Placing her book on her bedside table, Elizabeth pulled the duvet up to her chin as she bent her legs towards her chin and looked to her husband as he climbed into bed besides her.
"I 'ave somethin' to tell yer," Tommy informed his wife.
"And what is it?" she enquired from him.
"I went to see Pol today," Tommy said.
Elizabeth folded her arms over her stomach as she turned her head to look to him. "Why did you not tell me?"
"Because I didn't want yer to worry," Tommy said to her. "She's not 'erself, Liz. I saw that much. She's on some pills that are destroyin' 'er. I told 'er to stop takin' 'em, but she didn't listen to me. I told her that she should come by the house and see Charlotte. She…let's just say she doesn't want much to do with me, but she did ask about Charlotte."
"What did she say?"
"Told me to stay away," Tommy shrugged his shoulders to her. "I didn't expect anythin' else. But I was thinkin' about what yer said about Finn the other day. She deserves to know Pol."
Nodding her head in agreement, Elizabeth moved a hand to rest on Tommy's arm. "You did the right thing," she said to him with a nod of her head. "Hopefully she will come around one day. She needs time after everything that has happened, but I am concerned if you say she is getting worse with her pills."
"Maybe yer can talk sense into 'er?"
"I can try," Elizabeth said. "I have work tomorrow, but I can go tomorrow evening to see her. I can take Charlotte to."
"I'll drive yer."
Nodding her head, Elizabeth moved closer to Tommy, kissing him as he moved a hand to rest on her cheek. She pulled back after a second, her forehead pressing against his as Tommy moved a hand towards her shoulder, tugging at the sleeve of her nightgown as he moved to kiss her once again, his hand still tugging at her nightgown.
"Tommy," Elizabeth muttered his name. "I…it's been a while…" she muttered and Tommy chuckled.
"Too long," he mumbled to her. "Yer forgotten what to do?"
Elizabeth laughed loudly as she pressed a hand against his chest. "Let's see, shall we?"
…
Elizabeth finished collecting the post the following morning, separating her letters and Tommy's letters. She placed his on his desk before he entered, tucking his shirt into his trousers. Elizabeth smiled over to him and Tommy's lips also arched upwards. There was something about his wife looking so happy that he couldn't help but find endearing. Moving towards her, he kissed her once more, unable to sate himself before picking up the letters from his desk.
"How did yer sleep?"
"Well," Elizabeth said. "Anyway, should we have dinner before visiting Pol tonight or after we return?"
"After," Tommy said. "We're not goin' to be late."
"Fine," Elizabeth nodded her head. "Should I ask the chef to prepare something special? Ever since going back to work it has been odd having staff…like…like I am a young girl again."
"Only the best for yer," Tommy informed her before opening a specific letter, the writing unrecognisable.
As he tugged the letter from the envelope, he unfolded it and instantly dropped it to his desk. Elizabeth saw the fear in his eyes as she moved towards him and Tommy shook his head.
"Where's Charlotte?"
"Upstairs with Finn."
"Go and get 'em," Tommy demanded from her.
"Tommy, what is it?" Elizabeth demanded from her husband.
He saw her look to the letter, not entirely certain what it was. There was a black hand on the paper, but Tommy seemed to know exactly what it was. She shook her head as Tommy took hold of her hand and dragged her from the study and towards the staircase, hauling her up the steps.
"Tommy, talk to me," Elizabeth demanded, pulling on his hand and stopping him from moving any further up the staircase. "Talk to me."
She moved her other hand to his cheek as Tommy took hold of it, kissing the back of her hand as he looked at her.
"Changretta," he said to her. "He's comin', Liz. The symbol…he's comin' for us. Trust me, eh? Trust me that we need to get out of 'ere."
Nodding her head, Elizabeth watched him begin to fret. Tommy didn't worry unless it was necessary. She could see the fear in his eyes.
"I trust you," she said, realising that everything they had feared was now coming true.
…
A/N: Do let me know what you think!
