Charlotte was feeling better by the time Tommy and Elizabeth were home. She was still looking too pale for Elizabeth's liking and she was also sweating. She had her nightgown still on her body, her dressing gown on top of that. She had sat down in a chair with Frances, the seat big enough for the two of them. Frances had been reading her a story when Tommy and Elizabeth walked back into the house. Tommy's mind was still on everything that had happened, from Michael to the Billy Boys.

"Mummy," Charlotte smiled a toothy smile as Elizabeth entered the room, tugging her gloves from her hands and tossing them onto the sideboard. "Frances is reading me a story."

"Is she really?" Elizabeth asked and moved to kneel down in front of her daughter as Frances stood up, hands going into her lap. Tommy appeared in the doorway a few moments later, his hands clasped to his hips. Elizabeth took hold of Charlotte by the waist as her daughter slide forward and she hugged her. "How has she been?" Elizabeth asked Frances.

"Slept until after lunch and perked up after then. She has not wanted any food," Frances said. "Should I ask the chef to prepare dinner for tonight?"

"Just something light," Elizabeth said. "I seem to have a feeling that no one is particularly hungry."

"Yes, Mrs Shelby," Frances said and left the room as Elizabeth pulled back and moved her hands to Charlotte's shoulders, smiling softly at her.

"Are you sure you are feeling better, Charlotte?"

"A bit," Charlotte said and Tommy watched her for a few seconds, hid mind focused on his daughter. He did his best to comprehend what went through her mind. Her innocence was still there. She didn't know the strain he was under. She had no idea and he wanted to keep it hidden.

"Do yer want to 'elp me with the books, Charlotte?" Tommy asked, needing to spend time with his daughter. He didn't need to do the books. The books were up to date and a complete mess, but Charlotte liked to think that she could help. She liked to help her father. Elizabeth looked to Tommy and he caught her eye for a second, nodding for a brief moment.

"Yes!" Charlotte screeched and jumped from the chair.

Rushing towards her father, Charlotte held her hands out and Tommy bent down, picking her up and into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he bent down, kissing her chastely on the top of her head. Elizabeth moved to her feet, her dress falling down her legs as she removed her coat and draped it over the chair. Looking to Tommy as Charlotte rested her head on his shoulder, Elizabeth whispered over to him;

"Are you okay?"

"Aye," Tommy nodded his head once, "I'm fine now."

"Well, if you are certain," Elizabeth said and looked to him, squeezing his shoulder, "I might go and take a bath."

"Of course," Tommy nodded and then looked back to Charlotte. "Come on you, let's go and get these books done, eh?"

Elizabeth watched them walk over to the study as she went up the stairs. She ran her own bath and stripped from her clothes, climbing into the warm water. She puled her hair onto the top of her head in a bun, keeping it from dipping completely in the water. She laid down, her head resting against the rim of the tub as she closed her eyes and ran her hands along the edges of the steel. She didn't know how long she was there for before she heard shouting.

Eyes opening wide, she pushed herself from the water. She didn't bother to dry off as she reached for her robe and tugged it around her body. Foregoing underwear or clothes, she ran down the stairs. The front door was wide open, Charlotte stood by it as the yells continued to echo through the house. Moving into the hallway at the same time as Frances, Elizabeth placed her hands onto Charlotte's shoulders and dragged her back and towards Frances.

"What is going on?" Frances asked, clearly concerned.

"I do not know," Elizabeth replied, "but it is not good. Take Charlotte upstairs and stay there, okay?"

"Of course," Frances said and took Charlotte's hand as Elizabeth moved outside, looking around and seeing her husband stood in between two men. Elizabeth recognised Aberama Gold, but Tommy had his arm around someone bent over. Frowning, she realised it was Johnny Dogs, but he was badly beat, blood dripping from his face as he coughed and struggled for breath.

"My boy…" Gold sobbed, his voice distraught and his face contorted in pain. "They killed my boy and he was the only one who knew where we were…it 'ad to be 'im!"

"What is going on?" Elizabeth asked, her bare feet turning cold as she stepped outside and Tommy looked to his wife. Her bun had fallen down, wisps of hair freely moving around her face as Tommy noted her eyes widen and horror fill them. "What is happening here?"

"He's gone mad!" Johnny Dogs spat out as Tommy held a hand up to stop Aberama from advancing any closer to him. "He beat me! I'm not grass, Tommy. I didn't tell anyone where 'e was!"

"I know," Tommy said, panting for breath himself. Turning to Aberama, Tommy tried to reason with the man. "Gold, listen to me, 'e is telling the truth. Johnny didn't grass on yer. He wouldn't. Whoever killed yer son, yer will 'ave yer revenge. I promise, alright? But it wasn't Johnny."

"They butchered him!" Gold roared and Elizabeth recoiled at his voice. "If it wasn't him then I want the men who did this. I want revenge!"

"And yer shall 'ave it," Tommy promised him. "But not right now. He didn't do this."

"Tommy, I need to call a doctor-"

"-No," Tommy interrupted her, shaking his head. "Yer can't call a doctor. I'll 'ave one of the maids deal with this, Liz, but we can't get a doctor. Just go inside, alright? It's over."

Elizabeth tried to ignore the discarded gun on the ground by Tommy's feet. She moved inside, hand over her mouth as she went into the study and heard Tommy held Johnny Dogs move up the stairs and towards a guest room. The car that Gold had driven left and Elizabeth buried her head into her hands. Someone had killed Gold's son. Tommy would know who, but the worst part was that Elizabeth had an incline.

Waiting for her husband to return, Elizabeth sat at his desk in the dim light. He came to her after a few minutes and closed the door behind him. Shaking his head, he tossed the gun onto the sideboard and moved over to her. Elizabeth didn't know what he was doing, but he moved an arm around her waist and helped her to stand before taking the chair. He tugged her to sit down again, perching in his lap as he held her waist.

"Billy Boys," he whispered and Elizabeth inhaled a sharp breath. "They killed Gold's son. He thought Johnny had given away his location, but it wasn't 'im. It would never be 'im."

"I know," Elizabeth nodded once and looked to Tommy's white shirt. "You've got blood on your shirt, Tommy."

"I'll clean up in a minute," Tommy said, his forehead going to rest on his wife's shoulder. "Liz…I don't like this…I 'ate it. Charlotte saw."

"We will explain to her that they just needed a doctor," Elizabeth spoke. "We are not telling her anything else."

"Agreed," Tommy muttered, his lips pressing to his wife's throat. "It's gettin' to be a fuckin' mess, Liz."

"When is it not a mess?" she asked of him.

"Good point," he said back to her.

"But the Billy Boys," Elizabeth whispered, "they're…they're dangerous, aren't they? They're more dangerous than we initially thought."

"I think so," Tommy agreed with her and she bit down on her tongue. "But we're goin' to sort this, Liz. I promise yer. I 'ave men stationed around 'ere and they're keepin' us safe."

"What are we going to do?"

"I'll think of a plan."

"You always do," Elizabeth said, a sigh leaving her and Tommy sensed she was exasperated. He couldn't blame her. He was beginning to feel the same way. He moved a hand over her stomach and Elizabeth placed a hand on top of his as Tommy frowned.

"Yer not wearin' anythin' under that, are yer?"

"Funnily enough I didn't have time to when I heard the commotion outside," Elizabeth said and Tommy moved his hand through the small gap in the robe and felt her cold skin. She flinched at his touch and slapped his hand away. "Your hands are cold," she complained.

"Yer bloody freezin', Liz," Tommy replied.

"Only because you put your freezing hands on me," she responded and rolled her eyes. "Come on, we need to go and talk to Charlotte and then…try to sleep…it's going to be another long day tomorrow. They're all turning into them."

….

Elizabeth had discovered that the journalist who had been to see Tommy had been killed. Tommy had told her that the police had been to see him, but they had nothing on him. Tommy assured his wife that he had not been involved in the murder. He had nothing to do with it. Tommy intended to go back down to London with Michael and Arthur. Tommy wanted Michael in his sight. He intended to humiliate him. He intended to belittle him. He wanted him to go back to the bottom of the ladder.

Pol's birthday had been that day, but she had insisted that she didn't want a big fuss being made of her. Tommy had gone to the canal to meet with the family before going to London and Elizabeth had informed him that she would remain in Birmingham. Charlotte needed her. Tommy had gone to meet Mosley and Elizabeth had to admit hat she preferred to stay at home. The man did nothing but send shivers up her spine whenever he spoke.

It was later in the evening as Elizabeth sat with a cup of tea, did the phone ring and Tommy was on the other end of the line.

"Did you meet with Mosley?" she asked from her husband, sitting in the chair in the study with the phone and her cup of tea. Charlotte had gone to bed, exhausted after having not slept well the night before. "Was he his usual self?"

"He was," Tommy said to her. "He tried to get under Michael and Arthur's skin. He 'as a plan, Liz. He's tryin' to get people to join his cause. He thinks that 'e can 'ave me."

"And I take it you told him that would be impossible?"

"Somethin' like that," Tommy mumbled, remembering what Mosley had said about his wife. It was like Mosley knew what would get under his skin. He knew what made Tommy tick. All he had to say was something about Elizabeth and Tommy instantly felt protective. He would do anything for Elizabeth and Mosley knew that. He knew and Tommy had a feeling he would do anything to use her to get him to do his bidding. "I'll be comin' back 'ome tomorrow, Liz. Spendin' a day in Michael and Mosley's company 'as been enough for me. How is Charlotte?"

"Tired," Elizabeth said. "I spent the day telling her that what happened yesterday was nothing, but I don't know if she bought it."

"She'll be fine."

"I know," Elizabeth said, "but I still don't like it."

"Neither do I, but there is somethin' I 'ave to tell yer. Mosley wants me to be-"

"-It is still like a maze this place!"

Elizabeth looked to the door as Ada's voice rang in the room. She was pulling her gloves from her fingers and was about to toss them down, but she placed a hand over her mouth when she saw Elizabeth was on the phone.

"Hello, Ada," Elizabeth greeted her, "just give me a second," she said, still speaking into the phone as Tommy listened in. "Tommy, your sister is here. Do you-"

"-Spend time with Ada," Tommy interrupted, "we'll talk when I come 'ome."

"You are certain?"

"Certain," he said. "Kiss Charlotte for me, eh?"

"Of course," she responded. "I love you, Tommy."

"Love yer too, Liz," Tommy said and hung up.

Elizabeth hung up and Ada sat down across from her at the desk, slumping back in the chair as she looked to the desk and saw the photo of Tommy, Elizabeth and Charlotte, the three of them looking happier than they had done in a while.

"How are you, Ada?"

"Fine," Ada said, "sorry for barging in, but after the day I've had I could do with a drink and someone to talk to. I took Gina to the clinic today and I need to know if it is just me who finds her completely intolerable."

"You are not alone," Elizabeth said and moved to her feet and for her teapot. She poured a cup for Ada and handed her it before resuming her seat. "I met her for a few minutes and I could barely cope with her. She was extremely irritating, but Michael is married to her. then again, Michael isn't exactly my favourite person right now."

"He isn't anyone's," Ada scoffed and shook her head, sipping her tea. "Listen, Liz, I need to talk to you about Tommy and what he is doing with Mosley."

Elizabeth pursed her lips for a moment. "Are you as concerned as I am?"

"So you are concerned?"

Elizabeth chuckled and ran a hand across her face. "Ada, I spend my entire time being concerned for him," she said. "Mosley…when I met him…he was the kind of man who in public can charm anyone into doing what he wants, but in private there is menace behind him…I just…I just got this feeling that he could be sinister and change in seconds."

"You and me both," Ada said, "but Tommy is insisting on spying on him and keeping him under his watch. I know why. Despite everything, Tommy doesn't like bad people and he is a bad person. When I was with him and I met Mosley, I just…Liz…I think he will do whatever he can to get Tommy to do his bidding."

"I think that too."

"Then you know," Ada whispered, "you know there is only one way that he can get Tommy to do what he wants."

"I…what can he do, Ada?" Elizabeth asked, trying not to think like a pessimist. "He is an MP. He has to be respectable."

"Like Tommy?"

"Good point," Elizabeth mumbled.

"Liz, I've warned Tom about not getting in too deep, but I'm worried. I'm worried if he does then Mosley won't be scared to get personal to get Tom to do what he wants."

"Tommy wouldn't let it come to that."

"He wouldn't want it too, but how many times has Tommy been in too deep?" Ada asked her. "Liz, I am only here because, despite everything that has happened in the past, I like you. You make Tom happy and when Tom came back from the war and you were gone, I didn't think he would ever be happy again. And, despite everything, you are nice, Liz. You are too nice for this family, anyway."

Elizabeth chuckled at that and shrugged. "I appreciate your concern, Ada," she promised the woman. "I really do."

"Just keep an eye on him," she urged her. "And look after yourself, alright? You need to do that."

"I'll try my best."

…..

"You'll never guess what I walked in on tonight?"

Tommy had been relieved to feel his wife's arms around his neck as soon as he entered the house. He dropped his suitcase onto the floor as he took hold of her waist. Bending down, he kissed her chastely before picking her up, his hands going to the back of her thighs as she shrieked and wrapped her legs around his waist. Tommy couldn't help but feel relief. This was where she belonged. This was where she would always belong.

"And what did yer walk in on?"

"Johnny Dogs and Sandra in the study," she said, raising her eyebrows suggestively. "I told Sandra that it was fine, but she avoided my eye during dinner, especially when I suggested she get an early night because she looked tired."

Tommy smirked. "You're wicked."

"I know," Elizabeth replied and kissed his cheek as he carried her into the living room, settling down on the settee. He hovered over her, her legs still around his waist. "It's the most scandalous thing I have ever seen though, Tommy. I've lived in a house with maids for years and never caught one acting improper."

Tommy raised a brow this time. "Have you often thought about catching the serving staff in compromisin' positions?"

She shrugged. "I used to wonder when I was younger," she replied. "Anyway, what I am going to tell you might be annoying, but I think I sorted it."

"What is it?"

"Well," Elizabeth drawled, "Pol called to tell me that Aberama Gold had gone back to Scotland. I told Johnny Dogs to go and find him and stop him from doing something foolish. Considering his ribs aren't that bad then I thought it might do him some good…and stop him from harassing the maids."

"Pol let 'im go?"

"She loves him, doesn't she?" Elizabeth responded. "You know what that is like, Tommy. Anyway, I dealt with it."

"Yer did, didn't yer?" Tommy mumbled and kissed her chastely on the lips. "I'd 'ave done the same thing. He needs to be stopped. He's goin' to risk so much if he starts a war."

"Johnny Dogs will get him before then," she said. "Pol thought that he had enough time to get away, but I guess he is injured and Johnny Dogs can catch up with him."

"That's business done for tonight then," Tommy mumbled and went down to kiss her neck as she moaned softly. "Charlotte should be in bed…yer are 'ere…"

"Easy there," Elizabeth replied, hands going to hold onto his shoulders. "I caught Sandra and Johnny Dogs earlier. I do not want anyone catching us here."

"There's a difference, ain't there, Liz?" Tommy said, reaching for his wife's skirt, tugging it up her legs as he felt her hips move against his. "We own this 'ouse. They don't."

Moving a hand to her cheek, his fingers cupped it gently as he felt her warm breath against his. Wisps of his hair on his forehead pressed against hers as he kissed her once more and his other hand finally fell to her waist, tugging her shirt from her skirt.

"Tommy," Elizabeth whispered, acutely aware that the door was open as Tommy continued to breath loudly, his movements growing more erratic as he tugged her shirt free from her skin, unbuttoning it with haste and rucking her skirt up to her hips. "Tommy…can we at least go upstairs?"

Tommy didn't move, instead he pulled his lips from his wife's neck and looked her in the eye. Mosley's words rang in his ears as he spoke, voice husky and low.

"You're mine, Liz," he said in a slow voice as she arched her brows. "Yer always goin' to be mine, aren't yer?"

"Tommy, what is it?" Elizabeth asked him, hands going to his chest to keep him a slight distance from her. "What is going on?"

"Nothin'," Tommy lied to her. "Just…well…everythin' that 'appened…with everyone…everyone betrayin' me…lyin' to me…I just need yer, Liz. I need to 'ear it. I know it, but I need to 'ear it. Just tell me you're mine."

"Tommy," Elizabeth mumbled, slightly concerned, "I was yours the moment you came for me at the canal that day. I will always be yours."

Tommy nodded once then and Elizabeth moaned lowly as she felt his fingers move to the apex of her legs and she bit down on her tongue. Tilting her head back as Tommy went back to kissing her neck, she knew that there was no going upstairs. But she also sensed there was something else going on. There was something going on with Tommy and she couldn't put her finger completely on what it was.

….

A/N: Do let me know what you think!