Walking into the living room, Elizabeth raked a hand through her hair as she looked to Tommy and he held his arm out towards her, urging for her to come and settle down by his side. She took the invitation, dropping down and resting her head on his shoulder as his own arm went around, holding her to him as his other hand held his glass of whiskey.
"Charlotte is exhausted," Elizabeth said, "the journey down here tired her out."
"Aye, know how she feels," Tommy responded in a gentle but muffled voice as he took a sip of his drink. "Yer know that I will sort this, aye, Liz?"
"I know," she replied, moving an arm to rest on his lap, her fingers holding his thigh. "You sort everything, Tommy. You do everything for us…provide everything for us…but I worry what the burden is. I've seen the medicine in your suitcase."
"It 'elps," Tommy responded in a whisper.
"Just as drink helped me," Elizabeth said. "Tommy, I do not pretend to understand what you have done through in your life or the sights that you have seen. I doubt that I ever could understand…but this medicine…is it truly helping?"
"I don't know," Tommy muttered, placing his drink down on the table next to him as he finally admitted that to himself. Closing his eyes, he tilted his head back as his wife soothingly ran her fingers over his leg. "Liz, I don't know what is 'elpin' anymore, alright? What goes on in my mind…the thin's I think about…they don't stop. None of 'em stop."
"Hey," Elizabeth said and moved, sitting up on her knees as she took his face into her hands and looked him in the eye. "Tommy, you can talk to me. You can always talks to me."
"I know," Tommy mumbled, the back of his hand running along the curve of her cheek. "What did I do to deserve yer, eh?"
"If I remember correctly it was you who took me in when I had nowhere to go," she responded and Tommy chuckled, nodding his head as she moved and pecked his lips for a moment, her forehead resting against his. "We will find a way through this. I promise. We just need to be together. We always have done."
"Aye," Tommy said, hoping that was the truth. He didn't entirely know how much more he could put up with.
….
Tommy watched his wife change for the charity dinner he was throwing that evening. Tommy didn't particularly enjoy social events, but he was patronage of many charities due to his position of power. He gave them money. He looked good to his constituents. He would end up being re-elected. Of course, he wasn't entirely cynical. Liz had helped him choose the charities and had insisted on being involved when she could be. Of course, that was before she had changed. She was pulling a green, form fitting dress onto her body and Tommy frowned as he noticed something different.
"Yer cut yer 'air," he said and Elizabeth couldn't help but chuckle as she turned around and saw him stood in the doorway. She continued beaming as she moved over to her husband and took hold of his shoulders, smoothing the white shirt he wore.
"I did," she said and Tommy moved a hand to her locks that now hung just down to her shoulders in soft waves. He tucked it behind her ear and felt how smooth it was. She looked different. He had always known his wife to have longer hair. She always had it pulled back into intricate buns whenever she went out. Now she couldn't do that. "Well, I did not cut it, but someone came and cut it for me. What do you think?"
"I think," Tommy drawled in a low voice, "it looks lovely. What made yer get a 'air cut?"
"I got tired with it being so long," she responded, kissing him on the cheek as she went back into the bedroom and reached for a pair of shoes from her closet. "It was exhausting trying to keep it out of my face. It feels much weird though…like my head feels lighter."
"It suits yer," Tommy promised her, reaching for his waistcoat and shrugging into it. "Yer know that this thin' won't last long tonight, alright?"
"I know," Elizabeth said. "I would be looking forward to it if I knew that Mosley wasn't going to be here…and staying over in our house. I don't like that, Tommy."
"I know yer don't," Tommy said to her. "But I've got 'im in the room the furthest away from 'ere."
"And Charlotte?"
"Ada called," Tommy informed her. "Charlotte is with Karl at the Midland for the night with Frances. They're both goin' to be alright there…goin' to be safe. I promise yer that. We can go and pick 'er up tomorrow mornin'."
"Thank you," Elizabeth said, settling down onto her stool at her vanity. Tommy went towards her and bent down as she spoke, perching behind her. "I know it might have been dramatic having her away from the house, but I don't know what is going to happen. I never know what is going to happen at these things, but I don't want her seeing anything she shouldn't."
"I know," Tommy said, his hand brushing across her shoulder, pulling her hair behind her as he went to kiss her neck gently. "I remember the last time when we 'ad to tell her that cocaine was actually sugar."
"They should never have brought drugs into our house," Elizabeth said, voice stern as she spoke and turned her head over her shoulder to look to him as he pressed one final kiss into the gap between her neck and shoulder. "But it was very attractive seeing you kick them out."
"I remember well," Tommy mumbled, recalling how his wife had then dragged him into the study and insisted on leaving the party early. "They'll be none of that tonight, I promise yer. We'll go down. We'll 'ost the dinner and then we can go to bed."
"Sounds idyllic," she said, tilting her head back and resting against his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Did Michael and Gina respond to the invite?"
"Aye," Tommy said. "They're goin' to be there. I don't like it, but there isn't much I can do."
"I know," she said and turned to kiss him quickly. "He won't be a problem. Pol will have persuaded him to take the job as head of coal haulage and you can keep an eye on him, even if he is shipping opium."
"No one will know."
"You always say that," Elizabeth responded with a scoff. "Come on, let's go and get this over with."
Tommy watched her finish pulling on the simple silver pendant and then they both stood up. The dark green dress she wore was a silk material that fell down her body to her feet, trailing just above the ground. The straps were slim, barely existent with a low neckline. He couldn't help but admire her as he followed her from the bedroom, wondering when he had last seen her wear something so fancy. It had been a long time since they had entertained.
Walking down the staircase and into the dining room, Elizabeth spotted Pol and smiled over to her. People greeted her as she passed through them and responded back, knowing each one by name even though she hadn't seen them in months. Finally reaching Pol as Tommy found Arthur, she looked to her and then to the perfectly set table.
"Did he take the job?"
"He is goin' to consult Gina," Pol said and Elizabeth scoffed as she was handed a glass of orange juice by one of the maids. Holding onto her glass, she arched a brow.
"Is Gina aware that he is only having to do this because of the money he lost Tommy?"
"I don't care," Pol responded. "She's not exactly on the top of my Christmas card list. She…I don't entirely trust 'er."
"I only met her once, but I did not entirely like her," Elizabeth admitted to Pol and sipped on her drink. "Mind you, not as much as I don't like tonight's special guest."
"I assume yer mean Mosley?"
"The one and only," Elizabeth said as Pol placed a hand onto her hip, creasing the purple dress she wore at the movement. "What is Tommy's plan, Pol? Why has he invited him here? I…Tommy tells me things, but there is something about Mosley that I think he is keeping quiet."
"He is," Pol said. "He invited him to try and find his weakness. He…Tommy knows that Mosley knows 'is weakness. It isn't difficult to find out, but Tommy doesn't know Mosley's…that's why we 'ave drink, drugs and girls who are willin' to spend the night with 'im."
Elizabeth paled at that as Pol sent her a sly wink before she could lash out and demand to know what Pol was playing at.
"Not really," Pol said. "I'm only goin' to tell 'im that. Did yer think Tommy would let anyone with drugs into this 'ouse after last time?"
"I should hope not," Elizabeth responded.
It was then when she looked over Pol's shoulder and saw the man himself walk in. Dressed in a tuxedo, he looked around, picking a drink up and taking a sip of it. Pol placed a hand to Elizabeth's arm, winking at her.
"Stay 'ere," she urged her. "I will deal with this. Where has yer husband gotten to?"
"He was with Arthur," Elizabeth said. "I cannot see him though."
"I'll find 'im," Pol responded in a small voice. "Stay 'ere."
Elizabeth did as she was asked, wandering through the dining room and waiting to find out what was going on. She spoke with the guests who asked her mainly how her daughter was. Elizabeth was more than happy to indulge in that talk. Discussing Charlotte did not faze Elizabeth. Her daughter was the light in her eye.
"Liz."
Turning her head to the side as her attention was drawn away, she frowned as she saw Michael stood to the side, Gina dressed in a slinky dress with white gloves.
"Excuse me," Elizabeth said to the woman she had been speaking with and looked to the couple. "Michael, Gina."
"Liz, I didn't want things to get the way they did at that meeting," Michael said to her and she pursed her lips. "I'm still me, Liz. I'm still the same Michael who saved Charlotte the time she went missing with Father Hughes. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you. I wouldn't do anything to hurt Tommy."
Elizabeth sighed, wondering if she was turning soft. She remembered the time that Michael had come back, carrying Charlotte towards her after finding her.
"I didn't do this, Liz."
"He didn't," Gina said and then looked to the woman. "Michael wants to help his cousin. That is all he wants to do."
"I do not control, Tommy," Elizabeth said to them, "heaven knows I have tried more than once. Tommy is his own man with his own ideas and thoughts. You…you hurt him, Michael. You ignored him. You betrayed him. He's worried."
"He has no reason to be," Gina said and Elizabeth bit down on her tongue. There was something about her she didn't trust. She looked at Elizabeth so smugly, like she knew best. Like she knew something that Elizabeth didn't. "Michael is a part of this company, just as the other members of the family."
"Is he?" Elizabeth enquired and continued frowning. "Listen to me, I am not getting involved in this. Talk to Tommy directly."
"Tommy listens to you," Michael continued. "He always has done."
"I know," Elizabeth said. "But he would appreciate it more if you talked to him."
"Liz."
Elizabeth turned her head over her shoulder as Tommy walked towards her, Mosley behind him. Elizabeth couldn't help but notice Pol skulking off with someone who looked a lot like Aberama Gold. Elizabeth had no idea he had come back to Birmingham, but Arthur must have succeeded in bringing him back. Elizabeth turned around fully then as Tommy stood next to her, a hand going to the small of her back.
"We'll talk later, Michael," Tommy dismissed him as Mosley smirked and looked to Elizabeth.
"Pleasure to see you, Mrs Shelby. I hope my appearance this time was expected."
"Well, you did not formally respond to the invite," Elizabeth informed him. "But Tommy informed me that you intended to come."
"What a good husband you have," he said and Elizabeth frowned. "I trust you are well?"
"Very," Elizabeth said.
"And the menu tonight…your husband informed me that you set it? Tell me, was that something you learned how to do from your mother? She died rather young, if I remember correctly," Mosley said and Elizabeth almost recoiled in horror at the mention of her mother from Mosley. What was he doing? What was he trying to prove? "How was it she died, Mrs Shelby?"
"I do…I had heard that she was found dead," Elizabeth said, knowing exactly what had happened. "I was not living at home at the time."
"Ah yes," Mosley said, "you ran away, did you not? It was quite scandalous news at the time."
"I prefer not to talk about the past," Elizabeth said as Tommy continued to run his hand up and down the small of her back. Looking to her husband, she longed to escape as she smiled up to him. "I am just going to go and freshen up before we sit down."
"Alright," Tommy said and watched her walk off from the dining room.
Elizabeth went up to her bedroom and closed the door. She paced up and down, her hands on her hips as she wondered exactly what Mosley was doing. Why was he bringing these things up? What motives did he have? What was the point in any of this? She had no idea. She didn't know nor did she know if she wanted to know. Placing her hands on the vanity, she bent over and bowed her head. Her mind went back to her mother.
Closing her eyes, a tear slipped from her eye. He knew things about her. He knew things about her and he was trying to piece them together. He already had his suspicions about what happened to her brother, but Tommy had not confirmed them. Tommy had shot Billy. He had done that. But he had only shot him because Liz had been in the way. It had been her fault. But Mosley didn't know that. She suspected he thought that she had snapped. She had been the one to kill Billy.
"Christ," Liz mumbled under her breath and straightened up.
Rubbing the corner of her eyes, she wiped away the moisture that had pooled there. She left the bedroom, turning the light out and stepping into the corridor.
"I didn't mean to upset you."
Elizabeth startled as she looked down the corridor and saw Mosley stood there, his gaze set on her as she shut the door to her bedroom.
"Of course not," Elizabeth said to him as he moved closer to her and she wondered where Tommy was. "We should return to the part, Sir Oswald."
"What was it about him that attracted you to him?" Mosley asked her and Elizabeth's brows once again knitted together as she looked at him and he stood inches from her. "I struggle to see it. I struggle to see how he could have attracted a girl from high society in the first place when he was nothing but a book keeper."
"I love him, that is all there is to it," Elizabeth shrugged at him.
"I have heard of women who enjoy being with men beneath them for the thrill," Mosley said to her. "They find them to be…well…men who can give them a life of adventure. Many of them return home. They grow disillusioned with a life without luxuries. But you never did. You stuck with him…married him…"
"As I said, I love him," Elizabeth said.
"But it was not meant to be that way, was it?" Mosley responded to her. "When you returned home after running away-"
"-What do you want to know?" Elizabeth interrupted him. "You seem determined to look into my past and I do not know why. Do you think I have some sordid secret? That if you find it out then you can control my husband?"
"You are the only thing that makes that man weak. You and his daughter," Mosley said and reached a hand out, trailing a finger down the curve of her cheekbone. "Tommy with a high class society girl…how did you besot him? Was it the fucking?"
Elizabeth pushed his hand from her cheek as he spoke and chuckled.
"Perhaps he was the one who corrupted you then," Mosley mused.
"I am going back to the party," Elizabeth said.
Mosley chuckled. "You need to lighten up," he said to her. "If you keep acting like that then I will continue to think you have something to hide. Perhaps you need a good fucking? Is your husband not providing for you? Do you need someone else?"
Elizabeth moved then and stood closer to Mosley, looking him in the eye as she shook her head. "My husband might not have been born into money. He might not know social etiquette. But he is ten times the man you could ever hope to be."
Turning to leave, Elizabeth walked down the corridor to see Tommy moving up the steps. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Mosley stood at the top of the staircase, smirking down at Elizabeth. Tommy looked to his wife as she reached a hand out and he took hold of it.
"Did he say anythin' to yer?"
"Nothing that I could not handle," she replied. "Come on. We should go and begin dinner."
Tommy nodded at his wife, keeping her hand in his as they went back to the dining room and waited for the night to begin.
….
A/N: Do let me know what you think!
