Elizabeth knew that Pol was going to rant at her as soon as she told her the news. She had assured Pol that she was not going back to normal with Tommy, but that she could not throw away their marriage. She did not want to throw away their marriage. She loved Tommy too much to do that, but if she had a whiff of Tommy getting in too deep then she would leave again. She would leave him. He had to know that he was on eggshells. She was not going to sit back and let him get away with things as she had done in the past. She loved him, but she loved her daughter too. Charlotte would always come first.
"Yer being a fool," Pol said down the phone. She had flown off to Monaco for a holiday, living the high life in casinos and bars. She needed time away. "Yer know that eventually he will go back to 'ow it was. He might give yer all of the promises yer want right now, but he will ignore 'em eventually. We both know that. Where will yer be then, Liz? Yer will be back where yer began."
"Maybe," Elizabeth responded. "Maybe not. I do not know, Pol, but I cannot let him go."
"He is like a drug to yer," Pol said. "He will always be like a drug yer cannot get enough of. He 'as 'is claws so deep into yer."
"It is love, Pol," Elizabeth responded. "I look at him and I love him so much and I cannot throw it away. Perhaps I am a fool, but I would rather be a fool and be wrong then not try. Tommy means too much to me."
"And 'ow long will this keep goin' on for, Liz?" Pol wondered and Elizabeth sat down on the bottom step, still holding the phone to her ear. She looked at the front door and frowned, wondering what had suddenly cast a shadow in the hallway. Was someone here? "Liz, are yer there?"
"Yes," Elizabeth responded, "but I think someone has just arrived so I have to go, Pol."
"Fine," Pol said, wondering if it was an excuse. "Call me when yer can."
"Will do," Elizabeth promised her.
She moved to her feet as the knock on the door sounded. She didn't go to answer it. Instead she went into the living room and peered from behind the net curtain. She frowned as she saw two men stood there, but they didn't look like the men who had been sent by Tommy to keep watch. Elizabeth bit down on her lip. Something was off. She could sense it.
Moving quickly as the knocks grew louder, she tried to keep quiet as she headed for the staircase. Moving up the steps, she went to the guest room her daughter was using. Charlotte was reading a book on her bed as Elizabeth held her hand out towards her daughter.
"Charlotte, come with me," Elizabeth demanded, trying to keep her tone light. She didn't want to alarm her. "Come on, darling."
Charlotte placed her book down and Elizabeth took hold of her hand, her grip tight as her daughter winced at the sudden contact.
"Where are we going?" Charlotte asked from Elizabeth.
"We need to go out," Elizabeth said to her, moving down the steps as she heard a loud bang against the door and she hurried even quicker. She continued pulling Charlotte down the steps as her daughter screamed in fear and Elizabeth saw the wood finally give in, revealing the two men on the doorstep. She took the last step down as they entered the hallway.
"Mrs Shelby," one man spoke, a clear Scottish accent. "We would like a word."
"I do not think so," Elizabeth said and pushed Charlotte towards the kitchen and the backdoor. She ran as quickly as she could, slamming the kitchen door shut behind her and leaning her weight against it as she felt the two men push against it. She couldn't hold it for long. "Charlotte, run outside and go next door."
"Mummy-"
"-Do it! Charlotte, go!" Elizabeth demanded and Charlotte reached for the door and ran, Elizabeth continuing to press her weight against the door as she refused to budge until her daughter was out of the room. She finally gave in, reaching for the rolling pin on the kitchen table and clinging onto it as the two men stood in the doorway.
"Where is the girl?"
"You will not get near her!" Elizabeth snapped and she swung the rolling pin at the man. He ducked down as Elizabeth moved the rolling pin to follow him, swiping him at the top of his head as he groaned in pain and the other man moved towards her.
He moved to grab her waist, turning her in his arms. One hand grabbed hold of the rolling pin, pulling it from her as she fought against him, her legs lifting up from the ground. She reached out again, finding a mug on the table. She threw it at the man who wasn't holding her and he growled lowly. He moved his hands through his hair, pushing it back on top of his head before adjusting his suit jacket.
"Now that was not very nice, was it?" he asked from her.
"What do you want?"
"We want to send Mr Shelby a message," he said.
"I am not with him anymore!" Elizabeth protested as she felt the man holding her move his hands to her shirt that was tucked into her skirt, pulling it out as she froze for a moment and then began fighting even more. "I moved out!"
"But you are still his wife," the man holding her whispered into his ear. "And we have heard that he has tried to win you back and succeeded."
"No," Elizabeth said.
"If you've split up then has he fucked you recently?" he asked her. "I bet you're good in bed…let's find out, shall we?"
"Get the hell off of me!" Elizabeth roared again as he pushed her forwards, bending her over the dining table as she continued to yell loudly. She felt him reach for her skirt, pulling it upwards, hands trailing up her thighs. Looking at the table, she saw the small pan on the corner and reached for it. She was about to grab it before the other man took it further from her and she began to feel herself cry, her body shaking.
"What the 'ell is goin' on?"
Elizabeth felt the weight on top of her disappear and she looked behind to see her daughter stood in the doorway. Finn was the one who had pushed the man, gun in his hand and he shot the man who had been holding Elizabeth and then shot the other man before he could reach his gun. Elizabeth winced as she heard each bang and she moved to grab Charlotte. Picking her up, she left the kitchen as her daughter clung onto her, burying her face in her mother's neck.
"You are okay," Elizabeth promised. "We are okay…everything is fine…"
She went outside and saw a car sat there. She recognised it as one of Tommy's. She looked back to the house and saw Finn leaving. He held his hands up as he looked at her terrified face.
"The previous watch left early," Finn said to her. "I know who was on watch and I will 'ave some of the other boys pick 'em up. They must 'ave been paid to leave early."
"By who?" Elizabeth asked.
"I do not know," Finn responded. "They're both dead. Come on, I'll take yer to Tommy."
Elizabeth nodded at that. She wanted to go home. She wanted to be somewhere safe. But this had happened because of Tommy's business. She didn't doubt that.
….
Finn had called ahead of arriving with Elizabeth, telling Tommy what he had found and done. Tommy had demanded Arthur go to the house and sort the mess out. Finn had no idea who he had shot, but from what he had heard they had Scottish accents. He didn't know entirely what that meant, but he was terrified. Was it some of the Billy Boys? Maybe. But who would have sent them? And what had they wanted?
He ran to the front door as soon as he heard a car approach. Standing there in his three piece suit, he watched on as Elizabeth climbed from the car, Charlotte clinging onto her. She walked forward, her face pale and eyes wet. She was clinging onto Charlotte tightly, refusing to let her go as Finn walked behind them.
"Liz," Tommy whispered her name and she looked to him.
He grabbed hold of her, his arms wrapping around both her and his daughter. Charlotte looked to her father and Tommy took her from Elizabeth, holding onto her and taking her weight. Charlotte didn't protest, instead she clung onto her father and Tommy kissed the top of her head before taking hold of Elizabeth's hand with one of his.
"Come on," Tommy urged them. "Let's go inside."
Elizabeth nodded in agreement and walked with Tommy into the house. Sitting down on the settee, Tommy sat one side of Charlotte and Elizabeth sat the other side of her. Both parents held onto her, assuring her that everything was going to be fine and that she was safe. She had eventually nodded and seemed more content, but tired. Elizabeth had said that she could go to bed early and that they would stay with her until she went to sleep, but she had said that she wanted to sleep in their bedroom.
Tommy had told her that was fine and they had taken her to their bed and laid her down. Elizabeth had laid next to her as Tommy said he had to deal with business. Elizabeth had simply nodded and stayed with Charlotte until she had fallen asleep. She had tucked her into bed and then grabbed her nightgown and changed into it, throwing her clothes on the bathroom floor.
Trudging down the stairs again, she looked as she saw Frances in the hallway. Frances managed a small but encouraging smile as Elizabeth lifted her lips once. She said nothing before entering the office at the front of the room. Tommy was on the phone, his suit jacket hanging on the back of his chair and revealing his pocket watch and gun in its holster. He pulled it out and laid it on his desk as he finished grunting into the phone.
"Is Charlotte asleep?" he asked his wife.
"Soundly," Elizabeth said to him, folding her arms over her chest. "Tommy, this was exactly the reason why I left you."
"I know," Tommy said to her and moved from out behind his desk, walking towards her. He took hold of her upper arms, running his hands up and down them to try and comfort her. "But they came for you anyway…they came because you…people will always know that to get to me they go through you, but I am going to sort this. I am going to sort this and change like I have said. I promise."
"Tommy, I was so scared," Elizabeth admitted to him. "They…what they were going to do…"
"Hey, hey, hey," Tommy said before she continued to worry. "It's alright. Everythin' is alright. I've got yer, okay? I've got yer."
He wrapped his arms around her, gathering her into them tightly as she held onto his shoulders, her cheek pressing into the crook of his neck. He let his hands remain holding tightly onto her back, his chin resting just by her forehead.
"Finn told me the men who were supposed to be on watch. He 'as 'ad 'em picked up and we'll find out who paid 'em," Tommy promised her. "I'm goin' to go see 'em now and I swear they will pay for even laying a 'and on yer."
"Can they wait until tomorrow?" Elizabeth asked from her husband. "Tommy, just for tonight…please stay."
"Alright," Tommy said. "If yer need me then I'm 'ere, Liz."
Elizabeth nodded. "I just…the only time I have felt safe was when I was with you. I need you right now."
"You've got me," Tommy promised his wife. "I swore to yer that nothin' would ever 'appen to yer while I am 'ere. I'm 'ere, Liz. I am not goin' to let anythin' 'appen."
Elizabeth nodded against him again as he walked with her into the sitting room. They took a seat on the settee. Neither of them said anything. Instead Tommy sat down and let Elizabeth sit however she felt comfortable. She curled her legs underneath her and wrapped an arm around Tommy's before resting her head on his shoulder, her long hair matted on top of her head and flowing onto his shoulder and neck.
She fell asleep soon after and Tommy waited until he was certain she wouldn't wake up before moving. He stood up and managed to pick her up, holding her in his arms as he carried her to their bedroom. She protested mildly that she would walk, but he kissed her forehead to silence her. He rested her on the bed next to Charlotte and looked down at his wife and daughter as they slept. He dropped his hands to his hips and let out a deep breath.
Whoever had left their watch early was going to pay. Tommy would see to that.
….
A/N: Do let me know what you think!
