Chapter nine: How to be invisible


With love to lead the way, I found more clouds of gray than any Russian play could guarantee. I was a fool to fall-

"Kate?"

"Ahh!" Thomas chuckled as the birdseed went flying from Kate's hands. She grabbed onto the ladder tightly to keep from falling. He moved quickly and steadied the ladder as she shot him down an irritated glower. "Thomas Shelby, will you please stop scaring me like that?!"

"Kate," he reached for her hand and helped her down the ladder. "I really don't scare you on purpose. You're just really jittery."

"You move like a cat! I never hear you coming until you're right atop of me! Why don't you call ahead first?" She demanded. "It would be less startling."

"Somehow, I doubt that." He stated as she moved towards her gardening space, which she knows he hadn't given her permission to build. However, she rather had a way of taking over a place; besides, she was more than happy to spend her money on making improvements. Kate opened the picket fence and stepped behind it. "This is new." His tone, suggested approval.

She nodded. "Yes. The children are interested in gardening, so, I thought I'd get them started. In addition, it'll be good practice for me."

"They visit you often?" He inquired as he leaned on the fence, his cap off his head. He wore a very unusual haircut. Who was she kidding? It was a ridiculous haircut, but it suited him so well. She couldn't think of another man who could wear that hairstyle and look as dashing as he did. Really drew attention to his face, especially his cheekbones.

"They practically spend their weekends down here. You didn't know?" She attacked the ground with her hoe. "They helped me paint the porch floor."

"They didn't mention that." He frowned as he peered towards the cottage. "Why paint the floor?"

"Well, they wanted to paint the picket fence, but, I'd already done it. So, I thought why not let them paint the floor? They had fun. It's impractical, I know but they liked doing it. Besides, it adds to the charm of the cottage."

"You've done wonders with it and the children." He admitted. "They're growing very fond of you."

"Indeed." She straightened up and held his gaze. Having known him and the children long enough, she felt as if she could speak a little bolder towards him. "They're looking for a paternal figure and I'm as close as they can get." She stepped towards him, hoe in one hand. "They really want to spend more time with you."

"I'm busy Kate. I see them when I can." He stated, his polite tone had a slight warning that he didn't want to hear what she had to say on the subject. But she wasn't going to head that warning.

"Do you know what they miss about Lizzie most of all?" Her quiet words took the wind right out his sails. "That she used to say goodnight to them and kiss them."

He was silent for a moment. "I didn't know that."

"I think…if you could manage telling them goodnight, it would make a world of difference to them." she stated with a smile as she stepped towards him. "But you've gotten closer to them and they've noticed everything. Ruby said you brought her a doll from town and Charlie got a boat."

"Do they tell you everything that I do?"

"It seems like it." Kate laughed lightly. "But I'm happy to have some company once in a while. Since I'm an old spinster. It does my heart good to see children running around the place."

He rolls his eyes. That's the most ridiculous thing out of the many ridiculous things he's heard her say. "You're still young Kate."

She laughed. "How old do you think I am Thomas?"

He studied her, top to bottom for a moment. "I'd say twenty-five, but I know you weren't thirteen when we met."

"I'm thirty-three." That was painful to admit. "My child-bearing days are almost gone."

"Come on, a beautiful famous author like you won't be single for too long." He reached for her hand and toyed with it. Kate felt her defenses go up again. These last few weeks, it seemed as if Thomas Shelby were making a play for her. However, she wasn't quite sure, he could just be acting friendly towards her. "You were young when you were at Verdun then."

"18." She nodded. "Father had a friend forge a birth certificate so I appeared older than I was. I was probably too young to see such things, but I couldn't bear to stand by helplessly. So many people were dying and I could help." She blinked and snapped herself out of thoughts of Emmett and the war. "So, what brings you down my way?" She pulls her hand free from his and reaches for the hoe again. "Just passing by?"

"Not really." He leans on the fence. "My brother and I are thinking about buying a club and I need a woman's opinion about the place."

"You never know how to take a break do you?" She stated without turning around to face her opinion. "Polly's got marvelous taste."

"I don't want her opinion. I want yours."

Those words caused her to freeze in her bent position for a good 30 seconds as his words slowly penetrated her mind. "Wait a minute." She straightened up. "Are you asking me to accompany you?"

"Yeah." He seemed very calm and laid back, as if this were no big deal to him. "I am."

"For a night out? At a nightclub?" He nodded. She immediately shook her head. "No, Thomas. There are other eligible women that you can ask accompany you for an opinion on such things"

"You're the only woman I want to bring with me." Her mouth dropped open in shock at his statement. He was a bold man. He'd danced around for a little bit, but then he spoke his mind. "You're the only woman I've kept company with since Lizzie's death. It doesn't make much sense to go with anyone else."

She bit her lip. "I suppose…I can see that." She hesitates, not believing she was actually contemplating saying yes to this. "And, would we be going alone?"

"No. My brother Arthur is returning from a trip. You and I will meet him there." She bit her lip, unsure of what to say for a moment. "Come on," he coaxed. " it'll be fun."

She bit her lip and thought long and hard about it before giving in to his request. "Alright," he smiled broadly at her, causing her to add. "but I won't like it."

"You will." He smiled faintly at her. "I'll see you at 6."

She nods. "I'll be ready." As he turned to walk away, she felt compelled to call after him. "And Thomas," he turned towards him, in the process of putting his cap back on his head. "I want to make it perfectly clear that nothing is going to happen between us. Ever."

He was silent for a moment before stating. "We keep telling ourselves that Kate, but we both know…that really isn't true." Her mouth dropped open at his statement. "There is something going on, even if we both deny it. I've just stopped fighting it and maybe after tonight… you will too."

Kate had no words for him. she could only stare at him as he tipped his hat to her and went back into woods. She stood there for a good five minutes before exiting the garden and entering the cottage. As she entered the cottage, the sight that greeted her was the picture of her and Emmett together on their engagement day, on the mantelpiece.

She pulled the picture down and ran a finger over his face. "Don't worry. I promised you that I wouldn't love again after you and I won't. He can try and say everything that I may need to hear, but I won't surrender and love a man like that. I still love you and there's no way a man like him could ever take your place."


That evening,


"Where are you going?" Polly inquired.

"Arthur and I are getting into the Bleu Masque Club tonight." Tommy straightened his tie before reaching for his coat. Polly was more than happy to watch the children…until she found out in a few moments what it was he was up to for the evening. "Going to scope it out."

"How are you going to manage that?" she frowned. "Both of you are peaky blinders so neither of you will be admitted. Bertani will probably have you shot on sight!"

"That's why I'm bringing Kate with us. No one is going to deny a famous author admittance, regardless of who she's with." Polly shot him a disapproving look. "What?"

"You're mixing business with pleasure again." She stated. "Remember what happened last time you did that?"

"Well," he pulled on coat. "Arthur is working the business. He'll be seeing who could be turned into a confidant. As for being with Kate...that's my business."

"You care about her." Thomas took another puff of his cigarette before mashing it out in the ashtray. "I'm thinking about hiring a private investigator to dig into Katherine Carter's past history." Now, she had his attention. Thomas paused in place and turned towards Polly. "There is something off about her and I don't trust you to see it."

"You'll not have anyone investigating her," he stated firmly. " I mean it."

"Why not?" She demanded as she stepped towards him. "We know nothing about her!"

"I know enough about Kate." He stated.

"Knowing enough, isn't enough." She stated firmly. "There's something suspicious about her. The way she has a hold on you and the children."

"Kate, is lonely." He stated. "She has no family that she's close to and her fiancée is dead. Have some compassion."

"I have compassion, but I also have sense." She stated. "Men like you never think straight when their cocks are-

"Oi," he said a bit harsher than he meant. "our friendship isn't like that."

"Friends?" Polly snorts. "You can never just be friends with a woman. And what is about her that's so special?"

He studied her before stating. "Kate and I remembered where we met years ago."

"Where?" She inquired. "Was it during the war?"

"No. It was twelve years ago and she helped me with something. Trust me on this, she's hiding nothing." He stated as he grabbed his hat from his nightstand. "I don't see why you're so invested in checking her out."

"I don't trust her. I don't want to see you get hurt again."

"Kate's different." He stated as he checked his wallet. "She's honest."

"Probably because she doesn't know you." He rolls his eyes. "I'm serious. What does she really know about you? Have you told her what it is that you do on the side?" He doesn't answer her. "You need to be honest with her. Starting with why you're bringing her to that club in the first place. A famous lady like her, would never be seen with the likes of you and you know it."

Polly's words stung and he knew it was true. Thomas glanced at his watch. It was 6:00. He shook off Polly's harsh words and checked his appearance again. He normally wasn't nervous about taking women about, but it had been a very long time for him. "We'll argue later. I'm running late."

"Fine." She stated to walk away, but stopped in the doorway. "I told you this once before and I'll say it again. There's only one thing that can blind a man as smart as you, Tommy." He exhaled and said nothing. "And this one…she'll hurt you more than Lizzie or Grace ever did."

Those words caused him to stop still in place. His heart stopped beating for a moment, he hated when she used that tone of voice on him. it normally meant that she was right. The doorbell rang and she left his room. He groaned and checked his appearance in the mirror one last time. He knew Polly was right, he weren't good enough for the likes of her. But that didn't mean he wasn't going to try for her.

"Kate's here!" Charlie's excited voice traveled upstairs.

Ruby let out joyful gasp from the nursery and he grinned as she ran down the hall, past his room to the stairs. Children, were usually a good judge of character, far better than adults were. And the fact that both of them were so comfortable around her spoke volumes to her character.

But what the hell was she doing here? He was meant to be picking her up, not the other way around. Truth to be told, he was a little pleased that she'd showed up, because maybe his words had an effect on her today. Maybe, Kate was ready to try again. God, he hoped so because wanted to find out what this f**king thing about her was. He looked at her and he remembered the feeling he had in that field, that day after the Epsom races. He'd gotten close to losing everything that day. And now, he had that feeling with her, he was close to something and after all that time in darkness after losing his Grace, that time in Hell with Lizzie, he wanted this. He needed this.

He tucked his pocket watch into his vest coat and tilted his black bow tie slightly off to the side. The test would be to see whether or not Kate bothered to straighten it. That little gesture would offer more insight to how she felt. He then came down the stairs, following the sound of Ruby and Charlie's laughter.

"You look so pretty!" Ruby crowed.

"Thank you Ruby." He didn't even to see her face to know that she was smiling, he could hear it in her voice. "It's a lovely dress, isn't it?"

And that's when he saw her for the first time and he nearly fell down the stairs. She wore a clinging, green, satin dress, similar to what Jean Harlow wore in one of her pictures. Kate wore the dress with a class and elegance that Jean Harlow couldn't pull off. She stood up from her kneeling position on the floor by Ruby, revealing she wore a simple pearl necklace around her throat. She wore simple white gloves and clutched a matching green beaded purse. Her hair was twisted up into a loose updo, secured with a beaded pearl clip.

As if sensing his eyes on her, she glanced up towards him and smiled shyly. He was unable to stop himself from returning her smile as he descended the stairs. "Kate, I was supposed to be picking you up."

"Yes, I know." She adjusted her white, fur stole around shoulders. "I-I haven't done this in years, so, I got jittery and thought a quick walk would calm me down. Next think I know, here I am on the front porch, so…why not come in?"

"Are you two going out on a date?" Charlie asked.

"No." Kate stated at the exact moment Thomas said. "Yes."

Both of the children looked confused by the different answers. She bit her lip and cleared her throat as Thomas nodded. "Right, we should be going."

"Is she going to be our new mother?" Ruby asked.

"No." Kate said quickly, but the crestfallen look on Ruby's face hurt her soul.

"Ok, listen here you two." Thomas knelt down to Ruby and Charlie's level. "Kate and I are friends, for now. Now, I would love to be more than friends with Kate." She stared at him, not believing he's actually telling them this. "But someone hurt her a long time ago, so, she's a little scared and she needs time. Do you understand?" They both nod. "Good. Now, I'll see you both tomorrow, with Arthur." He gave them each a quick hug, but he was surprised at how they clung to him. "Behave for your aunt."

"Alright daddy."

Thomas nodded and stood up. Kate swallowed uneasily, her body language making it clear that she was petrified. "You ready?" She nodded. "Let's go then."

He took her elbow and guided her outside and down the steps. He then helped her into the backseat of the car before climbing in beside her. Kate was silent for a moment before stating. "Are you sure about this?"

"I'm sure Kate." This was business mixed with pleasure. He and Arthur would get into one of Kovach's headquarters and get a good look around. However, the truest thing was that this was pleasure for him, he got to spend the evening with Kate. "You look beautiful."

She smiled and tightly curled her fingers around his hand. "Thank you." her eyes narrowed slightly as she cleared her throat as she leaned forward to adjust his tie. He smiled at her, causing her to flush nervously. She was skittish, but it was part of her charm. "There you go."

"Thank you."

She cleared her throat again as she stated. "You're missing a flower for your buttonhole."

"Do I look like a pansy?" Kate laughed at his glower. "I should have bought you something though."

"You could buy me a rose in town."

"Just one?" He arched a brow as he started driving down the driveway. "Not a dozen?"

"One's more than satisfactory." She cleared her throat. "However, I was teasing you. you don't need to buy me anything."

"Oi, I'm buying you dinner." She opened her mouth and he cut her off. "I mean it. this is not America where the men let the women buy their own food." She laughed and just like that, the atmosphere was light and cheerful again. Nothing could stay wrong for long with her around. God, he hoped she couldn't see how nervous he was. This one chance to get her to accept the possibility that maybe there was something between them after all.