Chapter nineteen: Waking the witch
5 days later,
"Tommy!" Arthur asked as he entered the library rather cheerfully. "Hear anything from Kate?"
"No." Thomas bites out. He's getting worried. He's called the hospital several times asking for her, but he's been told that she's unavailable. Because he wasn't family, they wouldn't update him, threatening the last nurse had resulted in her hanging up on him. That only served to make him more irritable. "I haven't f**king heard a word!"
"Just stay calm. No use in getting worked up!" Arthur states in a tone that is excessively calm to suit him. Thomas snorts as he lights another cigarette. "I know you care about her, but just for me, how serious is it?"
Thomas responds by opening the drawer in his desk and pulling out the ring box that has been taunting him all week. Arthur's brow arches in surprise. Thomas nods as Arthur catches the box and looks inside it. He doesn't say more, he doesn't need to. The emerald and diamond ring inside the box spoke enough for him. Kate, probably would have preferred something simpler, but the stones reminded him of her eyes.
"Are you sure about this?" Arthur asked. "You haven't even known her a whole year yet."
"Kate, if she says yes, will most likely insist on a long engagement. But yeah," he nods. "I'm sure."
"Do you know about her past?" Arthur asks. "You know she has one."
"Kate's been telling me more and more. I've done some research and I know enough to know that she's been telling me the truth. I can also see why she doesn't want to talk about it." His phone rings and he grabs it quickly, causing Arthur to chuckle at him. "Hello?"
Thomas? It's Kate and her voice is a dry croak. It's me.
"Kate?" He sits on the edge of the desk as he exhales. Arthur stands up and heads out of the library to give him some privacy with Kate. "You alright? I've been worried."
Sorry. She clears her throat, but her voice is shrill as well as scratchy. They've kept me sedated for 5 days after the surgery.
She was silent for a moment and he knew instantly. "It was cancer, wasn't it?" Arthur stills in the doorway at those words.
Yes. Kate sniffled. I-I, they removed my breast. Good thing I'm a recluse…otherwise, I'd be a freak in society.
"Kate, stop that." he said firmly. "You're alive. That's what f**king matters to me."
But I'm-
"But what?" he asks. "You're still beautiful to me Kate. No matter what you're thinking right now."
Wait until you see me.
"I am seeing you." he stated firmly. "I've seen inside you and it's a wondrous sight Kate. And Kate, remember that night in the hotel?" She practically stopped breathing. "Nothing's changed for me. I still f**king want you, even now. You're a beautiful woman and I want you. Nothing you can say will make me change my mind."
But, I only have-
"Trust me, that isn't going to stop me from f**king you senseless when I get you in my bed."
Kate was silent for a moment and for a moment he thought he'd gone too far. Then, she inhaled raggedly and let out a faint laugh. You say the most inappropriate things at times Thomas Shelby. But, they somehow always manage to make me smile. How are things there?
"Well. Everyone here has been worried about you. Elton, even f**king dares to ask me if there's any news." She chuckles lightly. "Ruby and Charlie refuse to let me read King Arthur to them and they come running in here each time the phone rings." On cue, they both run into the library, their eyes wide with hope. "And they just ran in now." He kneels on the floor and motions for Ruby and Charlie to approach. "Someone wants to say hello."
"Kate?" Ruby asks loudly. "Are you alright?"
"Don't shout." He says gently. "She's just waking up."
I will be. He leans close to hear her voice. The three of them are so close their heads are actually touching. I'm in the hospital.
"We missed you." Charles said. "We didn't start the book without you, we waited."
That's so sweet. Kate's voice sounded a little bit more cheerful. But he knows she's trying to keep the pain from her voice for their sake. How's Lassie doing?
"She's doing well." Charlie said. "She follows me now."
That's good. And Ruby, have you talked to dad about dancing yet?
That was news to him. He glanced at Ruby, who shook her head. "No, can we visit you?"
"No." He answered that one first. "Kate needs time to rest and get better."
"But I miss her!" Tears started rolling down Ruby's cheeks.
Ohh, honey. Kate started sniffling. I miss all three of you as well. I'll try to get better soon.
"Kate," Thomas ordered firmly. "stop crying." He heard her hiccuping softly on the other end of the line. "As much as we all love and miss you, we want you back here completely recovered. Stop stressing and try to relax."
Ok. The nurse says I have to get back in bed, but, I will check in later.
"Right. We'll talk to you tomorrow. Say goodbye to Kate."
"Goodbye!" Ruby and Charlie called loudly into the phone.
Goodbye.
"Right, I love you and we'll talk tomorrow."
Kate's voice was faint. Goodbye Thomas.
The phone clicked and he hung up the receiver with an exhale. It was then he realized that he said he'd loved her. True, he meant it as all of them, but he said 'we' as to include him along with the children. He wondered if she'd noticed, or would the sedation prevent her from remembering?
He turned towards Ruby, who was swabbing her eyes with her chubby fists. "So, what's this about dancing, Ruby?" For some reason, that made Ruby start crying harder. But he understood how she felt, life without Kate around really just wasn't worth living.
Kate spent two more days in the hospital before the doctor cleared her to go home. Her father actually showed up with his car to make sure she got home safely. The ride home was slightly awkward as it was mostly silent. Then, when they were five minutes away he finally spoke.
"What is the man you're seeing like?" She lifted her head up to glower sleepily at him. "I'm not asking the name, obviously, you want privacy. But I want to know what he's like. What's he do?"
"He's a businessman, in the importing and exporting business." She stated honestly. "He has two children."
"And you sure you love him and not the children?"
Kate nodded. "I'm sure." She bites her lip before admitting. "He's a very good man."
"What do you like most about him?"
"Several things." She exhaled, knowing he was fishing for information and being careful not to provide much information. "He's honest with me and he's got a strong relationship with his family. He has an extremely protective nature that makes me feel safe and secure. He's always ready to help, even if I don't ask for it."
"Why didn't he visit you in the hospital then?"
"He's a busy man and I asked him not to drive down here. He would have driven down and stayed with me if asked him." She shoots him a look. "Besides, you didn't visit me either."
Her father nearly explodes. "You had me on the barred list so I couldn't get in the hospital!"
She glowered at him before snapping. "I most certainly did not! Why would I bar you from the hospital?"
"Because you're mad at me!" Kate opened her mouth to protest, then she thought back on Thomas's words. He wouldn't….Kate laughed and shook her head. "What?"
"It wasn't me." She smiled broadly. "I'm fairly certain it was him. He's got multiple connections in the city."
Her father's eyes narrowed. "He must be an extremely powerful man if he can bar me from the hospital."
"He knows that you and I have issues and he probably wanted me to get some rest." She shakes her head. "So you don't get a bad impression of him, he calls me three times a day to check in. One of those calls is to let me talk to his children."
"He must trust you, if he's letting his children talk to you, daily. What would I like about him?"
"He was a soldier in the war."
"Do not say private." Her father groans in distaste. "You have the worst habit of falling in love with men who are unsuitable."
Kate felt anger surge through her, but she tapped it down. "He's a decorated Sergeant Major."
"Well, he's decorated at least. That's saying something. What did he do to deserve his medals?"
"I'm not saying." Kate states firmly. "I know you're trying to figure out who is he, I'm not falling for it."
"Fine, then what's he look like?"
Kate rolls her eyes as they pull up in front of the house. "He's got….the bluest eyes, I've ever seen. That's all you're going to get from me."
The doorman hurries down the steps to open the car door. Her nurse gets out first and helps Kate get out of the car. The front door opens and slams, causing her to jump. It's her brother Anton and he's in a rage. "Father!" he half-shouts. "We've got to do something about that Shelby bastard."
Kate's heart stops in her chest and she's glad that no one, apart from her nurse has noticed her reaction. Kate inhales sharply, trying to find composure. It couldn't be her Thomas, could it?
"Hold your tongue boy!" Her father snaps. "Your sister, has come back from the hospital and you start shouting! You're scaring her."
Her brother exhales as he leans forward and kisses her on the cheek. "I'm sorry Kate. It's business, you know. But we've got to do something about Thomas Shelby." Now she knew it was him. "That gypsy bastard is threatening to burn the house down unless you have a meeting with him!"
Her father's face stiffened and body went rigid. "He's threatening my house? Who the hell does he think he is?"
"He's in parliament." Kate's stomach swirled. Why did she have go and get this damn cancer? She wasn't there to keep him out of trouble! "What should you expect from an idiotic politician?"
"Politician or not, he should be taught a lesson." Kate moved towards the stairs, the nurse moved slowly alongside her, however she was oblivious to Kate trying absorb as much as her brother's conversation as possible.
"He also left this note." Kate glances back at them as the doorman opens the door. Her brother slaps a bloody note in her father's hand.
"Whose blood is this?" her father demands.
"Mine!" Anton snaps! Kate steps inside the house and fortunately, her father and Anton follow her inside.
"Why is-
"He and his brother, Arthur, jumped me in the alley! Their men took out both of my men."
The nurse went to lead her up the stairs, but Kate shook her head. "I'll be up in a moment. I want to get a book." She turns to the butler. "Show her upstairs please."
Her father and Anton head to the library, talking loudly. "This is insufferable!" her father shouted. "He thinks he can talk to me like this!"
"Now, do I have your permission to send those f**kers to hell where they belong?" Anton shouted as they went into the library.
"Damn right you do!" Kate's heart rose in her chest as she gripped the banister tightly as she trotted up the stairs, each move hurt her chest, but she needed to move fast. Kate knew how her father and Anton worked well enough. The clock chimed that it was 3 o'clock. By four, everyone would be filled in on what was going down and by 4:45, they'd be at the estate. By 5, the entire Shelby family and household staff would be dead.
Kate stepped into her room to find the nurse fussing over her bed. Kate grabbed a heavy book from her bookcase and approached her quietly. She drew the book back and smacked her on the head, causing her to fall to the bed!
"May God forgive me." Kate breathes as she hits the woman in the jaw, knocking her out cold. Kate quickly checks her vitals before hurrying to her closet, pulls out as many of her scarves as she can carry. She then ties the woman to the bed and gags her with a handkerchief.
She retrieves her purse and coat from the closet and sneaks back down the stairs. She can hear her father and Anton arguing in the library. Kate heads out the front door, being careful not to latch it all the way and trots down the street away from that house. She then flags down a taxi, who takes off speeding down the road after she shoves nearly 40 pounds into his hands. It'll cost her more than a train, but the next train doesn't leave for an hour.
She wants to stop and call, but knows that her father has multiple operators on his payroll and she can't risk one of them overhearing. She hopes she can make it to the Shelby house in time! She leans back in the seat of the taxi, hand against her chest. The wet stickiness causes her to jump. She looks down and see's that her hand is covered in blood. "Damn it." she curses as she tears a section of her skirt free to press it to her chest. She can only hope she makes it to the estate before she looses too much blood.
