Chapter twenty-seven: Mrs. Bartolozzi
November 1st,
"Kate?" she jumps at the hand on her shoulder. It's Thomas. "You alright?"
"Yes, I'm sorry." She reaches up and squeezes his hand reassuringly. "I was a million miles away."
"I noticed." He straightens upright. "I'm heading into Birmingham. Do you need anything?"
She hesitates for a moment. Today's November 1st, which was Emmett's birthday. She should probably stop into town to visit them and let them know that she had married. Still, it felt odd doing such a thing, but it wasn't as if she was cheating on Thomas. They'd been worried about her for years, so now they could stop fretting over her now.
"Actually," she stands up. "let me grab my hat and coat. I'll tag along with you."
"Why?" He asks curiously. Geez, the doctor had cleared her, but Thomas still hovered over her. It was rather endearing, even if annoying.
"I'd like to pay my respects to Emmett's parents." His eyes narrow. "They don't know I've married yet."
"Couldn't you write them?"
She cocks a brow at him. "That's not the type of news that you'd write someone. I've got a feeling that after I tell them…they're going to be closing a book on our relationship." She grabs her scarf, coat and purse. She then heads over and tucks a derringer into her purse and slips on her leg holster. Thomas just stands there quietly watching her, his right brow arched. "What is it?"
"Kate, we're just going into town and you're all dressed up as if you're expecting trouble."
"If you're ready for trouble, it can't find you." she states calmly. "I always carry two guns when I go into town."
"I'll be there with you."
"For most of the visit." She states. "You've got your thing to do, as have I. we'll most likely meet up after we've finished our business. Go get the car ready, I'll be right down. Shoo!"
"Alright." Kate heard Thomas chuckled as he trotted down the stairs. She smiled. She liked how things were progressing between them.
Thomas snuck another glance at Kate. Her eyes were closed and she was relaxing peacefully beside him. She was growing more comfortable in her role as a mother. Wife, she was getting there. Loathe to admit it; Kate had been right about the separate rooms. They both needed time to build up their relationship again. Their marriage had been early and right now, they were finishing off the last few steps of their courtship.
Kate didn't talk during the car ride, but she never did. He had a feeling that she disliked riding in cars. She could chatter up a storm when she was nervous. That mood never failed to irritate him, but she always had this innocently beguiling look about her, that made him forgive her. They still had disagreements, but he made sure never to frighten her that way again.
Polly still hadn't adjusted to Kate's role in their life. She was civil to her in his presence, but he could see and feel Kate's unease whenever Polly walked into the room. Kate tried to make friends with Polly, but to no avail. Elton, was constantly reporting Polly saying sharp things to Kate, but Kate would simply leave the room and occupy herself in another project. He knew that this tactic wouldn't last long. Polly was bound to push Kate too far and he hoped he was there when it happened because he wasn't quite sure who would shoot whom first.
Kate exhaled and rubbed her hands together, causing him to look at her. "Where are your gloves?" He asked with a frown.
She paused and looked down at her hands before shrugging. "I forgot them again."
"Here." He reaches into his coat for his wallet. "Pick yourself up a pair." She shook her head. "Why not?"
"One," she reaches into her purse and pulls out her wallet. "I have my own money. Second, if I bought a new pair of gloves every time I forgot mine, there'd be a pile overflowing from my closets." He chuckles as she scoots forward so she can sit on her hands. "I'm always forgetting gloves." She bolts upright. "Ah, here's the bakery!" Kate picks up her basket. "I won't be long."
"Me either." He states. He glances at her as she inhales, readying herself. "It'll be alright Kate. They'd want you to be happy."
She exhales. "I'm concerned that they're going to view my marriage as a betrayal."
"Kate," he grips her hand. "you're too young to stay unmarried. It was inevitable that someone was going to marry you," he leans forward to kiss the corner of her mouth. "I just happen to be the lucky bastard who got you."
Kate moans, reaching up and running a finger down behind his ear. That gesture always sent a spark down his spine. "You and your pretty words, Thomas Shelby." He still spots the faint smile on her lips as she opens her side of the car and gets out. "stay safe." She states as she peers inside the car.
He nods. "I'll see you in 20 minutes. Eh?"
Kate closes the door of the car and watches as the driver turns around and drives down the street. She stands there, in the dark gloomy weather of Birmingham. Thomas gets out, almost 12 houses away from her. She watches him step inside a building before turning and pushing open the bakery door. The familiar scents of pastry and bread fill her nostrils, causing her to smile for a minute.
The store is currently empty. She steps up to the counter and rings the bell. "Service, please!"
"I'm coming!" Kate smiles as she turns towards the back room, which is covered by a curtain. "Katie!" Emmett's mother, Lisa, a frail, graying blonde woman hurries towards her to give her a hug. "Oh, my goodness. It's so good to see you!"
"And you as well." She returned the hug. "It's been too long."
"Indeed. Josef!" She called over her shoulder. "Katie's here!" She smiles at her. "You look wonderful."
"Thank you." She clings tightly to her large basket. "You look well."
"And you look happy, it's good to see."
She licks her lips, knowing there's a reason for her to look better. "Katie!" she turns towards Mr. Weber, noticing he's using a cane. "How lovely to see you. What are you doing here? He kissed her cheek. "You look well."
"Thank you. Are you alright?"
"Ya, I just slipped in the rain yesterday. The wife is making me use this cane."
"Well, I'm sure she only wants the best for you. I've got a large order for you both."
"How big?" His eyes light up.
"Pretty big. I'll take a dozen brezels, half a dozen of your raspberry and blackberry strudel, black forest cake and a princess torte." The torte was for Ada and her son Karl. It was such a little thing, but, she wanted to thank her. "Oh, and two loaves of your dark rye bread!"
"My word," Mrs. Weber says with a smile. "that's a lot of food. Are you having a party?"
"Not really."
"Let us get your order together, and then, we'll talk about what you've been up to."
Kate nods gratefully. She's not sure how social they'll be with her once they hear her news. Fortunately, they hired a delivery boy, so, Kate tipped him generously to deliver Ada's torte. It would arrive in time for teatime.
After tucking her very large order into her basket and paying, Mr. Weber sighed and folded his hands together. "Now that business is done, we can talk. What have you been up to?"
"Well," she inhaled and stated gently. "I-I got married last month." Their faces still and she couldn't read their expressions for a moment. She bites her lip and smiles faintly. "I'm sorry…I wanted you two to hear it from me. We are starting to entertain and I didn't want you two to see my name with his in the papers."
Their faces were hard to read. His mother was the first to speak. "Well….is he good?"
Kate hesitates for a moment. "Do you mean, is he a good man, or is he good to me?"
"I mean both." Mrs. Weber states, Mr. Weber appears too stunned for words at the moment. "It's just…it's very sudden."
"Yes, he's very good to me, but…I don't think you two would consider him to be a good man."
"Then why marry him?" Mr. Weber demands, finally finding his voice. "You were Emmett's wife."
Kate blinks in surprise. "Mr. Weber…Emmett and I were never legally married." she inhales softly. "He was…gone before I even said, "I do". As to why I married him, I married him for many reasons." She inhaled deeply. "He has two children, a boy and a girl, that I adore very much. He treats me well, he's very protective and he's made sure that my father and brother aren't going to bother me again. He's the first man to…make me feel alive and happy again after Emmett."
"What's his name?" Mr. Weber demanded.
"Shelby, Thomas Shelby."
Their faces freeze at those words. Mr. Weber's face grows red as he bites out. "That… peaky blinder devil that's in parliament?"
"Thomas is a peaky blinder," Kate feels her temper rising, but knows she must keep it in check. "but he is still a good man."
"Maybe God will reward you by having that man die an early death!" Mr. Weber growls.
Her brow rises. "Now wait a minute, that's not fair. What's he done to you?"
"Nothing! But he and his group have done nothing but cause trouble to those around them."
"Yet, he manages to do more for our veterans than the government, even if it costs him a fortune." Kate can't believe she's actually defending his behavior.
"So, you condone his behavior?"
"No, I don't. But regardless of what he does in his private business, he is still my husband."
"Oh Katie," Mrs. Weber has tears in her eyes. "I can't believe you genuinely care for this man. You can't! You're just missing Emmett so much and he took advantage of you."
Kate shakes her head as tears puddle in her eyes. "No, I don't miss Emmett as much as I used to." The raw pain in their eyes hurts her soul for a moment. "I'm sorry, but…I do love Thomas. I wouldn't have married him if I didn't love him."
"In that case," Mr. Weber says solemnly. "I'll thank you not to darken our doors again. You blacken our son's love for you by marrying such a man."
Kate exhales. "If that's what you wish, but Thomas really is a good man."
"Please leave us." Mr. Weber says firmly. "Don't come back. You disrespect his memory by telling us such a thing on today, his birthday, of all days."
"Alright, I won't." Kate picks up her basket of goods and turns to go, but pauses to turn back to them. "Regardless of what you think of him, you are in Thomas Shelby's debt."
"Get out of my store!" Mr. Weber snaps angrily. "Now!"
"I will, after you here this because you need to know this. Thomas, he loves me so much… that he found the man who killed Emmett." All anger from their faces vanished. Their faces went pale and Mrs. Weber gripped the counter firmly. "He heard some information that Emmett had been purposefully killed. It took him a few months, but he found the man who'd killed him. That man, who was hired to kill Emmett, is now dead." She inhales. "My brother, is the one who paid for the hitman." Mrs. Weber started crying. "My husband loves me so much that he wanted to make sure that no one would ever hurt me again. He wanted to absolve the demons of my past, and he did. I'll always be grateful for him."
With that, Kate turned and exited the bakery. It was starting to rain, so, she stood in the doorway, waiting for the rain to stop. Then, she decided it wasn't raining that hard. She had cloth covering the pastries and since Thomas was just twelve houses down the street. Therefore, she figured that she wouldn't get very wet.
She hurried down the street, one hand atop her blue hat. The feather was probably going to be ruined, but who cared? She couldn't say she that she wasn't surprised by their reaction, but they were missing their only child desperately. She hoped that knowing that the man who killed their son was dead would help aid their healing.
"Care to share my umbrella, miss?" Kate turns towards the man, whose voice sounds too polished for this area.
She shakes her head. "No thank you," he's clearly not from this area. She detects a faint Italian accent. His smile, sets her on edges slightly though. "I'm just meeting my husband. Thank you for your kind offer though."
"Husband?" he frowns. "This is a dilemma then."
She frowns, her guard going up. "How so?"
The man suddenly grabs her arm and pulls her towards him. "Say a word," Kate inhales sharply as she feels the muzzle of a gun being stuck into her back. "and I'll shoot you."
