Chapter thirty-four: Babooshka


Kate dropped an earring. "Damn it."

"I've got it." Elton's daughter, Jodie assured her. "Just relax, you look lovely."

Kate shakes her head as she sits down and pinches her cheek. "You've never met my grandmother! Thomas is never going to forgive me for leaving them alone with her."

Jodie chuckles. "I'm sure Mr. Shelby has handled worse than her."

Kate drops her lipstick. "God, he's going to shoot her!" Jodie laughs as Kate lunges for her lipstick and quickly applies it. "Am I decent?"

"Yes." Jodie assures her as she hurries to the closet and hands her a matching pair of lavender shoes. Kate shoves her feet into her shoes and trots down the hall. "I'll watch the little ones for you!"

"Thank you Jodie!" Kate runs down the hall, holding onto the banister, slowing once she got to the steps.

She could hear her grandmother speaking in irritation. "Then where is my granddaughter?"

"I'll see if I can find her." Thomas sounds as if he's at he's running out of his patience. Kate hurries down the stairs, gripping the banister. His brow rises approvingly as she comes down the stairs. "There you are."

"I am so, so sorry." She says as she pauses on the final step. "She was never going to let me hear the end of it if I showed up in a dress I'd been wearing for two days." He inhales deeply near her, causing her to scowl. "What?"

"Just checking your perfume, do you know you coordinate your perfumes?" she shakes her head. "You're wearing a lavender scent and your dress is lavender."

She blinks. "I never realized I did that, but, it makes sense." She takes his arm. "Shall we?"

He shakes his head. "I dunno, I just got out of there."

She laughs. "You left your aunt and brother to my grandmother. That's not very good of you."

"Eh, they can handle her."

"Yes, I can just see Polly losing her temper and throwing a knife at my grandmother, or Arthur calling her a fat cow or something." He frowns. "What?"

"Polly or Arthur wouldn't do that."

"Why wouldn't they? I did once myself."

His brow arches as he takes a hold of her arm and leads her back towards the parlor. "You, Mrs. Shelby are full of surprises."

"Hmm, I hope so, Mr. Shelby, otherwise, life could be pretty dull."

"You could never be dull." Thomas holds her hand firmly as they enter the parlor. Arthur and Polly both look as if they have a headache, Polly, is attempting to keep from showing her influenza symptoms.

"And," Thomas says good-naturedly. "here's my lovely wife now."

"Finally. You're wearing that lavender dress of yours." Her grandmother stated. "I've told you before; you should never wear that color. Makes you look like a dead fairy."

Kate cringed and fumbled for an explanation. Thomas took that comment for her. "My fault I'm afraid, it's one of my favorite colors on her."

Polly nods. "Indeed. Looks lovely with her hair." The fact that Polly was taking her side, told her that her grandmother was really being insufferable.

Her grandmother shoots Polly a dark look for daring to disagree with her. "Pale colors, never work for her complexion. Dark colors, especially black, are quite striking on her."

"It's a little early in the day to wear black, granny." Kate says lightly.

"Dark colors are still best. Now, sit down my dear." Kate moves to sit down, but her grandmother stops her. "Aren't you going to kiss me?"

Kate hesitates. "Well, I've been nursing the children; they've a bout of influenza. But, they're on the road to recovery."

"So it shouldn't be contagious." She states. "Don't let illness prevent you from exercising good manners." Kate nods and kisses her grandmother on the cheek. "Now," she pats the seat next to her. "sit down."

"My wife," Thomas states firmly. "sits next to me."

"It's not proper Mr. Shelby." Her grandmother states. "A husband and wife never sit near each other."

"I don't…care." Kate bites back a smile, hearing him censor himself in her grandmother's presence. He snaps his finger at her. "Come here."

She shoots him a glower, but approaches him anyway. "Don't ever," she says through her teeth as she sits down beside him. "snap your fingers at me again." He rolls his eyes and pulls her into his side.

"Now," her grandmother says conversationally. "now your husband says he hasn't seen you for a week. I hope that's not true. It is your duty to provide your husband with an heir."

Arthur snorts his tea and coughs. Kate keeps her face straight. "Thomas already has an heir, his son Charles."

"Hmm, well, you should give him another son. That way, our families can merge their fortunes together." She sniffs in disgust. "He'll probably inherit everything, since your good for nothing brother insists on chasing every female he meets."

"Kate and I haven't discussed children yet." Thomas explains.

"Well, discuss it soon." Her grandmother states. "She's not getting any younger and I want to see my great grandchild before I die!"

"Well, you shall have to meet Charlie and Ruby." She says with a smile. "They're darling."

"I shall see." She turns to Thomas. "Now I must state, in spite of your father and brother's disapproval. I approve of this match."

Kate politely smiles as she takes a sip from her teacup. "I'm glad you approve granny."

"I didn't at first." she stated. "Then I asked around for more information regarding your husband's reputation. Didn't care for his view on politics much, but his peaky blinder background was persuasive in making me see this was an ideal match." Kate reached for a mini cake and bit into it. "Don't eat too many, watch your figure dear."

Thomas reached for two mini cakes and handed her one. "Here." She knows Thomas doesn't care for sweets, but he's trying to take the heat off her.

"What about his background as a peaky blinder," Polly inquired. "made you think he was a suitable match for Kate? I can see it being a turnoff to anyone in your society."

"True." Her grandmother nodded. "But he's a strong man, ruthless, from what I've heard. And Kate needs a strong man to give her a slap once in a while to keep her in her place."

Everyone's heads jerked, including her, so, she tightened her grip on her teacup. Even Thomas looked taken aback by her grandmother's words. He leans forward, asking in a dark and tight tone. "Are you actually hoping I'd hit Kate once in a while?"

"Of course!" Kate snatches the second mini cake from his hand and stuffs the whole thing in her mouth. "Willful girl this one. I trust you've put a stop to all her writing nonsense."

"No." Thomas stated calmly. "I haven't. I let Kate have free reign over her life and the house."

"Really?" Her grandmother looked appalled. "You'll regret that decision."

"I'm going to need something stronger." Polly mutters as she stands up and heads to the whiskey tumbler in the far corner.

Her grandmother is apparently on a roll. "Her father should have never let her learn to read!" Kate bites down her lip so hard she actually drew blood. Thomas glances at her and his eyes narrow as she wipes her mouth with her napkin. "She's got such revolutionary ideas. Even wanted to marry a German after the war!" Kate reached for her tea, praying granny would stop speaking now. "Luckily, someone shot him before she could make such a horrible mistake!" Kate nearly dropped her cup of tea as red-hot anger boiled up inside her.

"Alright, I've heard enough!" Thomas states as he gets up out of his chair. "Get out."

"Oh, thank God." Arthur states. "I couldn't hear much more of this."

Her grandmother looked surprised. "Excuse me?"

"You may be my wife's grandmother…but I'll not let you talk to her like that, in my presence, under my roof."

"Thomas, it's alright." She stands up and reaches for his hand. "Granny is just-

"No, it's not alright.." He turned to her. "I gave you my word that no one would hurt you. No one." He held her gaze for a moment before turning to her grandmother. "That includes you. Now, get out of my house."

"I certainly will not!"

"Elton!" Thomas bellows.

"You fought in the war Mr. Shelby." Her grandmother just refused to stop speaking. "Why should one more dead German offend you?"

"Her fiancé was crippled." Thomas snaps. "He couldn't walk without crutches. He was shot multiple times, at the altar in the middle of his vows with Kate! Blew his f**king brains all over her and you're finding that death acceptable!?"

"What?" Polly demanded, shock on her face. "Are you serious?"

Arthur nods in confirmation. "During the vows."

"You knew this?" Polly asks. "And you didn't tell me?"

"So what? He was German." Her grandmother snorted. "He was probably spying on us during the war."

"He wasn't involved in the war." Kate snaps, her temper finally starting to peak. "He worked himself sick countless times at the Red Cross."

"That makes him one of us." Arthur added. "Kate's part of our family now, not yours, you old bat."

"How dare you?" she has the audacity to appear shocked.

"No, how dare you." Thomas says. "You think you can just come on in here and say things about my wife?"

"She's your third wife; one would have hoped that a man of your reputation knows how to control her!"

"She's my wife, not a dog." He bites out. "Now for the last time, get out of my house or I'll have you thrown out!"

"Katherine," her grandmother said sharply. "are you going to let him treat me this way?"

"You said, that I need a strong man to slap me around and put me in my place." She smirks at her grandmother. "So don't be surprised, when he puts you in yours."

"Even though Katherine's married to me, I've loved before her in the past. I respect her past love as she respects mine. Now, get out." she didn't move. Thomas turned to Elton. "Go get several footmen; this woman is to be thrown out of my house."

Elton nods. "A pleasure, Mrs. Shelby."

"Katherine!" her grandmother snaps.

Kate shrugs indifferently. "After she's been thrown out Elton, please bring a bottle of tequila, some salt, limes and shot glasses for us. Oh, and one for yourself, because you're going to need it."

"Thank you."

"Wait." Her grandmother stands up slowly. "I'll leave, no need to throw me out." She glowers at Kate. "But your mother would be disappointed in you."

"Considering you were disappointed in her, I doubt she'd consider your disappointment in me of any consequence. And I, like my mother married for love. You married for money, which is why you hate anyone who's happy in their marriage!" Everyone stares at Kate as she inhales, finding control again. "Please go."

"Clear the f**k out of here." Arthur orders.

Her grandmother snips in disgust as she turns on her heel and sways out of the room. "You, smell like a sewer."

Kate smirks a little at her grandmother's tone. She exhales and turns to everyone. "I am so sorry all three of you had to endure that. My grandmother is senile and has gotten worse since my grandfather's passing."

"The man probably killed himself to get away from her." Arthur stated as he reached for the whiskey.

Kate bites her lip and shakes her head. "I hate it when you make me laugh at inappropriate things."

"Kate," Polly asks. "why didn't you tell us about your fiancé being murdered?"

Kate stills. ""To be honest…I didn't feel like it was necessary to share such a thing. It was personal and I was only inclined to share it with my husband."

"Arthur knew."

"Only because he happened to be there when the whole thing went down with my brother."

Her eyes widen. "Your brother killed him?"

"Hired someone to kill him." Kate says simply. "It's in the past now." She turns towards Thomas. "Grandmother's words didn't even disturb me."

"You should have said something." Polly stated. "It makes things between you seem a lot clearer."

"Why should I have to share anything?" Kate inquires. "You made it clear to me from the very beginning that I would never be part of this family." She inhaled deeply, keeping her temper in check. "The only person who needed to know was my husband. Besides, Emmet was German; I can hardly expect you to understand."

"I can understand the ways of the heart." Polly steps towards her. "You held onto a German man, during the war and stuck by him enough actually marry him. My first impression of you is that you were this silly, flouncy socialite." Polly grips her chin, staring deep into Kate's eyes. "But I can see that you're anything but that now. I see what he saw when he said you were different from anyone he'd met. Now, it's clear to me that you're a strong and loyal woman. Knowing this, would have made all the difference. Thomas chose well with you."

"Thank you." Kate smiles for a moment and her eyes narrow. "Come on upstairs with you. You've got a fever."

"No."

"Come on." Kate grips Polly's arm and moves her towards the stairs. "I'll tell you anything you want to know about me."

"I don't have a fever. Your bloody grandmother upset me."

She laughs. "And that's new to me? I'm surprised, you're all part of the peaky blinders, yet it's my grandmother who manages to get under your skin."

"That wasn't a grandmother." Arthur states. "That was a witch from Hell."

"Get better soon Poll," Thomas calls. "I want my wife back with me!"

"Yes, I miss you too Thomas." Kate says with a laugh. Thomas shook his head as he watched her ascend the stairs. Happier days were sure to begin again.