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Rose looked out of the window as Polly's driver took her back to Arrow House. She felt helpless and out of control which was a place she hadn't been in for a while. At May's, she was in charge of her own life, independent and knew where her head was. Whenever she came home, that all slipped away - which was why she never stayed long. And now, Tommy's abrupt announcement that she wasn't going back had thrown her completely. She had no intention of staying but knew there were battles ahead.

Next to her, Polly looked over at her niece and sighed. She was caught in the middle of Tommy and Rose again and was too old for this. She felt like they were too old for this too. She agreed with Tommy that Rose's place was with her family. Family was everything, especially for a young woman. Yet she understood Rose's frustration. She knew how happy working at the stud had made Rose and she could see how she'd benefitted from it. Rose was everything her mother would have wanted her to be. But she also knew that Rose was merely escaping the pain and her own struggles by staying away from Birmingham, and that her issues were just buried not resolved. Polly shook her head. Rose was so much like Tommy, it was incredible. She was watching her nephew struggle to deal with the things he'd buried since the war; everything he'd locked away was seeping out through the cracks as the distance from that terrible time grew. It seemed to her like Tommy and Rose were headed for an almighty crash and Polly didn't know if there would be any pieces left for her to pick up.

"You're looking well, Rose. Working at the stables has been good for you."

Rose turned her head to look at Polly. Her expression said everything she didn't say in words: then why did she have to leave?

"Sweetheart, working there was only ever temporary. Your home is here, your family is here. This is where you belong."

Rose was exasperated and turned back to look out of the window, not trusting herself to speak. Polly continued nonetheless.

"I know you disagree right now, but friends, acquaintances, jobs – they come and go. Family remains. No-one loves you like we do, Rose – no-one! When you were a kid, you told me that you didn't belong to anyone because you didn't have any parents. Do you remember what I told you?"

Rose did. She remembered that moment vividly when Polly had fiercely affirmed that Rose very much did belong – she belonged to her and to Tommy and to Arthur and to John and to Ada. Everyone belonged to everyone and that would always be so. It had solidified something inside of Rose that she never questioned again and, right there in the car, she almost wavered. That sense of belonging was strong and she had to admit that she felt secure in the love her family had for her. She knew that they would always be there for her if she needed them. But, she was still young and her striving for independence was strong. She hated it when decisions about her life were taken out of her hands making her feel vulnerable and weak. She kept her eyes on the countryside and stayed silent. Polly was getting frustrated.

"I know you remember. And I know it means something to you. You need us. But right now, we need you. To be precise, Tommy needs you."

At this, Rose looked back at her aunt, frowning. She spoke for the first time since they'd got in the car.

"How?"

Polly rolled her eyes at Rose's ignorance. "He's always needed you. You're his heart. You're the one who can get past his defenses and ground him. All those thoughts in his head, all those emotions he never shows that torture him inside – all of those settle when he's with you. When you were a baby, I used to find him in the middle of the night with you in his arms, staring out of the window. You calmed him. When he got back from France, he'd be on edge all the time, but when you came home from school – that was the only time he'd relax. I'd find him wherever you were, just listening to you chatter and watching you play. And sometimes, he'd sit by your bed when you were sleeping, just watching you. Your calmness would calm him. That hasn't changed, Sweetheart. He's been on edge since you've been gone. He's … struggling."

The frown on Rose's brow deepened as she took in what Polly was saying. She didn't know what to make of it. Tommy hadn't seemed to be struggling at the meetings today. In fact, he'd seemed very much in control. Could it be true? She remembered when she'd felt that Tommy was her anchor, that she was adrift without him. She'd convinced herself that that wasn't true anymore, but was it possible that it worked both ways? That Tommy needed her as much as she'd needed him? She sighed. Her head hurt. She didn't want to think about it. Once again, she turned back to the window. Polly knew Rose had taken in what she'd said and stayed quiet. Hopefully her words would make a difference.

The car arrived at the house and drove up the long driveway. Rose looked at the house as it loomed into view. There were so many memories within those walls, so much that came back to her. She sat up straight and put her shoulders back, bracing herself to face them as she always did when she was back. Stopping in front of the main door, the driver got out and opened Rose's door. As she prepared to get out, Polly took hold of her wrist and leaned towards her.

"Not everything is about you, Rose."

Rose, unimpressed with this advice, pulled her hand away and stepped out of the car. Fred followed and immediately ran round, sniffing everything. He too remembered this place, though he didn't have any bad memories. Anywhere Rose was could only be a good place as far as he was concerned.

The front door opened and Rose's niece, Ruby, dashed out. She launched herself at Rose and hugged her tightly around her waist, looking up at her.

"Mummy told me you were coming, Aunt Rose. Can I show you my horse? Daddy bought it for me. He said it was like the one he bought for you."

Rose grinned at Ruby. She was very fond of her. Ruby had her father's intelligence and her mother's loyalty and big heart.

"Not right now, Ruby. How about I go with you later to look? We can go out riding if you'd like to."

Ruby's eyes lit up. "Oh yes! That would be lovely."

Rose stroked a stray strand of hair out of Ruby's eyes. "It's a deal then. Why don't you say hello to Fred. He's excited to see you, look."

Ruby turned to the dog who had been dancing round them and squatted down to make a fuss of him. Fred was delighted. Rose looked up to see her nephew, Charles, and Lizzie on the front step. Charlie stepped forward and also hugged Rose. She found Charles a little harder to get close to. He was a serious boy who was prone to sulking and introversion. Like his mother, Rose thought dryly. Lizzie had been a good influence on him, however, and he was growing up well.

"Hello, Aunt Rose."

"Hello, Charlie. You've grown! You're almost as tall as me."

Lizzie chuckled. "That's not saying much, is it? You haven't grown since you were fourteen."

Rose smiled wryly at Lizzie. She liked that Lizzie didn't feel to need to mother her or intervene in her life. She left that to Tommy and Polly and, for that, Rose was grateful. Lizzie inclined her head to the house.

"Come on, you look like you could do with a cup of tea. Or maybe a gin?"

Ten minutes later, Lizzie had shooed the children away and had poured a whisky for herself and a gin for Rose. Gin was the drink of young ladies of society and Rose seldom drank brandy these days.

Lizzie regarded Rose. She looked healthy – her skin clear, her hair shiny, no circles under her eyes. Life away from Birmingham clearly agreed with her. It would probably agree with her too, she thought dryly. Rose wondered if Lizzie knew that Tommy planned for her to return for good.

"Did you know Tommy's told May I won't be going back?"

Lizzie's eyebrows shot up into her forehead and Rose felt almost sorry for her that she always seemed to be the last one to know Tommy's plans. Lizzie took a sip of whiskey.

"No, I didn't know, but I'm not surprised. He was just waiting for an excuse to bring you back."

"Well, I'm not staying. I'm an adult now, I can do what I want."

Lizzie closed her eyes for a brief second. Nothing ever changed between Tommy and Rose.

"Rose, don't fight him. You won't win, you know that. He'll get what he wants in the end, he always does, and you'll end up angry and hurt."

"Not this time. The minute he goes to London, I'm leaving. What's he going to do?"

"You say he's already spoken to May?"

"Yeah."

"Then, she's not going to have you back."

Rose stared at Lizzie and her heart sank. She was right. May wouldn't go against Tommy's wishes. And in that moment, all her resistance came crashing down. She collapsed back in her seat and felt tears of frustration prick her eyes. Lizzie sighed.

"Yeah, it never gets easier, does it?"

Rose took a large gulp of gin, something she would never do at May's.

"I'm not just going to sit and accept it, Lizzie. He can't keep doing this. Things are changing now, women can lead their own lives."

Lizzie scoffed. "Not Shelby women!"

Rose stood up, finished the rest of her gin and put the glass down on the table.

"Watch me."

She strode out of the room, looking much more confident than she felt, and headed instinctively for the stables.

She immediately felt more relaxed once she was amongst the horses, as she always did. She knew exactly what to expect from them, and they never judged her or demanded anything from her other than that she be herself. Whilst Fred sniffed around, Rose took her time moving down the stalls, greeting each animal, noting if there were any changes. Dangerous, Tommy's failed racehorse, wasn't there and she wondered why. She found a stocky, young filly in one stall and knew this was Ruby's horse. Rose smiled, the filly was indeed a lot like Nua - Gypsy-bred, no doubt bought at a fair.

As she stroked the horse's nose, Rose remembered when Tommy had brought her to see Nua the morning after his wedding to Grace when she'd punched Grace's cousin in the face and broken her nose. She cringed at the thought and was glad May and her friends didn't know about that. She remembered Tommy's face when he'd watched her delight at being given a horse. "She's called Nua. It means 'new' in Gaelic. For a new start, eh, Rose?" But then Grace had been murdered and everything changed. A voice behind her brought her out of her memories.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in."

She turned with a half-smile on her face. Mal was leaning against the doorframe of the stables and was looking at her with a twinkle in his green eyes and a smirk on his face. He was wearing the uniform of the grooms – dark brown tweed trousers, a white shirt which was open at the neck and the sleeves rolled up with a matching tweed waistcoat. His riding boots were splattered with mud and his dark brown hair fell over his forehead which glistened with sweat. He'd clearly just been out on a run. Rose took him in, her smile widening. Fred rushed over to him and jumped up at him. He remembered Mal and always found his way to see him whenever he was at Arrow House. Mal's fingers scratched Fred's head but he kept his eyes on Rose.

"Hello, Mal."

He pushed himself off the doorframe and walked a few steps closer to her. "Are you here to do an audit of our accounts?"

She frowned. "What?"

He gestured to her outfit. "You're clearly not here to go out for a ride. You look like you're here to take a look at the books."

Rose was beginning to regret her choice of outfit. She clasped her hands in front of her and straightened her shoulders.

"I came for a board meeting"

Mal put his hands in his pockets. "Right. How did that go?"

"About as well as you would expect."

He nodded, still amused. "Hmm. But Tommy has a plan, no doubt."

She didn't answer. She didn't need to. She turned back to the young filly and stroked her nose. Mal stepped forward a couple more steps and leaned against the door of the stall next to the filly's. He laid a hand on the top of door and scraped his fingernail along the top of it. He looked at the tiny lines he was creating in the wood.

"It's good to see you, Rose."

Rose glanced at him. It was good to see him too. Out of everyone, he had been the one she'd missed the most. She still found herself wanting to talk to him about the horses she trained and the business of the stud. She missed his calmness and his company, the twinkle in his eyes and the steadiness of his presence. He had turned into a decent and, dare she admit it, handsome young man. And yet, she had kept him too at a distance. She barely saw him when she came back for a visit. He'd written to her when she'd first moved away – short, neat, well-written notes about how the horses were and how his family was and how the weather was. Rose never replied. At first it was because thinking about home hurt too much, and then eventually, It was because she didn't feel like she was the same person who had enjoyed spending time outdoors with a Gypsy boy. She'd grown up and moved on. No-one in her current circle would consider being friends with a groom. She cleared her throat.

"Where's Dangerous?"

Mal looked at her, realising she didn't want to make small talk. He answered a little more harshly than he wanted to.

"Dead"

Rose's eyes widened in shock. "What? How?"

"He was sick. Tommy shot him."

Rose knew how terrible that would have been for Tommy. He loved that horse, had tried to have May train him but he was too spirited.

"My dad said that Charles was upset with him. Couldn't understand why he shot him."

Rose nodded. She imagined Charles would have taken that hard. He too loved the stallion – mainly because his dad did and he wanted nothing more than to be like him.

Mal scratched the stall door and tried again. "How long are you back for?"

Rose sighed and turned round, leaning her back against the stall. "It's complicated."

"Is it? Or do you just not want to talk about it?"

She turned her head to look at him. His eyes scanned hers with concern and she felt a pull towards him. He had always cared about her, worried about her. It was nice. But it made her weak. She turned her head back and looked out of the window.

"Tommy wants me to stay. Says the family needs me with the financial crash and all. I'm going to leave as soon as I can."

"I see. And go where? Back to May's?"

Rose's brow furrowed in annoyance. "Maybe. Hopefully. Tommy told her I won't be back, but we'll see about that."

Mal sighed. Was there ever a time when Rose wasn't locking horns with her brother? Rose caught the sigh and looked at him sharply.

"You have no idea what it's like, Mal."

He regarded her gently. "I do, a bit. I've known you for a long time, remember?"

Rose scoffed in frustration. She was not going to re-kindle an old friendship, not now she was a changed person. That would just pull her backwards. She pushed herself off the stall and began to walk to the door.

"I'm not the same person I was, Mal. Things are different now."

She strode out of the stables, her heels clicking on the cobbles as she headed for the house. Mal reached out and scratched the filly behind her ears.

"She is the same person, isn't she, eh? She might dress differently and talk differently, but she's still the same Rose Shelby. We just need to help her find herself again, don't we?"

He heard her voice call sharply from a distance. "Fred!"

Fred, who had caught the scent of a mouse in the corner of the stables, turned suddenly and dashed towards her. Mal watched him go and chuckled. He was very happy Rose was back, even if he knew she wasn't at all happy about it. For once, he was glad that Tommy would get his way and keep her there. There wasn't a day that went by when Mal didn't think of Rose. Polly had told him to bide his time and she would find him. Maybe the moment had come when his biding was over. But, if there was one thing he know about the Shelbys, things would probably get worse before they got better.

Back at the house, Rose bumped into Frances.

"Miss Shelby – welcome back. Mr. Shelby says you're back for good. I must say, I'm glad about that."

Rose was surprised. She didn't think Frances liked her much. She hadn't exactly been an easy teenager. "Really?"

"Oh, yes, Miss. It will really lift Mr. Shelby's spirits. He's not been himself since you left. Your bag is in your room, everything is the way you left it. I expect the rest of your things will arrive tomorrow. I'll make sure they're put away for you."

And, before Rose could correct her, the housekeeper had hurried away to her next job. Rose's shoulders sagged. It seemed that at every step, her future was being taken out of her hands. She made her way slowly up the stairs, gazing up at the portrait of Grace which hung on the wall, sternly overlooking everyone who moved up and down. She wondered how Lizzie felt, seeing her predecessor on the wall every day and, not for the first time, marveled at Tommy's insensitivity.

The house was quiet and she wondered where everyone was. Reaching her room along familiar pathways, she opened the door and stared inside. Frances was right – everything was just how she'd left it when she'd been sent to May's that first time. She wished it wasn't. This was a room that belonged to somebody else. Rose turned round and closed the door behind her. Fred looked up at her confused. Wasn't this where they slept in this house? Rose moved back down the landing and headed towards one of the guestrooms at the back of the house. She opened the door and entered the first one she came to. It was luxuriously furnished - Tommy liked to impress his guests – but it was impersonal and Rose preferred that. She was a guest here, nothing more. She closed the door behind her and moved over to the bed. Feeling suddenly exhausted, she laid down on it, kicked her shoes off and quickly fell asleep, Fred next to her in his usual position. He didn't care where they slept, so long as he was with her.

And this was where Tommy found her two hours later. He'd arrived home and panicked slightly at the fact that Rose had seemingly disappeared. After a quick search, he eventually found her in the guestroom. She didn't wake up when he entered the room, though Fred did. He remained still, not recognising Tommy as a threat. The curtains were open but the cold October night had drawn in and it was already dark outside. There was no fire on in the room and Tommy was instinctively worried about Rose getting a chest infection in the cold. The only light in the room came from the open doorway where the warm glow from the landing lights flooded in and cast a ray of light over Rose.

He moved quietly to the bed and stood looking down at her. It was as if he'd been transported back in time ten years and was looking at Rose as a child. She was curled up on her side, one hand flung on the pillow next to her face, the other fallen across her stomach. Her knees were pulled up and a strand of hair had escaped its pin and was lying across her cheek. He smiled at the sight of her and wished she really was eight again. She had been much easier to handle then - not that he'd thought it at the time.

He reached out and gently brushed the strand of hair from her cheek. Rose woke with a start and sat up, looking at him in shock. Fear passed through her eyes and Tommy held up his hand, surprised at her reaction.

"It's me, Mouse. Calm down."

Rose, realising where she was, was embarrassed by her reaction and quickly composed herself, tucking the strand of hair behind her ear.

"What are you doing, Tommy?"

"I could ask you the same thing. Why are you asleep in the guestroom?"

Uncomfortable at her position looking up at him from the bed, she shuffled to the edge and stood up.

"I preferred this room."

"Why?"

She reached down and picked up her shoes, clearly reluctant to have the conversation. Tommy let it go.

"There's a fire in the drawing room, come and join me there before dinner."

He didn't give her the opportunity to answer before leaving the room. Rose sighed and watched him go. Putting her shoes back on, she reluctantly left the guestroom and headed for the drawing room. One thing she'd learned from growing up with Tommy was that any kind of confrontation with him was best to be faced head on and sooner rather than later.

Pushing open the door of the drawing room, Rose was glad of the heat which came from it; she had been cold after her nap. Tommy was at the drinks table and turned round when she entered, a drink in each hand – a gin for her and a whiskey for him. She closed the door behind her and approached Tommy to take the glass from him.

"Sit down, Rose." He indicated the sofa next to him but Rose moved to sit on the armchair. He rolled his eyes and sat down on the sofa himself. Fred settled himself in front of the fire and left them to their discussions. Rose took a sip of gin, put her glass on the table beside her chair, crossed her legs and put her hands on her lap. Tommy took his cigarette case out of his pocket and offered her one which she took. He stretched his arm over with his lighter and she leaned forward with the cigarette in her mouth to light it. She sat back and took a deep drag of it, allowing it to settle her nerves. Tommy lit a cigarette for himself and then turned his attention to his sister.

"It's nice to have you home, Rose."

"I'm not staying."

He pursed his lips. She wasn't holding back.

"And where will you go?"

She glared at him. She knew this was his trump card. "Back to May's."

He shook his head. "You can't. I've already told her you're not going back and besides, she's taken quite a hit with the crash and may even lose the stud."

Rose stared at him appalled, her own frustration forgotten for a moment. "Lose the stud?"

He blew out the cigarette smoke and nodded. "Yes, almost all her money was in American stocks and shares."

Rose collected herself and spoke bitingly. "And unlike you, she doesn't have any illegal business to fall back on."

Tommy didn't bite. "That's why you currently have a house to live in which still has horses in its stables."

Rose scoffed. "And I'm supposed to be grateful, am I?"

Tommy took a gulp of whiskey. "I know you're angry with me. I know you feel like I'm taking away your independence and that you're taking a step backwards. But the family needs to close ranks now and stay together. You're an important part of this family, Rose, whether you like it or not."

Rose stared down at her hands, frowning, trying to hold her emotions in. Tommy spoke gently.

"You can help me in many ways. We can make a difference together. We'll make the business better, you'll see, I have plans. Mouse, I need you home."

She lifted her head and glared at him.

"And what about what I need, Tommy? Hey? Why does nobody think about that? And why does everyone think they know better than me what I need? You need me? Why? So you can feel like you're in control of everyone again? So you can hold all the threads in your hands and be the all-powerful one?"

"It's not like that, Rose."

"I think it is. You may need me, Tommy, but I certainly don't need you."

Tommy stared at her, stinging from her words which had hit their target. He clenched his jaw and looked into his glass. Rose watched him, knowing she'd hurt him deeply. And, as much as she hated it, she felt bad. She felt tears prick her eyes and blinked angrily to make them disappear. Tommy tipped his head back and finished his drink. Standing up, he straightened his shoulders and pushed out his chest, pulling on his cigarette. He blew out the smoke and looked at her.

"You do need me, Rose. You always have and you always will, even if you refuse to acknowledge it until the day you die. And what's more, I will always be there for you. You can leave, you can run, you can hide, but, one way or another, you will always come home."

He strode out of the room, leaving Rose wondering if he'd just expressed his love and commitment to her or whether he'd threatened her. Knowing Tommy as well as she did, she was sure it was both.