Hi! I don't normally put anything at the start, but I just want to put a trigger warning here that there are themes of sexual assault and sexism in this chapter that might make some people uncomfortable. Elizabeth isn't actually assaulted, but I want people to feel safe reading my work and I've written about an uneasy situation, so its why I'm putting this note here. It starts at '(start)' and ends at '(end)'. Stay safe x

4 June 1919

The ballroom was loud and crowded, voices and music clashing as couples danced to the upbeat rhythm of the band. Its members were strumming deep notes on a cello and blasting jazzy tunes on their clarinets and trumpets, the sound filling the room in a beautiful harmony.

Listening to the noise from their spot on the mezzanine, Elizabeth and Tommy stood side by side. She was sipping on a flute of champagne, golden bubbles resting in diamond cut glass, and he had a cigarette lit between his fingers, bitter tobacco smoke curling from the end in soft spirals.

"I still prefer the Garrison," Tommy commented, surveying the room.

"Of course you would." She murmured from her drink, raising her eyebrows at him.

"And you don't?"

"I used to... when it had the bandstand," Elizabeth replied, looking longingly at the one opposite them, where three women were dancing to the music. "There was so much more life when people danced and sang together, I loved it."

"Except no one wants to do that anymore."

"Some people do," she remarked, gesturing to the busy room before them.

"They're still children," Tommy muttered, dropping his cigarette with sigh, and turning to face her, hand outstretched, "fuck it though, ey, let's be like them tonight."

"The first time in five years, and this is how you ask me to dance?" She teased.

"Yes," he shrugged nonchalantly.

Elizabeth scoffed, knocking his hand away in outrage and pointing at him.

"You are a terrible dance partner Tommy."

He rolled his eyes, taking her hand suddenly and pulling her down the stairway, into the crowd of dancers.

"That's because I'm a terrible person, Liza." He confessed, ignoring her protests as he wrapped his other hand around her waist and moved them further into the crowd.

They began to dance, moving backwards and forwards in time to the song. Tommy's hand was warm against her waist, though at first he was light with his touch, fingers brushing gently against her dress. As time passed, however, and as he grew certain that she didn't mind, he moved his hand to lay flat on the small of her back, using the smallest of pressure to pull her against him.

Every now and then he would let go, step back, and Elizabeth would spin around his hand, smiling as he pulled her back to him, their faces coming dangerously close each time.

It was almost a game, seeing how much they could tempt fate, how often she could dance back into his arms before they came too close, before she might fall into a kiss. It never happened, but the subtle flirting and the fact that, noticing Tommy's own smile, she knew what was happening was mutual, it made her heart flutter.

They continued dancing for some time, spinning and waltzing across the ballroom floor to the blare of the saxophone, until Tommy slowed down to check his pocket watch and then started moving even faster than before, pushing her along backwards as he walked.

"Tommy!" Elizabeth gasped, tripping over her own feet as he picked up speed, "where are we going?"

"To say hello to Arthur." He responded, spinning her out to the side and pulling her along behind him.

She sighed in frustration, running slightly to keep up with him.

"Arthur?" She questioned, as he reached a back door and pushed it open.

"That's right love," Arthur affirmed as he emerged through the doorway, blood on his cheek and laden with bags.

He dumped them onto the floor as Elizabeth watched on, realising at once that this was the stolen money Tommy had talked about earlier.

"We chased the Lees across the track, right the way down to Devon road, we got every penny back." Arthur grinned at his brother as he spoke, and then looked at where she stood to the side, "you look nice Eliza, dressing up for anyone special?"

He winked at her and she rolled her eyes, turning away from the two of them as they continued talking. It wasn't long before Arthur was gone, the door slamming shut behind him, and Tommy arrived at her side, with the bags his brother had dumped slung over his shoulders.

She followed after him as he pushed back through the crowd, knocking people this way and that as he moved. When they neared the bar, Tommy looked over his shoulder at her, tilting his head slightly to indicate that she should stay there whilst he went ahead.

Elizabeth took a seat begrudgingly, collecting a fresh glass of champagne and lighting a cigarette as she followed Tommy with her eyes, watching him reach a nearby table, where she recognised Billy Kimber. Her stomach coiled in anticipation.

It was impossible to hear anything at that distance, so she could only watch and guess as Tommy poured the money onto the table and sat down, with his back to her. Elizabeth could see that he was smoking as he spoke to them, the faces of Kimber and his man unreadable, cold and impassive, a mark of their world, where one wrong emotion could mean their downfall. Though Billy Kimber's expression was unmoving, his gaze kept flicking over to where she sat, beady eyes raking across her face and body.

He stood up suddenly, walking away from his table and heading straight for her, smirking.

"Can I have this dance?" He asked as he approached, standing beside her and extending his hand, claw-like fingers and a piercing glare giving him the appearance of a hungry bird, out for the hunt.

She sighed inwardly, stubbing out her cigarette and accepting his offer before she could cower out, letting him pull her onto the dance floor. They music was more formal now, and they waltzed slowly, Kimber holding Elizabeth uncomfortably close. He kept his hand high on her back, for which she was grateful, but it did nothing to stop the way her skin crawl at the look in his eyes, the way he grinned smugly every time he looked back at where Tommy sat and the feel of his breath on her cheek.

"I'm thinking," he whispered into her ear, "that we might enjoy some time together later. I'd like that very much."

His gaze one of lust, like the bird had finally caught its meal.

With those words, he released her, moving back to his table and leaving Elizabeth standing alone. She waited and watched with anticipation as Kimber whispered something to Tommy. They both glanced over at her, Kimber's eyes flicking up and down her body, and then Tommy was moving towards where she'd settled at the bar, guilt plagued across his face, the emotion out of place on him.

The affair was over and done within a matter of seconds, from Kimber leaving her to Tommy approaching, and it was a bitter feeling, the knowledge that her fate had been sealed by two men who believed they had a say over her and her body.

"Liza-"

"Don't fucking speak to me," she hissed at Tommy as he began, leaning close to his side, so that he could hear exactly what she had to say. "You promised Tommy, you fucking promised there was no other reason for bringing me here." He opened his mouth to speak again, but she shot him a cold look to shut him up. "You know what, though, I'm not surprised. I was stupid enough to trust you, Tommy, and that's no one's fault but mine. I should never have fucking trusted you."

"I didn't plan- "

"Don't bullshit me." She scoffed bitterly, pushing away from the bar and straightening her dress, looking over at where Kimber sat, eyeing her greedily.

Tommy grasped her elbow as she began to walk, and Elizabeth lurched to a stop, outraged at his physical attempt to stop her. She snapped her head to the side, glaring at him with wrath-filled eyes.

"I'll be right behind, you won't be with him for five minutes, I'll get you ou-"

"I don't need you to fucking save me," her words were spat at him, rich with contempt and disgust.

Tommy looked at her in disbelief, but she simply shook out of his grip and strode towards Billy Kimber.

(start)

Elizabeth followed him down a wide corridor, the thick, red carpet that blanketed the floor reducing her footsteps to silence, stopping as he paused beside a large double-doorway and pushed the heavy oak doors open to enter into the billiards room. She walked in behind him, looking around at the lavishly decorated space. A pool table sat in the middle of the room, and bookcases covered the walls either side of her. Elizabeth wandered across the floor to the large windows that looked out over the vast expanse of his land, framed by expensive yards of curtain.

Behind her, the gramophone began to play slow music, and she looked over her shoulder to see Billy Kimber pouring himself a drink. He met her gaze and smiled, downing the glass of alcohol and moving closer to her, a hand outstretched. She forced a smile and accepted it, letting Kimber bring her close to him. Unlike at the dance, as they swayed alone and unwatched, his hand didn't stay on her back but rather moved down her body, coming to rest on her bum, whilst his other gripped her hand tight to direct her movements. She swallowed uncomfortably but didn't move away, trying not to break the façade quite yet.

He led Elizabeth away from the window in dance, his head inching closer to hers, hot breath on her jaw as his head moved down towards her neck, letting go of her hand and grasping her waist, dragging her closer to him. She placed her hand tentatively on his shoulders, trying to push him away, but he didn't seem to feel her.

She thought back to an hour earlier, when she'd been with Tommy, and how her heart had been beating fast as their faces came so close in their dance. And then she thought about now, and how her heart beat fast as Kimber's lips touched her neck, but this time it wasn't with excitement, but instead with disgust and fear.

She couldn't take it any longer.

Elizabeth pushed harder at his shoulders and shoved him away, taking a step back. They were both breaking heavily, and a dark look crossed his face, which was growing red with anger.

"What the fuck was that about?" He demanded, taking a step to try and close the gap between them again.

"I'm so sorry, Mr Kimber," she cried out, putting her hands up and stepping back. "I'm so sorry but I can't do this!"

"Sorry?" He was still angry, almost shaking, and she wanted nothing more than to hit him in his face, several times, for getting so mad over her refusal. He didn't own her body, but she knew that men like him thought they did, and so she knew how important it was to play the next move right.

"I have to confess the truth to you Mr Kimber, I just can't keep lying to you." She pleaded, letting tears fill her eyes as she tried to look as innocent as possible, "it's just destroying me, I can't do this to you, no matter what I want."

His anger was fading into confusion, and she knew her sickening act was working. He opened and closed him mouth uncertainly, finally nodding, agreeing to hear her story.

"No... no matter what you want?"

"Do you remember when you came to the Garrison, Mr Kimber? I was working there that day- I served you- before I got sent home. That was the first time I had ever seen you Mr Kimber, but I just couldn't stop thinking about you, wishing I could have stayed longer that night, wishing I could meet you again, though I doubt you would ever remember someone as unnoticeable as me."

"I did remember you," he replied hesitantly, "I asked Thomas fucking Shelby to bring you today."

She hadn't known that, but it fit perfectly with her story, and so she began to cry.

"I just wanted to meet you properly, and when I came along today I was so happy, I was finally getting what I'd dreamt of, but to get so close to you, to hear you'd wanted me- it should make me so happy, but it only fills me with such shame Mr Kimber, because I haven't been entirely honest with you." She took a deep breath and stepped forward, taking his hand and whispering her next words. "I have the Clap, Mr Kimber! Oh god... it's so horrible isn't it, and how disgusting I must seem to you now! Do you see now that's why I couldn't go through with tonight, because to lie and cheat you like that, just for my own enjoyment- it would be sinful, Mr Kimber, sinful."

Billy Kimber looked at her in shock, but she could see that there was pity in his eyes, and she almost smiled at that look. Men's pity was a wonderful thing sometimes.

"I hope you can forgive me, Mr Kimber, for being so cruel. I'm just a simple woman, I know, and I'm sure you can forget about me."

Kimber nodded slowly, seeming unsure on how to react. His lip was curled up, and his free hand was clenched in a fist, but he wasn't angry at her, that Elizabeth was certain of.

"Did Thomas know?" He finally found his voice, asking the question with urgency. "Did he set this up?"

"Of course not! Never! Mr Shelby owed me a favour from a long time ago, and so I made him bring me along, that's all. He thought I'd please you, it's why he agreed to let me come, so the fault is entirely mine!"

She made herself cry again, and this time Kimber squeezed her hand gently where she still held onto him, happy to provide comfort now his risk of scandal and loss of face from Tommy was gone. She could tell that he pitied her for being so weak, her performance of devotion for him feeding his ego, and she knew that she'd been leaving this room, and this house, in only a matter of minutes, never to return again.

How important men think they are, Elizabeth mused as she Kimber let her out the room, and how fucking pathetic they can be.

(end)

She waited patiently by the gate onto the estate, hands clasped around her purse, looking up the road that led to the house. She had been there hardly five minutes before the car emerged around the bend of the road, dust spitting up from the wheels. Tommy was driving fast, and she thought at first that he might not have noticed her, and would speed past her without stopping, but the automobile did finally come to a halt, bringing him directly in line with her.

Tommy looked down at her incredulously, unsure of what to say. She barely looked at him, however, walking around to the other side of the car, where the woman that she'd seen with Kimber was sitting.

"You shouldn't go back into that house," Elizabeth said to her as she climbed from the car, "you should leave him."

"I know," she sighed remorsefully, smiling at her, before walking away, up through the gates and to the manor.

Elizabeth watched her for a moment, before turning away and getting into the seat beside Tommy. He was silent, unmoving, and she looked at him, raising her eyebrows in question.

"Are you going to drive?"

"Did he hurt you?" He asked, almost interrupting her as she spoke.

Elizabeth laughed, turning away from him.

"I didn't realise you cared?"

"Liza-"

"Are you going to drive, Tommy, or will you make me walk home as well?"

He nodded sharply and drove away.

Hope you liked this one! Sorry it's been so long again since I updated, but this is a two-in-one because I'm uploading the next chapter as well. I struggled for some time to think about how she'd get out of this situation with a creep like Kimber, because I didn't want Tommy rescuing her and I didn't want it to be too similar to the show. I think it turned out believable enough, even if I still had to use the same excuse as Grace.

e x

(26/10/2020)