Chapter 7

This is set during season 2 episode 1 after Esme and Polly talk in the betting den.

"Morning?" Bessy calls as she enters the betting den, watching as Esme moves away from Polly's desk and over to her own. "Everything ok?"

"Just fine." Polly replies, settling back into her chair. "Get to work." Bessy raises her eyebrows at Esme, pulling a face as she sits down at her desk, still scowling.

"What's up with her?" Bessy whispers to Esme who perches on the edge of her sister in law's desk. Esme shrugs, avoiding meeting Bessy's eye as she frowns.

"Who knows." She mutters, pulling a small bag out of her pocket and dangling it in front of Bessy's face. Bessy reaches up, taking the bag into her hand, raising her eyebrows at Esme. "Tea leaves." Esme explains, pointing to the contents of the bag, lowering her voice to a whisper before speaking again. "They help with the sickness."

"Wha-" Esme cuts Bessy off with a shake of her head.

"You're glowing." She states simply, both girls pausing as they watch Polly get up and leave the room, following her with their eyes until she disappears. "Can I give you a word of advice?" Bessy rolls her eyes, nodding nonetheless.

"I have a feeling you'll tell me even if I say no." She groans, resting her head in the palm of her hand.

"Move in with Elijah. Away from your brothers. You're going to want to be fucking him every five minutes." Bessy lets out a surprised laugh, shaking her head at Esme. "I'm the same with John when we're expecting."

"Ew. Esme. Please. That's my brother you're talking about!" Bessy protests, covering her eyes with a groan.

"Don't act like you don't know exactly what I mean." Esme states as she walks backwards towards her desk, pointing at Bessy who blushes, clearing her throat before tucking the pouch of tea leaves away, gathering the papers on her desk.

"Mmm, what kind of tea is this?" Elijah asks when he stops by Bessy's desk later that day, lifting Bessy's tea cup to his lips, the young girl raising her eyebrows at him.

"Esme gave it to me," she explains, patting the edge of her desk to indicate for Elijah to sit down. "Says it'll help with the sickness." Elijah raises his eyebrows this time, placing the cup back down in front of Bessy.

"You told Esme?" He asks, lowering his voice as he leans against the table dropping his head closer to hers, glancing around to see if anyone could hear.

"She figured it out," Bessy replies, not looking up from the numbers in front of her. "Says I'm glowing." She rolls her eyes at this with a scoff, Elijah reaching out to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear.

"She's not wrong, love." He whispers, pressing a kiss to her cheek, Bessy pushing him away with a hand on his chest.

"Piss of you soppy sod." She jokes, resting her hand on his arm to push him away, Elijah pushing back as he puckers his lips at her, making kissing noises, play fighting to get closer to her again as she laughs, attempting to push him off the desk.

"Bess." Scudboat calls from the office at the end of the room, the couple quickly stopping in their tracks, their laughter dying as Bessy turns to look at the older man, beckoning her to the office.

"Stay here." She says to Elijah as she rises, him throwing her a salute and a wink as he settles himself into her chair.

"Yes ma'am." Bessy rolls her eyes at him as she walks backwards down the shop, turning around at the last minute to step inside the office with Scudboat.

"Some of the boys have gotten into a brawl down by the cut," he says quietly, head dropped to whisper in Bessy's ear, not wanting the rest of the shop to hear.

"For fuck sake." Bessy mutters, crossing her arms over her chest. "What happened?"

"I don't know. But what I do know, is that Finn was involved-"

"Jesus Christ." Bessy groans, running her hand over her face. "Where is he?"

"I sent him to the house, Lovelock dragged the boys back here, I figured you'd want to deal with Finn before Polly hears?"

"Yes. Thanks Scudboat," she sighs, giving him a grateful smile.

"Get in here." Bessy snaps, pulling the back door open with such force, Elijah (trailing through the house behind Bessy) fears she may pull it from its hinges. Finn looks up from where he is sat on the back step, cigarette in his hand, letting out a groan, he rises slowly to his feet, dragging himself through the house to the kitchen where Bessy was waiting, hands on her hips. Elijah raises his eyebrows at Finn as he slumps into a chair, refusing to make eye contact with his sister. "Let me see." She states, dropping into the chair in front of him, lifting his chin with her thumb and finger. She sighs, wetting a rag with alcohol, pressing it to the cut above his eyebrow. "You're lucky you didn't lose your eye." She grumbles, repeating the action as she wipes the blood and mud from Finn's face. "A couple'a centimetres lower..." she trails off as Finn lets out a hiss as she presses the rag to the deepest cut along his jaw. "What were you thinking Finn?"

"You always say-"

"I have never, ever, tell you to get involved in fights, Finn." She snaps, cupping his chin with her hand, forcing him to look her in the eyes. "You should never, risk your life-"

"I wasn't risking my life Bess, jeez." Finn huffs, pulling away from his sister.

"Regardless, Finn, why would you get involved in shit like that? By the cut? If you'd been hurt, and fallen in there, we never would have found you."

"Oh for Christ sake, don't be so dramatic. I'm 14, Bessy! Tommy, John and Arthur were all doing worse than this at my age!" He exclaims, pushing his chair back to be further away from her.

"You're still a child! You don't do things like that Finn!"

"John and Arthur do!" Finn protests, Bessy letting out a choked laugh as she rises from her chair.

"You're not John and Arthur!" She shouts, running her hands through her hair. "How can I get that into your head? You don't have to be like them!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes, Finn! You could do so much more!"

"So much more, eh? Like what Bessy? Go on. What else could I do? I don't know how to fucking write. I can barely read. I can't do numbers to save my life!" Finn asks, rising to his feet.

"And who's fault is that, Finn? Eh!"

"Oh give over, Bessy. I don't need this." He groans, turning away from his sister who shakes her head in disbelief.

"You-you don't need this?" Bessy stutters, letting out a bitter laugh. "You better take over before I throttle the little shit!" She exclaims, turning to Elijah who pushes off the wall, taking Bessy by the tops of her arms.

"How 'bout you go for a walk, eh love? I'll talk to Finn." He suggests, gently guiding her towards the front door, helping her into her coat.

"Sit down, then." Elijah says as soon as Bessy had left the house, slamming the door behind her. "You can tell me what happened." Elijah pours them both a glass of whiskey, setting one in front of the young boy as he takes the seat Bessy had vacated.

"You're not going to shout at me like Bessy?" Finn jokes, pressing the cold glass to his throbbing cheek.

"I think Bess did enough of that for the both of us," Elijah replies with a smirk. "Unless what you're about to tell me warrants more shouting. Then all bets are off the table."

"It was about a girl..." Finn starts, glancing up at Elijah, cheeks blushed slightly as the older Blinder nods.

"It's usually is."

"You know Billy Rowe, down the lane?" Elijah nods for Finn to continue, leaning back in his chair. "He's been talking shit about this girl, Josie Waters, she went to school with me." He pauses, taking a gulp of his drink. "So me and some of boys decided to talk to Billy, that was all it was meant to be. And then Jack, you know Jack, right, he works in the shop? Well his girlfriend is Josie's sister and he starts going at Billy. What was I meant to do? I couldn't just stand back and watch." Elijah nods his head from side to side, pulling out a cigarette.

"So, you're just trying to defend this girl's honour, or...is it something more?" He clarifies, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

Finn groans, running his hands through his hair before replying. "It could be something more. I dunno. I've only hung out with Josie a few times, with friends. But she's a nice girl. Really pretty."

"And what this Billy kid said really riled you up, eh?" Finn nods, resting his head in his hands. "You know, I got into my fair share of fights when I was your age. Over your sister."

"You did?" Finn asks, taking a sip of his drink as he settles back to listen to Elijah's story.

"Oh yeah. Too many to count. There was once a guy we went to school with, kind of like you, but he liked Bess, and made it very clear to anyone that would listen, that she'd be his." Finn scoffs at this, rolling his eyes. "I didn't like that. In my eyes, Bessy was mine."

"So you banged him up?" Finn laughs, shaking his head as Elijah lets out a chuckle.

"I did. But," he pauses, holding his finger up. "That was not the best solution. I regret most of the fights I got in when I was your age, I was too happy to jump in and fight my side instead of using my words-"

"Now you're sounding like Bessy."

"Well, maybe you should listen to her then." Elijah scolds gently, raising his eyebrows. "Trust me. You don't want another man's blood on your hands. Not at your age. Not even over a girl."

"But that's not fair, Elijah." Finn protests, sitting upright. "This is what Peaky Blinders do. It's one rule for you and the boys, and another for me."

"Because you're 14, Finn. You'll get your chance to move up in the company. But for now, don't grow up too quickly, enjoy being a teenager. And cut your sister some slack, eh? She's upset because you got hurt, she's protective over you. You're her only little brother, she doesn't want you going down the same path me and your brothers have." Finn rolls his eyes, dropping back into his chair.

"It's a little too late for that." He grumbles. "What else am I meant to do?" Elijah rolls his eyes this time, shrugging his shoulders.

"Anything, Finn. You could even ask Bessy to teach you to read and write." Finn scoffs at the suggestion, shaking his head.

"As if. Especially after today. You think she'd want to help me out?"

"Look. Who would you rather be dealing with right now? Your brothers, Pol, or Bess?"

"Bess." Finn grunts reluctantly.

"Then you need to tell your sister-"

"Like she'll listen to me!" Finn protests with a laugh, shaking his head again.

"If you stop raising your voice, maybe I will." Bessy replies for Elijah, leaning against the door frame, cigarette in her hand.

"You started it." Finn grumbles, slouched back in his chair. Bessy rolls her eyes at Elijah who smirks at her, eyebrows quirked.

"I'll leave you to it." He says softly, squeezing Finn's shoulder as he passes, heading back towards the betting shop.

"How much did you hear?" Finn asks as Bessy moves into the room, filling the kettle and placing it on the stove before replying.

"Most of it," she states, pointing to the open window. "I didn't go far."

"So you know why I did it."

"I know why you did it," Bessy repeats, leaning against the counter. "Doesn't mean I agree with it."

"Even after what Elijah said."

"Even after what Elijah said." She copies, nodding her head. "I admire you standing up for that girl, what I don't like, is the way you boys handled it." Finn mumbles under his breath, letting out a string of curse words as he runs his hand over his face.

"Sorry." He mutters, giving in as he drops his head into his hands. Finn knew whatever Bessy would say to him, would be a lot milder than any other members of his family, arguing with her and losing her from his side would not work in his favour when his older brothers and Aunt caught wind of the fight.

"Go and have a bath, eh? Get the rest of that blood and mud off you before Pol gets back. And think of a better way to go about telling your side of the story, than losing your temper like that. Pol won't take that. You and I both know it." Finn nods and his sister's suggestion, heading slowly upstairs.

"Hello Bess," Ada's voice on the other side of the phone brings a smile to Bessy's face as she drops into the chair behind the desk in Tommy's office. Following Bessy's conversation with Finn earlier in the day, she was desperate to speak to her sister, have some girl time, even if it was over the phone.

"Ada! How'd you know it was me?" She asks with a laugh, getting comfortable in the chair, eyes darting over to Elijah (who had refused to leave until she did) at the other end of the shop.

"You're the only person to ever call me, Bessy-Jo. Of course it was going to be you." Ada replies with a laugh of her own.

"So, I wanted to talk to you about something, Ada." Bessy says, cutting straight to the main reason she had called.

"Go on..." Ada prompts, settling into her own chair on the other end of the line.

"I'm having a baby." Bessy states, smiling as Ada lets out a squeal.

"Bessy! That's amazing! With Elijah?" Ada questions

"Yes, of course with Elijah! Who else?" Bessy asks, eliciting a laugh from Ada. "I'm nearly three months gone."

"Blimey! You've kept that a secret! Do the boys know?" Ada asks, Bessy groaning in response. "Oh shit. Well you'll have to soon. You won't be able to hide it much longer."

"I know." Bessy moans, running her hand through her hair. "Esme already guessed."

"I knew there was something up when I heard the phone go." Ada states, Bessy rolling her eyes at this.

"Yeah right." She scoffs with a laugh.

"How's Elijah taking it?" Ada asks

"Great, he's really excited. Even more protective than before if that's possible." Bessy replies with a laugh.

"And you? How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good. Luckily Pol hasn't been around much to call me out like she did with you." Ada laughs at the memory, the pair falling into a comfortable silence.

Bessy sighs, fingers playing with the pendant on the necklace Elijah had given her for her last birthday. "It's so nice to not have to keep Eli a secret anymore, ya know. Just gotta pop the surprise that the boys are going to be uncles..."

"I'm sure it'll be fine..." Ada tries to reassure her, Bessy pulling a face at her in reply even though Ada couldn't see her, the two of them bursting into laughter again at her silence.

"So, Finn got into a fight." Bessy states, dropping her head into the palm of her hand, resting her elbow on the desk.

"He did?" Ada asks, curling up in her seat.

"Uh huh."

"Over..." she prompts

"A girl."

"Ah."

"I know." Bessy says with a laugh, shaking her head. "The boys are in London, Pol was out, so I had to clean him up. God I could have strangled the little idiot." Ada lets out a chuckle, nodding her head.

"I bet you were a lot calmer than Pol would have been."

"I don't even want to know what Pol does to him when she hears about the fight. Actually, I do. I'd love to be a fly on the wall. I think I gave him enough shit for it that he won't back chat her like he did me." Bessy replies, letting out a sigh. "I still can't believe Finn's old enough to be getting into fights over girls. It only feels like yesterday he was born."

"I know. It's strange." Ada agrees. "Hey, I've got to, Karl's fussing. I'll call you later."

"Ok, I love you Ada."

"Love you too, Bess." Ada replies as she hangs up the phone, Bessy pausing, watching as Elijah flips through the newspaper on the desk he was sat at. He looks up, eyes meeting Bessy's through the wind of the office, giving her a smile as she rises, heading back through the shop towards him.