The Garrison reopening was a big event and the pub was rammed. "Let me know if there are any issues." I reminded Eliza with a smile. "Will do, Evie. Thanks." the young girl smiled, going back to who she was serving. I looked up as the door banged open and in came Arthur shouting and laughing with Finn beside him. Tommy caught my eye from across the room and I raised an eyebrow at him. "Come sit down, you." John told me from the other side of the bar. "Alright, alright." I laughed, going around the bar. He quickly took my hand, leading me to a table. I sat on his lap as Finn came to join us, drink already in hand.
"Tommy won't be happy with you." I laughed, watching Finn. John poured us both a drink, handing one to me before lighting a cigar. He put his arm around my waist, resting his hand on the side of my thigh and I leant against his chest. "It's only one, Evie." Finn countered, rolling his eyes. I raised an eyebrow at him, taking a sip of my drink and looking over at Lily in her pram. John patted my leg, this time feeling the switchblade that I had put into the top of my stockings. He raised an eyebrow at me."Shelby's are always prepared." I winked, kissing his cheek.
"Finn, give me that!" Tommy shouted from across the room, coming over to the table. I stifled a laugh as I took another drink. John chuckled beneath me. "Keep him off the whiskey, John." Tommy instructed, taking the glass from his youngest brother. John laughed, ruffling Finns hair as Tommy walked away. "Well, I'd hate to say I told you so." I laughed, earning a glare from the teenager.
I watched as Polly entered from the back room, clearly already drunk. She quickly got a drink and was laughing loudly. John patted my thigh. "She'll be alright, love." he whispered in my ear, kissing the side of my neck. I nodded in agreement, downing my drink. "Maybe take it easy on those." he added, lightly brushing his fingers up my side. I turned to face him, pressing my lips to his with a smile. "We'll tell everyone tomorrow." I promised, looking into his eyes.
"Ada. I didn't know you were coming." Polly shouted. I turned to see my sister and nephew being engulfed in Polly's arms. John patted my thigh again, releasing me from his arm as I stood. "Hey!" Ada smiled as I walked over to them. "Hi, Ada." I smiled, taking Karl from her arms. "When are you coming home, Ada?" Polly asked, her arms going around each of our waists. "Hello, Ada." Tommy said, walking towards us and Polly quickly turned and left. As I looked at Tommy I knew why, he had told her about Henry. "Tommy." she greeted, taking the drink he offered her. "What was that about?" Ada asked, watching Polly walk away. "I'll let Tommy explain." I told her, slowing walking with them towards John, who now had a wide awake Lily in his arms, and Finn.
John stood, wrapped his arm around her. "Hello, Ada." he smiled. "Hello, trouble, how are you doing? You been looking after my sister?" she asked, wrapping her arms around him and Lily. "You're spilling my drink." she laughed as he rocked her side to side. "Hey, Arthur, look who it is." he called, pulling away from Ada. He kissed my temple and we went over to the eldest Shelby. I leant against Arthurs leg, his arm going around my waist as John picked up a pint, kissing Lily's forehead before taking a drink.
"I'm not sure I like seeing you with two kids." Arthur laughed, taking a drink. John and I shared a look before looking back at him with a smile. Arthur looked between us for a moment. "You're not?" he said, eyes wide and looking at me. "You're the only other person that knows so keep your mouth shut." John told him. Before he had chance to respond, Ada was beside us. "Hello, brother." she smiled, as I moved away so she could hug him. "Ada, come here, you." he laughed, pulling her in for a hug as John and I took the kids back to our table.
It was a little while later when Eliza approached me. Ada had Karl back in her arms and was talking to some old friends. Lily was balanced on Finns knee as him, John and Isaiah chatted beside me. "Evie, can I talk to you for a moment?" she asked, nervously looking at the boys. I nodded, excusing myself from the table and following her behind the bar. "Pretend you are helping me look for something." she instructed and, although confused, I did what she said. "Looking in the shelves, can you see the three blokes by the stairs?" She asked, I looked. "Yeah." I replied, unsure where she was going with this.
"They're Irish and they're trying to work out whether you or Ada is Tommy's wife." she told me, crouching down slightly as if looking at the bottles on the shelf. "Do you know why?" I asked, standing on tiptoes to look at something on the higher shelf. "Nope, just overheard that." she replied. I took a bottle of the high shelf and handed it to her. "Thank you." I told her, before walking back to the table.
"Finn, Isaiah, take Lily over to Ada and stay with her." I instructed, taking a sip from my drink. They looked confused but stood, Finn putting Lily on his side. "You shouldn't wear your hat indoors, Finn. Give me that." I told him, holding my hand out. That made everyone even more confused but he did what I asked before following Isaiah over to Ada. "Something is happening. I don't know what but I need you to go over to Tommy and tell him to go along with me. Then when I come over, go and tell Arthur the same." I instructed, nonchalantly rolling Finn's hat up and putting it in my bag. "Don't touch me when you stand." I added, smiling as if we were having a normal conversation.
He finished his drink before going over to Tommy, speaking to him with a grin. I stood up, slowly making my way across the room, greeting various people as I went. "Hi, boys." I smiled as I reached Tommy and John, putting a hand on Tommys arm. John walked away, going to find Arthur as I had instructed. Tommy's hand was on his drink that sat on the bar and I put an arm around his waist, moving so I was between the bar and him. His body was touching mine and my back was against the bar. "Look over my head, into the mirrors. Don't make it obvious but you see the three guys by the stairs?" I asked, laughing after.
He did what he was told, resting a hand on my waist and taking a drink as he did. "Yes, I see them." he replied, bringing his eyes back to me. "Eliza tells me that they're Irish and are trying to work out who is your wife out of me and Ada." I explained, looking up at him. "So you're playing the good wife." Tommy guessed. I nodded with a smile. "Of course. You wouldn't happen to know why they wanted to know who was your wife?" I asked, cocking my head to the side slightly. "I've got a good idea." he admitted. "Hmm.. well, I'm going to go out the back in a moment and hopefully they'll follow." I told him, taking his glass from him and taking a sip.
"Is that a good idea?" he asked, brushing a curl from my face. I glanced around, John had his back to us while talking to Arthur and no one else was looking our way. I lifted my leg slightly, my knee brushing the inside of Tommys leg as I lifted the side of my skirt to show the switchblade in my stockings. If the Irish were looking it would just look like I was teasing him. Tommys eyes flashed from mine to my thigh.
"I've got Finn's hat as well." I told him, dropping my skirt and putting my foot back on the floor. "So you're going to take them all on with a knife and some razor blades?" He asked, bringing his eyes back to mine. "Oh no. They are a last resort. You, John and Arthur will take them on," I explained with a smile. Tommy raised his eyebrows at me and gave me an amused smirk. "I'm going to walk out now. You are going to inform your brothers what is going on and watch the Irish. If they don't follow me within the next ten minutes, I want you to come find me." I told him. He nodded once before downing his drink.
I stood on my tiptoes, bringing a hand to his neck and my lips to his ear. "Remember to watch me walk away." I whispered before kissing his cheek. I pulled away from him, smiling as I walked away. I looked over my shoulder as I reached the double doors to see that he was watching me with a smirk. I winked before continuing through the doors and across the darkened room. I made it all the way across the darkened room and out the back door before I could hear them following me.
"Mrs Shelby." A distinctly Irish voice called as the door closed. I turned to look at the three men. "Yes?" I asked, feigning innocence. "You're husband has been talking to the wrong people." the one in the middle informed me. "Well, I have always told him to play nicely with others." I smiled, watching the three men as they slowly got closer to where I stood. "We don't think he got the message, so we feel like we need to find another way of expressing ourselves." the guy said.
"You're all very brave." I commented, they all stopped, confused. "Three men against one woman. Those don't sound like very fair odds. But I guess, I am a Shelby. You must've been warned." I smiled. The men looked amongst themselves. "Warned about what?" one asked. "That Shelbys are never alone." Tommy's voice came out of the dark. All three men turned quickly, drawing their guns as Tommy, Arthur and John came out of the shadows. "Evelyn is a very pretty little distraction but she is not my wife. If you had done your research then you'd know that I don't have a wife and Evelyn is married to my brother." Tommy explained, gesturing to John as I walked around the men to join them. "Go back inside, Evie." Arthur told me as I reached John, who nodded in agreement before kissing me. "I'll be there in a minute." John added as I turned to leave.
I walked back into the party as if nothing happened, quickly getting swept up into conversation with Polly and Ada. "Oh come on, you two. It's a party!" Polly laughed loudly, wrapping her arms around mine and Adas waists. We laughed at her antics as Eliza gave us some more drinks. "I intend to have some fun." Polly laughed, loosening her grip on us. I frowned at Ada before following Polly's line of sight. A young lad was smirking at her. "Polly, I don't think that's a good idea." I said, sharing a look with Ada. "Oh just because you two are boring!" she shouted before making her way over to the guy. "Polly!" Ada called but we both let her go, knowing we wouldn't be able to stop her.
"What time are you leaving tomorrow?" I asked Ada, sitting on the newly empty stool next to her. "Early, planning on getting the first train." she replied, taking a sip from her drink. I gave her an overexaggerated frown. "I wanted to call a family meeting." I told her. "Sorry, Evie. I wanted to get back." she told me, looking around the room. "Just tell me now." she added, watching me closely. "How do you know I wanted to tell you all something?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "What else would you want a meeting about?" she laughed.
"True. Okay, but you can't tell anyone else." I told her, holding out my pinky. She rolled her eyes before wrapping her finger around mine. "I'm pregnant." I smiled, watching her reaction. "Are you joking?" Ada asked, her eyes lighting up. I shook my head, still smiling. "Evie!" she shouted, wrapping her arms around me. "Why didn't you start with that?" she laughed into my hair. I laughed, wrapping my arms around her. "I was hoping you were going to be there tomorrow." I told her. "I'm so happy for you." she gushed, giving me a squeeze.