"John! Stop blowing the horn! Polly will bloody kill you!" I laughed, getting out of the van. "This is a respectable fucking neighbourhood!" Polly's voice came from the house. I laughed, stretching my arms above my head before Tommy handed me Lily. It was still early, the light barely through the morning clouds. I balanced her on my hip as I went up the steps to the house, bumping her up and down to make her giggle as we went down the path.
The door opened as we were a few steps away. "Hello, beautiful girlie." Polly cooed, reaching for Lily once we were at the door. "Morning, Pol. Michael ready?" I asked, smiling as John came up behind me and handed Polly Lily's bag. "Yeah, I'm here!" Michael called, coming around his mother and stepping out onto the path. "It fits." I smiled, looking him up and down. "Perfectly." he replied with a grin. "You'll look after him?" Polly asked me, seriousness in her voice. "I will, Pol. He'll be fine!" I assured her, giving her my best smile. "And you bloody behave." she demanded, looking at John over my head. "I'll make sure he does." I told her, laughing as John put his hands up in mock surrender.
"We'll have him back by dark, Pol. We won't let him get distracted by the posh women." John added, bringing his hands down and resting them on my shoulders. She narrowed her eyes at him but let it go. "She's had her breakfast but she's been a little grumpy." I told Polly, looking at Lily as she buried her face in Pollys neck. "I don't think she slept very well, I could hear her grumbling when we went to bed." John added. "We'll be alright." Polly smiled, kissing Lily's head.
"C'mon, you lot." Arthur shouted from behind us. I rolled my eyes as Polly shouted back. "Stop fucking shouting." causing all three of us to laugh. John and I quickly kissed Lily's head before making our way back down the path to the truck. "You can get in the front, Tom. I'll jump in the back." I told Tommy going around the back of the van. "Is that a good idea?" John asked as he lifted me up into the back of the truck. "I'll be fine." I smiled, kissing bending down to kiss him. "If I feel sick, I'll aim at Arthur." I laughed as Michael climbed in. "I heard that." Arthur grumbled as I sat between him and Curly, Michael and Uncle Charlie opposite.
We hadn't been on the road long when I heard Tommy shouting. "She's heating up, Curly. Take a look." Tommy instructed, opening the tailgate. Curly nodded, squeezing past my legs and out the back of the truck. "Let me out for a piss." Uncle Charlie said, following Curly out. "I think I'm going to vomit." I told Arthur, putting my hand on his leg as I stood. I went to the edge and Tommy put his hands on my waist, holding me as I jumped out. I went to the side of the road, taking a few deep breaths and looking out across the fields. "I told you to get in the bloody front." John said, kissing me before putting his cigar back in his mouth. "It's your bloody driving." I laughed as we made our way back to the truck. "She made loads. Do you want one?" Michael asked. "What the bloody hell's that?" Arthur asked as I turned to see Michael unwrapping sandwiches. "Sandwiches, ham I think. And we've got shrimp paste, too." Michael told him.
John and Arthur shared a look, grinning slightly. My eyes flickered to Tommy who had an amused smile on his face. "There's tea, but we'll have to take turns cos there's only one cup." Michael added. I stifled a laugh as John took the flask from the seat. "What?" Michael asked, looking up at us all. "Sandwiches?" Arthur asked. "Yeah." Michael replied, obviously confused. "Polly made bloody sandwiches?" Arthur laughed. Michael still looked confused. "Polly never even used to make me sandwiches for my school lunch. One of the mums down our street would make enough for me and Ada as well." I laughed as Uncle Charlie came back to us. "What's this, teddy bear's fucking picnic?" he asked as John handed him the flask.
Tommy cleared his throat. "All right. We will drink the tea and we will eat the sandwiches and then we will drive on. All right? Eves, you need to sit up front. You can squeeze in the middle." he told us all before walking off. "No crumbs." he shouted behind him. Uncle Charlie handed me the flask and I took a sniff, my stomach flipped. "And she made the tea I can't fucking drink." I grumbled, handing it up to Arthur. "Hand them over." he said to Michael, holding his hand out for a sandwich. "Herd them up, Arth, you fat bastard." John laughed. "Fuck off." Arthur told him, taking a sandwich from Michael. "Come on, John!" we heard Tommy shout and I quickly took a ham sandwich off Michael before making my way around to the front of the van.
"All right, lads, this is a respectable event and we will all behave accordingly. No weapons, no drinking. John, Evie, we will stay together. When the horse comes up, I will do the bidding. I've already registered my interest with the auctioneer so he knows to expect my bids." Tommy told us all as we walked into the building and up the stairs. John's hand was on the small of my back and he winked at me when Tommy told us to stay together. "Do I get to run a hand over her, Tommy?" Curly asked. "We'll have a vet's report, Curly. But keep an eye open when she walks." Tommy told him. "I've got a feeling, Tommy. Something isn't right." Curly muttered as we entered the main room. "It's all right, Curly. You're just in an unfamiliar place, we all are." Tommy assured him. "I get feelings sometimes, Tommy." Curly continued. "It's all right, Curly, it's all right. Stand by Eves and talk about the horses, see if any takes her fancy." Tommy told him.
I stood by the fence, John one side of me and Michael the other as Curly came up behind me. He was silent and I knew he was concentrating on the horses. A woman across the room caught my eye, she was looking at each of our group. She smiled slightly when her eyes met mine and I looked away, looking up at John as he spoke to Michael across me.
I could tell John wasn't concentrating on the horses as his hand went lower and lower on my back. I nudged him slightly, fighting a smile as Michael glanced at us. I tried concentrating on the auction as I heard the next bid. "1,700." the auctioneer announced and I could see Tommy had no intention of stopping. "Tommy." I whispered, breaking away from John and going to stand between Tommy and Arthur. "Tommy, it's not worth it." I whispered. "That's it, Tom, you have to stop." Charlie told him from the other side. "You don't have it in your belt." Arthur added. "Yes, I do. I'm having the horse." Tommy countered.
"She's a sweet beast, Tom. But stop, I tell you. I feel something bad." Curly said from behind us. "Shut up, Curly." Arthur demanded. I suddenly realised why Tommy was so hell bent on the horse, looking up I could see the woman who smiled at me earlier watching him. "2,000. Do I hear 2,050?" I rolled my eyes, putting my hand in Tommy's elbow and going on tip toes to whisper in his ear. "You should listen to us, Tom. She's not worth it." I told him, pulling away so our faces were inches apart before settling back on my heels.
As I looked across the room I could see it had worked, the woman had backed down from the bidding. "Sold to Mr…?" the auctioneer asked. "Thomas and Evelyn Shelby." Tommy called, looking down at me before looking at the woman. "I thought you'd want another." Tommy muttered as the room erupted in murmurs at the names. We stood for a moment before leaving, following Tommy out the door.
"Wait here while I go fill in the paperwork." Tommy told us. I rolled my eyes and rested my back on the wall of the narrow corridor. Arthur leant on the one opposite, resting his foot on the wall next to me. "Do you have to put your feet up everywhere?" I asked, laughing. "It's getting it over he has an issue with." John laughed, leaning next to me. "Fuck off." Arthur replied, lighting a cigarette
Tommy came out of the office a few minutes later. "You and your wife beat us to it." a posh voice called causing Tommy to stop and turn around. "Did we?" Tommy asked, putting his hands in his pockets and not bothering on correcting her about who I was. "I was hoping to nab that filly for my stud." she added. "Sorry." he told her, not sounding sorry at all. "Thomas Shelby from where?" she asked. "From Birmingham." he told her. "Goodness!" she exclaimed. "No, not much." he joked.
"May Carleton. I breed racehorses and train them." she introduced, holding out her hand. He shook it before signalling for me to join them. "My sister-in-law, Evelyn. She is co-owner of the horse." Tommy introduced once I reached them. I gave her a small smile, shaking her hand. "What is it you do?" May asked, turning back to Tommy once she dropped my hand. "I rarely answer questions, is what I do." Tommy told her, putting his hands back in his pockets. "Tommy, come on, hurry up! We've got to go!" Arthur called, earning laughs from Michael and John. May looked behind me at them before turning to Tommy.
"Well, before you go, if you ever decided to put that filly out, I'd be interested in having her." May told him. "I plan to race her." Tommy informed her. "Do you have a trainer?" May asked. "Evelyn has trained racehorses before." Tommy replied. May glanced at me. "I know people." she replied, handing Tommy her card. "Tommy! We've got to get this kid back before dark or Polly'll have your balls!" John called, laughter in his voice. "She will have 'em!" Arthur added. "We know different people, I would guess." I smiled as Tommy put the card in his coat.
"My father knows Mick Hancock. Trained three Ascot winners." May informed him. "Oh, so that was your father?" Tommy guessed. "Yes. We're joint owners of the stud. Like you and Evelyn. He took the majority share when my husband was killed. Ypres." May admitted. "Tommy! We've got to get back to the caravans! The chickens are hungry!" Arthur shouted and I could hear John laughing. "Do you ever feel like you made the wrong decision?" I laughed, looking up at Tommy as May laughed. "So will you consider me?" May asked, looking at Tommy. "I will consider you." Tommy told her.
"You still didn't tell me what you do." May said, looking between us. "Oh, I do bad things. But you already know that." Tommy told her, before holding his arm out to me. I took it and we both walked away, towards the three laughing men. "Right, about bloody time!" Arthur said as we approached. Him and John still giggling as we walked out.
"It's the fucking truth, John boy. Rich women these days, all they want is working-class cock." Arthur told John as we walked into the arena. "Your wife is right here." I told John as I threw my hands up in exasperation at them. I rolled my eyes before falling in line with Michael, threading my arm through his as Curly spoke to Tommy up ahead. "She looked alright to me, Curly." John called, laughing. "One more fucking word, John, and I'm going to fucking smack you." I called. "All I'll say is she has good contacts in the racing world. Here, Michael, you drive." Tommy replied, throwing the keys to Michael who easily caught them with his free hand.
"Thomas Shelby?" a voice called and I watched as the man stood, leveling a gun at Tommy. "Tommy!" Arthur shouted as Michael quickly pulled me behind him. I flinched as a gunshot went out, a hand on Michaels arm as I looked for John. I quickly spotted him, looking straight at me. "Get down!" he shouted. Tommy went to the floor. "Tommy! Down!" he shouted as another man came into the ring. John quickly shot him, sending him reeling before he ran out. "Stay here!" John shouted at me and Michael before running out after him. "Evie!" Curly shouted, coming over to me and Michael and standing beside Michael, hands over his ears but protecting me.
I looked around Michaels shoulder as Tommy picked up a gun, holding it in the air and spinning round, checking the area. "Tommy Shelby?" Arthur shouted and my eyes were drawn to Arthur on top of the first man on the floor, landing punch after punch into him. "How about fucking Arthur?! Fucking good to meet you." Arthur continued. I stepped out from behind Michael who quickly grabbed my arm, pulling me back to him. "Charlie! Stop him!" I shouted, pointing at Arthur. "Get him off him!" Tommy shouted and Charlie and Curly rushed forward. "Arthur!" I shouted, trying to break free of Michaels grip, he was stronger than he looked. "Arthur!" Charlie shouted. "Get him off him!" Tommy shouted again. "Come on. Stop it, Arthur." Charlie said, wrapping his arms around Arthur and trying to pull him off.
Tommy quickly joined in, pushing Charlie out the way and battling to pull Arthur away from the man. "Arthur, come on!" Tommy shouted. I could hear flesh crunching before they got Arthur on his knees. I turned away from the men, resting my head on Michael's shoulder as they spoke to Arthur, trying to get him to calm down. I could feel Michael's arm going around my waist but I knew he was still watching the scene. Then there was a brief moment of silence. "He's still breathing." Tommy said. "Don't get blood on the kid!" Tommy shouted coming over as I lifted my head from Michael's shoulder. "Are you all right?" Tommy asked me, turning me out of Michael's arms to look at him, his hands going either side of my face. I nodded. "Yeah?" Tommy asked. "Yeah, Michael pulled me away. Kept me from going to Arthur." I told him, looking into his eyes.
Tommy looked above my head to Michael. He quickly let me go, walking around me to him. "Michael, you didn't see a thing. This didn't happen, all right? Give me the keys." Tommy told him, a finger in his face. "Michael, give me the keys." Tommy demanded again. "I'm all right to drive." Michael replied, lowly. They looked at each other for a moment. "All right. Go on. Go on, go on! Take Evie with you!" Tommy told him, pushing Michael towards the exit. Michael did as he was told, putting a hand on my back to guide me from the arena. John came running in. "Tommy, he's fucking scarpered!" he shouted before spotting me, barely slowing as he wrapped his arms around me. "Are you all right?" he asked, holding onto me tightly as I stumbled. "Yeah, Michael grabbed me." I told him, wrapping my arms around him. "Right, let's get out of here sharpish." he called over my head, leaving his arm around my shoulders as we quickly left.
A/N An extra long chapter this time! There was just so much! What did you all think?! Let me know, I always love reading your reviews :)