6 Months Later

"How long is this going to take?" John asked as he rocked a crying Benjamin. I laughed as Finn passed me the hymn sheet. "Not everyone gets married like we did, my love." I reminded him, catching the eye of a blond man in a red uniform opposite. I winked and gave him a coy smile before turning back to my husband. Benjamins crying echoed around the church as John shushed him.

Tommy was stony faced at the altar, waiting for Grace to make her appearance. Turning to my left, I smiled as Michael picked Lily up. He sat her on his lap, making sure she could see what was going on. He gave me a smile when he saw me looking before going back to talking to Ada. "I thought Tommy said they wouldn't be in uniform." Finn said beside me, as I adjusted James on my hip. "They're fucking twats, Finn." John said across me, glaring across the aisle. I nudged John with my elbow, raising a warning eyebrow at him before pressing a kiss to his lips. "Best behaviour, boys." I said, looking forward again.

I couldn't hide my smirk when Jeramiah Jesus walked in as Grace's family looked amongst themselves, shocked. Some of their mouths falling open. "They weren't expecting that, lads." Isaiah laughed from behind me, placing a hand on mine and Finns shoulders. We both chuckled with him. Jeramiah looked unfazed as he took his place at the end of the aisle.

The bridal chorus started and John scoffed beside me. "Here come the fucking cavalry. Late as usual." he muttered, just loud enough for the men across the aisle to hear and shifting Benjamin onto one arm, putting his other around my shoulders. I held back a smirk as we turned to watch Grace walking up the aisle. I leant my head into John as Tommy lifted her dark veil, he pressed a kiss to my head and we both watched the proceedings. "Dear beloved. We are gathered here today to join in holy matrimony Thomas Michael Shelby and Grace Helen Burgess." Jeremiah began. We all cheered as they were pronounced husband and wife, our family making a lot more noise than the stiff redcoats sat opposite, who politely clapped.

Ada and I laughed as we watched my Lee cousins fighting over the bouquet. Arthur and a few of the men going in to break up the fight. Walking down the steps with Benjamin in my arms, I lost my footing but was quickly stabled by two hands. I turned to see Michael looking down at me. "Thank you." I smiled, taking my place in front of him as he stood on the step above mine. He kept one hand on my waist as we watched Arthur pushing the fighting women out of the way of the photographer. "Get out of it!" he shouted before waving over the frightened looking man.

John was also shouting at the women from the other side of the steps, pointing at them as Finn, Isaiah, Curly and Ada laughed. "All right, Arthur, come on." I laughed, calling him over. "Wait for me! Wait for me good self!" I heard Johnny Dogs call from somewhere behind me. Arthur came and stood beside me, sandwiching himself between me and Tommy, causing Michael to drop his hand. Arthur put an arm around my shoulders, as he shouted at the photographer once more. "Go on, take the photograph!" he commanded.

As soon as the photograph was taken, the crowd started to disperse. I smiled as Tommy put his coat around Graces shoulders and was quickly swept into conversation by Johnny Dogs. Arthur followed them to the car and suddenly John was by my side. "Lil and James are with Polly and Ada." he told me, placing a hand on the small of my back and guiding me with the rest of the family. "John! John Boy!" Arthur shouted. "Make sure her and the kids get there alright." John said to Michael before going towards his brother.

I watched as John and Arthur exchanged a few hushed words before turning back to the crowd. "Go on, all of you! Back to the house. Come on!" Arthur shouted as Tommy and Grace took off in their carriage with a cheer from the waiting crowd. "Give me that baby." Lizzie laughed, taking Benjamin from my arms and walking with Ada and Polly. I threaded my arm through Michaels as we walked towards the house, Isaiah and Finn falling into step with us.

I smiled at Tommy as he came towards me, a drink in hand. "Alright, Eves? Tell those cousins of yours that I've counted all the paintings." he told me, with a slight smirk. "Hilarious, Thomas." I laughed, downing my drink. "You go steady on those. Where are the kids?" he asked, looking around. "Francis took them to bed. Some of your maids are looking after them. Karl and Charlie as well." I replied, smiling. "Alright, well go enjoy yourself." he told me before walking off.

"Where are you going? Tommy wants a meeting." Arthur told me, grabbing my arm and spinning me around moments later. "I just spoke to him, he didn't say anything about a meeting." I replied, walking with him anyway. "Curly, Charlie. Kitchen, five minutes." Arthur demanded as we walked past the men. I looked up at Finn as he came up behind us. A young girl grabbed Arthurs arm. "Actually, we were told on the train there'd be cocaine." she said, looking up at Arthur. He barely acknowledged her before continuing on.

"Jeremiah, John Boy, kitchen, let's go." Arthur told the men stood in the doorway. John pressed a kiss to my lips before falling in line with his older brother, taking a long drag of his cigar. "I swear to God, them fucking cavalry boys are asking for it." John said. I noticed Isaiah talking to the young girl that asked Arthur for cocaine and rolled my eyes. I straightened up, pushing out my chest as I went over to the pair. "Sweetheart, I am young, informed and very well equipped." Isaiah was saying once I reached him. "There you are, darling." I smiled, slipping an arm around Isaiah's neck and kissing his cheek. "Tommy wants to see us." I told him as he put an arm around my waist, confused.

I felt his chest deflate but he came, walking over to the waiting men and begrudgingly letting go of my waist. John and Arthur walked off as Isaiah, Finn and I headed in the direction of the kitchen. The kitchen was busy once we got there. I stole a grape from Finn as I leant against one of the cabinets, Isaiah standing one side with his arm around my shoulders and Finn the other. Tommy had a cigarette in his mouth and was removing his jacket when the other men began filing in. "Where are they?" Tommy asked Johnny Dogs. "I don't know, Tom." he replied. "Arthur, John, Evie, where are they?" He asked again, his voice rising. "I'm here, Tommy!" I called raising my hand and drawing his attention. "I am telling you now, we got lost." Arthur told us, coming down the stairs with John right behind him. "You really need to do a map." Arthur added.

Everyone moved about until we formed a semi circle around Tommy. "Right, boys, Evie, you're all here." Tommy began, looking around at us all and pacing. "Today, this is my fucking wedding day." Tommy told us. "Yeah, and you said there'd be no bloody uniforms." John told him, pointing at his brother. "Nevertheless. Nevertheless, John. Despite the bad blood, I'll have none of it on my carpet. Now, for Grace's sake, nothing will go wrong. Those bastards out there are her family. And if you fuckers do anything to embarrass her, your kin, your cousins, your horses, your fucking kids, you do anything to…" Tommy told us, his voice getting louder and louder before Isaiah interrupted him. "What?" he shouted, turning on the teen. "What about snow?" Isaiah asked. "Yeah, their women are sports, I'll say that." John said, grabbing Isaiah's head.

"No. No. No." Tommy told them, walking over to them slowly and getting in Isaiah's face. "No cocaine." Tommy told him, pointing a finger in his face. He then moved to John. "No sport. No telling fortunes. No racing. No fucking sucking petrol out of their fucking cars." He grabbed Finn's face at his, slapping him lightly as he grinned. I caught Michaels eye as he breathed out a mouthful of smoke. He watched me for a long moment while Tommy was shouting at Charlie. "And you, Charlie, stop spinning yarns about me, eh?" he demanded. "I'm just trying to sell you to them, Tom." Uncle Charlie defended.

Tommy rubbed his face. "But the main thing is, you bunch of fuckers, despite the provocation from the cavalry, no fighting!" he told us all. Isaiah and John scoffed beside me. "Oi!" Tommy shouted, coming over to Isaiah and making him look at him. "No fighting. No fucking fighting. No fighting." He went down the line, pointing at Isaiah, then John and then Arthur who held his hands up in defense. "NO FUCKING FIGHTING!" Tommy shouted looking around at us all. "Is that why I'm here, Tom? Scared I'm going to start fighting?" I laughed.

He stalked over to me, putting a finger under my chin and making me look up at him. "You are to fucking behave. No talking to the uniforms. No dancing on tables. No snow." he told me, lowly before letting go of my face and walking to John. "Pay attention to your fucking wife." he told him before walking to get his jacket. John and I exchanged glances, both stifling laughter as a waiter bumped into Tommy. "Get the fuck off me!" Tommy told him, shoving him onto the floor.

I was sat at the dining table with John one side of me and Michael the other. "Hey. Listen. Listen. What do you call an animal with a prick halfway up its back? A cavalry horse." John laughed, taking a sip of his drink. The man opposite laughed, politely. "He gets it!" John said, turning to me and pointing at the man. I raised my eyebrows at him, taking another mouthful of my drink. I turned to look at Michael and I could hear Ada talking about communism beside him. Michael looked down at me with intense eyes, his arm on the back of my chair. I rolled my eyes as John made another crude joke.

"Michael, will you come help me find the bathroom?" I asked, standing. He looked up at me for a moment before nodding. "Of course." he replied, standing with me. "Back in a minute." I told John and Ada, neither of them listening. Michael followed me as we walked out of the dining room. I knew I must've drank a lot as I craved the smoke of a cigarette, something I only did when I was almost drunk.

"Have you got your cigarettes?" I asked over my shoulder as I lead Michael into a side room. "Yes." He replied, closing the door behind him. "Good, I need one." I told him, turning to face him. He raised an eyebrow at me, amusement in his eyes. "What?" I laughed, half a smile on my face. "Since when do you smoke?" He asked, putting his hands in his pocket. "Since I'm a grown woman and allowed to make my own decisions." I replied, crossing my arms against chest. "Now are you going to give me a cigarette?" I laughed, watching him.

He watched me for a moment before reaching into his pocket. His eyes were trained on me as he walked towards me, holding out the cigarette. I took the cigarette between two fingers, placing it between my lips while looking up at Michael. He watched me intently as he lit a match, not breaking eye contact as he lit the cigarette in my mouth. I inhaled the warm smoke before Michael removed the cigarette from my mouth, bringing his lips to mine as I exhaled.