A/N Argh! Don't hate me for not uploading, guys! My life has been super busy the last few months with a death of a close family member and my boyfriend proposing. I am hoping to get back into regular posting over the next few weeks but just bare with me until I find my feet again.
"Mrs Shelby. Mrs Shelby, your sister is on the phone. She says it's urgent." I was awoken by a maid speaking to me. John groaned beside me as he turned away from the woman. "What? What is it?" I asked, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. "It's your sister, Mrs Shelby. She said it's urgent." she explained. "Thank you. Put her through to my office." I told her as I got out of bed, she handed me a robe and I quickly wrapped it around me before following her from the room.
I ran a hand through my hair as I walked into my office, the phone ringing as I reached the desk. "Ada, it's two in the morning. What's wrong?" I asked after picking up the receiver. "Tommy's been beaten. He's got a fractured skull. He's in surgery now but I don't know what's going to happen." she told me, sounding tearful. "Fuck sake. Where are you? I'll come now." I told her, rubbing my forehead. "No. He wants you to get the family together. He's not sure if there is going to be another attack. He said you need to tell them what's going on. Everything." Ada told me, sounding worried. "He doesn't want anyone at the hospital." she added. "Alright, Ads. I'll get everyone together. You concentrate on Tommy. Keep in touch." I told her before hanging up.
I quickly dialled the number to Polly's house, waiting impatiently as the line rang. "Hello?" a familiar sleepy voice answered. "Michael, it's Evie. I need you and Polly to come to my house. Something has happened with Tommy." I told him, getting straight to the point. "Alright, we'll be there soon. Are you alright?" he replied, concern in his voice. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just get here safely. Watch your back." I told him before hanging up. I tried Arthurs house next but it continued to ring so I moved on to the Garrison.
"Hello, The Garrison." an unfamiliar gruff voice answered. "I need to speak to Finn Shelby or Isaiah Jesus." I told the man. "Who the fuck is this?" the man asked and my eyebrows shot up. "Evelyn Shelby. Who the fuck is this?" I replied, my voice deadly. There was a brief pause at the other end of the phone. "I'm so sorry, Mrs Shelby. I'll get Finn for you now." he apologised before leaning away from the receiver and shouting Finn. I rolled my eyes at the man as the receiver was passed over. "This is Finn." Finn answered, seriousness in his voice but I could also hear the drunkness seeping through. "It's Evie, who are you with?" I questioned, tapping my foot. "Err… Isaiah and Scudboat." he replied, unsure. "Right, I need you to get a car, go and get Uncle Charlie and Curly and come here." I told him. "What's happened, Evie?" he asked, sounding confused. "I'll explain when you get here. And Finn, tell that fucking barman that your brother will be round in a few days to teach him how to speak appropriatly on the phone at a Shelby establishment." I told him before hanging up.
I tried Arthurs house again, dialing a few times before getting through. "I have no idea who this is but call back at an appropriate time." Linda's voice came through the phone. "Linda, it's Evelyn. I need to speak to Arthur." I told her before she could hang up. "He is in bed, Evelyn. Like we both should be. Call back later." she told me sternly. "Linda, it is urgent. Please let me speak to my brother." I told her, biting my tongue as my frustration grew. "No, Evelyn. You can speak to him in the morning." she stood firm and my temper flared. "Listen to me carefully, Linda. This whole family is in danger and I need to speak to my brother. Now you can either go and get him for me or I can come and get him myself. And, please let me tell you this now, if I have to leave my house and knock on your door to get to him then I will also be knocking you out, Linda. I am not a woman to be messing with right now." I told her, my voice deadly and I could faintly hear Arthur talking in the background. "That is not how you should.." Linda was cut off by Arthur taking the phone.
"Hello? Evie?" Arthur's voice came down the phone. "Arthur! Finally! I need you here. Something's happened and I need a family meeting now. No Linda." I told him as Linda ranted in the background. "And tell the stupid bint to shut up." I added, venom in my voice. "I will be there, Evie. Give me an hour." he told me, choosing to ignore my comment about Linda before hanging up. I sighed as I put the phone down, running a hand through my hair and rubbing my face. I wrapped my robe around me once more before leaving the office. "Elizabeth, please make a fire in the drawing room and bring up some bottles of whisky from the basement. We are expecting guests in the next hour or so." I told the waiting maid before going upstairs to wake John.
Finn, Uncle Charlie and Curly were the first to arrive. Finn had the same glazed eyes that came with snow and I gave him a disapproving look as he walked into the drawing room. John had got dressed, wearing trousers, a long sleeve undershirt and suspenders. He stood by the roaring fire, a cigar in his hand and a cloud of smoke around him. I was still wearing my knee length nightgown and floor length robe that was tightly tied around me. My dark curls fell in a mess to my waist, mainly because the amount of times I had ran my hands through it in the last hour, as I sat, curled up in an armchair.
The three men exchanged greetings with me and John and made themselves comfortable, Uncle Charlie helping himself to a glass of whisky. Michael and Polly were the next to arrive. Polly looked concerned as Michael poured her and himself a glass. "Are you alright? Are the kids alright?" she asked, searching my face as she took off her coat and embraced me. "Yes, Polly. I'm fine, the children are fine." I told her, rubbing her back before she pulled away. "We are just waiting for Arthur and then I can fill you all in." I added as her and Michael took their seats.
Arthur arrived twenty minutes later, a sour look on his face as he ignored me and shook John's hand. "You need to control your fucking wife." he told John and my eyebrows shot up. "Says fucking you?" I laughed, looking at him. "You fucking threatened to knock Linda out, Evelyn." Arthur scolded, causing Polly to almost choke on her drink. "It wasn't a fucking threat, Arthur." I told him, defiantly. "Alright, alright. Evelyn, don't threaten Linda. Arthur, stop shouting at your sister." Polly scolded, growing bored from the argument. "Tell us why we are here, Evie." she added, lighting up a cigarette.
"Right, you all know about the business with the Russians but there is something else going on as well." I started, I looked around at them all before continuing. "There is a priest that is working with the Russians. They think that he is on their side but he is secretly plying the Soviets with information. Tommy found out about this through Ada and offered to kill him for the Russians. Tommy managed to track the priest to a local village fete and planned on doing it then. However, from what Ada said, they were expecting him. Some of the priests men jumped him. They've beaten him until they fractured his skull. He's in surgery now." I told them all, pausing for their reaction.
"How long have you known all this?" John asked, his voice steady. "A few weeks. Tommy didn't want anyone else to know." I told him, looking up at him I could tell he was angry. "Tommy doesn't want us at the hospital but he does want for us to stick together. He doesn't know if there is going to be any other retaliation." I said, turning back to the group. "Is he going to be alright?" Finn asked and my eyes went to him. "They don't know yet. They aren't sure what the damage is until he starts waking up. Ada is keeping me updated." I told him and he nodded in acknowledgment.
"What's the priests name?" Michael asked me, drawing my eyes to him. "Father Hughes, I think." I told him, confused as to why it mattered. There was something burning in his eyes as he stood, leaving the room and slamming the door behind him. I looked at Polly as she looked at me. "What was that about?" Uncle Charlie asked. "No idea." Polly replied as she went to stand. "I'll go, Pol. He might talk to me." I told her before standing and following Michael.
I found Michael in the kitchen, he was looking out the window into the dark night, his back to me as I walked in. I quietly closed the door behind me, crossing the room and resting my hand on his back as I stood beside him. "Are you alright?" I asked, looking up at him in the dark. I could see in the moonlight that his jaw was tight. "Father Hughes was one of the priests in the orphanage." he told me, a tone in his voice that told me there was more to the story. "Nothing can harm you now, Michael. You're with your family. You're safe." I told him, turning so I was resting against the side and looking up at him. His eyes flickered to mine in slight confusion. "You don't need to say anything. I know what happens in those places." I told him, softly. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you again." I added, bringing my hand to his cheek.
He looked down at me with intense eyes, watching my face as I watched his. I was expecting him to kiss me but instead he wound his arms around me, pulling my body into his and holding me tight. I wrapped my arms around his waist as he buried his face in my head. I had always known that there was more about his past than he liked to let on but I hadn't anticipated anything like this. He held onto me like he was drowning at sea and I was his life raft and I held him just as tight.