The next family event was the opening of the Grace Shelby Institution. This is where we were going to show the family that I was back and John and I were stronger than ever. It would also be the first time that I saw Michael since I left. We walked towards the front door of the building as a family. Arthur walked with Tommy at the front as Karl raced ahead. Michael and Finn were close behind them with Polly holding Charles on her hip. Linda, Lizzie and Ada walked behind them, James and Lily with them. Then John and I were last, John holding a sleeping Benjamin, his head resting on his shoulder, with his other arm around me. All the men had swapped their usual Peaky caps for fedoras but James and Karl followed the Shelby tradition with caps proudly placed on their heads.
Tommy and Arthur rounded us up outside the doors, each of us standing together for the photograph that Tommy had wanted. It was only a few moments before we were dispersing again, Ada and Lizzie trying to coerce James into following his uncles as John pulled me in for a sweet kiss before we followed the family into the building.
"Welcome to the opening of the Grace Shelby Institute for the non-insured children of the poor. I would like you to join me in thanking the man that made the founding of this establishment actually possible. Ladies and gentlemen, my brother, Mr Thomas Shelby." I introduced to the gathered people, gesturing to where Tommy was sat and clapping. He stood slowly, holding Charlie to his side as I stepped down off the small stage, pausing to let him give me a kiss on the cheek and take Charles from his arms before standing in the spot beside John. "Speech!" Arthur shouted above the noise. "Come on, speech!" he repeated as many people stood up, still clapping. "Say it, Tom. Say it to 'em!" Arthur encouraged as Tommy turned and walked to the small stage. "Lay the foundation!" John added.
The clapping came to a gentle stop as Tommy turned to face us, each taking our seats and watching him closely. "Um, I didn't come here today to make a speech, but I will say this. These children are now safe. In our care, they will be safe. Because we are from the same cold streets as they are. And in our care, they won't be shipped away to the colonies. Or separated from kin. Or made to work for men in their various ways. They will grow up here. At home. Loved. In Birmingham. Because this is our city." Tommy told the room.
"By order of the Peaky Blinders." Arthur called from the other side of John and I shot him a look which he frowned at. There was scattered applause as John and Arthur stood beside me and Finn stood behind me. Tommy gave a satisfied nod as the rest of the room rose to their feet before coming down from the stage and leaving the room. "Now, let us sing Immortal Invisible." Polly said, standing at the front before returning to her seat. The whole congregation stood, singing the hymn from sheets in front of us.
"The things I'm going to do to you when I get you home." John whispered in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine and a giggle between my lips. "Tommy said to smile and mingle." Ada said, coming into the room. "She is smiling." John grinned, pulling me in for a deep kiss as Ada spoke to Polly. They had both noticed the change in us over the last few days but neither had said anything. A few moments later, someone whacked John's arm and we pulled away from each other. "Go and speak to the other guests instead of acting like a pair of teenagers in the corner." Polly scolded us before turning and walking over to a group of guests. I rolled my eyes at her but did what I was told, walking over to the Lord Mayor with a smile.
"Lord Mayor Williams, I'm Evelyn Shelby. My family is so delighted you could make it." I smiled at the man, shaking his hand. "Well, Mrs Shelby, thank you for inviting me. Your brother knows how to put on a spread." he replied, smiling back. "That he does." I laughed lightly. I spoke to the Lord Mayor for a few more minutes, laughing lightly at his bad jokes and obviously flirtatious comments.
Suddenly, Tommy appeared out of nowhere, grabbing my arm. "Eves, where's Charles?" he asked his eyes scanning the room. "I don't know, he was with Ada." I told him, my eyes scanning the room, quickly locating my three children but seeing no sign of Tommy's. "Lizzie. Where is Charlie?" Tommy called, crossing the room to the woman. "I don't know." she replied, confused, shifting Benjamin in her arms. "Excuse me." I said to the Lord Mayor, absentmindedly as I walked across the room to her calling Lily and James to me as I went. They both were around my legs as I took Benjamin from Lizze, walking over to the gathering men.
"Backdoor. Kitchen. Finn, Michael, get to Blake Street where the cars are. Take Evie, Ada and the kids. Get them out of here." Tommy commanded, instructing his men. "Tommy!" Ada called coming up behind me and we all turned to her. "Someone said they saw a nurse take him through the backdoor." she told us and the men sprang into action. Tommy shouted 'fuck' before pushing passed John and running from the room. John locked eyes with me and I nodded at him before he followed Tommy. "What nurse?" Arthur was asking Ada as Finn lifted James onto his side, the toddler sniffling at the commotion. "I don't know. Go." she told him.
"Take Benjamin, stay here with the kids." I told Michael and Finn as I handed Benjamin to Michael. "Stay right fucking here!" I reiterated before pulling Ada away from them. "We aren't fucking nannies, Evie!" I vaguely heard Finn shouting after us as we hurried out of the room. Ada and I separated in the hallway, each going to see what we could find out. I headed towards the entrance, hoping the valet was still at his post. Thankfully, he was.
"Hey!" I called, going over to the young boy. "Did you see anyone go out here with a little boy? A nurse?" I asked as I got near him, the urgency in my voice as he looked scared. "Umm.. yeah, about ten minutes ago." he replied, brow furrowing. "Which way did the go?" I asked, searching his face and he quickly answered with a shrug before pointing in a vague direction. I rolled my eyes at the boy before hurrying back inside, hoping to find one of the brothers. I came across Arthur as he was coming down the stairs. "Arthur!" I called as he came towards me. "What?" he demanded, going around me. "The valet said he saw a nurse and a boy get into a car ten minutes ago. They were heading south." I told him, turning on the step to watch him. "Fuck!" he shouted as he continued down the stairs and I quickly followed him.
I followed him back outside where Tommy was walking towards John, "John, where is he?" Tommy asked, sounding confused. John looked at him, shaking his head before looking at the gravel. "John! John! Go find Moss!" Arthur shouted as we walked towards the pair. "Arthur, Evie, where is he?" Tommy asked, turning to us. He sounded so helpless and I just wanted to go to him but I knew I was not what he needed. "Junctions, block them all off." Arthur demanded as John nodded, running off to find Moss as Arthur reached Tommy. "Where is he?" Tommy asked again as Arthur grabbed his face. "Tell me." he demanded. "Someone took him." Arthur told him and Tommy fought to get out of his grip. "Listen to me!" Arthur shouted, fighting to keep a hand on his younger brother. "They put him in a car. The put him in a car and drove south. We've got roadblocks, we've got spotters. I'll set up shop and put every man we have got on the junctions between here and Maypole." Arthur told his brother, hugging his head to his chest as he continued to try to get away. "Right. You do that." Tommy confirmed, calming down.
"You've got to go to the office." I told Tommy as I approached the pair, standing in front of Tommy and putting my hand on his cheek. Tommy looked at me as if he was surprised to see me. "You've got to sit by the phone. Whoever took him will call you." I added as Arthur nodded beside me. I was vaguely aware of others joining us on the gravel. "Polly! You take him to the office. Michael and Finn take the girls and the kids to my house." Arthur commanded as he put Tommy into a car with Polly. I walked over to Ada, Lizzie, Linda, Finn, Michael and the children as Arthur closed the car door. "Stay by that phone. Me and John will cover the roads." Arthur assured him before Polly drove off.
"Ada, John, Arthur, we've got to get to Watery Lane. Tommy is going to need us all there." I told the group, all of them silently agreeing. "Linda and Lizzie, take the kids to Linda's and Arthurs. Michael will drive you then get to the junction at Maypole. Finn, find Isaiah and some of the other lads and look for the Riley." I commanded, each person nodding. We all dispersed into the cars. Ada, John, Arthur and I getting into ours and heading for Watery Lane.
We were all waiting in the shop for Tommy when he came in. "Where's Linda?" he asked, avoiding eye contact with any of us and seeming much calmer. "Her and Lizzie have taken the kids back to Arthurs." I told him, resting my shoulder on the wall as John came up behind me, taking a whiskey from Arthur. "Where is Finn?" he asked. "Out with the young'uns looking for the Riley." Arthur told him, drinking a mouthful of whiskey. "I need to know who spoke." Tommy told us, looking around the room and John shifted beside me. "Our enemies know everything. Everything. I need to know who spoke about business outside of the family. I need to know who spoke and who they spoke to. Now." his calm demeanor vanishing quickly.
"Tommy." Arthur started. "Your wife, Arthur?" Tommy asked, turning his attention to his older brother who paused for a moment. "I'm gonna tell myself that you're not thinking straight. Your mind's not clear." Arthur told him, looking away from his brother and keeping his voice low. "And what about yours?" Tommy asked, his eyes going to John and my brow furrowed but John argued before I could. "Fuck off! Why the hell would Evie tell anyone about our business?" he asked, anger in his voice. "You haven't been around, John. Maybe she found someone to spend those long nights with." Tommy suggested and my heart quickened as John shifted beside me, shaking his head and telling his brother to 'fuck off' once more. Tommy ignored him and rounded on our sister. "All of a sudden, back in the family, Ada, eh. That is a surprise. Out of the blue. On whose orders?" he said, looking at her with cold eyes. She shook her head at him in disbelief.
"Tommy, this is not helping find him." Polly said, acting as the voice of reason as Tommy alienated the rest of the family. "And you and your painter. You said he knows you. Things developed. You talked." he said, turning on her before looking around the room. "If anyone has talked about the tunnel to anyone else, I need to know and I need to know this second." he told us all, his voice rising in anger. "What about your clay kickers?" John asked and Arthur muttered in agreement. "Drunk in a pub." he added. "I trust those men with my life." Tommy told him. "Yet, you don't trust us. Or is it just the women in this family you don't trust?" I countered. "No, Evelyn. It's not just the women." he told me and Arthur scoffed. "As of an hour ago, I don't trust any of you." he added.
"Where's Michael in this fucking line up anyway?" John asked. "You leave Michael out of this." Polly demanded. "Oh, yeah?" John said, contempt in his voice. "No, he should be here." Arthur confirmed. "I fucking don't even know him. How long you fucking known him? Fucking three years?" John continued, the anger radiating off him. "No, he's not gonna be your whipping boy." Polly told him. "I don't even fucking know the boy." John added, glaring at Polly. "I never told Michael about the Lilies of the Valley. The only people I told about the Faberge eggs are in this room." Tommy told us lowly, looking around the room. There was a moment of silence before Ada stepped forward. "Tommy, I want you to know that I came back for love. And common sense." she told him before leaving the room. "And, Evie has no need to spend her nights with anyone but me." John told him bitterly and I gave Tommy a final look before John put an arm around my waist and guided me from the room. Arthur following us.
"John, Arthur, I need 50 sticks of BSA dynamite, 300 yards of cable and six detonators by midday tomorrow." Tommy called after us and I was shocked when both men turned to listen to him. "This is evidence. I need you to scatter it." he told them, holding out a brown envelope which Arthur took. "We're blowing up a train and people are gonna die." he added before turning to me. "I need you to speak to Solomons." he told me before turning and walking away. I looked up at John, incredulous, as he looked down at me. "We'll talk about it when we get home." he told me as I opened my mouth to speak. I was about to argue but he pressed his lips to mine. "When we get home." he reiterated before leading me from the room.
A/N I have started uploading a prequel story called Before There was War, There was Us all about how John and Evie got together before the war. Please check it out if you want more of them :)