Chapter 27

Camden Town

Thursday January 29, 1920

Alfie POV

He had no fuckin clue what the fuck was goin' on right now. Ollie had hot footed into his office about a couple wantin' a moment of 'is time. He'd had no idea what had been goin' on in Ollie's damn fool head until the couple had stepped into 'is office.

A petite lit'l blond haired, blue eyed woman stood before 'im wit her arms crossed and a taller dark haired man stood behind her. It was when he'd taken note of the man's eyes that he realized who they were.

He was still trying to wrap 'is head around it when the woman spoke in a thick Irish accent. There were Gaelic words mixing in wit her English but he managed to get the gist of what she was sayin'.

"So you're Alfie Solomons are you? Mm...Well, speak up boy!"

"What? Are you a mute? Maybe you're deaf?"

Alfie watched as the woman turned back toward the man and started whispering to 'im. The man just stood there smiling down at her, before speaking loud enough for him to hear.

"Sweetheart, perhaps you should let the man process the fact that we're here."

"We're on a schedule Sacha, we don't have time for him to play catch up, you'd think given his occupation he'd be a bit quicker."

Alfie heard loud banging coming from the front and Ollie raced off to see who else was bloody fuckin showin' up this mornin'. He continued to listen to the pair in front of him while keeping an eye towards the front. Bloody fuckin' 'ell. He watched Ollie point Shelby towards the office. He had half a mind to send fuckin' Ollie on a trip to Mandalay.

As Tommy was almost upon the office he turned his full attention back to the man and woman before him. He noted they were now silent and he felt like he was being fuckin' examined under one o' those fuckin' microscope things.

He wasn't fuckin' scared, right! He was just surprised is all. Just fuckin' surprised. Bloody fuckin' 'ell, he sure as shite wasn't goin' ta go through this by himself.

He turned back to Tommy who was now at his doorway watching the proceedings he'd walked into.

"Tommy."

Alfie glanced at the couple before swinging his arm out in Tommy's direction, "Have you been introduced yet to Mr. Thomas Shelby...by chance?"

The couple turned and examined Shelby as though he was some odd specimen just as they'd done to him. Good! Fuckin' shite deserved it. Glad to know they'd been informed of who exactly he was as well. Tommy observed the couple observing him, and Alfie saw the moment who they were clicked in his brain. He found he enjoyed watching Tommy Shelby gulp in apprehension. The man that seemed to be unfazed and unafraid of even death itself wasn't immune to this couple.

The woman stepped away from her husband and stood in front of Shelby, lookin 'im up an down, studying him more closely before grabbin' hold of his chin and movin' his head side to side. He heard the low 'hm' sound that left her before she let go and turned back to him. She did the exact same thing to his self.

"Fortuitous wouldn't you say Sacha. Well, they'll both join us, then."

Alfie and Tommy both looked at the two trying to figure out just what the 'ell was happening.

"Sweetheart, don't you think it might be good to invite them? They might be unable to join us, they are busy men after all."

"Pft. Please...I don't give a flying fig how busy they are. They'll be joining us for some tea. We'll have a little sit down and discuss matters."

All three of the men watched as Aine and Aoife's mother walked out of the office and towards the front.

The girls' father turned to both of them with a look that was partly sheepish but mostly mirthful. His voice quiet but authoritative, "Seeing as you're both in relationships with my daughters I don't think I need to tell you that you never argue with a Deveroux woman. Come along boys, they also don't like to be kept waiting."

Tommy POV

He was back at a fucking Tea Room that reminded him of the one he'd met Inspector Taylor in, why was everything so fuckin floral. Only this time he was sitting down and staring at the cup of steaming tea that was sat in front of him. Alfie sat in the chair beside his and they were directly across from Aoife's parents. They'd been silent and contemplative, he wasn't sure if it was just their manner or if they were trying to unnerve them. It was bloody fuckin' working.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that he'd have met Aoife's parents one day. He'd just thought she'd be the one introducing them. He'd certainly been surprised when he'd realized who they were. It would appear that Alfie hadn't been expecting them to show up at his office either as he seemed as off guard as Tommy felt.

He lifted his gaze from the tea cup and examined the couple sitting across from him more closely. They would have to be in their late forties to mid fifties taking into consideration the ages of their children. They looked younger though, he didn't know if that was due to their lifestyle or their genetics. Individuals in his own family could tend to appear younger than they were. It came from his mums side and was passed down through the generations.

The woman was clearly Irish, based on her accent and the occasional usage of Gaelic in her speech. She was petite and fine boned with an hour glass figure, same as Aoife but otherwise it was hard to pick out physical similarities in them. However he did see Aoife in the woman. In the mannerisms, like the way she spoke, the way she carried herself, the graceful walk and the abundance of confidence and authority that exuded from her.

The man was just a tad bit taller than himself, black hair, and those forest green eyes. The eye shape and color were identical. He supposed there was perhaps a similarity in the bone structure. If the man didn't have those eyes he wouldn't have been able to paint them as her parents as easily as he had.

The man's voice filled the silence that surrounded their table.

"I believe we bypassed introductions. I'm Sacha Deveroux and this is my beautiful wife Eliza. You're apparently involved with our daughters Aine and Aoife. We were passing through England and decided we'd take some extra time to call on you both."

The couple turned in unison towards Alfie and he could feel the slight stiffening of the man from where he sat. "You've asked our daughter to marry you and she's accepted your proposal. Is that not correct Mr. Solomons?"

Alfie POV

Alfie slowly nodded his head in reply to the question. "Yeah, that is correct. I asked her and she accepted. Do you have an issue with it?"

"Do you have an issue with my daughter not being of the Jewish faith?"

Alfie squinted his eyes slightly at the man across from him, "No."

"And you will still have no problem if she chooses to retain her own religious beliefs?"

"I have no problems with Aine's spiritual beliefs or wish not to subscribe to a single religious faith."

Mr. Deveroux's mouth twitched from the thin line it had been set in. His wife Eliza, Aine's mother spoke up from beside her husband.

"And you are aware of her ancestral heritage? That there are certain requirements that you will need to make before any wedding can take place?"

"I am aware."

"And when will you be meeting these requirements?"

"When Aine tells me it's time to."

"I'm sorry, has she or has she not accepted your proposal?"

"She has. However it was not supposed ta be announced as of yet, per her wishes. Aoife had no right ta tell ya."

Alfie could sense a quiet coldness emitting from Tommy. He guessed it was probably because he'd mentioned Aoife in what could be considered an unkind light. Mr. and Mrs. Deveroux had both taken note as well. Shifting a portion of their attention onto the man. Aine's mother returned to her conversation with him.

"Before you place blame Mr. Solomons you should know that it wasn't Aoife that told us Aine had become engaged to you. They have their differences but they will always do as the other asks of them. I imagine Aoife figured this development out by herself, didn't she?"

Alfie nodded in answer again. "Then who told ya? Aine hasn't told anyone and I only admitted it to Aoife when she confronted me about it, she said she'd keep it quiet."

"The girls are not the only children of mine who are observant Mr. Solomons...Mr. Shelby, what are your intentions towards my daughter?"

Tommy POV

The question didn't catch him off guard but the timing of it did. One moment the woman was speaking exclusively to Alfie and the next she was staring him down.

"We've just started to see one another Mrs. Deveroux. I've found that I've grown very fond of your daughter in the short amount of time that I've known her."

"And that means what Mr. Shelby? Are you courting my daughter or are you scratching an itch?"

"Courting."

"Hm. And you are in the same...business as Mr. Solomons?"

"...Yes."

"Doesn't that put you two at odds?"

"Not as long as we work together and stay out of each other's territories."

"And are you aware of Aoife's heritage?"

"A bit, but I'm not as informed as Mr. Solomons."

Sacha POV

The two men in front of him were both different and yet the same. It was interesting to watch them. He wasn't surprised in the least that his daughters had fallen for men like them. It was very rare to come across a man that could handle a Deveroux woman who was how to say it, a law abiding dandy.

He knew his own father would love them both. He'd been very good at expanding their business and influence. He imagined he'd see a bit of himself in both of them. His family had never shied away from the darker side of business. It was simply how it was, who they were. Having two men that were clearly very much like themselves was both good and bad.

However they'd raised both of their daughters to handle anything that was thrown at them. You never give up, you never give in. You simply change your perspective and find a way.

He'd let Eliza put some fear into them for a little bit longer. He enjoyed studying them. Technically Solomons had been doing business long enough with them that you'd have thought they'd have met the man sooner than now. After all they'd only retired two years ago and they'd been moving Solomons supplies and products for over six.

He'd sent his older sons and the girls to make the deal with him though. He'd wanted them to figure out how to navigate that side of the business by tossing them into the deep end of the pool. Then Solomons had been shipped off to France and well, that was that.

He seemed to be shifty, he understood why Aoife had described him as unpredictable. He acted calm but there was a wildness in his eyes that alerted you to the fact he could shift on a dime. He was quite animated in his movements, he felt like he was watching a show. He'd heard the man was intelligent and learned in higher education. A Jew, and clearly a devout follower judging by the tallit scarf around his neck. He was tall, over six feet and built well, he could be intimidating if he wished. There was no doubt that the man wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty when necessary.

Thomas Shelby, was about his own height, he didn't have the physical intimidation that Solomons did but he didn't need it. Shelby's authority and power were intense and it could be seen by simply looking into the man's eyes. Unlike Solomon, Shelby was still, he watched and listened, no movement was made if it was unnecessary. He'd yet to see anything other than a blank or serious expression on the man's face. He didn't yet know much about the man and he wanted to change that.

Eliza was enjoying herself as she questioned the men but he wanted to talk about Shelby and not their own heritage just yet. So when Eliza took a pause he gently squeezed her hand, silently asking her to allow him to continue.

"Mr. Shelby...tell us about yourself."

"...What is it you want to know?"

"History. Your family, the place you're from, education and the like."

"I was born and raised in Birmingham. My Mum's dead, me Father took off afterward haven't heard from him in years. I've got four siblings an Aunt and Uncle from me Mum's side. Basic schooling. You already know my occupation. Fought in the war and now I'm home."

"...Tell us more about your family."

"There's my older brother Arthur, my younger brother John, my little sister Ada and the youngest of us Finn."

"So you're the second son then? Yet you're in charge of we'll call it your family's business?"

"We take votes on occasion, equal say."

"So does ours but there is a clear definition of who's in charge. So?"

"I am, yes."

"Hmm. What is your mother's maiden name?"

"Strong."

"Shelby...Strong...England. What's your religion?"

"Don't believe."

"That's fine, but what's your religion?"

"...Atheist."

"And how about before you didn't believe?"

"Catholic."

"You wouldn't happen to be a Gypsy would you Mr. Shelby."

"There a problem with that?"

"No... My grandfather knew a Gypsy by the name of Strong. Gypsy Royalty he was, a King, supposedly."

"He was... A King."

"Interesting, grounder royal blood runs through your veins. You are aware that my daughter has royal blood as well?"

"I've heard this... yes, Empyrean."

"How busy are your schedules?"

Arthur POV

Arthur was at the Garrison. It was coming along nicely and there hadn't been any delays in reconstruction. The outer walls were all up as well as the roof. They were working on the upper floors and then once the guest rooms were complete they'd move down to the bar, tea rooms and the spa that they'd decided to add.

Tommy had acquired some additional space in the adjacent building and they were also in the process of putting in their own distillery for the house blends and liquors. As well as a larger storeroom to keep all their legal goods in.

He felt good, it felt good to be trusted and put in charge of making sure the Garrison got up and running again. He was looking forward to being able to run it himself too. It had been his dream and now it was slowly becoming a reality. Soon they'd be far enough along that they'd be able to start looking into hiring staff and a brew master. Things were good!

John POV

Tommy had left to take care of some business in London for the day and had put him in charge of overseeing the installation of the new money cage. Enough money was coming in with their regular work and now with their legal pitch that cash boxes weren't enough to hold everything. So they'd opted to have a treasurers cage installed complete with a standing combination safe. It was to be big enough that Aunt Polly's desk, the safe, the filing cabinets with the books and room for four people to move comfortably about in it.

The work men were in the process of bolting the bars into the freshly poured cement footers. Once the walls were up the ceiling of it would be assembled and the door attached. They'd had a good laugh about how it looked like they had their own fuckin jail cell in the den.

While he watched the men work his mind wandered. He hadn't heard anything else about Grace thank God but he had seen the blonde around town. She seemed to be keeping her distance from them which he preferred but he wasn't as thick as people thought him. He knew she made it a point to make herself visible when Tommy was around.

John had paid close attention to every detail he could about Tommy in those moments. He had no desire for his brother to fall in with that woman again. It was bad enough she stole from them and that her actions could have gotten them all sent up the river. What he wouldn't abide was seeing his brothers heart ripped out and cut into tiny pieces again.

He didn't really know Aoife, hadn't spent nearly as much time with her as Tommy had, but he'd take her over Grace any day.

He got the feeling that if Aoife were to rip out Tommy's heart she'd be standing in front of him and he'd see it coming. Not behind him where he'd miss the knife aimed at his back which is what Grace had done.

She'd been too frightened to face him head on and then ran like the scared little rabbit she was. Except the little rabbit hadn't figured out she would have been better off staying away.

Lizzie POV

Tommy had given her the day off, as the den would be noisy from the workers putting the cage in and he himself would be in London. She'd asked him if he'd needed her to go with him but he'd said it wasn't anything that he needed her for.

So today was about catching up on a couple of the errands she'd been meaning to run the last couple of days. First stop had been the cobbler to get her other pair of shoes fixed. Now she was headed into the market to pick up some food and she'd stop by the bakery for some bread last.

As she picked up various fruits and tested them for ripeness she caught sight of Grace a couple of tables down. Lizzie had been happy that the woman had been keeping her distance but she had this glaring feeling that Grace was just waiting for an opportunity to open up with Tommy. So far he'd been fairly detached to the fact that Grace was in town. He'd come back from their little 'talk' rather quickly and had gotten straight back to work.

He kept busy and was continually running business errands outside of Small Heath so Grace's chances of running into him and taking up more of his time were slim.

Lizzie choose four of the apples from the stand and paid for them before moving on to continue her shopping.

Unfortunately Grace spotted her and made a beeline straight towards her. She was examining some veg to go into her stew tonight when Grace pretended she'd not seen her and that their running into each other was a coincidence.

"Lizzie? What a surprise. I'd of thought you'd be at work today?"

"Tommy didn't have anything for me to do today, so I get the day off to run errands."

"How lovely."

"Indeed."

"What has Tommy been up to recently? I haven't seen him around."

"He's a business man Grace, he's busy working."

"Of course. I just meant that with the Garrison not being open yet I haven't seen him out and about on the town after working hours."

"He's managed to remain occupied at home Grace. I'm sure once the Garrison is up and running again he'll return to his normal routine. Though I suppose you've been gone so long that you're unaware of what his normal routine would be these days. Aren't you?"

Grace looked at her like she was a bug on the bottom of her shoe but Lizzie didn't care one bit and she watched as Grace tried to cover it but she'd seen it already.

"I'm trying to change that."

"Why bother Grace? I'm sure Tommy has made where you stand with him perfectly clear. He's not interested...isn't that correct?"

"Lizzie...I realize that we are all different people than we were five years ago and that a lot has happened in the time I've been away. I'd just like us all to get to know one another again. We were friends before we were ever more. There's nothing that says we couldn't be friends again. It's getting late and I need to finish my shopping, I'm sure we'll be seeing each other around. It was nice running into you Lizzie."

Lizzie watched as Grace floated off down the street and felt a small sense of satisfaction. She hadn't been sure of whether Tommy was interested in Grace or not, but clearly her suggestion that Tommy had told Grace he wasn't interested had been correct given Grace's reaction. Lizzie continued on with her shopping with a small sliver of hope in heart and light bounce in her step.

SO that's the latest Chapter, I hope everyone enjoyed it and are doing well. A quick note to let all the followers and favoriters of this story know that there will be a slight delay in the posting of the next chapter, as I will be away on an adventure - making memories for a couple of days. Comments and critiques please, keep them coming, I read and appreciate each and every one.