Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Peaky Blinder's characters, only the ones I have created.

CHAPTER 3

Looking back, it surprised me how at ease I had felt with the Shelby brothers already.

As Daniel and I followed them into the Garrison pub, we weren't bothered by the looks we were getting not even when Thomas held open the door for me to the private room in the pub – it seemed that Harry Fenton was really only the owner by name.

The Shelby's didn't pay for their drinks naturally and because we were their company, we didn't either.

Maybe it had to do with the fact that Daniel and I weren't from here so we didn't understand yet how much influence the Shelby's had in Small Heath, Birmingham, how dangerous they were, what they were capable of, but I felt at ease that evening as I was seated between John and Arthur with a glass of whiskey in my hand and a cigarette in the other.

The brothers made me laugh, laugh in a way I hadn't done in God knows how long. Even Daniel was laughing along with the brothers and it lifted my heart to see.

Thomas, the second oldest of the family, didn't speak much, but whenever Arthur made a dirty joke, a smile would tug on his lips.

"So, I'm taking the two ladies to the pictures tomorrow," Arthur was telling John.

"Maybe you can take Kara with ya while they're waiting for the races to finish. I'm sure she finds our little town boring enough as it is."

Before Arthur could answer, Thomas interrupted.

"Unusual name, Kara is. Haven't heard it before, especially not in Ireland." It sounded almost like he was fishing for answers.

I smiled. "Well, I blame my parents. You see, our family has some roots in Norway. And my parents were a bit obsessed with the Norse mythology and their gods."

Daniel chuckled and leaned back against the wall. "A bit is putting it mildly."

"So, you were named after some Norse god," Thomas said, his eyes twinkling.

I smiled. "Goddess, Mr. Shelby," I corrected him. "You thought only men could be gods?" I raised an eyebrow as a challenge.

Arthur let out a cackle of laughter and John was grinning too. "She's got you there, Tommy."

Ignoring Arthur's teasing remark, I continued: "No, in fact, Kára was a Valkyrie Goddess. A warrior."

Thomas had a hint of a smile on his face. "Warrior, eh?" His eyes landed on my brother. "And what are you named after then, Daniel?"

"Just my grandfather, no god there. Fortunately, my mother talked my father out of naming me Thor. Although, it still kind of stuck with me."

He smiled and pulled his sleeve up a little farther, showing off the tattoo on his upper arm of a small hammer.

Arthur raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Thor was a blacksmith?"

"No, Thor was the god of Thunder, actually." Daniel grinned and pointed at his tattoo. "With this he could make thunderbolts appear in the sky."

They seemed interested in our stories of the Norse mythology and they shared a few of their own childhood.

"But I'm telling ya, Tommy, we need to keep an eye out for that Irish copper," Arthur sobered up a little while later.

I glanced at Daniel to see if he'd heard – his brows were knitted together at Arthur's words. What was an Irish policeman doing here in Small Heath?

Maybe he's been sent to take care of the Peaky Blinders.

John pulled a nasty face. "Fockin' coppers."

Arthur laughed and downing his drink, he said to me in a whisper: "We've got the coppers 'ere doing our bidding. Makes it easier for us to do our business."

I flipped my hair over one shoulder and looked at him with twinkling eyes. "What business would that be? Fixing races?"

Ignoring my question, Thomas simply took a drag from his cigarette. "I'll deal with the copper from Belfast, Arthur."

Arthur snorted and said to me: "Ever since we got back from France, Tommy's always said that. 'I'll deal with it'."

His words were slurred and his eyes a little crossed from the alcohol, but I smiled all the same. "Does he now?"

"Where were you stationed?" Daniel piped up, his interest peaked at the mention of the war.

"We were digging at the Battle of Verdun and the Somme," Arthur replied, looking up at my brother.

John sighed. "Kept finding dirt everywhere for weeks, didn't I? Under me nails, in me pockets."

Daniel's eyebrows raised. "You were tunnellers," he stated.

I could see he was impressed and even I had to admit that the Shelby brothers became even that more interesting to me.

Tunnellers were always met with some respect – they were volunteers and did most of the hard, dirty work.

Tommy took a long drag of his cigarette before exhaling, the smoke billowing around him. "Did you fight in the war, Daniel?" he asked.

Daniel nodded. "I did. I fought at Verdun."

His attention shifted to me. "Kara was there too. She was a nurse."

Thomas's eyes fell on me and he blinked. "I remember you," he said a second later.

I looked at him in surprise as did his brothers. John looked a little warily from me to Tommy.

"When I got injured it wasn't you who helped me, but I remember seeing you there covered in someone else's blood."

A strange feeling came over me, knowing that Thomas Shelby had seen me before.

Was that why I saw him hesitate yesterday morning?

Our eyes were locked together and eventually, I was the first to look away when the door to the small private room opened.

A girl walked in carrying a bucket of ale. She had soft blonde hair and I realized she worked here, but as I noticed her face, my heart sank in my chest.

She looked so much like her.

"Alice?" Daniel croaked. My head whipped to him – he had gotten to his feet as soon as the girl entered the room, he looked confused, hurt.

The girl stopped in her tracks, looking surprised. "My name's Grace," she said in a soft Irish accent.

The Shelby brothers were following the situation with interest and surprise.

I forced a smile on my face. "Daniel, I think you've had had one too many whiskey's," I said. Daniel looked from the waitress to me and understanding crossed his face.

He cleared his throat and a ran a hand through his hair. "Right," he said. "I'm sorry. I confused you with someone else."

He let out a short laugh. "I think I'm gonna head up, Kara. I'm pretty tired."

I nodded and watched as he shook hands with John and Arthur before stepping up to Thomas.

"Thank you for tonight."

Thomas nodded. "Not a problem, Daniel. See you when the races are finished."

He awkwardly made his way past Grace who still looked a little put out, but quickly moved to place the bucket on the table and to fill our mugs with ale before leaving again.

"Alice was his wife, eh?" Arthur commented as Grace had left.

I finished my whiskey before replying: "No, Alice was his twin sister."

They were quiet after that. Thomas stared at me. "What happened to her?"

I stared right back, my chin high. "She was murdered."

John and Arthur looked a little shocked, but I kept my eyes on Thomas.

I stood up, pulling on my coat. "I think I will go for a walk before calling it a night too."

Arthur stood too, a frown on his face. "These parts of town aren't particularly safe for a woman alone."

I smiled at him and winked. "I'm sure I can take care of myself, Arthur, but thank you for your concern. Enjoy the pictures tomorrow."

He still didn't really look convinced, but he let it go.

"See you in two days, boys. We'll be collecting our winnings then, of course."

I left the room without knowing that Thomas' eyes followed me like a hawk.

Nor did I see the small shove John gave his elder brother or hear Arthur's comment about it being time someone took himself a wife.