Tommy was gone when Rose woke up the next morning but he'd left some bacon warming on the stove. She smiled and ate it straight from the pan, giving a piece to Fred and licking her fingers. She realised she was alone in the house and was surprised. Tommy hadn't let that happen by accident. He had deliberately left her without someone watching her. She wondered if that meant that he was beginning to trust her again. Hearing Finn's car pull up in front of the house, she grabbed her coat and hurried out.

Climbing in the car next to him, he barely acknowledged her. They drove in silence for a few minutes before she spoke.

"Thank you for not telling our Tommy, Finn."

"How do you know I didn't?"

"He came to see me last night and he wasn't off his head with rage."

Despite himself, Finn's mouth curled up at the edges. Then his face was serious again.

"You can't say – or even think – that kind of thing ever again, Rose."

"I know, I won't. It was the brandy."

"It doesn't matter what it was, you just can't do it."

"I said I know. I get it, Finn!"

"So you're not still thinking of going to London?"

"No, of course not."

"What about your best friend, Alfie?"

"I'll see him at the fight, won't I?"

Finn shook his head. He couldn't understand her friendship with Solomons, but he was satisfied that she meant what she said about not going to London so he dropped the subject.

Twenty minutes later, after a quick stop at the office to pick up her briefcase, Finn walked her to Michael's hospital room and left her to it. She was glad to see Michael was looking better. He was moving easier and there was more colour in his cheeks. He didn't appear very happy though. He was quiet and seemed distracted, only talking to her about work when he had to. She tried to make small talk but he wasn't interested. So she worked in silence and didn't mind. It helped her to focus her mind on other things and she was getting better at her job. She was beginning to understand how the company was run, how the books were kept, how the numbers worked. It was a large company with a lot of money coming in and Rose was impressed with Tommy's business acumen. She was learning a lot.

By lunchtime, they had come to the end of their work and Tommy arrived. He went through a few numbers with Michael, then had him sign a few documents which he put into his briefcase.

"So, are you finished for the weekend, Tommy?"

Rose was surprised at the question. Now Michael was making small talk? With Tommy, no less?

"Yeah. Your mother wants me to go up to the Foundation. Prize giving."

"Just you?"

Tommy looked at him as he took his glasses off. "Just me. Why?"

Michael shook his head. "No reason."

"Alright. No reason."

Rose didn't know what was going on between the two men. It was a strange conversation. But her ears had pricked up at the mention of the Foundation. She enjoyed going to the Foundation, she remembered when she'd helped Tommy with the opening after Grace was killed.

"Can I come with you, Tommy? I'd like to see the prize-giving."

Tommy and Michael looked at her as if she'd grown another head. She frowned. What was their problem today? Tommy stole a glance at Michael then looked back at her.

"Course you can, Mouse. I'd be glad for the company."

Rose beamed and jumped up to pack her things. She missed the look of horror which passed over Michael's face. Tommy didn't. Michael cleared his throat.

"No, sorry, Rose. I need you here. We have more work to do."

She looked at him in surprise. "No, we don't. We finished it all."

He shook his head. "I want to go over the Brockway numbers again."

She was frustrated now. "Why?"

Michael was also frustrated. He couldn't let her go with Tommy but neither could he let Tommy know he had an ulterior motive for keeping Rose at the hospital.

"Because I said so, that's why. I'm not sure they add up. I think we missed some invoices."

"We didn't, Michael. I was really careful to include them all."

"No, we'll do them again. It's important to be accurate."

"Why can't we do them on Monday?"

Tommy, whose suspicions had been more than confirmed, also had his reasons for wanting Rose to stay. He'd only agreed to her coming to put Michael on the spot. He spoke to Rose.

"Michael is your superior, Rose. If he says you need to stay and work, then that's what you'll do."

Rose now looked at Tommy in shock. "Tommy! You said I could go with you."

"That was before I knew you hadn't finished your work. Do as Michael tells you."

Rose was furious. She scowled at Tommy, then at Michael, then at Tommy again. Tommy almost smiled at that familiar scowl. He approached her and bent down to kiss her goodbye. She was cross with him though and pulled away. Tommy stood up, disappointed.

"Goodbye, Rose."

Rose ignored him. He looked at her and hoped he would see her again. He turned to his cousin.

"Bye, Michael"

As Tommy reached the door, Michael called out to him. "Tommy?"

Tommy turned back. "Yeah?"

Michael hesitated, then shook his head slightly. "Have a good weekend."

Tommy stared at him for a few seconds, then glancing at Rose one last time, he abruptly turned and left the room.

Michael stared into the distance for a while after he'd gone, knowing Tommy was heading to an attack which would almost certainly end his life. Rose was angrily unpacking her briefcase, throwing books and papers onto the table. He looked at her scowling face.

"You shouldn't let people you love leave when you're angry with them, Rose."

She looked at him in exasperation. "What is wrong with you today, Michael? You've been acting strange all morning. And now you're making me do this pointless work. It makes no sense."

"I'm just saying, you shouldn't be so angry with Tommy."

"I'm not angry, I'm just annoyed. He could have let me go with him."

Michael shook his head and sighed. He didn't want to imagine what Rose was about to go through. He felt sick.

"Bring the Brockway numbers and those invoices over. Let's check them."

And so, muttering under her breath, Rose sat down with Michael to check numbers that had already been checked, unaware that the brother she loved was on his way to a confrontation from which he would be lucky to escape alive.

Rose climbed out the car which had brought her home from the hospital and opened the door into number six. She saw Charlie playing on the floor by the fire, Polly stood against the sideboard and Tommy sat in an armchair. Rose stopped short when she saw Tommy's face. The expression on his face was one she had never seen before. He looked almost as if he were in shock. He barely glanced at her before settling his eyes back on his son. Rose's stomach flipped. Something was wrong.

"Tommy?"

He didn't move. Polly came over to her and shut the door behind her. She put her hands on Rose's shoulders and pushed her gently towards the kitchen. Rose looked up at her.

"What's going on, Aunt Pol?"

"Don't worry, love. Just go on in the kitchen and let your brother have some peace for a minute."

"Why?"

"Go and put the kettle on, sweetheart. The family will be here any minute, we've called a meeting."

Rose knew better than to push the issue. She looked down at Tommy as she walked past him and wondered what had happened. Something at the Foundation? She supposed she'd find out soon enough if there was a family meeting.

Ten minutes later, Rose had a pot of tea brewing when Polly and Tommy entered the kitchen. Tommy leaned against the dresser and Polly got out some tea cups.

"Pour some tea for everyone, eh love?"

"It's a family meeting, Aunt Pol, no one will be drinking tea."

Polly looked at her and realised she was right. She indicated to Rose to pour the tea anyway but went to get glasses and put them on the table along with a bottle of whiskey. Shortly afterwards, Linda, Finn and then Arthur appeared. The atmosphere was tense but Rose couldn't work out why. Finn sat down opposite her and poured himself and Arthur a glass of whiskey. Linda stood with her arms folded against the dresser opposite Tommy. Arthur made his way round the table and sat down next to Rose. He put an arm round her shoulder, pulled her into him and planted a kiss on the top of her head.

""How are you, Rosie girl? You look better than you did last time I saw you."

"You don't."

He laughed and reached into his pocket to pull out a little blue bottle of snow. He kept his eyes on her.

"You feeling better now that those pills are out of your system then, eh? Nasty things, they were."

Rose looked at him and the vial in his hand incredulously. How could he not see the irony of his question? She was saved from answering by the arrival of Lizzie, Uncle Charlie and Johnny Dogs. When everyone was seated, Arthur tapped his drug of choice out on the table and asked Tommy what had happened. He said they'd heard there had been some shooting at Artillery Square. Tommy nodded and confirmed there had been.

"Today I killed three men."

There was a short silence as everyone took in this information. Rose was shocked. That's why he'd been so quiet when she'd come in. Like, everyone else, she wanted to know how. Arthur wasn't happy.

"I suppose they, uh – I suppose they took you by surprise, did they?"

"No, I knew they were coming."

Arthur pushed his lips together, not trusting himself to speak. He was angry at not having been told about this. Polly took up the story and told them about the letter she'd received from Luca Changretta offering to spare Michael if she gave up Tommy. Rose's eyes widened as she told them that she had indeed given Tommy up. Tommy then explained that this was the plan they'd agreed on

"I knew that Luca would want to pull the trigger himself so I used the set-up as bait to bring him in."

Next to her, Arthur snorted his line of snow, twitching as it immediately took effect. Rose wrinkled her nose. He told Tommy exactly what he thought of him and Rose thought about how he'd wanted to kiss her before he left the hospital and realised he thought he might have been saying goodbye to her for good. She cringed as she thought about how she'd pulled away. Tommy was indignant.

"Look, I didn't get Luca, but I got three, alright? That's it. That's what happened."

He was interrupted by Charles entering the kitchen. Tommy stooped to pick him up. Johnny was impressed, claiming he thought Tommy had gone soft. Rose shook her head. She looked at Tommy as he confirmed to Johnny that he had indeed got three. She had to admit that she was also impressed. Her brother was one hell of a fighter. Uncle Charlie raised his glass.

"Well, I drink to you, Tom, you mad bastard."

A chuckle went round the room as people raised their glasses to him. Rose too lifted her tea cup in admiration. No one could say that Tommy Shelby didn't take care of his own business. Arthur made his way round to Tommy, a concerned older brother now.

"Pretty soon you are going to get the shakes, when your blood cools down. Let's go get a drink."

Charles asked his dad what he got three of and Tommy told him he got three shillings on a two shilling horse. The men followed Arthur and Tommy to the bar in the shop and Rose watched Polly pour herself a glass of whiskey, taking a deep breath before she drank a hefty mouthful. Rose frowned. Something wasn't right but she couldn't quite put her finger on what. Lizzie, also looking worried, stood up and huddled in a corner with Polly, talking in a quiet voice.

Rose fiddled with her cup. She could have been with Tommy earlier as he left for that dual with Luca. She shook her head. No, that wasn't right. Tommy knew he was going as bait to set Luca up. So why had he said she could come with him to the Foundation? She chewed on her lip as she tried to work it out. Then, all of a sudden, she gasped as it all fell into place. Her head shot up and she looked across the room at Tommy as he took a glass from Arthur, having put Charles down. She stood up abruptly, her chair scraping along the floor, and rushed to him. She grabbed his arm, startling him a little and causing his drink to spill slightly. Arthur chastened her.

"Careful there, Rosie. What's eating you?"

Rose gripped Tommy even harder. "Tommy, I need to talk to you."

Tommy was looking at her confused. "So, talk."

She looked at Arthur and back at Tommy. "Privately."

Arthur laughed. "What secrets do you have, eh?"

She ignored him. "Please, Tommy."

"Ok, we'll use my office."

She followed him to his office and when he closed the door, she looked at him seriously. He was bemused.

"What, Rose?"

"He knew, Michael knew. And he didn't warn you."

He didn't react and she carried on before he could say anything.

"And you knew he knew. That's why you said I could come with you. To see if he'd stop me. And he did. Because he thought Polly had given you up." Her hand went to her mouth as the ramifications of what had happened sank in. "Tommy, he knew and he let you leave."

Tommy licked his lips and looked over her head out of the window. There was no need to confirm it, she knew the truth. Rose examined his face and wondered what he was thinking. How must it feel to have been betrayed by family like that? Michael had let him go, believing he was going to be killed and he hadn't warned him.

"Why would he do that, Tommy?"

He looked back down at her. "Why do you think?"

She thought. "To protect Polly?"

"Maybe"

She frowned. There could only be one other reason. "He wouldn't, Tommy. It's Michael. Why would he want you dead?"

Tommy didn't answer, taking a sip of whiskey instead. Rose was horrified. The unspoken answer was that Michael had aspirations in the company and that Tommy's death would facilitate those aspirations. She spoke quietly.

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet. Rose?"

Rose knew what he was going to say.

"I won't say anything. But Tommy, I have to work with him."

"Not anymore. Polly is taking him to Aberama. He's going to be travelling with the Gypsies so Luca won't find him. He's number two on his hit list and Polly wants him safe. You can work in the office from now on."

Rose nodded. She was relieved not to have to see Michael again for a while. He had betrayed Tommy in the worst way and she felt a deep anger towards him. Tommy could be dead by now. She thought about how Michael had told her not to be angry with Tommy after he had left. He was a hypocrite. He didn't care what Tommy's death would have done to her or to the family - if he did he would have warned him. She hated him.

Tommy touched her gently on her cheek. "Hey, don't worry. It didn't happen, did it, eh? I'm here."

"If I'd have been with you, there'd be more than three dead."

She had meant it to make him smile, but he looked sad and shook his head.

"Don't talk like that, Mouse. There's so much killing, so much death. I want you to live."

"I want the same for you too, Tommy!"

It was too late for him, he thought. But he changed the subject.

"When Uncle Charlie leaves, I want you to go with him to the yard. There's something there for you."

"What?"

"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you, would it?"

For a split second, Rose thought he'd asked Alfie to come back to Birmingham, but she knew just as quickly that that would never happen. She was intrigued.

"What is it? Tell me."

He smiled and shook his head. "You'll have to wait and see, won't you. Come on, let's get back to the others. Charles will be wondering where I am."

Rose and Tommy rejoined the family and it wasn't long before Uncle Charlie came over and told her he was leaving. Tommy nodded at her as she pulled her coat on and she gave him a small wave.

Uncle Charlie had long legs and, as one stride of his meant that Rose had to do at least two, she had to hurry to keep up with him. He smoked as he walked. Rose would have asked for a cigarette but she was too out of breath. Fred ran alongside them, sometimes stopping to investigate new scents along the way, but always keeping Rose in his sights.

"I hear you were entertaining a London criminal at my yard yesterday."

She looked at him sheepishly. "Sorry, Uncle Charlie. We only used your tea. I didn't give him a biscuit."

He laughed dryly. "I don't care about the biscuits, girl. I care about the company you're keeping."

"Oh, don't you start. I've already had Finn on my back about it."

"Good, maybe you'll listen if more than one of us tells you."

Rose didn't want to have to go into it all again so she changed the subject.

"Do you know what Tommy has at the yard for me?"

"Yep."

"What is it?"

He scoffed. "Like I'd tell you."

"Uncle Charlie!"

"You'll see soon enough."

Rose was impatient. She couldn't think what was waiting for her at the yard. She bombarded Charlie with questions but he wouldn't give anything away. They reached the yard and Rose looked round in anticipation to see what Tommy had left for her. She couldn't see anything except Curly grinning widely at her. She turned to her uncle questioningly. He smiled, took the cigarette out of his mouth and pointed with it.

"It's in there."

Rose looked where he was pointing. It was the stables. She looked back at Charlie who pointed again.

"Go on then, it's not going to come to you."

Rose turned and ran to the stables, Fred with her. Pushing the door open, she waited a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the dark, then looked round. At first glance, everything was the same as it always was. Charlie's two horses were in their stalls, nothing else had moved. Then, she became aware of a slight movement in the end stall. She took a step in that direction, watching curiously. Suddenly, a head appeared above the stall door accompanied by a whinny and she cried out in joy.

"Nua!"

She ran over to the stall and flung her arms around the horse's neck. Nua had missed Rose too and tossed her head gently in delight, blowing out of her nose, ruffling Rose's hair. Fred jumped up at the door, barking at Nua, pleased to see the familiar animal. Rose stroked and kissed Nua and couldn't quite believed she was there. She opened the stall door and went in. She stroked her filly along her neck and back, taking in every inch of her. She looked healthy and well-cared for. Fred ran round the stall, sniffing the corners, keeping out of the way of Nua's hooves.

"I've missed you, girl. I can't believe you're here. How did you get here, eh? How did Tommy get you here?"

"He asked me to bring her."

Rose looked up in surprise at the voice that came from outside the stall. She recognised it instantly. At the sight of the smiling face with its green eyes and brown hair falling over them, she beamed.

"Mal!"

Without thinking, she rushed to him and flung her arms round him. He took a surprised step backwards but recovered quickly and hugged her back tightly. She pulled back and looked at him, still grinning, her eyes slightly wet with tears. Fred jumped up at Mal who bent down and made a fuss of him. Rose watched him, over the moon that he was there.

"I can't believe you're really here. I can't believe you brought Nua all this way."

"Tommy asked me to. He said you needed to see her again."

Rose stroked Nua's soft nose, grateful for Tommy's thoughtfulness.

"Did you ride her here?"

"No, I'm too big for her. I came on Spirit and led her."

Spirit was Mal's stallion. A small, stocky chestnut brown horse with a burst of white on his forehead, almost like a lightning bolt. He was indeed spirited, living up to his name, but Mal was a natural horseman and Spirit was no problem for him to handle. Rose looked to the stall opposite where Mal was pointing and saw Spirit in there, tossing his head and turning round, unsettled by the unfamiliar surroundings. Mal called over to him in Roma and Spirit calmed somewhat.

"She looks so well, Mal. Have you been taking care of her at the camp?"

He shook his head. "Tommy had her put back in the stables at Arrow House, but he hired me a groomsman specifically to look after her."

Rose was surprised. "I though you said you'd never work for Thomas Shelby."

"This is honest work, Rose. I wear a uniform, I work long hours, I get paid for doing what I'm good at. Don't care who pays me if I can do that."

She nodded. "I think it's a great idea. And I'm really glad that Nua had you with her. I've been worried about her."

"Well, as you can see, there was no need."

Rose pushed her face into Nua's neck and breathed in her strong familiar smell. "I've missed her so much."

He put a mock offended expression on his face. "What about me? Haven't you missed me?"

Her mouth curled at the edges. "Who are you again? Don't you work for my brother?"

Mal laughed. He had definitely missed her. He watched as she made a fuss of Nua. She seemed different, he thought, but he couldn't quite work out how. A little more grown-up, maybe? A little more self-assured? Whatever it was, he liked it. Rose turned to look at him with a question and caught him watching her. She blushed slightly and he looked away quickly. She tried again.

"Can we ride out, Mal?"

He nodded. "Yeah, Tommy said we can so long as we stay in Small Heath."

"What? Who would want to ride round Small Heath? Can't we go in the fields?"

"Nah, I'm not losing my job over you, Rose Shelby. We ride in Small Heath or we don't ride at all."

"Alright! Just cos you work for Tommy doesn't mean you have to boss me around like he does."

"I'm nothing like your brother, and you know it! But you are a Shelby through and through – stubborn and argumentative."

"I'm not argumentative!"

Mal laughed out load . "Come on, smart-mouth, let's get out on these horses before the sun goes down."

Laughing too, Rose went to get Nua ready as Mal did the same with Spirit. Minutes later, they'd led their horses out into the yard and had pulled themselves onto their backs. Both rode bareback and although Rose wasn't really dressed for riding, her skirt pulled above her knees, her woollen stockings on display, she didn't care. She molded herself onto Nua as if she'd never been away; she felt insurmountably happy. Nua was delighted to have Rose back on her and stepped sideways a little, yearning to be off.

Curly ran over, a wide smile on his face. He ran his hand down Nua's neck.

"This your horse, is it, Rosie? She's a beauty, she is. A good horse. Strong."

"She is, isn't she, Curly?"

"Yeah, yeah. And is this your young man? Another one? Not Bonnie?"

"Curly! Stop it. You know who this is, it's Mal."

Curly grinned at her as he continued to stoke Nua. Uncle Charlie came over, another cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

"Leave them alone, Curly. Off you go then, you two. You know the rules?"

Rose saluted. "Yes, sir!"

He rolled his eyes and looked at Mal. "Keep your eye on this one, Mal. She's flighty."

"Oh, she'll be safe with me."

"Yeah, but will you be safe with her?"

Rose had had enough of this conversation and squeezed her knees slightly, moving Nua on. She ignored the laughter of the men and concentrated on how wonderful it was to be back on Nua. Mal moved Spirit on and the two of them rode out of the yard into the streets of Small Heath, Fred trotting alongside them.

Meanwhile, one hundred and thirty miles away in London, Alfie sat glowering in his office. He was furious with Tommy still. He'd been humiliated by being escorted out of Birmingham by Peaky men and he was smarting from the rebuke that Tommy had hurled at him in the scrap yard. How dare he – he who had allowed his young sister to be taken and abused, he who had abandoned her to the snare of barbiturates for a year, he who put her at risk of murdering Italians – how dare he tell Alfie Solomons he had no right to see Rose again? She deserved better family than Tommy. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was ill. The doctor had confirmed it – cancer, no cure. Time to reassess and take stock. In his mind's eye, he saw the ocean with ships on it. He saw himself at the beach with Cyril. He saw Rose there with him, finally living a carefree and happy life, laughing, her hair blowing behind her in the sea breeze. He knew he could provide that life for her, even if he only had a year or so left. He could set her up with his fortune, provide for her future, make sure she never had to be afraid again.

He opened his eyes and looked at the letter on the desk in front of him. A letter from Luca Changretta requesting a meeting. Alfie already knew what he wanted. And he already knew he would agree to the job - because this was his chance to save Rose once and for all.