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Tommy's meeting with Mosley had gone as well as he could have hoped. He'd got the signature and could now proceed with his plan to prove to the Home Office that he had connections to Jimmy McCavern. Now to deal with Rose.
Following Mosley back to the dining room, he watched him looking for her. He knew Mosley wanted her on his arm. Just the thought of that man's hands on his sister repulsed him but he knew that he had to play this carefully. Rose was like a skittish horse – one wrong move would send her bolting. He needed to let her think that she was making the decisions, that she was in control and not being forced into anything. Watching Mosley as he made his way through the house, an idea formed in Tommy's mind – a way of getting Rose back as well as benefitting his current mission. All he needed was some time to talk to Rose.
He found Lizzie in the dining room who filled him in on what she and Polly had said to Rose and that she'd run off. He wasn't surprised to hear she'd disappeared and knew where she had gone – to the horses. He would have headed there to speak to her but it was announced that the ballet was about to begin and he had no choice but to head to the performance marquee along with the rest of the guests.
In the stables, Mal broke off the kiss with Rose and stepped back. They stared at each other for a few seconds, not knowing what to say. Rose felt a need to fill the silence.
"That was nice."
Mal laughed out loud and Rose blushed as she laughed too.
"It was, Rose."
They heard the orchestra begin to tune their instruments in the side garden and were brought back to the present. Rose looked out of the window and sighed. She had to face the music – both literally and figuratively.
"I'd better go."
Mal nodded. He took her hand.
"Will you come back here when it's finished?"
She was about to say yes, but something stopped her. As much as she was attracted to Mal, as much as he was completely the opposite of Mosley, she felt like going from one man to another wasn't going to resolve anything. She had to deal with herself first – figure out who she was and what she wanted instead of looking to someone else to tell her. Rose squeezed Mal's hand.
"Mal, I can't … I don't know … I need to work things out."
Mal put his hand on her cheek and rubbed his thumb along her cheekbone. He understood, though he wondered how long he'd be waiting for her to work out all the issues in her life.
"Ok, but Rose, you should know that I can't stay working here for your brother for much longer. I want to open my own stables, get away from the Peaky Blinders and this part of the world. I was hoping you'd come with me."
Rose wasn't surprised. She was amazed he'd stayed as long as he had. But she couldn't think that far ahead, or lock herself in with someone else's plans without knowing what she wanted for herself. She took his hand from her cheek and held it in hers, smiling at him.
"You'd run a great stables, Mal. I know you would. And you should leave if you want to. Don't wait for me. I'm a Shelby – I don't know if I'll ever be able to get away from my family. You do what you need to do, and I'll do what I need to do."
"Do you know what you need to do?"
She shrugged. She didn't have an answer. She glanced over at the marquee to see the guests had all mostly sat down. She looked back at Mal and, leaning forward, kissed him quickly on his cheek. Then, without looking back, ran as quickly as her flimsy, high-heeled shoes would let her to the where the audience was settling.
Mal watched her leave and shook his head. He longed to help her, to whisk her away and give her the life she deserved, but he also knew that she wouldn't thank him for it. She needed to work her life out for herself; it wasn't his job to fix her or tell her how to live her life. As he turned away from the lights and quiet chatter back to the horses, he could only hope that there was a place in Rose's life for him.
Rose made her way to her seat next to Mosley as unobtrusively as she could. Nevertheless, she felt many eyes on her as she crouched and tip-toed to the front row where Mosley was watching her approach with barely concealed annoyance. As she sat down next to him, without making eye contact, he leant towards her and whispered harshly.
"What the hell are you wearing? You look like a peasant!"
Rose looked down and realised with horror that she was still wearing the woollen shawl she'd taken from the maid's cloak room.
"Take it off. Now!"
His tone angered her. Something about being back at Arrow House had given her a sense of perspective and she wanted to tell him not to talk to her like that – but the music struck up and the dancers stepped onto the stage and the moment was lost. She quietly slipped the shawl off her shoulders and let if fall over the back of her chair. Mosley reached out and took her hand but she pulled it away from him and folded her arms. He frowned but was forced to focus on the performance. He'd deal with it later.
Three seats down, Tommy also turned to watch the performance with an almost imperceptible smile playing at the edges of his mouth. He had missed nothing of the exchange between Rose and Mosley and was happy to see a flash of the Rose he recognised. He would talk to her after the performance and felt positive about winning her over.
As Rose watched the performance of Swan Lake play out before her, it didn't take long for her to forget about Mosley and Tommy. She was entranced. She seen ballets before; May had taken her to see a couple in London. But those had been in a theatre and there was something about being in the night air, surrounded by the lights and the breeze and the music, that swept her to another world.
As she watched Odette, the white swan, dance so hopefully with Prince Siegfried – the man who would break the curse she was under by giving his heart only to her - then be fatally betrayed when he gave his heart to Odile, the black swan, Rose felt as if the story had been written for her. She felt that she had spent her life hoping for someone to free her from the Shelby curse only to be betrayed and let down over and over again, leaving her trapped still. And as she watched the swan dance her last few steps towards death, she felt tears rolling down her cheeks. Was this her fate too? To hope for that one person who would set her free only to die still cursed? As she rose to her feet, applauding with the rest of the audience, she realised that the only way forward was to stop looking for that person to set her free, to lift the curse. Instead, she had to find her own inner strength which may not be strong enough to free her completely from the Shelby curse, but would keep her fighting against it for as long as she could.
Taking a deep breath, coming out of her trance, Rose was surprised to find that Tommy, Lizzie and Arthur were missing from their seats. She immediately knew something was wrong and, looking round for Polly, found that she was missing too. She set off in a hurry for the house, feeling that familiar worry for her family that was always frightening. Something bad must have happened for Tommy to have left an event with so many important people in attendance.
As she entered the house, she realised that Mosley had followed her. She wanted to tell him to leave but knew he wouldn't and she didn't have time for an argument. She noticed that the doors to the dining room were shut and knew they were in there. Pushing one of them open, she gasped at the sight in front of her.
Lying on the table, amidst tipped-over glasses and remnants of the delicious food that had been on there earlier in the evening, was Linda. She was writhing in pain and Rose noticed the gunshot wound to her upper arm. Tommy was leaning over her with a knife, clearly about to remove the bullet, Polly and Lizzie helping to hold her down. Arthur was kneeling at her head, trying in vain to comfort her.
Mosley strode into the room behind her. "Mr Shelby, your guests…"
Everyone looked up in shock. Tommy's eyes slid over Rose and looked at Mosley. He pointed to the door.
"Get him out, Arthur. Family only! Get him out."
Mosley tried again. "Mr Shelby, on your behalf…"
Arthur rose to his feet, pulled out his gun and pointed it at Mosley in one swift movement, roaring as he did so.
"Get out!"
Rose ignored them and hurried over to the table, only vaguely aware of Mosley reluctantly leaving the room. Tommy carried on as if there had been no interruption. He pointed at his wife.
"Lizzie, go to the kitchen, get some iodine. Now! Go!"
Rose moved to the spot Lizzie had vacated. "What happened?"
No one answered. Tommy held his hand out for a napkin, which Polly gave him. He twisted it a few times and leant over Linda again.
"Linda, you'll have to bite on this."
As Arthur and Tommy put the cloth in between Linda's teeth, Rose repeated her question, louder this time.
"What happened?"
Polly glanced at her. "I shot her. Now, come here and help hold her down."
Taking no notice of the surprise on her niece's face, Polly grabbed Rose's wrist and pulled her towards Linda. Rose did as her aunt did and held Linda's legs down. She knew what was coming. She once watched Arthur remove a bullet from Tommy when she was a small child. Tommy got ready.
"Alright, now it's really going to hurt. One, two, three."
And with that, Tommy removed the bullet as Linda screamed through the napkin in pain. Rose and Polly pushed down on her legs to keep her as still as possible. Tommy managed to pry the bullet free and threw it in the fire. Arthur was telling Linda it was almost over as Tommy picked up his glass of whiskey.
"Hold her."
He poured the alcohol into her open wound and Linda screamed in agony. Rose frowned with the effort of holding her legs, still trying to work out why Polly had shot her. Arthur was sobbing now.
"Is she going to be alright, Tom? Is she going to be alright, Tom?"
"Yeah. Arthur, come here. Come here." He pulled him to his feet. "If you love her, go to the library, get some opium. Go on. She'll be fine. Go, soldier."
As Arthur left the room, Rose saw her chance to get some answers.
"Aunt Pol, why did you shoot her?"
Polly reached into her dress and pulled out a small vial which she handed to Tommy.
"Actually, you can use mine."
Tommy took it and began to mix it into some whiskey. Rose was frustrated now.
"Tell me what's going on!"
Tommy looked at her as he prepared the drink. "Linda turned up to shoot Arthur. Polly shot her instead."
Rose's jaw dropped. Polly took her cigarette case out of her jacket. She gestured at the opium.
"Brought a bit to celebrate the wedding proposal."
"Oh, he proposed, eh?"
Polly showed him an engagement ring on her finger. "One knee"
Tommy nodded. "Congratulations, Pol."
Rose was more confused than ever. Polly saw her look of confusion, showed her the ring and grinned. "Aberama. He called me a Gypsy Queen."
Her brow furrowed even more. She had so many questions. She watched Tommy give Linda the opium.
"Why did she want to shoot our Arthur?"
Polly exhaled her cigarette smoke. "She left Arthur and then he beat up one of her friends – a man she was close with. Nearly killed him."
Rose took a step back and looked down at Linda who was now sleeping on a cushion Tommy had put under her head. She wasn't surprised Linda wanted to shoot Arthur. All she'd wanted to was to get away from that family. She thought of the white swan, never being able to have her curse lifted, the man she loved betraying her. She'd never liked Linda, but she didn't deserve this.
Arthur dashed back in, kneeling by Linda's head once again, buying his face in her neck. Tommy patted his head.
"Arthur, she's going to be fine. I gave her something to get her to sleep. She's going to be fine."
Arthur sobbed again. "You should have … You should have let her do it, Pol. You should have let her do it."
Tommy reached down and pulled him up. "Arthur, come on,"
"You should have let her do it."
He grabbed his older brother's face between his hands, forcing him to look at him.
"Look at me, brother. Look at me. You've got things to do. You've got a kid. We need you, alright? You understand?"
"Yeah"
Polly leaned towards them. "Aberama wants you as best man."
Rose was pretty sure Polly had made that up on the spot. Tommy kept his grip on Arthur.
"You hear that?"
Arthur nodded as Tommy pulled his head down to his shoulder and hugged him. Rose rolled her eyes. How many times had she watched that scene unfold before? Tommy talking Arthur down from a ledge of his own making. She looked down at Linda and shook her head. Yet more violence, blood, drugs and alcohol. Would it ever end? She looked up to find Tommy staring at her as he embraced Arthur. He knew what she was thinking and he shared her weariness with it all. Rose looked into her brother's eyes and suddenly knew he was feeling the same thing she was. She frowned as she returned his gaze and felt a glimmer of something new stirring inside her. Was it hope? Not quite – but it was close. An idea forming in both of their minds that things might be able to change, that the tide could be turned, the curse lifted.
Lizzie hurried back into the room with the iodine and, as quickly as it had come, the moment passed. Arthur wanted to care for Linda so Tommy handed him the iodine and gauze and led the rest of the family out of the room.
Closing the door behind them, Tommy let Polly and Lizzie walk ahead as he hung back to walk with Rose.
"Are you cold, Mouse?"
Rose shook her head. All the excitement had warmed her up.
"Rose, I want to … can I talk with you later? I have a proposition."
Rose didn't answer. She was wary of Tommy's propositions and plans and strategies. He cleared his throat.
"Just listen to what I have to say, ok? I think there's something that can help us both."
"Help us do what?"
He stopped and looked at her; she did the same thing.
"Help us do the right thing."
Rose saw that same look in his eyes that she'd seen in the dining room – the look of someone who genuinely wanted to do the right thing for the right reason. This was a Tommy she barely recognised.
"Ok, I'll listen."
Tommy exhaled in relief at her agreement. "We'll ride out at dawn. Don't let Mosley know."
She nodded and was about to speak when they both turned at the sound of Mosley's voice carrying through the air. They hurried over to join Polly and Lizzie at the edge of the crowd which was listening with rapt attention as Mosley gave an impassioned speech. He told them there was no place he'd rather be than with "English people in the heart of England."
As he spoke, Rose felt as if the scales were falling from her eyes and she wondered how she could ever have seen him as someone she wanted to be associated with. She listened in disgust as he held forth.
"I'm sure our host will forgive me if I use this platform, this gathering of friends and like minds, to give you, his trusted allies, an early announcement of a long-overdue event. I want to tell you good folk first...that with the dawn of a new decade...I will be setting a new course. Setting up a new political movement here in the very heart of England. And Mr Shelby will be with me, shoulder to shoulder. It will offer a new conception of politics in which the great character of the British, our true character, will be reborn.
Many of you lost fortunes in the recent stock market crash. The men of money, the capitalists in New York …the Jews...the money-power, they run an international system in which the infinite mobility of money, its capacity to create financial chaos and panic, can bring down any government that dares for one moment to oppose it."
Rose stole a glance at Tommy who was looking at Mosley with a serious but unreadable expression on his face. She could sense Polly and Lizzie's unease. Mosley was gaining momentum.
"I say all this to you now...because I believe it is in places like this, with people like you, that we will have to pass on our message directly. Our message can be summarized with these words - Britain first.
And because this is our message, I doubt it'll be reported fairly in the press. I'm afraid the newspapers of this country are owned by the same vested interests who took your money. They sell to the people false news...to raise the interests of the faction and the section above the interests of the nation.
So hear my words and pass them on to those with ears to hear. And be reminded that when the new decade begins, there will be the birth of a new political party which will speak for you. This party, this new movement, this revolution...will be called the British Union of Fascists."
The audience erupted in applause and cries of agreement. Rose could feel the antagonism and hatred amongst them and shivered. Lizzie was less then impressed that Tommy was working with Mosley and said as much. Tommy put a cigarette in his mouth.
"Yeah, you're going to have to trust me."
Polly said what Rose was thinking. "Again."
They all turned round as Mosley approached. Rose had to resist the urge to move behind Tommy as Mosley declared his intentions about the dancer who had portrayed the swan. Polly left to inform her that she'd been summoned by the politician and Rose felt sick to her stomach. Mosley took Lizzie's hand and kissed it. The way he looked at her made Rose think that they knew each other. She frowned.
"Now, forgive me, I'm going to borrow your husband for a little while."
Tommy stepped forward. "This way."
Mosley broke eye contact with Lizzie to look down at Rose.
"We will be leaving at seven o'clock promptly tomorrow morning. Don't be late."
He smirked at her and followed Tommy. Rose and Lizzie watched them go, then Lizzie turned.
"Have you slept with him?"
Rose looked at her in shock. "No!"
"Are you going to?"
"No!"
Rose knew that if Lizzie had asked her that question at the beginning of the evening the answer may well have been different, but now Rose didn't see how she could possibly return to London with him. It felt like capitulating to Tommy by staying at Arrow House but, once again, she had run out of options.
"You can't go back with him, Rose."
Rose looked into the distance. "Was Tommy mad when I left?"
Lizzie scoffed. "What do you think? He was scared too – not that he'd have admitted it. You'd outwitted him so well. He couldn't find you and that terrified him."
Rose sighed. "What should I do, Lizzie?"
"What do you want to do?"
"I … I don't think I want to leave the family, but the family means the family business and that means … everything that's bad. I mean, look at Linda – she didn't want all that either and now she's lying on the dining room table with a gunshot wound passed out on opium! Why do things always have to end this way? Will it end that way for me?"
Lizzie shrugged. "You can't fight it, Rose. You accept it, enjoy the good bits and try and forget the bad."
Rose looked at her with disbelief. "Really? That's your answer?"
"What else can I do, Rose? I know my place, I know where I stand and I know where I'd be without Tommy. So, if having Tommy means having all the crap, then that's what it takes."
Rose shook her head. "No, no – that's not how I want to live."
"Well, if you find another way, let me know. But my advice to you is to stop fighting and start accepting. And put some more clothes on."
And with that Lizzie turned to rejoin her guests, plastering a smile on her face as she accepted her fate, choosing to trust her husband once again. Rose watched her and asked herself if that really was the only option she had. Frowning, she headed towards the house in search of something warmer to wear. Lizzie's advice on that at least was good.
At dawn, the next day, Rose made her way to the stables. The sun was just rising over the ridge but it was a cool, overcast morning and the sky was becoming a pale grey. Rose hadn't slept much. Somehow, despite the overnight guests, Frances had managed to keep Rose's room free for her and Rose was glad for the familiar surroundings as well as the clothes in her wardrobe. She was dressed in her riding clothes with a warm woollen sweater and felt a lot more like herself than she had the previous evening. As she entered the yard, she could see Tommy, already mounted, waiting for her. He was holding an already-saddled Nua. As Rose approached, she thought that Tommy looked like he'd slept even less than her. His hair was unusually unkempt and there were dark shadows under his eyes. As she mounted Nua, she caught a whiff of alcohol and knew he was hung-over.
Tommy watched Rose as she easily pulled herself onto her horse, settling herself and gathering the reins as if she'd never been away. He was pleased to see her dressed warmly and nodded at her as she pulled Nua round to face him. His head pounded with the movement and he winced. Rose noticed.
"Good night?"
Tommy pinched the bridge of his nose. "It was a productive night."
Rose wanted to ask what he meant but he'd already turned his horse towards the field and was moving forward. Rose squeezed her thighs slightly and Nua knew immediately what her mistress wanted. The horse was delighted to have her back.
Rose and Tommy fell into a comfortable pace beside each other and rode for a while without speaking. This was a routine they had done many times together and neither felt the need to break the silence of the morning. They headed towards the hills behind the house and climbed to the ridge. There, as they had often done, they stopped side by side looking down at the house which was shrouded and quiet in the early morning mist. Eventually Tommy spoke.
"I'm gathering information on Mosley and giving it to the Home Office."
And suddenly, everything made sense to Rose. She hadn't been able to understand what Tommy was gaining from his relationship with Mosley. He wasn't the usual kind of person Tommy did business with - there was no money to be gained, no control of some illegal trade route, no underworld power. And, although Tommy had gained some power in the world of politics, Rose couldn't see how her brother aligning himself with Mosley and his ideas would benefit him. She looked at him, her brow furrowed.
"Since when do you do anything for the common good rather than your own?"
He kept his eyes on the house. He thought about trying to persuade Rose as he'd done with Lizzie last night, pointing out his lucrative contracts with the home office, but knew she would see right through him, as Lizzie had. Why did he find it so hard to admit that he wanted to get rid of Mosley because he believed his ideas and politics were evil and would bring great oppression to Britain? That he, for the first time in his life, wanted to use his power and abilities to bring about a change in the world for something that was objectively good – something that didn't lead to more crime or violence or compromise. That he too was tired of all the bad. Instead he ignored her question.
"I know that, last night, you saw Mosley for who he really is. Now, I don't know why you ran to him in the first place, or why you turned up here on his arm in that ridiculous dress, but I do know that you've changed your mind since then."
She looked away from him, back at the house, a gentle but cold breeze blowing her hair away from her face. He was right, but she couldn't bring herself to admit it. Tommy wanted her to though.
"You have, haven't you, eh?"
She nodded, her eyes still on the house. He nodded too, satisfied.
"You can help me."
She closed her eyes. She knew what he wanted. Tommy continued nonetheless.
"Go back with him. Let him continue to believe that you and I are at odds. You can get close to him, find out things I never could."
She opened her eyes and looked at him coldly.
"By "close", do you mean in his bed? Because that's where he wants me. You know that, don't you? He wants to be able to make sure you know that he's taken your sister's honour, that he's vanquished her, owns her. Is that how you want me to find out his secrets, Tommy? Pillow talk?"
Tommy held out his hand for her to stop. "No! That's not what I want at all. Stop it!"
"Then how exactly do you imagine this will play out? You heard him last night, talking about the swan. He doesn't take no for an answer."
"You can stop him. Just keep playing the innocence card, be coy, keep him at arm's length and in his desire for you, he'll tell you many things, many secrets. He'll boast and try to impress you. Just stay strong. It won't be for long, just until we have enough to incriminate him."
Rose watched him in horror as he spoke. And yet, she didn't know why she was surprised. This plan was pure Tommy. She also knew, despite her repulsion, that it was a good plan. Tommy was right, she could get closer to Mosley, she knew how. She would no longer be under his spell, but she could pretend to be. Mosley's contempt of women would be in her favour too – he would tell her all sorts of things believing she wouldn't understand. What's more, she agreed with Tommy – the sooner Mosley was taken out of action the better.
Tommy looked at her expectantly. He knew he was asking a lot of her, but it was an ideal plan. He could tell she shared his opinion that Mosley was a dangerous man and needed to be stopped. He watched the emotions play out across her face and knew she was fighting an internal battle. He wanted to tell her she didn't have to help him, that she could just come home and be whoever she wanted to be, that he'd help her and not try and make her do what he wanted. But he could feel how close he was to bringing down Mosley and with Rose in place in London, it was just within his grasp. So he waited, knowing she would lose her internal battle, just like she had so many times before, that her inability to say no to him would win through this time as well. He told himself that this would be the last time. Once she'd done this last job for him, he would release her, let her go wherever she wanted, he would give her money and stay away from her if that's what she wanted and she would finally be happy.
Rose straightened her shoulders and stuck her chin out, just as Tommy knew she would. She looked at Tommy and nodded once. Then she turned Nua and headed back to the house. Tommy didn't follow her, he knew she would want to be alone.
Back at the stables, Rose was relieved to see that it was another groom who took Nua from her and not Mal. She didn't feel she could look him in the eye now. She spent a few moments stroking Nua's nose and telling her she'd see her again soon, then headed towards the house. Before going inside, she walked past the kitchen door towards the orchard. There was one more thing she wanted to do.
Kneeling down under the now-thriving apple tree, Rose ran her fingers across the small grassy mound where Fred was buried. She missed him, her loyal friend who never asked anything of her, who was just happy to be in her presence and love her. Standing up, she touched the leaves of the apple tree and had a sudden remembrance of sitting in a dusty office that smelled of rum eating the most delicious apple she'd ever tasted. She smiled at the memory. How innocent she'd been back then.
She heard the noises of the staff in the house as they began to prepare for the day and looked at her wrist watch – it was half past six. Mosley would be leaving soon. With one last look at Fred's grave, she turned and headed into the house to pack for her return to London.
Twenty five minutes later, Mosley' driver had pulled the car round to the main door and was stood waiting for his employer. He wondered if that pretty young girl would be going back with him. Within minutes, he saw Mosley stride towards the car and opened the door for him. But before He could climb into the car, Rose appeared with a small suitcase in her hand. Mosley turned to look at her then looked at his watch.
"You're three minutes late. Get in."
He gestured towards the car impatiently. Rose didn't move. Mosley looked at her.
"Yes, I understand, you've seen your family and it's hard to leave them behind, but remember what you're leaving behind, my dear." He gestured at the house. "These squalid people and their squalid lives. Isn't that what you wanted? To walk away from all this? Come back to London with me and we'll do great things together. Trust me, I have wonderful plans for you, my beautiful young friend."
Rose looked at him smiling at her, trying to disguise the repulsion she felt for him. She could help bring him down. But at what cost? She could make a real difference to her country. But with what damage to herself? She could win Tommy's approval. But with what shame? The battle raged inside her as she looked back at the car. All it would take would be to climb inside and the decision would be made. Mosley held out his hand towards her to help her in. Rose took a deep breath and made up her mind.