Chapter 18
Later, when the cake had been cut and consumed, they had split off so that the adults made themselves comfortable with whisky and cigarettes and conversation in the front room, whilst the kids stayed in the kitchen.
Jeremiah had left to preach for the afternoon, but Isaiah had stayed behind and he, Finn and George had been running in and out the back door quickly enough that Polly had complained they were making her head spin and suggested they move and let the children play. John had only brought George and Katie – leaving his younger two with a neighbour – and Lily had sat in the kitchen with Katie rather than come through.
Tommy was equally pleased to see her socialising with other children and saddened that the appeal of Katie, whom she hadn't met before, had won out over the appeal of sitting with him in the front room. He handled the fact he often lost to her sister with grace - that was natural after all, and there was something between that felt more like a partnership when it came to Lily, though Rosie was the lead - but he wasn't so accustomed to being dumped for other children.
Polly had caught his face and snorted at him, shoving him through with a firm hand on his arm, saying "You let her be with people her own size for once Thomas."
Rosie had heard her and snorted herself – and they had exchanged a smirk at his expense and whatever tension hadn't already thawed between them by that point had gone. He decided he didn't mind the cost really but gave them both an icy glare for good measure before engaging his uncle in discussions about things he had stored in his yard and ignoring them completely to make his seeming displeasure at being laughed at known.
It transpired as a result that the Shelby men and Charlie stood about nearer the kitchen door whilst Ada, Polly and Rosie took the seats nearer the front door and Tommy's eyes drifted over a few times, occasionally meeting hers.
Arthur made his excuses, heading to the Garrison not too long after but John stuck around, drinking whisky and moaning loudly about Christmas with four children, hoping Polly would hear him and offer to do his shopping. Polly feigned stone deafness - causing clear amusement on Rosie's face - and Tommy knew his aunt would continue with that approach until John outright asked her to lend him a hand. The thing was, John probably would ask her – Tommy would just hand her the money and tell her to sort it for Ada and Finn. And Rosie and Lily.
"George you stop that!" Katie's voice drifted through.
"How is it women get so bossy?" John rolled his eyes.
"Dad!" her voice came louder.
"Be there in a minute," John replied, tipping his glass back and not moving.
"Uncle Tommy! Aunt Polly!"
"What is it Katie love?" Polly shouted back.
"They're not stopping it!"
"If you boys are fighting take it outside, Polly'll go spare if you break anything!" Tommy shouted through, smirking at his uncle and brother as he did so.
"Aye and you stay out of their way if they're fighting Katie," Charlie added.
"Do you ever wonder at men questioning why women are bossy when they're apparently incapable of telling anyone to do anything without adding that a woman will 'go spare' if they don't?" Rosie said conversationally to Polly and Ada.
He was about to respond when Katie's voice seemed to take a more panicked turn.
"Uncle Tommy!"
He had already started pushing by John when Lily's cries reached them.
He was first in the room and he took in the scene and undid it in seconds – Lily was being held against the fire, close enough that he was half surprised her dress hadn't caught. She was struggling against them, but Finn and Isaiah had an arm each whilst George was pushing on her stomach and she wasn't strong enough to wriggle out of their grasp, though they let go as soon as they saw his face.
He grabbed her from them and carried her out the back, kicking the pump with his foot and crouching to hold the backs of her legs under the cold water.
Her skin was red and he knew she wasn't seriously hurt but he was shaking, more than she seemed to be.
He had had a talk with Finn after they had come back that Sunday. Finn had agreed to look out for Lily, to treat her as his little sister. And Tommy knew part of that was a small dose of exercising the power that came with being the older sibling. And he knew Finn was new to that and he had expected a bit of acting up with it. But surely to god the boy knew not to hold someone so close to a fire. Christ, where had he got that from? And what the fuck was George playing at? George was the oldest of four, it wasn't new to him.
Rosie arrived at his side but she let him keep holding Lily whilst she rubbed her back and questioned him with her eyes about what had happened.
"I don't bloody know," he told her, shaking his head, "But I'm going to get back in there a minute and find out."
He took Lily out from under the running water and held his hand against her legs, trying to assess whether the heat was out of them or not.
"Lily love," he murmured as soothingly as he could, "I need you to go to your sister a minute while I sort this out, okay?"
She continued to sob – whether from pain or panic or generally being overwhelmed he didn't know - but she unhooked her arms from around him and went to Rosie with no fussing.
He stood up and headed in, Rosie following suit behind him, gently shushing her sister.
He paused just inside the door, taking in the scene.
He gathered Katie had more or less filled the adults in already because Polly and Charlie were looking to him, whilst John was rubbing his head and looking like he'd rather be anywhere else. Ada had stayed back, hanging behind the door, seeming like she wasn't sure what to think or do in this scenario.
He turned an icy glare on his brother, nephew and Isaiah.
"Talk," he commanded, letting his eyes linger over each of them in turn.
He saw them trembling and none of them dared be the one to speak first.
He waited for a bit, then nodded and spoke slowly, "Real big men eh? You can hold a baby to a fire, but you can't find the balls to speak about it. What the hell is wrong with you?"
"We were playing at being Peaky boys," George eventually offered.
Tommy wanted to shoot his eyes over to John and ask him why the hell his son thought being a Peaky Blinder was to do with holding babies to fires, but he kept his gaze on the kids.
"Playing at being Peaky boys," he repeated, keeping his voice calm, quiet and slow, "Well, let me outline for you where you went wrong. First – we protect family, above everything else. If we have a family issue we take a family vote, we don't take it upon ourselves to dispense justice as one stupid set of kids see fit!" He stopped to breathe and ensure he still had control of himself, his eyes drilling in to each of them again before continuing, "Second – if we have an issue we decide to sort out, we wait till we're matched in size. We don't pick on little, easy targets. Third – apart from the fact you picked an easy target, it took three of you to manage it. Three of you against a baby? You're all fucking pathetic, and the furthest thing from being ready to be Peaky boys."
He crossed the room slowly, his eyes on Finn and the boy shrank back a little as Tommy made a beeline for him. He grabbed his brother's chin in his hand and forced his head up, waiting for Finn's eyes to meet his.
"We had a man to man talk Finn. You've let me down. What were you thinking?" he lost control and roared the last word and his brother winced, but he made no effort to calm himself as he shouted, "You're supposed to take care of her!"
Despite the boy's assertion at dinner that Lily cried all the time, tears were definitely not far off his own eyes.
"But Tommy she's not blood," the boy whispered.
"She's not blood?" he repeated back, quietening his voice, widening his eyes and gripping Finn's chin harder, using all his self-control not to slap him across the mouth.
"George said so," Finn replied.
He couldn't decide then what he was more annoyed about – the statement itself, the fact it had come from George or the fact that Finn was in the position he was and decided to try and wriggle out of taking the responsibility for his own actions. The entire talk they'd had had been about Finn stepping up and being given more responsibility – and he had seemed keen at the time but now he didn't want to follow through. And not only that, but George was seven or eight – Tommy couldn't remember exactly – but either way he was a kid compared to Finn and Isaiah.
"And do you take your orders from George or from me?" he asked his brother, keeping his voice low.
"F-from y-you Tommy," his brother replied, the tears coming over.
"Let me say this once – and I won't repeat it again," he said, his eyes moving between the three of them, his hand still gripping Finn's chin, "As far as I'm concerned – she's blood. You got it? If I hear otherwise from anyone they'll find themselves wishing they didn't have a tongue to speak with."
"Tommy," Polly started to say, but he held up a hand without looking at her and she fell silent.
"Finn – get in that corner," Tommy said, releasing his hold on his brother and gesturing to the corner he'd put Lily in on Tuesday, "I'm too angry to deal with you right now."
He was – and it was the first time he could honestly say it had been the case.
He turned to Isaiah, deciding he'd deal with his nephew last.
"You've been treated the same as Finn when you've been here Isaiah – so it's up to you – you and me can go find your dad and tell him what happened and he can deal with it or I can deal with it here and then you and me can go find your dad and tell him what happened and explain that it's been dealt with. Your choice."
"Me dad'll kill me," the boy replied, looking at his feet.
"I'll make you wish you were dead," Tommy told him – ensuring the boy would be under no illusions to the contrary – and knowing it would resonate with Finn too.
"I'd rather just get it done with Mr Shelby," Isaiah said, still not looking at him.
"Good man," Tommy nodded, hoping Finn might take the example, "Get on out the back, I'll be out when I'm done in here."
He turned his eyes last on his nephew, then moved them to John.
"I'll take him out back," John said with a sigh. Tommy considered for a minute, then nodded his agreement.
"Dad!" George protested.
"Mate – don't," John said, shaking his head, looking like he was practically in pain, "What Tommy said was right – bullyin' a little kid! An' I don't know where you got 'she's not blood' from but I don't like it."
"You said Lizzie couldn't come to family stuff because she's not a Shelby, cause she's not blood," the boy replied.
Tommy felt his anger dissipate slightly, knowing that at least John hadn't said anything stupid about Rosie or Lily in the house. But Lizzie had told him she just watched John's kids a few times a week for some extra cash – she hadn't let on, or she hadn't thought, that they'd be asking about her becoming involved in the family.
"That's different – Lizzie isn't blood, she's not family – Lily and Rosie live here. They're like Uncle Charlie and Aunt Polly, they're family but just not Shelby named," John told his son, clearly wanting to swallow his words as he said them.
John didn't do well in serious situations that weren't ones he could fight someone properly in.
"John, do you want me to do it?" Tommy asked his brother.
John swallowed and shook his head, "He's my son," came the reply.
"Right – Ada you take Katie out the front and play," he told their sister, and she reached out a hand to her niece and disappeared quickly, seeming glad to be given the blessing to. Her grown up party yesterday hadn't worked miracles, she wasn't ready to step into serious situations and be at ease either. Though judging by John's manner, he couldn't be sure she ever would be.
John motioned George out by nodding his head in the direction of the door and the condemned child dragged his feet about it but walked out. Tommy heard John mumble, "Fucks sake," before he took down the razor strop and went out after him.
"I don't know rightly that I'll be doing much good hanging about," his Uncle said.
"Fair enough," Tommy answered, staring at his brother in the corner rather than his uncle.
Charlie moved into his field of vision when he clapped a hand on Finn's shoulder and said, "Good luck son – you're gonna need it," before waving at Lily and saying, "Bye bye my little chicken, you remember and come by my yard sometime."
Lily had calmed down enough to sniffle out a "Bye Uncle Charlie," in response.
"Right Lily, I think we'll go sit in the front room," Rosie said, starting to cross to the door his uncle had just exited through when the sound of John laying down the first stroke on his son echoed through the back door.
"Is Tommy going to give Finn a smack?" Lily whispered loudly, her eyes on the boy in the corner.
"I think he might do, yes," Rosie told her sister.
"There's no might about it, Lily - Finn's going to be a very sorry little boy with a very sore backside who'll be eating his meals standing for a while," he said loudly, noticing his aunt nodding in grim satisfaction.
"Do you have to Tommy?" Lily asked him, and Rosie paused in the doorway with the child on her hip.
He met her eyes and tried to figure out what it was she wanted him to say or do.
"Yes Lily, he does," Polly answered on his behalf, "What Finn did was very bad - you could have been seriously hurt."
"But you could just take away his sweets!" Lily said.
"I could do what Lily?" he asked her, moving his gaze from Rosie to the sister.
"When I don't do what she tells me Rosie doesn't give me any sweets," Lily said, blushing and hugging into her sister – as though the mere imagining of her not doing what she was told was somehow embarrassing, as if she hadn't thrown a tantrum and been put in a corner in the very same room they were currently stood in earlier that week.
"Oh for god's sake," Finn said, probably thinking he was speaking to himself as he faced the wall, but loudly enough that the room heard. If he'd been able to see the boy's face Tommy was fairly sure Finn's eyes would be rolling. It stiffened whatever resolve Tommy had lost since Lily had spoken.
"Well Lily, that might be how your sister handles things but it's not how I handle things – you've seen Ada get plenty of smacks before now," he told her firmly, "And I think I'm quite fair with it Lily, I'm not unreasonable, but I don't think taking someone's sweets is an appropriate way to handle them holding their baby sister against a fire. In fact, I'd say that's someone who's crying out for a good hiding."
Lily frowned but didn't say anything else as Rosie carried her through to the front room, pulling the doors shut behind them.
His aunt spoke up, "Finn – you know you've earned a good hiding don't you?"
"Yes Aunt Polly," he mumbled to the corner.
"So why did you decide holding her to a fire was worth it?"
He shrugged.
"Don't shrug Finn – c'mere," Tommy said, sitting down at the table which was still littered with paper and presents and cake, his mind on Rosie.
The boy turned and crossed nearer to him without coming entirely in reach - evidently expecting Tommy to pull him over his knee. Tommy pointed to the spot in front of him and Finn shuffled the rest of the distance over, his face resigned.
"What's going on Finn? We had a talk about you being a big brother and I was trusting you to do that."
He shrugged again.
"Stop shrugging!" Tommy said, fighting to keep the exasperation out of his tone. Bloody discussions. He cursed the redhead mentally. Putting the bloody notion in his head to try and have more discussions. "If you want we can just go outside and get it done with rather than you getting a chance to explain?"
The boy nodded and took a step towards the door, but Tommy wasn't stupid – he knew something wasn't right and he grabbed Finn by the wrist and hauled him back to the spot he'd been on, raising his eyebrows at him.
"It's nothin' Tommy."
"It's obviously something."
"I just – I don't think I like being a big brother. You're always picking her up and carrying her around and she was crying and screaming on Tuesday night and you just put her in a corner! I just liked it better before Lily came," Finn rushed out suddenly.
Tommy kept his face blank while he processed that.
"What about Rosie?" his aunt asked.
Finn shrugged, "Rosie's fine."
His aunt nodded and gave him a look, which he wasn't entirely sure he understood.
Tommy wasn't sure if she was fine because Finn had admired her for so long at school or if she was fine because she didn't affect his place in the house. Despite being closest to Ada in age, Rosie had slotted in better amongst the elder Shelby's, probably because her home personality was so focussed on Lily, on being an older sister. Though based on what he'd heard yesterday, her outside personality would have put her in with him anyway rather than Ada and Finn. Ada was the one she'd had the most difficulty with, but as for Finn? She got on well enough with him, he didn't challenge her like Ada did – or had, it seemed the birthday present might finally be the end of that – but she didn't adopt an older sister approach to him either, she didn't try and tell him what to do or nag at him or ask him to help her with anything, like she'd do with Lily. She just let him be.
Lily on the other hand – Lily pushed Finn into that older brother role, which Tommy would have thought the boy could benefit from. But something was bothering him – and something that was specifically linked to Tuesday night's episode.
"Finn, I just put you in the corner, same as I did Lily," Tommy pointed out.
His brother pulled a face – he didn't quite have the audacity to roll his eyes in his current position, but the face made his feelings clear -, "Yeah but you're gonna take me out back and punish me properly, that was just waitin'!"
His aunt pulled out the seat next to him, spinning it round to join them, "Finn I know Tommy's soft on Lily, but you've got to understand that-"
"She's a baby, I know!" he grumbled.
"She is," his aunt nodded, "And you get precious few years with a baby when they want to be picked and carried around and hugged and kissed – when was the last time you let me do that, eh?"
He pulled a face.
"Exactly – I get the odd hug now and that's about it," his aunt told him, "So sometimes adults get a bit daft around a baby because they get to do all that and it makes us feel special and you big ones don't let us anymore."
Finn was quiet for a moment while he processed that, during which his aunt turned to Tommy gave him a second, more irritated look.
"Aunt Polly's right," Tommy told his brother with a sigh, "But in terms of me being soft on Lily and just putting her in the corner – I know that's frustrating for you, I remember times Mum'd send me out back for something and John'd do the same thing a week later and just get a dirty look and it frustrated me no end. I understand. But I'm sharing Lily with her sister and I don't just get to decide how to handle everything. And between you and me, if I get it wrong I'm not convinced Rosie wouldn't go and give me a good hiding."
He punched his brother lightly in the arm and got the glimmer of a watery smile in return.
"Plus – she's a girl Finn, we've got to treat girls more softly, they're softer creatures."
"Rosie's not! Aunt Polly's not!"
Polly clicked her tongue, evidently not entirely sure if this was a compliment or an insult.
"They're the exception Finn," Tommy told his brother – then added, "Plus didn't you see the two of them getting all worked up over Ada's birthday present? They're bloody worse than normal girls – they've got all the feelings just the same and it's all buried under layers of pretending to be tough so you have to dig through it all to get there and know what they're actually thinking or feeling!"
Polly looked murderously at him and he had a feeling she was about to say something when George came back in, tears rolling down his face, clutching his backside, John following behind and looking no better in several ways.
"You want me to do Isaiah?" he asked Tommy, his voice slightly hoarse.
Truthfully, yes, Tommy could have happily done with passing the job over – but John was clearly done. Maybe his brother should just marry Lizzie Stark and bring her to family meetings. Give him someone to share the burden with. Tommy would bear the awkwardness of sitting across from her at family occasions if it meant John would have things easier.
He shook his head, "Give us it," he said, holding out his hand for the strap, which John seemed grateful to pass over.
"Right, you get back in the corner and think about the fact your old brother just wants someone to cuddle him a bit more whilst I go out and deal with Isaiah," he said to Finn, taking his arm and pushing him in the direction of the corner.
"And you," he turned his eyes on his nephew, trying not to harden his voice since the boy had been punished, "You go and apologise to Lily – she's in the front room."
The boy nodded and disappeared through.
"You alright?" he turned his eyes on his brother.
John rubbed the back of his neck, "That's the first time I've taken him out the back."
Shit.
"I didn't know," Tommy told him.
John shook his head, "No, he deserved it. I've threatened him plenty, but I've never gone through with it. Fucks sake!"
His brother rubbed his face with his hands.
"You were going to have to go through with it at some point John," his aunt said, standing up and touching his brother's arm gently.
John dropped his hands and nodded, "I know, I know. But 'snot-"
"It's not easy, I know. But it's the right thing sometimes, eh?" Tommy said, echoing his brother's own words of comfort back at him, attempting to reassure him.
John nodded.
"Look – if you want Lizzie Stark then fuck what anyone else thinks, if the kids need a mother and you need," he broke off, glancing at Finn in the corner, who was probably listening to them, "If you need someone to help you, do what you need to do mate, eh?"
John shook his head, "Nah, it's not – it's not like that."
"You sure?" Tommy asked, aware his brother would probably hide it if it was like that.
John and Ada both put too much store by other people's opinions, in his own humble opinion.
"Yeah Tom, she just watches the kids sometimes. She helps, but it's not – it's not like that."
He clapped his brother on the shoulder, "Well try and find a woman who helps that it is like that with, eh? I better get out, Isaiah's probably freezing his bollocks off out there."