Chapter 42

Billy Kimber had still made no contact, but Tommy had learned a few things about the man. The first was that the Lees were running riots at his racetracks and that his own security was failing to do anything about it. The second was that he was married to a brunette but seemed to have a thing for blondes. And he had the impression that if Kimber had just married a blonde in the first place, he would have spent his time screwing brunettes. The man was self made – and in truth a slight worry to Tommy. Because he had never been satisfied, he had kept going, kept pushing his business, kept screwing blondes.

Tommy wanted to be self-made. He had that push and desire in him that Kimber obviously also had. And he could respect that in the man. But Tommy wanted to feel satisfied too. That safety Rosie had said she felt when she was with him? He wanted that feeling of safety too. He wanted to be able to lock their doors at night and settle down with no concerns of warfare hanging over him. She gave him that sense of content. He just hoped, despite what she had said about him being forged in its flames, that he could leave Small Heath and the men he dealt with here behind him when he left here. He wanted to shirk it off, like he'd shirked off his army issue coat and put on a civilian one. He wanted to leave Small Heath behind and become a normal man.

Although, the coat was a bad metaphor. He hadn't really returned to civilian life. He was Thomas Shelby after all, civilian life probably never was for him. But he hadn't really shirked off the war until she had come along, that was the point. And even if he had maybe begun to shirk it off himself, he was still dealing with the remnants of it all around him.

No, it wasn't like the coat. It was like his medals. The medals for bravery that he had been awarded in the war and that he had thrown in the cut as soon as he returned. He wanted to drown his Small Heath existence and leave it behind on the bed of the canal, drowned like Polly's husband and his tarnished medals and all the other long forgotten shit that the canal would turn up if it was ever drained. The whole cesspit that made up the bed of Small Heath, what it was all built on. Forgotten and thrown away things that no one wanted or needed or missed.

He wanted rid of all that came with the breaking out of Small Heath and more of what he had at that moment in the kitchen as he stood against the sideboard and smoked, watching Rosie spread jam on toast for Lily, keeping a deft eye on the frying pan at the same time.

"Any more toast, I'm starving?" Ada shouted over the sounds of the spluttering pan.

"You've eaten three bits already Ada," Finn said, rolling his eyes, "You can't still be starving."

Tommy raked his eyes over his sister, noticing that she seemed slightly… swollen. That was the only word for it. He figured she was on her courses and told Finn to leave her alone and let her eat what she liked. She shot him a look so full of unguarded gratitude that it quite threw him for a minute.

"Eggs will be ready in a second," Rosie called over her shoulder.

"No eggs, just toast," Ada replied, wrinkling her nose.

"There's more in but it'll take a bit," Rosie replied, "You feeling alright? You usually like eggs?"

"Feel a bit delicate, think eggs might tip me over," Ada said.

Definitely on her courses. Maybe today wasn't a great day to take her into town.

"Still feeling up to going shopping?" Rosie asked her, her own mind seeming to go the same way as his.

"I'll be fine. Need a new coat anyway," Ada insisted.

As it was, she wasn't fine.

They walked in, to Ada's disgruntlement, and headed straight to Rackham's, figuring the department store was the simplest place to try and get everything they needed quickly. They went to the toy department first of all, where Rosie paid for the pram Lily wanted and organised for it to be delivered later that week, whilst Tommy distracted the child with the rocking horses. He didn't care for the fact Rosie was paying for the pram, but he knew enough to know he was going to have to pick his battles and letting her pay for things seemed to be important to her. And he didn't like that she had raised the fact she didn't always feel he respected her. So he bit his tongue and let her buy the thing. Besides, he still had every intention of getting the horse from Johnny the next weekend.

Whilst they dealt with that, Ada found a bench and sat herself on it, looking blotchy. Tommy noticed it, but he was tasked with keeping Lily distracted and so he sent Finn to sit with their sister, but once Rosie had finished at the counter, they all gathered at the bench.

"Ada, we can go home and come back another day," Rosie gently pressed.

But Ada had never been anything less than entirely determined to get her hands on new clothes and she shook her head, "No, we're here. I'm just tired from that bloody walk. Don't see why we couldn't bring the car."

Tommy could see the two of them having another of those strange silent conversations where they widened and narrowed their eyes at one another, so he went to speak to Lily only to find out she wasn't at his side where she had been a moment ago. She hadn't gone far, only a few steps off the main walkway and back towards the rocking horses, but she was small enough that the shelving unit she had wandered by hid her from view.

He called out to her and beckoned her back when she turned to look at him.

"You stay beside me and Rosie, don't wander off," he told her when she had returned to his side, "It's too big and busy in town for us not to be able to see where you are, alright?"

She nodded, but her eyes went away from him, back in the direction of the rocking horses.

He didn't think she actually wanted a rocking horse, but there were three on display, varying from small to large and she seemed fascinated by them, which he could only take as a good sign for her wanting to ride a real horse.

"Do you lot want to sit here for a bit whilst Finn and I go round the boy's department and pick his things out?" he suggested to the three of them.

Rosie glanced to his sister, who shook her head, saying she was fine, and got to her feet to lead them across the floor in the direction of the boy's things.

Rosie gave him a look, then shook her head and followed her. It was evident Rosie would have preferred Ada to sit for a while, but the day his sister let anyone force her to sit still in a shop would be the day hell froze over.

But hell might have been freezing over that day. They had picked out a new jacket and some shirts for Finn when Rosie had to make a grab for Ada as she seemed almost to faint.

"Right, sit down for a bit and then you're going home," Tommy told her, passing the clothes to Rosie and taking a firm hold of his sister's arm, ignoring her weak protests.

He gave an exasperated exhale when he saw Rosie making a grab for her own sister, who had been distracted by god only knew what. This would be the last time they all came out together to try and get more than one thing done, that he was sure of. From now on if Finn needed new clothes the two of them would come in together; if Lily needed things he and Rosie could bring her in. Ada and Rosie could go alone if need be.

Lily wasn't a bad child, not in the slightest. In fact, she was a good one – good natured, sensitive but easily consoled, affectionate and content. But it was becoming more apparent with every second that shopping for boy's clothes was of no interest to the child, and a disinterested Lily was one with a tendency to wander away. He couldn't really blame her for it, Rosie had obviously never taken her around shops and asked her to wait for stretches of time with nothing in the vicinity that was relevant to her. But he also couldn't have it, she needed to be where she had been told to be – they had already gone over that that bloody day when Finn had ended up in the cut, he'd sat them all down and explained to them that they had to always be where he thought they were. He'd even taken Lily to him and told her it applied to her too. But right now, with Ada fainting on him, he didn't have the time to deal with Lily and could only hope Rosie could juggle her sister and the pile of clothes she was holding.

He left Rosie, Lily and Ada grouped around a chair outside the fitting rooms whilst he and Finn did a whistle stop tour of the boy's clothes, grabbing what Finn needed before they returned to discuss what was happening. Both he and Rosie wanted to go home, but Rosie had a list of things she needed for the kitchen. In the end they sent Finn and Ada home together, deciding Tommy would stay with Rosie to help her carry the bags and that they would go home via the chemist for Ada too, so she could get straight home and get into bed – hoping a sleep might help.

"Lily, do you want to stay here or go with Ada and Finn?" Rosie asked her sister before he could say anything.

He frowned – it was one thing to let Ada and Finn make the walk themselves, they'd done it plenty. But Ada wasn't well and Finn wasn't old enough, in his opinion, to be looking after Lily properly on that walk home. Hell, he didn't even let Finn walk himself to or from the school.

Luckily Lily wanted to stay with him and her sister. Though quite why, he wasn't sure. As he and Rosie stood looking through what Finn had picked out and trying to figure out what else they needed, he glanced down to see the space Lily had been standing in empty again.

He looked over the racks and saw the blonde head wandering away from him.

"Lily," he called out sternly, putting down the shirts in his hand and taking the few steps over so she could turn and see him clearly.

She did so, her fingers going to her mouth at his tone.

"Come back over here, right now," he told her.

He heard Rosie mutter, "Tommy," but she trailed off with a sigh when he turned his frown to her.

Lily's eyes went very wide and she hesitated, but she came slowly back, still sucking on her fingers.

He crouched down and took hold of her wrist, pulling her hand firmly out of her mouth, before putting his hands on her waist to hold her in front of him, "Do you remember when we were at home and I sat everyone down in the living room and said it was a rule that you had to be where I thought you were at all times?"

She nodded.

"Uhuh, good – and do you remember what I told you would happen if you disobeyed me?"

She nodded again, her eyes filling with tears.

"What did I say Lily?"

"You said… Give spanking," she mumbled, looking at the ground, her fingers moving back to her mouth, "But I didn't go anywhere Tommy!"

He caught her wrist and held it, nodding, "I said I'd give you a spanking – a real, grown up spanking over my knee Lily, same as Ada and Finn. Now, where did I tell you to stay?"

"Beside you and Rosie."

"And is wandering away down there staying beside me and Rosie?"

"No," she whispered, shaking her head.

"No, it's not – so you did go somewhere," he told her, "So this is your only warning Lily, you stay put beside us or I will give you a spanking when we get home, do you understand?"

There was half of him tempted to take her into the fitting room and just give her a spanking right there, but he didn't think Rosie would recover and, well, he hoped the stark warning would prove enough of a deterrent.

"Yes Tommy," Lily answered him, her voice quiet but her relief that she wasn't getting the promised spanking for the wandering she had already done quite evident.

"Why don't you hold my hand Lily?" Rosie suggested, her tone gentle, "Then you can't get distracted or wander away even by accident."

The bab looked up at the offered hand, then shook her head, "No, I'll stay with you."

"Alright," Rosie sighed, exchanging a look with him.

They both knew fine well how it was going to end and he decided then and there that he wasn't warning any of them again – the discussion on the sofa had been the warning and they were all just going to have to remember it. And in this instance, Rosie seemed more worried about the outcome than Lily did. It wasn't good enough, if she wasn't going to take his warnings seriously by herself, she was going to be made to take them seriously.

Sure enough, what must have been less than fifteen minutes later, after they had picked out some swimming things for Finn, as he was paying for Finn's new clothes, he saw Rosie look up from her list then watched the panic spread across her face as she frantically began to move her eyes around.

She glanced to him and he was acutely aware that he was probably causing an equal amount of worry in her with his planned course of action as the child who was forcing him to enact his plan with her wandering, but if his method was effective – and his past experience told him it generally was where six year olds were concerned – he figured he'd be saving her some worry in the long term.

His height meant he could see over the store's fixtures but no blonde head was bobbing along anywhere in his vision as he headed up to where Rosie was waiting for him, chewing her lip.

"We'll find her, she can't have gotten that far," he said, "Come on, she'll have gone across to those rocking horses."

"Tommy don't shout at her," Rosie said, as she allowed him to take her waist and manoeuvre her out of the stands of boy's clothing.

"When do I ever shout?" he said, tempted to roll his eyes but too busy moving them side to side in case he was wrong about the direction she had gone off in – wondering whether Rosie's lip chewing worry was for her sister being lost or for her sister's backside.

"Well you do sometimes," she protested.

"When?"

"You shouted at Ada that day, you know…"

"The day you, her and Finn all caught it, yes I remember," he said, shaking his head at her, "That was the day I sat you all down and told you all you had to be where I thought you were at all times, so clearly my shouting didn't make it that memorable a day."

"And you shouted at Lily in the yard that day with the horse," she said, ignoring his comment.

"The day she nearly ran under a horse, you mean, yes - I remember that one too," he replied evenly, his eyes still flicking about as they walked up the main stretch of the store, "So that's two instances of shouting since you came to stay in October – I don't think that's a bad track record."

"I know, Tommy – I know," she said, "But she's so little and-"

"She's so little and she needs to learn her actions have consequences," he said, cutting her off, "She's been told what they'd be, she's been warned, she's been reminded what they are and she's chosen to ignore me just the same."

"I know," she repeated, "I just… I don't know Tommy, I hate when she cries and she'll cry and-"

"Rosie," he stopped walking and turned to face her, "You'll hate when she ends up in hospital because she's run into the road of a car or a horse, or you'll hate when she gets taken by some mad woman who can't have her own kids. She needs to learn to stay where she's told – and you just need to learn to cope with listening to her cry for a little while so neither you nor her need to cry for a long while later when something serious happens, alright?"

"I know," she said, looking up at him, her eyes a bit glassy. "I'm sorry - you're right Tommy, I know you are. But just be gentle with her, please?"

He patted her face, "My darling, when am I not gentle with you lot, eh? As much as I could throttle Finn and Ada sometimes, I never do, do I? Lily'll get turned over my knee for a spanking, it's not the end of the world – you recovered just fine, didn't you? The sting will be gone before I even let her up – she'll remember getting taken home and put over my knee more than she'll even remember the smacks, but if it sticks in her head more than my warning did, then it'll do the job."

Rosie opened her mouth to reply, but he turned and pushed on in the direction of the toys, not giving her a chance to make her case.

He was, as expected, quite right and as the display of rocking horses came into view, the back of a blonde haired child reaching out to stroke the nose of one of them, exactly as he had shown her on Monaghan Boy, also came into view.

Rosie called out on her sister, who turned, smiling at the older girl – but the smile dropped off her face as Tommy crossed towards her and grabbed the hand that was outstretched to the horse.

"Right, home for you," he said, holding her hand high up and using it to pull her around in front of him.

She tried to twist out of his grip, squealing, "Tommy no! Tommy let go!"

"So you can disobey me and wander off again? I don't think so," he said.

"I won't wander off!" she shouted, attracting the eyes of nearby shoppers to look their way.

He didn't personally give a flying fuck about what anyone else thought – and he was sure any of them who had their own children would more than understand - but he could see Rosie getting embarrassed, so he crouched down, not letting go of the child's hand and said, his voice low and quiet, "You were warned Lily and you still wandered off, so you don't get another chance. We're going home to deal with this, so you settle yourself down and stop shouting or I'll settle you down here and now and it'll have nothing to do with what'll be happening later."

She seemed to remember then what her warning had been and began to cry on the spot.

He stood up, still holding her hand and she wrapped the other around his leg and pushed her face into his thigh, shaking her head and saying "Tommy – Tommy no – I'll be good."

"You had your chance to be good Lily, so when we get home you'll find out it feels like when you're not good and hopefully you'll remember that in future," he told her, keeping his voice firm but gentle, placing his free hand on the back of her head, "Come on, let's go."

He started walking, admittedly with some difficulty with her clinging to his leg – but it only lasted for a few steps and then, when she realised he wasn't changing his mind because of her docility, she changed her tactic and tried to twist her hand out of his, shouting again for the whole shop floor to hear, "Tommy no – no spanking!"

She tried to pull herself out of his grip, attempting to run off, but he yanked her back, lifting her arm taut, high enough that she was almost off the ground to get her to stay and growled, "Oh yes spanking!"

"Rosie! Rosie tell him no!" Lily shouted up at her sister when they reached the spot she had stopped in, panic evident in her voice.

The redhead glanced to him, then around at the other people in the vicinity, her face burning before she knelt down to Lily's height, obviously deciding to concentrate on the bab and try to block everything else around them out. The child reached out the hand Tommy wasn't gripping, trying to grab at her sister for comfort. Rosie put her hands on her sister's waist and let her push her face to her shoulder, her free arm winding round her neck.

"It's all right Lily," the redhead murmured, kissing the side of her head, "You calm down sweetheart."

The baby took her face out of Rosie's shoulder, evidently hopeful that Rosie was going to intervene. He half wondered himself if she was going to try – and decided he'd put her over his knee later that night if she did.

But she didn't, she waited till her sister was looking at her then said, "Tommy told you to stay with us, and he warned you about what would happen if you didn't – you chose to wander off Lily, more than once."

"I won't do it again Rosie! I promise! One more chance," Lily said, pushing her face back in to her sister.

Rosie held her for a minute, rubbing her back but when the child came back out and looked at her again the older sister only raised an eyebrow and shook her head, "No more chances Lily. If you get lost and someone takes you, I might never see you again, do you understand? You wandered off and got a warning, then you did it again. Tommy's going to give you a spanking and that'll make sure you won't do it again - ever."

He was impressed with her – and grateful she was supporting him with Lily, and doing so quite firmly, rather than trying to divert him on the child's behalf. He had a stab of guilt that he hadn't done her the same favour at Christmas when she had tried to get Lily to go back to wash the dishes. Well, he'd learned.

"Rosie, Rosie no!"

"I'm sorry Lily, I don't want you to be spanked – and I'm sure Tommy doesn't either - but you've not left us much choice."

"He's not my daddy!" Lily screamed, trying vehemently to twist out of his grip.

It was a line he really should be immune to by now, he thought. Ada had screamed it at him enough when she'd been trying to convince him he was unjustified in spanking her – or preventing her from doing something she wanted to do. And he supposed maybe part of him had known it would be coming from the minute Rosie had said Lily had asked if he was her father.

And logically he knew all it was was a desperate attempt to lash out and do anything to impede the unsavoury course of action he had decreed would be happening. It was a line never used at any other time, but it hurt every fucking time.

He didn't let it show though, keeping his face as neutral and relaxed as ever, not letting go of the hand in his. Whether he was her daddy or not, he was going to take care of her – and he wasn't going to let go of her. His face might have shifted in shock slightly though when Rosie twisted her sister around and smacked her.

It was a single smack and it couldn't have hurt at all over the bab's coat, but it would appear to be the first smack she'd ever been given by Rosie and the child became silent instantly, her shocked face looking up to him as if he could explain the new and confusing evolution of her life.

"You look at me, Lily" Rosie ordered, a firm authority in her voice, spinning Lily back around, her hands on her sister's waist, shaking her slightly as she continued, "How dare you say that Lily? He might not be your daddy, but that isn't a problem for you when he's buying you new coats and dresses and toys, or teaching you to swim or taking you to the tea rooms. That is so mean and ungrateful and I am so ashamed of you for saying that and trying to upset Tommy. Tommy is choosing to take care of you Lily, he's not your daddy and he doesn't have to – but he's choosing to do it. And here's the truth of it, Lily – you've chosen to wander off multiple times today. That is dangerous, and you have earned yourself a good spanking, so Tommy's going to put you over his knee and give you one when we get home. And he's doing that because he loves you and he doesn't want you putting yourself in danger again. If Tommy didn't love you he'd just let you wander away and get lost and he wouldn't care, would he? Tommy might not be your daddy but he acts like your daddy and loves you like your daddy. Same way as I am not your mother but I look after you and love you like our mother should have. And let me tell you something, Lily, whatever happens this afternoon – however much of a spanking Tommy gives you – I promise you, if I ever hear such a mean, nasty, horrible thing as that coming out of your mouth again you will find yourself over my knee getting a spanking ten times worse than what Tommy gives you and I will make you the sorriest little girl in the whole world, do you hear me?"

Uncharacteristically, she didn't even wait for Lily to answer her, but stood up, plucked the bags with Finn's things out of his hand and hoisted them over her shoulder, saying, "I'll take these and you take her," before turning and walking across the shop floor to the stairs. He thought he might have seen the beginnings of more tears in her own eyes.

Lily scrambled to run after her sister, blubbering, "Oh no! Rosie, come back! Rosie I'm sorry!" but realised she couldn't run when his hand reigned her back to his side.

"Tommy, Tommy I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, I didn't mean to be horrible!" she pleaded, tears running down her cheeks.

"I know Lily," he told her bending down to pick her up, "Up you come, come on – let's go catch up with your sister."

Her arms wound around his neck and she cried into his shoulder, wailing, "Tommy, Tommy I'm really sorry! I didn't mean it! I didn't want to upset you!"

He kissed her head, rocking her a little, "It's alright, I know Lily, I know – and Rosie gave you a smack didn't she? So what happens after that Lily? We move on, don't we? That's my girl – my best girl - you cry it out sweetheart."

"Rosie doesn't smack!"

"Well she did today."

"That means – Tommy that means I was really bad!" the child roared, fresh tears engulfing her.

"I know sweetheart, but it's alright, you got your smack, that means you paid for it, doesn't it? So you cry it out but no need to feel bad, you were punished, we'll move on my little love, come on."

Rosie had waited for them at the bottom of the stairs, raising an eyebrow at the crying child in his arms, whose head was still buried in his shoulder.

"She's very sorry," he told her, raising his own back.

"Glad to hear it," she said, her voice still snippy.

"Alright," he said, keeping his voice gentle but firm, reaching out to rub her lower back, "We've had it out, Lily got her smack and she's apologised so we're moving on, eh? We're going home, we'll deal with the wandering away and then we'll move on from that too."

She sighed but nodded, her shoulders relaxing slightly.

"Rosie!" Lily cried miserably, lifted her head out of his shoulder, "Rosie I'm sorry!"

The older sister's face softened and reached over and ran her hand over the younger's face, wiping away her tears.

"I know Lily and I'm glad you're sorry and I'm glad Tommy's accepted your apology, but I never want to hear that again, alright?"

"I won't say it again," Lily promised.

"Good," Rosie nodded, "Let's go home then."

Once the forgiveness had been assured in her little mind for her words though, it didn't take long for Lily to focus again on what awaited her at home and they went through multiple cycles of her crying, begging to be let off and given "One more chance!" then becoming angry and stubborn, telling them they were the mean ones, threats to "Tell Arthur and Aunt Polly on you", accompanied by screams, fits of holding her breath and kicks and slaps issued from her tiny hands and feet. Indeed, by the time they reached Watery Lane, Tommy thought his mid-section would be black and blue, beaten more lengthily as he was by the child than he ever had been from any fight. Whilst waiting outside the chemist for Rosie to get something for Ada, he had shifted Lily from being held on his hip to being under his arm, her own arms pinned to her sides, though her feet had still battered off of him for a while after that and he was beginning to regret his decision to bring her home for her spanking instead of just using the bloody fitting room.

As it was, by the time they were pushing open the front door, she was in another stage of penitence – crying and promising never to do it again, "Please, no spanking Tommy, please?" escaping from her between sobs.

By this, it was her own bawling that announced what was going on to the house, rather than anything he said. He put her down once Rosie had closed the front door behind them and she slid to the floor.

"Lily, you get yourself up and go through to the kitchen and stand in the corner," he told her.

"Tommy, Tommy no! Please! I'll be good, I won't wander away again! Please – no spanking Tommy, please!" she cried, not getting up.

He rubbed his hand over his face and elected to ignore her, pulling off his coat.

"Lily," Rosie said, putting the bags down on one of the chairs and bending down to pull her sister to her feet, "You were told not to wander and you did, that's why we're back here. Now, don't make it worse by disobeying Tommy again when he's told you to go do something, eh? Off through to the kitchen and face the corner, calm yourself down and it'll all be done soon, alright?"

"Rosie, Rosie please! Tell him no spanking!" Lily garbled.

"Lily, I've already told you," Rosie said her voice quiet and soothing, even if her words weren't, "Tommy warned you after you wandered away the first time and you chose to do it again, even though you knew this would happen. You've earned this spanking with your own choices Lily, so I won't be telling Tommy anything. Now, through to that kitchen and put your nose in the corner."

Lily let out a great wail but went to obey her sister – until she reached as far as the kitchen door then cried extra hard, turning and running back to wrap her arms around Rosie's legs, exclaiming "Rosie, Rosie no!"

"Lily," Tommy said, prying off the determined hold and turning the struggling child back around in the direction of the kitchen, "You are going to go in that corner and have a think about what you did and why you're getting a spanking – I've had enough carry on, get yourself settled down or I'll settle you."

He swatted her very gently to get her moving, but she just cried more loudly and twisted back around, looking to him with panicked eyes.

"Lily, I said I've had enough of this," he said, exhaling loudly through his nose.

He reached down and picked her up easily with an arm around her waist, carrying her through to the kitchen himself, realising upon entering what her issue had been. Katie, George, Finn and Isaiah were all sitting at the table and had been playing some card game from the looks of it, but it had frozen, undoubtedly since the front door had opened and the screaming child had entered. He ignored them and set Lily down facing the corner, holding his hand in her back for a moment to ensure she stayed, which she did – though her sobs shook her body.

"Is Lily getting a spanking?" Katie asked, unable to contain her glee at the spectacle.

Ada had been the same as a child, always desperate to know exactly what trouble Finn was in at any given moment, appearing in the doorway as soon as she heard raised voices that she knew were nothing to do with her – a pretend seriousness and concern coming over her as she'd ask what was happening.

"Yes," he told Katie, since it was fairly clear thanks to Lily's own protestations anyway – though he frowned to show his displeasure at her obvious excitement; at the same time as Rosie, who had followed them through to the kitchen answered, "None of your bloody business."

He exchanged a look with her and she raised an eyebrow at him, yanked the doors into the shop shut, and turned to the four at the table snapping, "Out! The lot of you, out!"

Finn and Isaiah were quick to go, both sliding off their seats and shooting sympathetic looks over at the girl in the corner, who didn't see them, whereas Rosie had to grab George by the arm and toss him out, leaving Tommy to chase Katie out at the end with his narrowed eyes.

The commotion, of course, attracted John's attention, who opened the shop doors that she had so resonantly pulled closed and stuck his head through just as Rosie was coming back in from having slammed the door to the front room closed behind John's second child.

"What's going on in here?" John asked, chewing on a toothpick.

"I closed that door for a reason! You too! Out!" she shouted, snapping her fingers and pointing back through to the shop, "And go have a word with your nosey daughter while you're at it about respecting people's privacy!"

"Christ, what's got your knickers in a twist Rosie girl?"

"Don't you Rosie girl me, just get out John!"

"Rosie!"

"John!"

John gaped at her for a minute then turned to him, "Tommy can't you get control of her?"

"Get control of me? I'll get control of you John Shelby!" Rosie roared, crossing to John and reaching up to grab his ear, pulling his head down to her, "And let me tell you something-"

"Alright, alright!" Tommy said, pulling Rosie's hand from his brother's ear, "You," he directed at the redhead, "Just stay here and breathe for a minute, I'll get you your privacy."

He pushed John through to the shop and closed the door behind them. John raised his eyebrows expectantly.

"Look," Tommy said, glancing around the shop to make sure no one else was listening, or at least to make sure they were all pretending not to have heard or noticed anything, "Lily's in trouble, Rosie's panicking about it – just stay through here. And have a word with Katie about how much joy she gets from seeing other kids about to get it before I decide it's her fucking turn next."

"You're definitely going soft mate," was John's retort, but he nodded and turned back to his desk.

"Alright," Tommy said, coming back through to the kitchen, locking the shop door behind him, his eyes going between the two sisters.

Rosie was standing by the table, her arms crossed, still breathing heavily.

"C'mere you," he said quietly, going to her and folding his own arms around her, rubbing her back then moving his hands to her face and kissing her sweet little mouth, glad to have the privacy that afforded him the opportunity.

He felt her relax, her arms unfolding and going to his waist, her head resting in his chest.

"You stop your worrying," he told her, "Every kid on Watery Lane's had a spanking and they've all lived to tell the tale. And this one's well deserved."

He figured the thing was, if Lily had been going to wander off, a department store was really the safest place to do it. It wasn't outside after all. But the lesson still needed to be taught, because it could have been outside. It was almost more of a reason to teach the lesson, so that it never did become outside.

He waited till Rosie had nodded before he turned his attention to the baby in the corner, "Lily!"

She looked over her shoulder at him, her crying having momentarily stopped, though her face was streaked with tears, her fingers in her mouth.

"Have you had a think about why you're going over my knee?" he asked her, pulling out a chair and moving it away from the table, sitting himself down.

"Because I wandered away after you told me not to Tommy," she replied in a small voice.

"Good, and you know that's dangerous and you've not to do it?"

"Yes Tommy."

"Alright, over here," he said, indicating the space in front of him, "You're going to get your spanking then you're forgiven – but you do not do it again, do you understand?"

"One more chance Tommy, please?" she said through her fingers, not moving.

"Over here Lily," he repeated, shaking his head.

She didn't move, her wide eyes going to her sister.

"Lily, sweetheart, come here to me," Rosie crooned, crouching and holding her hands out to the child.

He frowned, not appreciating the interruption, wanting the whole episode to be done and also wanting Lily to be obedient enough to come to him without needing to be coaxed.

The child crossed nervously to her sister, her eyes still going between the two of them.

"Let's get your coat off," Rosie said, her tone soft as she unbuttoned Lily's coat, "Now, I know you've never had a proper spanking Lily, so I know it's scary – but you saw Katie go over Aunt Polly's knee at Christmas didn't you?"

The child nodded as Rosie slipped the coat off her shoulders.

"Yes, and Katie's fine isn't she? It's just perfectly normal that naughty children get spankings Lily, you've never had one because you've never done anything as dangerous as wandering away from me before. But if you learn your lesson today you won't do it again and you won't get another spanking for it, will you?"

"Rosie, Rosie – please! One more chance? I won't wander away again," Lily pleaded.

Rosie shook her head, "Lily, I can't risk you doing it again – you already got a warning and knew what would happen. So it's going to happen."

Tommy cleared his throat, "Lily, come here," he ordered, before the child could reply and before Rosie had to say anymore.

He knew this was as upsetting to her as it was to the child – potentially even moreso. Still, Rosie gave her sister a gentle push in his direction, standing up and going to the sideboard to put down Lily's coat.

"Lily," he said, taking her hand and tugging her to stand in front of him as soon as she was within reach, "You know I got plenty of spankings growing up? Uncle Charlie told you about some of them, remember?"

She nodded.

"Well I asked my mother for 'one more chance' plenty of times before I got spanked, and I never got that one more chance because if I'd earned a spanking I'd already used my chances, just like you did today," he told her, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand, "And I hated it at the time Lily, but I can tell you now if I'd been given one more chance like I'd asked for I'd have got a spanking anyway, just later on and a worse one because I'd have made it all worse by making the same mistake again. It was only once I got the spanking and had that in my mind whenever I got the chance to make the mistake again that I'd manage not to make it, do you understand?"

She nodded, tears welling up again. How she had any left he didn't quite know.

He picked her up and sat her on his right knee telling her, "Alright Lily - you're going to get a spanking. But remember what I said – you're always my best girl, even when you misbehave. You remember that, don't you?"

She nodded, nervously.

"It's going to sting Lily, but it's going to teach you not to wander away. I need you to remember that you're always safe when you're with me Lily, even when you're over my knee and I'm giving you a spanking – you remember what Uncle Charlie said about it being a little hurt to stop you getting a bigger hurt later on? You're safe here, you're safe with me, you're safe when I know where you are – you're not safe when you wander away, alright?"

She nodded.

"Okay," he nodded, figuring there was no point in pushing her for words at this point, then grasped her waist with his left hand, pulling her down and across his left knee.

She was small enough that she dangled over it, her hands and feet both off the floor. He brought his hand down on the back of her dress, delivering two stinging smacks, then followed them with four light taps and ended with another two slightly more forceful swats before bringing her back up and holding her to him as she cried.

All in all, the actual spanking was over in probably less than fifteen seconds, and it probably hurt her less than the smacks he'd given her at the yard – but he knew the ritual of being taken home to be turned over his knee would make it stick in her head far more than if he had smacked her on the spot in the shop.

"I'm sorry Tommy," she cried into him, "I won't wander away ever again!"

He wrapped his arms around her and stood up, bouncing her a little as he stroked the back of her head, murmuring, "There, there. That's my good girl. All over now sweetheart – you've had your spanking. I'm so proud of how well you did, my little love. And that's it done, you won't wander away anymore because you'll remember this - and that spanking was for today's wandering, so you don't need to be upset about it anymore, eh?"

He walked around the kitchen in circles with the child for a few minutes, letting her become calm before he said, "Hey, Lily, is it alright if I pass you to Rosie for a minute? She wants to make sure you're okay too?"

Once she was in her arms, Rosie hugged her sister tightly and kissed her cheeks and forehead, asking if she was alright, telling her, "I love you so much Lily, do you understand? I'd be so upset if anything happened to you and I didn't know where you were to stop it."

Ada, as a child, had always been clingy after any kind of telling off, whether it had been merely a verbal chastisement, a couple of swats or a proper spanking, and Lily was the same. She didn't leave their sides for the rest of the day, nearly crying when Rosie went back out to get things for the dinner and following him around the house once her sister had left, her hand holding his and, if his hands were busy, curling itself around his trouser leg or his actual leg. She even followed him up to Ada's room every half hour to see if his sister had woken up yet– which she hadn't. Ada didn't stir the entire afternoon, which worried him slightly, but he supposed letting her body take the rest it needed was the best course of action and he settled down on the sofa with Lily, him reading the paper and her seemingly content to sit on his lap and do nothing other than twist the buttons on his jacket.

He did worry slightly that her embarrassment over the other kids overhearing their arrival home would make her go back to being quiet and withdrawn around them, but it proved unfounded when Katie barged in to the living room whilst they were on the sofa and demanded to know if Lily was coming out.

The child shook her head and cuddled closer in to Tommy.

"Oh come on!" Katie said, wrinkling her nose, "You're not staying in just because you got a spanking are you?"

Lily didn't answer but pressed even closer into his chest.

"I remember you going to your room and staying there for the rest of the day a few times after you caught it Katie," he said to his niece, raising an eyebrow, his instinct to protect the child rising.

Katie rolled her eyes, "She's sitting down, it can't even have been a real spanking. She's being a baby!"

With this proclamation Katie turned to leave and Tommy was about to move himself to grab a hold of her and demand an apology for Lily, but the child shifted in his lap and spoke up of her own accord, her voice cross, "Well you sat back down at Christmas after Aunt Polly spanked you!"

Tommy managed to hide the smirk he felt the urge to let touch his lips as he glanced between Lily's furrowed eyebrows and Katie's huffing and crossing of her arms.

"She's right Katie," he told her, when it was obvious the other child had nothing to say in response, "You did. And if you think Lily didn't get a real spanking you go stick your nose in the corner in the kitchen and I'll come through and give you one of my spankings, see if you think they're real or not, how does that sound?"

Katie went bright pink and shook her head.

"No, I didn't think so," Tommy said, moving his eyes back to the child who was still on his lap, even though she sat straight now and not couried in to him, "Lily will be getting her bath soon and Finn will be coming in for his, so there's not much point in her going out anyway. Come by tomorrow and see if she feels like going out with you then, eh?"

Katie nodded and bolted back out the door without saying anything, passing Rosie as she did so.

"Was she in here making fun of Lily?" Rosie demanded as soon as the door had shut, her eyebrow raised.

"Nope, just wanted to see if she was coming out," Tommy said, letting his smirk appear now.

"Uhuh," Rosie said, not dropping her eyebrow and clearly not believing him, but she let it drop, asking, "How's Ada?"

"Still asleep, she's slept all day," Tommy said, "She's not even woken up to take the medicine from the chemist."

"I brought in things for a steak pie," Rosie said, "I wondered if maybe she's got a lack of iron going on, she's been a bit peaky looking lately and she's been going to bed earlier and earlier. I'll try and get her to go to the doctor this week about it since we're all off and see if they can give her some tablets or something, but red meat's supposed to be a good source of it in the meantime. Lily, you going to help me?"

Lily looked to him and he closed the paper over and stood up, shifting her on to his hip, "Why don't we both help?" he suggested to Lily, who nodded and laid her head against him.

"Tommy Shelby, the man who loves getting himself involved in women's business," Rosie said with a grin.

"Given you lot outnumber me in my own home," he replied, rolling his eyes, "I don't feel I've got much of a choice – if I didn't get involved I'd never know what was bloody well going on around here!"

Thank you as always for the reviews and messages, I hugely appreciate them all! x