Tommy sat on the edge of his bed as he stared at the door that separated him from his bathroom where Maddie was bathing. He rested his head on his hands, his chin nestled on his thumbs as he fought the temptation to go inside. He had initially gone downstairs to his office to his whiskey and paperwork hoping to keep himself sufficiently distracted, but to no avail. He instead had done nothing but pace around his office for ten minutes, going back and forth from his whiskey decanter and his chair.
He battled with a myriad of thoughts and emotions as he paced around. Primarily anger regarding Maddie's injuries; anger which was directed at three different people. Arthur, for not ensuring her safety despite Tommy's clear instructions to him before they left. Himself, for bringing her into his life and into the family business in the first place. And he was mad at Maddie herself, for getting blindsided so easily despite being the best, most experienced fighter there and despite his warning before she left the house. Tommy hoped despite this anger that he hadn't been too cold with Maddie when his brothers bought her home, he remembered sensing the chill in his own voice when he spoke to her and was sure she had sensed it as well. He knew that being angry at her was unwarranted and his emotions around her soon shifted to concern. If what Maddie said about her slayer healing abilities were true, she would be healed in a couple days, if that. But he was finding it hard to believe that she wouldn't suffer any permanent damage to her hands.
As he paced, Tommy focussed his anger towards himself. Arthur had said over the phone that Maddie had been forced to kill the man who caused her injury, even if it was in the panic of the moment and wasn't intentional. He clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides as he remembered telling her that she wouldn't have to kill for them. Fuck! Tommy had to breathe deeply with his eyes closed to calm himself. Why am I mad about this? I have people kill for me all the time, he thought to himself. But he couldn't help feeling responsible for what happened. He knew Maddie must be upset about killing a human, she had said many times that being a slayer meant being the authority amongst demons and monsters, but humans weren't her jurisdiction. But what did he expect bringing her into the world of the Peaky Blinders? If he'd wanted to avoid something like this from happening, he should have taken Maddie to London the day he met her and spared her the moral storm he'd put her in. But still he couldn't bring himself to regret bringing her on board. Not even after having her hands shredded almost beyond repair and putting her in a situation where she had to kill for self-defence. On the positive side, the business with the Italians was over and all-in-all had been resolved as well as it could have considering the circumstances.
Tommy brushed of his anger and instead became suspicious of Maddie. The fact that she had tried to play down and hide her injuries made him wonder whether she was hiding other more serious ones. His stomach tightened at the thought that she could be concealing a bullet wound or more likely a stab wound. He hadn't noticed any other obvious blood stains or holes in her clothing when he scanned her body as she got out of the car earlier that evening. He tried to tell himself that he was being paranoid but couldn't push it from his mind.
This led Tommy to return to his room with the intention to go into the bathroom and make sure Maddie wasn't hiding anything. When he got there she was still in the bathroom as he could hear water sloshing around on the other side of the door. He grasped the door handle, ready to open it but hesitated, suddenly recalling their kiss earlier. Tommy wanted to say his only motivation for barging in on Maddie as she sat in the bath was to get reassurance of her well-being, but he admitted that he also just wanted to touch her. He had been tempted to earlier but his concern for her hands and the pain she was in had stopped him from taking their kiss further, even if he did use the kiss as an opportunity to get his own back for the last one. He hadn't taken advantage of her position then, so he shouldn't now. So instead of barging in, Tommy sat on his bed and decided to wait for Maddie to emerge, despite changing his mind back and forth several times as he sat.
Fifteen minutes passed before he finally heard movement from inside the bathroom. He remained seated on the bed, drawing slowly on his umpteenth cigarette of the night as he awaited the door to open. After another minute the bathroom door opened, and Maddie stepped out barefoot and wrapped in a towel. Tommy swallowed but remained still as he looked over at her, her hair was wet and shone as it stuck to her neck and shoulders and her fair skin was slightly pink and shiny from the heat of the water. He felt a sudden urge to go over to Maddie, he wanted to feel her wet skin with his hands, not just to inspect her for injuries but to find out how soft her skin was.
Tommy sucked in a deep breath as Maddie shut the bathroom door behind her, clutching her ruined suit in a bundle in her other arm. She looked up quickly at him, hearing his intake of breath which was loud in the quiet of the room. She quirked an eyebrow at him and chuckled as she took him in, sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, looking at her.
'Have you been sat there the whole time?' she asked, smirking as she took a couple of steps towards Tommy and into the light. He straightened up but said nothing, taking the opportunity to appraise her in the light, not yet noticing anything untoward. The bandages on her hands were surprisingly dry considering she'd spent the best part of an hour in the bath. More encouragingly there was no sign of bleeding from her wounds underneath. He finally stood from his sitting position, turning to face her with his hands in his pockets.
'I was drinking in my office,' he eventually replied. There was a couple of feet between them, but Tommy could feel the inviting heat from Maddie's body making him want to close the last remaining space and feel that heat against him.
'So, what changed?' she questioned.
'I was concerned that it wasn't just your hands that were hurt.' Tommy cleared his throat as he put out his cigarette in the ashtray on the bedside table. 'And I wanted to know that you're not trying to hide another injury.'
Maddie was evidently taken aback by Tommy's honesty and forwardness. She blinked and gave a huff of disbelief before shaking her head at him.
'Seriously?' she said rhetorically.
Tommy could tell she was annoyed, no doubt she was offended by his sudden uncharacteristic lack of trust in her and his belief that she would have come out of a simple bar fight with more than one serious injury. He found he wasn't sure how to respond in a way that would show her that his concerns were because he cared for her wellbeing. That he cared for her more than he had yet to let himself believe. He met her eyes and attempted to convey soft concern rather than suspicion as she looked back at him, her eyes actively surveying his face for answers. After several seconds of silent gazing Maddie must have found her answer in Tommy's eyes as she sighed and closed her eyes momentarily.
'I'm fine Tommy, honestly,' she said, giving him a genuine smile.
He gave a nod but the suspicious side of him spoke up in his head again and wasn't satisfied unless he saw it with his own eyes.
'I'm not going to give you proof y'know,' teased Maddie, as if reading his mind. 'You're going to have to trust me.' Tommy was surprised at how fast she seemed to have learned how to read him almost as well as Ada and Pol, and he wasn't sure that he was comfortable with her knowing his thoughts. However, he was glad that her usual cockiness had returned and reflected her smile with one of his own.
Another silence fell between them before Maddie blinked and faltered awkwardly before laughing breathily. 'I ought to go to bed. I'm pretty knackered.'
'Alright. Goodnight,' replied Tommy. Maddie smiled again and turned to walk out. Once her back was facing him, he spotted a large black bruise on her right shoulder.
'Wait.'
She stopped and turned inquisitively and somewhat hopefully to him and he noticed the flirtatious grin she had as he approached her.
'Turn around,' he asked as he placed his hands on her shoulders. She turned so Tommy could see the bruise more clearly. It spanned the entirety of the right side of her back and he could see the outline of a boot mottled into her previously pearly skin. He lightly ran his fingertips over the bruise, and he felt her shiver slightly with the contact.
'What is it?'
Did she not know she had the bruise? Tommy had to remind himself that Maddie must spend more time with bruises than without so that she probably hardly noticed when new ones appeared. He remembered the bruise she had on her face several days ago and how it had disappeared the next day. He felt himself relax at the memory and could see that this new bruise was already beginning to yellow at the edges.
'There's a bruise on your back.'
Maddie's shoulders relaxed and even though Tommy couldn't see her face he was certain she was rolling her eyes.
'It must have been when that bloke kicked me over,' she said followed by a slight pause. 'No big deal.'
Maddie's head ducked down to look at the floor as she said this, and Tommy realised that she must have been remembering what she did to the man whose boot was imprinted onto her back. She started to walk away from him to leave, her shoulders leaving his hands. He played with the words he wanted to say on his tongue, two sides of him fighting to speak or stay silent but the better man in him managed to win.
'Hey,' he said, stepping forward and reaching out to Maddie to stop her again. He grasped her shoulders and spun her to face him. She looked down avoiding his gaze; Tommy could feel a sense of shame and regret emanating from her. He knew how she felt, there were many things in his life that he regretted but the only difference was he didn't allow shame to enter his mind. And he didn't want her to feel that way either. He put a finger under her chin to lift her eyes to meet his and he said something he rarely said to anyone.
'I'm sorry, Maddie.' Maddie's brow creased in confusion and Tommy brought his hands up to cup her face and caress her cheeks tenderly with his thumbs. 'I'm sorry you had to kill a man tonight. I know I said you wouldn't have to.'
Her eyes closed and she breathed deeply as he watched her closely. Her eyelids twitched as she battled back tears before she huffed and opened her eyes again.
'I didn't have to kill him. I panicked and forgot I was fighting regular men. Now I have a human life on my head.' Tommy let Maddie speak and realised this was the deepest moment they'd shared together since they met. He felt the stabbing sensation of guilt in his gut, it was easy for him to forget the impact of taking a life had on people when he had taken countless lives himself. He didn't want her to be tainted by his world, but it seemed it was already too late. If he hadn't involved her in Italian business this wouldn't have happened. But hindsight is a beautiful thing, admitted Tommy bitterly.
'You don't have to get involved in any more of that business. The boxing match is in a few days. We'll go to London; you can find your way home and forget about us, about everything, eh?'
Maddie met his eyes as he said this, and he immediately saw the hurt in her face. Did she not want to leave? He knew that she had fit in well with his family and was enjoying her time here but at the same time he was sure she was keen to return home to her friends. He swallowed and tensed his jaw, the idea of her staying no longer an impossibility.
'What? What is it?' questioned Tommy, hoping Maddie would reaffirm his hopes.
'I… I just… I guess I've just got used to living here, and you've all made me feel so welcome that I'm really going to miss this place when I leave,' said Maddie, almost in a whisper. Her control had evidently reached its end as a tear spilled out and ran down her cheek. Tommy brushed it away with his thumb as he shook his head in an attempt to stop her tears. 'I suppose part of me wants to stay,' she smiled ruefully and gave a weak laugh, blinking away her tears as she blushed, embarrassed by her sudden display of weakness. Tommy's heart almost leapt at the thought that she might consider staying.
'And the other part?' he probed.
'The slayer half of me is screaming at me to go home. Constantly. This era already has its slayer, but my home doesn't. And god knows having more than one slayer in the mix never ends well,' she huffed and rolled her eyes. Tommy hadn't realised how strong a slayer's sense of responsibility was, enough to pull at her incessantly until she was where she needed to be, he figured. He was now learning that slayers were like two people, two lives smashed into one who's desires rarely ever coincided. It must be an agonising thing to live with all the time.
'So, what is keeping the Maddie side of you here?'. Tommy needed to know the real reason why part of Maddie wanted to stay. He hoped it would be for the same reason that he wanted her to stay, but he needed to hear it from her own mouth. She paused as she considered his question, biting her lip as the mischievous smile creeped back onto her face, her tears now ebbing.
Instead of an answer, Maddie lifted her bandaged hands up behind Tommy's head, dropping the clothes she was still holding at their feet. She pulled his head down and brought her lips to his. He didn't let this kiss take him by surprise, he kept his hands on her face as they began to move their lips against each other. He knew he would never get tired of her lips, soft and plump against his own. She stopped kissing him briefly, taking a breath before speaking.
'Does that answer your question?'
Tommy didn't even bother to answer, he reconnected his lips to hers eagerly, moving his lips with more force than before. As the kiss intensified, he moved his hands down to hold Maddie's waist, her breath feeling hot against his lips as their mouths broke apart momentarily a few times for air. He teased her bottom lip with his tongue and nipped at it gently and she responded by opening her mouth to allow him inside. Her mouth felt hot and intoxicating, he thought that he never wanted to let go of her as he gripped her waist harder, pulling her flush against him as she pulled equally as hard on his shoulders with her hands.
Maddie's hands. He pulled away suddenly and was met by her confused face. He took her hands in his gently and indicated down to them, 'Not with your hands like this.'
She rolled her eyes, her frustration evident. Tommy was pleased to see though that her cheeks were flushed, the pink colour stretching down to her chest above her towel, where his gaze lingered.
'You're cruel, but fine,' said Maddie, who took her turn in lifting Tommy's head up by his chin to look her in the eyes. 'But that means you don't get to look.' She grinned widely before gathering her towel more tightly around herself and picking up her clothes again as Tommy smiled, glad to see her usual humorous demeanour returning.
'Night,' Maddie smiled. 'Thanks for patching me up and letting me use your bath.'
'You're welcome,' Tommy replied, putting his hands in his pockets in his usual stance, mostly to discourage himself from changing his mind and pulling her back to him.
And with that Maddie turned away and left the room, leaving Tommy alone with his mind spinning. He was the reason she wanted to stay. God knows how someone as good and as just as her would feel something for someone like him, but he was more than happy that she did nonetheless. Hope, a feeling the Tommy had not felt in a long time blossomed inside his chest. There was a possibility that she might choose to stay. However, his brain, the logical emotionless part of it, fought back and warned him not to dwell on hope. It usually led to pain.
Tommy's schedule over the next few days that would lead up to the boxing match were filled with endless business meetings, lunches and conferences; so as usual, he was awake the next day as the sun began to rise. He got ready in a hurry as he wanted to check on Maddie before he left; to check her hands were healing but also just to see her after the previous evening left him unfulfilled and with a desperate need to see her face again. This was something he hadn't felt for anyone since Grace, but instead of shunning these emotions as he had done before because they had usually caused him pain, he accepted them now that Maddie had made it clear she had feelings for him.
He knocked on Maddie's bedroom door. He knew it was likely very early for her and was expecting for her to open it half-asleep and grouchy; but unexpectedly there was no answer or sign of life at all and he began to feel worry niggle at the pit of his stomach. He knocked again, louder this time.
'Maddie?' he called as he knocked.
Still nothing. Paranoia got the better of him and Tommy cautiously opened the door. He stood in the doorway as he looked in to see that Maddie wasn't there. In fact, her bed was already made, and the curtains were open. Did she go out to the cemetery again? He hoped this wasn't the case as he wasn't sure he could contain his anger at her if she had.
'Mr Shelby?'
Tommy turned to look down the corridor in the direction of the voice to see Frances approaching him. Before he could ask anything, Frances spoke again.
'If you're looking for Maddie sir, she's in the dining room. She said she'd wait for you to join her before eating breakfast.'
Tommy looked back into Maddie's room then back at Frances, keeping his expression neutral.
'How long has she been awake?' he asked.
'Only a couple of hours, I think. I'm not sure if you're aware Mr Shelby but her hands were wrapped up like a mummy's. I don't know what she's been up to,' replied Frances snidely. Maddie's suspicions it seemed were right in that Frances wasn't keen on her. He made a mental note to speak to Frances about her attitude later.
'Yes, thank you Frances, I am aware.'
Tommy left Frances where she stood and made his way downstairs to the dining room. Maddie was sat in the spot next to his at the head of the table. She was looking down at her hands which were bereft of bandages, prodding and picking at them with a bored look on her face. The bandages sat in a little pile on her lap. As she heard him enter, she looked up and smiled at him.
'Morning!' she chirped.
'Early start,' Tommy stated, as he made his way across the room.
'Couldn't sleep,' said Maddie sheepishly.
Tommy sat in his seat at the head of the table and without saying a word reached over and took Maddie's closest hand in his. What the…? Her wounds were completely closed. In fact, they looked as though they had been healing for at least two weeks. She had also removed the stitches he had put in herself, they were obviously no longer required. Some of the smaller cuts were completely gone also. Unless you had seen the original injury, there would be no way to know the extent of the damage. He let out a noise of disbelief before he could stop himself, narrowly managing to keep his jaw from dropping open. She laughed loudly at his reaction and withdrew her hand back.
'I told you it was no big deal,' she teased. 'But my ravenous hunger right now, is a big deal.'
Right on Maddie's cue, a maid came in and placed breakfast and tea in front of them both. With usual form, her portion was more than double Tommy's. Although he admitted he was a poor comparator with his often non-existent appetite.
'Thank you!' she sang to the maid before immediately tucking into her plate.
They ate together in silence, Tommy only bothering with two mouthfuls of bacon and egg before picking up the newspaper which the maid had also left on the table and sipping at his tea. He made an effort to concentrate on the words on the paper but struggled as he battled with the shock of Maddie's impressive healing abilities. Before she had crashed, literally, into his life, he had thought he'd seen everything that could surprise him, but she had proved him wrong on more than one occasion. She really was an extraordinary woman.
As he scanned his newspaper, not actually taking in any of the words he spotted Maddie out of the corner of his eye staring at his plate. Her plate was picked clean and he lowered his newspaper to look at her inquisitively with his eyebrow raised. He could also feel his lips turning up slightly in a smirk as he already knew what she was going to ask.
'You going to finish that?' she asked shyly. Tommy shook his head and turned back to his paper to start one of the articles he'd already read twice but hadn't absorbed. She took his plate and proceeded to finish his breakfast for him.
'Do you need me to come along today? I could do one last class for the men?' asked Maddie hopefully. Tommy knew she had been bored stuck at Arrow House; however, he wasn't keen on having her around the office. There were certain facets of the business he didn't want her to know too much about. As for the fighting lessons, the men she had been teaching had all been assigned their jobs since her lessons had been so successful. The threat from the Odd fellows on Charlie's life came to the forefront of his mind. He had already asked her to watch over his son, and another idea came to his mind to keep Maddie occupied and make Charlie a little safer.
Tommy had been surprised to see Maddie engaging with his son after what John and Esme told him. He admitted he initially panicked, the possibility of her being a spy for the Odd Fellows invading his mind. But when he saw his son safe and sound under her care, he realised that he was foolish to distrust her. In reality, having Maddie nearby to Charlie made Tommy feel considerably more at ease.
'No.' He cleared his throat and lit a cigarette, abandoning his newspaper as a lost cause. 'But I do have a job for you.' Maddie gave an interested look, waiting for him to reveal his task. 'You have experience with assassins?'
Maddie stopped chewing on her mouthful of eggs and looked over at Tommy for a moment before eventually swallowing them.
'The demon kind, yeah I suppose so,' she replied cautiously. He nodded, happy with her answer.
'You know about the danger that me and Charlie are in. Well, the men who threatened him are called the Odd Fellows, or Section D amongst other names. I have been led to believe that they have multiple agents and infinite means to reach anyone at any time. I want you to check the house and the grounds for weak spots, possible ways that an assassin or kidnapper could get into the house.' Tommy finished his explanation and looked at Maddie for a response. She swallowed the last mouthful of food that was on the plate and leant back in her chair.
'You're really scared of these people, aren't you?' she asked, looking him in the eyes. He met her gaze unblinkingly. She may be more perceptive than Ada and Polly at this rate, he thought to himself.
'Will you do that for me?' he enquired, ignoring her question. She bit her lip and sighed before nodding.
'Of course.'
Tommy checked his watch, not offering any words of thanks before standing. Maddie followed and he went to stand before her. He brought his hand up to stroke her cheek lightly, before planting a small, swift kiss to her lips. He broke away from her and headed to the front door where Frances was waiting with his hat and coat.
'Why can't we be at the match Tom?' asked Finn pleadingly, scowling at Tommy.
Tommy sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was getting tired of repeating himself to Finn, and indeed the rest of his family. The family meeting had at first gone quickly and smoothly, he'd debriefed everyone on the previous night's events and covered other minor matters of business without debate. However, when Tommy had reached the final topic of the boxing match that was to take place in a couple of days, he had received nothing but resistance about his decision that only he and Maddie would be travelling to London that weekend. Finn had wanted to watch her fight as well as say goodbye; Arthur and John mostly wanted to be there to see her off. The women had been the only ones who were in agreement with the plan. Although Polly had mentioned to Tommy before the meeting that she wanted to have her own time to say goodbye to Maddie before they left.
Tommy simply glared at his kid brother, not wanting to spare the breath to repeat himself again. Finn attempted to meet his glare stubbornly but quickly looked away and slouched back in his chair in a sulk. John and Arthur sniggered, they had given up on trying to convince Tommy to allow them to come to London almost straight away, but Finn had irritatingly persisted. He had also noticed Isiah watching the two of them argue with hope in his face, no doubt hoping that if Finn could go, he would be allowed to go as well. He knew Finn and Isiah had been particularly keen on Maddie during her stay, which was no doubt the real reason why they wanted to tag along. Tommy's lingering jealousy of them both was what had motivated him to make the decision that he would go to London with Maddie alone. He knew it was selfish, and most definitely possessive, but he wasn't planning on admitting it to her or his family anytime soon.
'All of you back to work,' ordered Tommy as he looked over everyone in the room, satisfied that Finn's subordination had been quashed. Everyone got up to leave the office; all except Polly who remained in her seat scrutinising him with pursed lips. He locked eyes with her as they waited for everyone to leave, pulling out his cigarette case and matches in preparation for whatever lecture he was about to receive.
'You didn't listen to me, did you?'
Tommy exhaled a long breath through his nose. He knew Pol was referring to their conversation last week about him and Maddie. No, he hadn't listened to her. He couldn't deny it. He was falling for Maddie. That was the truth that he was refusing to acknowledge in his heart of hearts. His aunt had already figured him out; she had no doubt been more aware of his emotions than he had over the past two weeks. God, he hated when she was proved right about matters of his personal life. He remained silent however and lit his cigarette, sitting down at the table. She shook her head slowly and tutted, a look of disdain mixed with a touch of pity painted her features.
'Oh, Thomas,' she sighed. 'Why is it always love that seems to get the better of you?'
Tommy had asked himself the same question before and had concluded he will never know the answer.
'Do yourself a favour Tommy, don't make it any worse for either of you.'
Polly stubbed her cigarette in the ashtray before getting up and leaving without another word, finally leaving Tommy alone to his thoughts. He considered her advice. She was right, no doubt about it, but he knew he wasn't going to give up on Maddie. Not after the previous night had planted the idea of a small possibility that she might stay. So, he pushed his aunt's words from his mind, it wouldn't have been the first time and would undoubtedly not be the last.
Tommy spent the rest of his day rushing from meeting to meeting, stopping only to down a swig of whiskey and to bark orders at people in-between. The day soon drew on and the sky began to darken before he had even reached his last appointment of the day; and he still had a pile of paperwork to address back at the office. The possibility of an all-night stay at the office was fast becoming a certainty. His mood soured markedly as this reality dawned on him. He had wanted to go home and see Maddie, spend as much time with her as possible before the trip to London. Maybe even take her out riding if there was enough daylight left. He could hear himself snapping rudely at people in the office who asked him anything from the mundane to the important. He even snapped at Lizzie, who glared at him so intensely as he marched into his office that he could practically feel daggers stabbing the back of his head. He ordered her to go home for the night as he slammed his office door shut. He slumped into his chair at his desk after removing his outer layers and pouring himself a more generous glass of whiskey. He rubbed his temples firmly, massaging the tension and ire out of himself, finally accepting his fate of a cigarette dinner and no sleep. After willing his muscles to relax, Tommy picked up the phone and requested to be put through to Arrow House. The phone rang three times before Frances answered the phone.
'Frances? I won't be returning tonight.' He nodded as Frances gave her understanding. 'Can you put Maddie on the phone please?' he asked evenly, rubbing his eyes as he felt the exhaustion of the day begin to catch up with him. There was a short silence on the other end of the phone before she answered.
'Very well Mr Shelby, just one moment.'
Tommy held the line for what felt like several minutes, he guessed Maddie must have be out exploring the grounds. He smirked at the thought of Frances needing to trudge outside in the mud to find her. He poured himself another glass of whiskey as he waited patiently. Eventually, he heard the crackle of the receiver being picked up.
'Hello?' came Maddie's voice.
'Maddie, it's Tommy,' he replied.
'Hey. Can you hear me ok? I've never used a phone like this before. Why is the mouth bit and ear bit separate?... Weird.'
Tommy allowed himself to smile at Maddie's words with no one around to see him. Her fascination with rudimentary objects never failed to amuse him. Also just hearing her voice was enough to erase his foul mood, the jovial cadence of her speech was enjoyably infectious.
'Are telephones not like this in 2020?' he asked. Did he seriously just ask that? It was like the ghost of a childish teenage boy had possessed him.
'No,' Maddie laughed, the sound like musical chimes. 'We even have ones small enough for everyone to carry one in their pocket.'
Tommy tried to imagine it but couldn't get his head around how one would connect to the phone line without wires. Did they carry the wires in their pockets too? He decided it best not to try and understand it and began to dive into why he had called her in the first place.
'I'm not returning home tonight Maddie, I'm going to be working through the night,' he said before downing the second glass of whiskey.
'I know, Frances told me,' she confirmed. Tommy listened for any sound of disappointment or hurt in her voice but didn't hear any.
'Did you manage to do what I asked? Any recommendations for me?' he probed.
'Yeah, you could say that…' she scoffed.
Maddie proceeded to launch into her surprisingly detailed inspection of the house and grounds. Listing a worryingly large number of weaknesses, although some Tommy wrote off as only really being a problem if supernatural beings were planning on invading the house. She then went on to describe how she would personally reinforce the place, all of her recommendations sounding more than achievable. However, Maddie stressed that none of these improvements would be fool proof. She then went on a tangent of how the only way to completely secure Arrow House would be to build a fifteen-foot wall around the whole place. She used words that were completely foreign to Tommy, including'lasers'and something called'see see tee vee'. At this point he stopped her in her tracks, although he struggled to keep the amusement from his voice.
'Yes, yes. Thank you, Maddie. That's all very good,' he said, feeling his smile widen as he heard Maddie falter at the other side of the phone. He imagined her embarrassed blush and quickly swallowed to push away more sinful images.
'Sorry,' she chuckled awkwardly. 'It's a shame you're not coming back this evening. Your brothers, Johnny and Isiah are all here and we're having a great time.'
Tommy felt his mood plummet back to zero instantaneously. Of course, his brothers had taken the opportunity to see her before she left. He felt suddenly jealous and considered abandoning his paperwork to go home before they got her drunk again, or Finn and Isiah could spend too much time with her. But he quickly dismissed it, he remembered what Maddie had told him, the kisses they had shared and decided that being threatened by two kids was completely ridiculous. Not to mention the paperwork he needed to finish was crucial for the new business deals he was drawing up with the people in America.
'Well I'm glad to hear it,' said Tommy, trying to sound impassive. 'Just don't let Johnny draw you into any betting games alright?'
'Oh, don't worry, I've got them all under control,' said Maddie smugly. Just as she finished her sentence, there was a sound of an almighty crash followed by a roar of cheering and laughter in the background.
'Er… well at least I did,' she stammered which was followed by another round of ruckus. 'Hey! Shut the fuck up guys I'm on the phone!' came Maddie's distant shout as she turned her mouth away from the receiver.
'Goodnight, Maddie,' said Tommy once the background noise finally died down.
'Oh, er… Goodnight Tommy. Don't work too hard.'
He hung up the phone and hung his head down as he leant on his knees, allowing himself a few minutes to resent his obsession with work before ploughing into his mountainous to-do list. He worked bent over his desk for several hours; the clock reading past midnight when Tommy finally had chance to look up at it. He continued for another hour before finally finishing the last report and filing it in it's place neatly. He opened his cigarette case to find it empty, the remnants of its previous inhabitants piled in his ashtray. Finishing his current glass of whiskey and making his way to the dresser on the other side of the room where his cigarette stores were kept, he allowed his brain to come down from the stress of the day. He weighed up whether or not to drive home but decided he'd had too much whiskey, the tell-tale claws of sleep scratching at his eyelids. He glancedover at the leather sofa on the other side of his office and sighed. He smoked one last cigarette before grabbing his coat from the rack, switching off the lights in the room and settling on the sofa underneath his woollen coat. He shut his eyes and thought about Maddie's beautiful face as he let sleep pull him into unconsciousness.
The following day played out much like the last. Endless meetings and phone calls kept Tommy busy until one in the afternoon. He however didn't stop thinking about Maddie and how this would be her last full day at Arrow House; he found himself talking and writing faster than usual to ensure he could get home early that afternoon. He had told her he would make time to take her riding, and he wasn't planning on going back on his word. He overheard a conversation between his brothers as he got ready to leave the office and was relieved to hear that Maddie hadn't gotten too drunk that night. They were planning on having another joyous night in order to give Maddie a proper Shelby family send off.
'That's not a bad idea,' said Tommy, interrupting their conversation. His brothers gave him a surprised look, it wasn't very often that he showed interest in social events. Tommy turned to Lizzie who was sat at her desk watching them, looking happy at the thought of Maddie finally leaving them. 'Lizzie, invite everyone to the house tonight for Maddie's farewell party, yourself included.'
Lizzie nodded but followed with a sarcastic smile at the instruction. Tommy listed off a few other orders to the others before declaring he was going home and quickly marched out of the door.
The drive home felt like the longest it had ever been, the winding country lanes of Warwickshire going on forever. Tommy's heart sang when he finally laid eyes on the house. As he pulled up towards the front door, he scanned the immediate area for Maddie but didn't spot her. He went inside and handed his briefcase to Frances who was waiting for him.
'Where's Maddie?' he asked before Frances had a chance to speak.
'She's somewhere in the grounds sir, perhaps by the river. That girl often comes back with half the river in her boots and clothes.'
There was that bitterness in Frances' voice again. Tommy stared down at her unblinkingly.
'In future Frances, ensure you don't have indignant tone in your voice when referring to Maddie,' he ordered, including a subtle undertone of threat. It was enough to make Frances' eyes widen with freight and a red hue spread up her neck. Tommy turned abruptly from her and went back out of the door and made his way to the stables.
He decided to look for Maddie on horseback so when he found her, he could surprise her with a riding lesson. Eric, the stable hand, assisted him in readying the grey mare that she had been admiring the evening he had found her in the stable. The mare was fairly docile and would be an ideal horse for a first timer like Maddie. Once saddled up, Tommy mounted the horse and set off out of the stable at a canter but took her up to a gallop as he made it to the fields that were between the house and the river. The day was proving to be uncharacteristically warm for the end of March, with the sun peeking through sparse clouds and a warm spring breeze caressing his skin. He even had to remove his gloves and coat, storing them behind the saddle, as he could feel himself starting to sweat under his numerous layers.
Tommy rode for a couple of miles through the fields, following the path of the river upstream once he met it, scanning the horizon for signs of Maddie. He was beginning to suspect that he had missed her, and she had made her way back to the house when he finally spotted a figure in the distance. They were crouched down and bent over forwards on the ground by the edge of the river. He kicked the horse into speed and galloped towards the person. As he got closer, he was relieved to see it was Maddie; as she heard him approaching, she looked up and squinted in his direction before waving as she realised who it was.
'Hey!' she said as he guided the horse closer to her.
Now that he was within a few feet of her he noticed that she was knelt so close to the river that her knees were actually submerged in it. The jodhpurs she was wearing were stained darker with the moisture from the river up to her mid-thigh. The rest of her clothing was also wet and muddy in sporadic patches. Tommy now found he empathised a little more with Frances if this was the state Maddie often returned to the house in. Tommy dismounted the horse and went to crouch next to her, wondering what could be so interesting that she had to kneel in muddy water.
'Look,' Maddie said pointing to a small rock near the river's edge. On the rock were several baby frogs, some hopping around and a couple diving into the water. Tommy then spotted the frogspawn that surrounded the rock where the baby frogs were hatching from. 'Cool, eh?'
'I suppose it is cold in the water,' he muttered.
Maddie snorted and laughed, covering her mouth to stifle herself as Tommy looked at her inquisitively. Did he miss some kind of joke? After throwing her a disgruntled look at her behaviour she smirked at him before explaining herself.
'In the future 'cool' can mean amazing or good as well as something that's cold,' she explained.
Tommy was sure he would never understand the modern way of using words, why did they have to use descriptions of temperature to describe characteristics other than just that? He stood back up and prompted her to do the same, turning back to the horse that was now grazing happily behind them.
'Ready for your riding lesson?'
Maddie gasped. 'So you did find the time!' she giggled before skipping over to the horse to pet it.
'I told you I would,' replied Tommy as he followed her. He watched as she stroked the horse's mane and neck and whispered to it softly. The horse responded by nudging its nose towards her face, a good sign that the horse was comfortable with her.
'What's her name?' asked Maddie.
'She doesn't have one.'
'You have a horse with no name?' She looked at him in disbelief.
'Not just one,' he replied with a shrug.
'Well I think I'll name her.' Maddie bit her lip and looked up as if searching for the answer in the sky, which of course she did. 'Luna, because she shines in the moonlight.'
Tommy huffed his usually non-committal laugh but admitted it suited the mare well.
'Well, I think we'd better stop petting Luna, and start riding her,' he said with a smirk.
Maddie nodded and smiled. She looked at Luna as if the knowledge of what to do would come to her, she quickly faltered and looked back at Tommy expectantly. He chuckled and instructed her to mount Luna. He offered her his hand to step up on, but she waved him off. She hooked her right leg into the stirrup before grasping the front of the saddle. She stepped up and swung her leg over to sit on the saddle with grace and ease as Tommy held onto the reins to prevent Luna from jittering. Maddie made herself comfortable on the saddle, shifting her weight around and nodded to him when she was satisfied. He then began to lead Luna around in a circle to allow Maddie to get used to sitting on horseback.
'Feel her movements. Get your balance on the saddle,' instructed Tommy. He watched Maddie as she experimented with her posture and centre of gravity before quickly adapting to Luna's rhythm. She sat up straight and had automatically started to look ahead and adapt to small changes in Luna's speed without prompt. So far so good, thought Tommy.
Maddie looked down at him after a couple of laps, an inpatient but hopeful look in her eyes. She was evidently itching to take the reins. Tommy bought Luna to a halt before passing the reigns up to her, who took them before asking how she should hold them.
'Like this,' said Tommy, reaching up and placing his hands over Maddie's, moving them into the correct position. 'Firm grip.' He felt her strong hands squeeze more tightly around the leather before he withdrew his own.
Tommy had Maddie start walking Luna around in a wide figure of eight, telling her how to verbally and physically signal for Luna to start, stop and turn. She got the hang of it quickly; it was hardly a surprise to him. Her ability to pick up new skills was remarkable, just like everything else about her.
'I think you're ready to speed things up,' said Tommy. Maddie smiled excitedly as she awaited the next instruction.
Tommy demonstrated how to tell Luna to speed up to a canter. She mimicked him and took Luna up into an easy canter as she proceeded to go around in the figure of eight circling him. He smiled as he observed Maddie keep her posture and control her weight as she bounced up and down on the saddle. She was a natural, one of those rare people who took to riding like a fish did to water. She reminded Tommy of himself when he was boy, filled with joy with being on the back of a horse and nothing but the countryside surrounding him. Then without being told to do so, Maddie nudged Luna's side again to make her begin to gallop. They took off at a swift speed, no longer bothering with their looping circuit. Maddie rode Luna a hundred yards in a straight line before slowing her down to a walk to turn around and gallop back to where Tommy was stood. She pulled sharply on the reins and Luna came to a sharp holt next to him. Maddie smiled widely at him as he kept his hands in his pockets and attempted to look unimpressed.
'Very good,' he said. She rolled her eyes at him before leaning forwards to run her fingers through Luna's mane. Tommy decided there wasn't much more he could teach Maddie without taking her to the paddock. 'Come on,' he said, reaching up for Maddie to take his hand as she dismounted.
They walked with Luna along the river a distance before sitting together by the river, letting Luna drink and graze a few feet away. Tommy realised that this would likely be the last opportunity for him to talk with Maddie one on one before tomorrow. He had neglected to ask her many questions about the future and what was going to be in store for them over the coming years. Which he was now itching to ask. She indulged him in his questions, introducing more new words like 'internet', 'computers' and 'television' and explaining them all to him. What Maddie was saying sounded more like a novel to Tommy, like The War of the Worlds, barely seeming real or even possible. But he listened and questioned intently, enjoying every moment of listening to her enthusiastic voice tell her stories. However, when Tommy asked about what was to come in the immediate future, Maddie shifted in her seat, her demeanour changing instantly.
'What is it?' he asked, furrowing his brow.
A flash of what he could have sworn was panic flitted across her features before she moulded them into a poor attempt at nonchalance. She shook her head nervously.
'Oh, it's nothing.'
Tommy continued to scrutinise her, and for the first time Maddie seemed to wither under his glare. He didn't want to cause her discomfort, but her reaction had caught his undivided attention. After a few seconds silence she attempted to change the subject, asking him about the plan for the following day. He cleared his throat as he considered pressing her about her odd behaviour but on careful thought concluded that what she was hiding was likely something that he really shouldn't know, for the sake of not changing the future. So, much to her relief, Tommy indulged her request and outlined the schedule for the following day, which reminded him about the party that was planned. He pulled out his watch before telling her that they ought to make their way back. They approached Luna and Maddie mounted first before Tommy hoisted himself up to sit on the saddle behind her.
As they found their positions on the saddle, Maddie's back pressed up against Tommy's chest as she settled in between his legs. Her head was close to his face and he could smell the scent of the soap she'd used in her hair. She had braided her hair into a loose plait that hung over one shoulder and the shirt she was wearing had a wide collar that exposed the soft skin of the back of her neck and shoulders. Tommy had to take a deep breath as he got used to their closeness, bringing himself back to the moment. He went to reach around her to take the reins, but she kept her grip on them.
'Can I?' she asked. Tommy swallowed; he'd hoped to take control so he could concentrate on something that wasn't Maddie's body against his.
'Alright,' he said, moving his hands down to hold onto her waist. He felt the muscles of her torso tense at his touch.
Maddie called for Luna to walk and they began their journey back at a leisurely pace. Tommy tried his best to focus on the path ahead but found his gaze drawn back to her neck as they rode. He was close enough to see the light dusting of freckles that decorated her shoulder. He brought his hands closer together over her stomach instinctively, bringing her closer still. If he were to lean down slightly, he could bring his lips to kiss the skin of her neck. He felt his head begin to drop to do just that when Luna suddenly jumped at a rabbit that darted out in front of them.
Tommy had been so impressed by Maddie's riding skills that he'd neglected to show her how to calm a horse and stop it from rearing and throwing her off. He quickly reached forward and grabbed the reins as he squeezed his knees into Luna's flanks as the horse whinnied in freight and began to shift her weight onto her hind legs.
'Whoa!' Tommy called.
Luna snorted loudly, shaking her head around as she stomped her feet in protest. As Tommy pulled on Luna's reins, Maddie leant forward slightly and stroked Luna's neck as she shushed the horse calmly. Luna soon settled and became still, Tommy sighing with relief that the mare hadn't thrown them off. Maddie continued to lean forward as she caressed Luna's mane, causing her ass to push back into his crotch. He breathed in deeply as his gaze travelled down her back to her backside. The back of her shirt had ridden up to expose the skin of her lower back and his gaze became fixed on the small area of exposed skin. His hands had sat snugly over the bones of her hips as she had leant forward, still holding onto the reins. Tommy released his grip on the leather straps and moved his hands back slightly so he could grasp the soft flesh of hips hips and caress the exposed skin of her back with his thumbs. Maddie stopped her movements and Tommy heard her take a shuddering breath as he began to move his hands further up her waist under her shirt.
She straightened up to lean back into him, his hands coming around to her toned stomach as she turned her head up and to the side as he turned his head to face hers. Their faces were now only an inch apart and Tommy met Maddie's blue eyes with his own before casting his eyes down to her lips that were parted slightly. He could hear her breath quickening as they lingered there for a few seconds. She lifted one hand to touch the back of his head and covered one of his hands that was under her shirt with the other. She began to gently stroke his head with her fingernails, now making his breath shudder. He couldn't restrain himself any longer. Tommy pressed his lips firmly to Maddie's hungrily. They kissed in a way they hadn't previously. He didn't take the time to caress his lips with hers gently as they had done before. Instead he forced her mouth open in an instant so he could run his tongue along her lips and the inside of her cheek. She bit his top lip harshly but not to enough to cause pain and he responded by biting hers just as hard.
Tommy could feel his blood racing through his body, and before too long his cock began to harden and press into Maddie's back. She noticed almost immediately as she quickly pushed her ass back into it, eliciting low moans from them both. Tommy, now bolstered by the sounds of Maddie's heady moans, pulled her pelvis even closer to his as he moved his other hand up until he felt the silk hem of her brazier. They continued the assault on each other's mouths as he simultaneously dug his fingers into the flesh around her hip bone and inched his other hand further upwards. Tommy reached the supple, warm, silk covered flesh of Maddie's plump breast and squeezed gently. She made a noise somewhere between a gasp and a moan, breaking their lips apart momentarily. He opened his eyes to look at her face; her eyes were still closed, her eyelids fluttering blissfully. She pulled him back into the kiss and they continued to embrace sat on horseback. He continued to massage her breast as he moved his other hand along her lower stomach, running his fingers along the top of her jodhpurs, teasing the skin with his fingertips. Her breath hitched completely, and she pushed her weight back even harder into him. He smiled into her lips, unable to get enough of her mouth, her body, her everything.
Then, it stopped.
A sharp and cold gust of wind hit them, making Luna whinny. Tommy and Maddie broke apart and came crashing harshly back to reality. Maddie picked up the reins that had been left forgotten in front of her to calm Luna. Tommy realised he still had his hand on Maddie's breast and reluctantly withdrew it, his hand feeling uncomfortably bare without the warmth. They were both panting, his chest heaving into her back as he put his hands back on her waist above her shirt.
'Let's get back eh?' he declared as he cleared his throat.
'Come on Tommy! Give us the raunchy details!' guffawed John, punching Tommy in the upper arm playfully as Arthur and the other men sniggered amongst themselves.
Tommy grabbed John by his collar, yanking his brother towards him violently and staring him in the eye. He'd finally lost his temper with John and the others, their relentless teasing aggravating him to the core.
'I said to fucking leave it, John.'
The reason for their behaviour was admittedly a result of Tommy's lack of time keeping. When he and Maddie got back to the stable, the sun had set, surrounding them in cold darkness. They'd handed off Luna to Eric before hastily making their way to the house through one of the back doors. As soon as they were in the hallway, Tommy grabbed Maddie by the arms and pinned her between himself and the wall before kissing her eagerly. The rest of the ride home had been torture for him, his arousal growing relentlessly as their bodies remained pressed together. So, when they got back, Tommy had wasted no time in getting what he wanted, not caring what time it was.
His reluctance to continue their embrace in the hallway lead him to break away and pull her through the house towards the foyer. His destination a bedroom, any bedroom, he didn't care which. They stumbled through the hallway, discarding their jackets on the floor and smiling like love-sick teenagers. They staggered into the foyer area just as Tommy started kissing Maddie's neck, only to be greeted by his entire family gathered there. The two of them had frozen in place, his face dropping as the crowd turned to look at them. John and Arthur's eyebrows raised as they smirked; Finn and Isiah snickered despite looking crestfallen; Johnny was smiling, giving Tommy a thumbs up. The women all made expressions of distaste or lack of surprise, Polly looking particularly unperturbed. Tommy and Maddie took a step apart as he closed his eyes in frustration, the silence lingering awkwardly.
'Er, hi everyone…' mumbled Maddie, looking at her feet in embarrassment.
'Surprise Mads!' shouted Arthur, breaking the silence and throwing his arms out in a friendly gesture. 'It's your leaving party!'
Maddie looked around surprised. 'You guys would do this for me?'. The room nodded their assent as everyone stepped forward to hug her.
'Come on Maddie, let's go and pick you out something nice to wear and freshen you up for the party,' said Polly as she embraced her. Pol took Maddie's hand and lead her away to the stairs. Tommy watched her be led away; she looked back to meet his eyes, smiling ruefully and giving a small defeated shrug.
Since that moment, he had been pestered from every angle. His brothers dying to know the details about what he and Maddie had been up to that afternoon, and he had finally reached the end of his tether.
John pushed Tommy off him but said nothing more, the other men also finally took the hint and changed the subject of conversation. They engaged in idle chatter that bored him no end as they waited for Maddie and Polly to come downstairs so they could get the party started proper. He partly regretted the idea of the party. If he hadn't agreed to it, he and Maddie would be upstairs alone now. He had to focus on Michael's words to push out the images that raided his mind before he drove himself mad.
Tommy had the maid bring him rum for a change, downing a couple of glasses during the wait which rapidly lead to the familiar warm numbness spreading through his veins. He sighed with relief, just in time as Polly and Maddie chose that moment to finally arrive. Polly had managed to do Maddie's hair in the current fashion, the finger waves framing her face and flattering her pretty features. Her makeup was also done, eyeshadow and lipstick that stood out in all the right ways. She'd chosen a blue dress with long sleeves and matching heels, the colour making her fair skin glow in the dim lights of the room. Tommy couldn't tear his eyes away from her, she had a glow that radiated warmth through the room.
The guests erupted with cheers and wolf whistles as Maddie entered, making her blush but smile confidently. Finn approached her and held his hand out which she took; he held her hand above her head and spun her around on the spot to show off her outfit. The room clapped and laughed, Tommy only engaging in the former as he eyed Finn whose gaze raked itself up and down her body.
'I think it's time for more drinks!' shouted Tommy with a clap, interrupting Finn's parade of Maddie.
The maids entered with champagne, beer and a mixture of spirits and began their rounds around the guests. Tommy approached Maddie and Finn as she took a class of champagne from the maid. Tommy glared Finn down on his approach, who had the sense of mind to pick up on his silent order and moved away to find Isiah.
'You really organised a champagne party for me?' asked Maddie, smiling from ear to ear.
'Mm-hm,' hummed Tommy.
'Lucky we got back when we did, we could have easily missed it,' she said quietly so only he could hear. She looked up at him with a flirtatious smile and he couldn't help but smirk at her joke. Still as mischievous and as confident as ever, even after the two of them being caught all over each other by his entire family.
'Where's Ada? Isn't she coming?' enquired Maddie after several seconds of flirtatious eye contact.
'No. But she wants to see you in London before we go to this… Watcher's Council.'
Maddie nodded and smiled, seemingly satisfied just as Esme bounded over to pull her away for a chat with her and the women. Tommy clenched his jaw, reflexively suspicious of what they wanted to talk to her about. Not that he could have done anything to stop it, so he turned away to engage in conversation with Johnny.
The night proceeded with much camaraderie and noise, in typical Shelby fashion. They ate, drank, sang and danced for hours, Tommy watching on with his rum and cigarettes as he usually did. He felt himself getting more and more drunk, gulping hungrily on his drinks as Maddie laughed and enjoyed his family's company like the night she first arrived. They had her perform tricks and shows of strength like they had before, shouting a banging on the tables as she lifted heavy objects above her head. Tommy watched her obsessively, memorising her face, the shine of her hair, the shape of her body and the musical sound of her laugh. He suddenly felt the imminent loom of her departure over his shoulder; he wanted to make sure he formed the best memory of her he could in his mind's eye. The more he tried to ignore the sad feeling of losing Maddie, the more Tommy drank and the drunker he became. His vision began to blur as the time neared one in the morning, barely being able to make out the clock on the mantel piece.
Tommy attempted to stand and found it more difficult than expected, leaning to one side precariously. The fun had begun to die down, everyone sat down nursing their own drinks. Johnny was already fast asleep on the sofa, snoring.
'Right. I think we should call it a night,' called Tommy, only just managing to keep his words steady. He took a step with the plan of rounding up the guests to go to bed but the room immediately began to spin and sway around him causing him to teeter dangerously.
'Whoa there, Tom,' came Arthur's voice followed by his hands on Tommy's arm to hold him steady and he put his hand up to wave Arthur away.
'It's… alright, I'm fine,' slurred Tommy. He pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut to try and make the dizziness go away.
'I'll help him upstairs,' came a hushed whisper to left. Tommy opened his eyes to see Maddie take his other arm and rub it soothingly. Arthur hummed his agreement before turning to the rest of the guests, yelling at them to make themselves scarce.
Everyone made their way out into the foyer, Tommy leaning a considerable amount of his weight on Maddie which she made no sign of struggling with. She leaned in close to his ear to whisper something as everyone chatted loudly around them.
'I could pick you up and carry you up the stairs if you want,' she teased sarcastically.
'No, you fucking wont,' said Tommy under his breath, followed by the two of them laughing together secretly.
Everybody said their goodnights and Maddie guided Tommy up the stairs and to his room. Once inside he stopped her from pulling him along and made her face him. He ducked his head down into the crook of her neck and began to kiss it, although with a lot less finesse than was his usual standard.
'Tommy,' whispered Maddie, pushing him away so she could look at his face. 'You're off your fucking face.' She chuckled sweetly as he felt her fingers trace the bones of his face. Tommy hadn't heard the expression before, but he thought it a very good way of describing his inebriated state. He sighed in defeat, wanting nothing more than to kiss her to quieten her protest but he knew he'd fail if he tried. 'I suppose this is me returning the favour for when you helped me on my first night here,' she said with a smile. Tommy smiled in return before letting Maddie walk him to his bed where he flopped onto it with the grace of an elephant. She pulled his shoes off and covered him with the sheet, still fully clothed, much to his disappointment. She leant down and planted a tender kiss to his lips.
'Goodnight Tommy.'