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Freya Tingley as Penelope Shelby, Aged 17
Penelope Shelby didn't know much about love. She was the unwanted product from a one-night affair between a gangster and a prostitute; not very romantic at all. The Peaky Blinders didn't set the best example either; none of them were married, and often slept with a new woman every night.
Somehow, through the multitude of darkness, Penelope Shelby had managed to grow up with the kindest, most loving heart in the whole of Birmingham. She was like a loyal puppy. No matter how many times she was shouted at or sent away, Penelope would return with the same heartfelt feelings, seemingly unaffected.
Unfortunately, her mother had died during childbirth meaning that Thomas Shelby had reluctantly taken his unplanned daughter in. Every time he looked at the child, those familiar blue eyes would stare into his soul, gently reminding him of the mistake he and Kya Mitchells had made. Tommy had gained a daughter, but Kya had sadly lost her life.
1908
"Daddy is going to love this." Penelope grinned proudly, running through the noisy betting shop and jungle of long legs, clutching a picture to her chest. The enthusiastic girl had spent hours on end perfecting her masterpiece, and she was confident that she had finally got it right.
It was the sixth drawing of the new stallion she had shown her father that month, and every time he had critiqued something unnecessarily. Thomas Shelby despised imperfection, and even his own daughter was subjected to his wrath if something was off; despite it just being a 5-year-old's artwork.
Excitedly, her little legs stopped outside of his office as she tapped on the door rhythmically. Her father's deep voice encouraged her entrance, but when he heard the soft tapping of footsteps, Tommy didn't even look up from his work.
Nonetheless, Penelope was unaffected by his rudeness and gleefully pulled herself onto the chair opposite her father. His ignorance would have been clear to anyone else, but it went straight over the naïve girl's head, "Look daddy!"
Her upbeat voice should have been enough to cheer up anyone's day, but not Tommy's. His ambition and keen attitude to business had drained his body of any compassion and kindness, and Penelope received the worst of it.
When her father failed to look at her brilliant masterpiece, she assumed he hadn't heard her. Gently, Penelope reached across the table to tap Tommy's arm, hoping to grab his much-wanted attention. The man groaned at the unwanted presence, and called for the assistance of is younger brother, "John!"
Seconds later, the familiar outline appeared in the doorway, sending his brother an agitated glance, not that Tommy looked up to notice. John could never understand why Thomas treated his own daughter so poorly, when John would do anything for his kids. However, just like the rest of the family, he had become used to keeping the ray of sunshine out of the devil's way. "Come on Pen, let's go see Ada."
