Crown of a Prince (Finn Shelby)

23.

Ailbhe was summoned to an unofficial family meeting the following evening. Tommy had to meet both Arthur and Ailbhe to get the latest developments and to inform them of what was happening. Ailbhe met them out the back of Charlie's Yard, in the scrap metal area where they sat on old boxes. She sat opposite the men, knowing Tommy wanted their meeting out in the open where no one could be listening and where they knew they were protected.

"That smell" Arthur sighed, inhaling deeply and letting it wash over him "I miss it".

Ailbhe wasn't sure about how good of a smell it was.

"What? The shit house?" Tommy remarked, not believing Arthur could actually miss the smell either.

It was a mixture of smoke and dirty canal water, burning from the factories and fuel from all the machines. It was a putrid smell but it was home.

"Naw" Arthur shook his head "I dunno what it is. Birmingham I suppose. Small Heath that smell..." He sighed.

"That smell brings it back" Tommy finished his brother's sentence, knowing what he meant.

Ailbhe understood. There was something about smells, it could bring you back to a moment or a period of your life. The smell of a certain perfume or a type of food cooking could remind her of her mother and make Ailbhe unable to move for a moment.

"Right" Tommy sighed, slapping his thighs and getting on with why he had gathered them.

"Ailbhe, you were seen spending some time with Bonnie Gold last night as I asked you. What did you find out?"

He asked, pulling out a cigarette and offering one to her. She took it, letting him light the end before she answered his question.

"Bonnie is a good lad. He's trustworthy and loyal. He wants to become a professional boxer and he wants to be taken seriously in this life. I would trust him. Not to mention the obvious financial benefits of having a boxer on our payroll for fights that we could now fix. People bet big money for fights" She told them, telling no word of a lie.

She liked Bonnie, he was a good man and someone the Peaky Blinders should be glad to have in their corner.

Tommy nodded, listening carefully and digesting the new information.

"Its Aberama I'm worried about, he seems to have Bonnie on a leash and if he tugged it then Bonnie seems like he would listen" Tommy responded, voicing his own observations.

Arthur had this concern too. It seemed like Bonnie was under his father's thumb from their first meeting but Ailbhe knew this to be false.

"It's the other way around I would think" Ailbhe interjected "Mr Gold would do anything for his son and that includes listening to him when Bonnie inevitably says he wants to stay here with us"

Ailbhe had seen it in Bonnie's eyes when he realised what perks came with being a Peaky Blinder. He was sick of living underground and out of the spotlight. He wanted people to know him, to recognise him and even fear him a little. He could get that by being a Peaky Blinder.

"Good" Arthur conceded, nodding. But something seemed to be weighing on his mind.

"Also... sister" he cleared his throat awkwardly.

Tommy narrowed his eyes at him, watching his brother try to spit it out. Arthur had always called Ailbhe sister, it was a habit from the way he said it to Ada too. Tommy and John had always called her Ailbhe and Alv. Finn had called her many names and she was glad none of them ever included sister.

"If he tries anything with you... If he pushes his luck or acts in an ungentlemanly like way" He started to say but Ailbhe put her hand out, stopping him.