the princess and the pauper ♕ tommy shelby

chapter eighteen

"My ladyship" Tommy said. "I remember you saying you'd make something of yourself" Lady Grantham said. "I did, my lady. Only recently established a legal betting license and on our way to become an import/export company" Tommy said. "Very well, I see you dress accordingly" she said looking him up and down. "I must admit I had a helper" Tommy said. "My granddaughter has been taught well" she said. "Oh, Mama, you arrived already" Cora said when she saw the Dowager. "Yes, I been conversing with Shelby" Dowager said. "Oh, that's nice, how about we all wait in the drawing room" Cora said, and they went to wait.

Soon everyone else joined and they went for dinner. Ophelia sat across from Tommy who was seated next to Isobel and Richard Carlisle. She sat next to her grandmother and Matthew. "I never got word on what you do, Mr. Shelby" Carlisle said. "Thomas, please" he said, knowing Tommy would be informal especially to those he didn't know too well. "And I own a betting shop in Small Heath, Birmingham" Tommy said. "How interesting, what kind of bets?" Isobel said. "Mostly horse races" Tommy said.

"Well, if I'm ever in Birmingham I know who to go to" Matthew said. "Did you always plan on a betting shop?" Carlisle asked. "No, I wanted to work with horses, like my grandfather, but when the war came, I decided the betting shop was better income" Tommy said. "Why did your grandfather work with horses, was he a black smith or stable holder?" Lord Grantham asked. Ophelia looked at Tommy wondering what he'd say.

She knew it was because his grandfather, specifically this one from his mother's side was Romani and cared for the horses they travelled with and earned money with tricks and fortunes. Ophelia gave him a slight nod, he would have to find out one way or another, it might as well be from Tommy himself.

"My grandfather was a traveller, specifically Irish-Romani, and he held horses" Tommy said. Ophelia looked around and there was some silence and it felt deafening to her. "Do you feel like making bets about horse races is the closest thing you can get with working with horses?" Matthew asked, and Ophelia felt at ease again, and she gave Matthew a grateful smile. "I also help with the maintaining of the horses, make sure they are in the best shape" Tommy said. "Would you do it your whole life?" Carlisle asked. "No, I'm working to expend the company my brothers and I started by expending to export/import" Tommy said.

"What would you sell?" Lord Grantham asked. "Currently we have been looking at engineering parts, motorcycles and my brother Arthur is interested in cars" Tommy said. "That could make for quite the business" Matthew said. "I hope it works out" Matthew said.

After dinner they split for a while and Ophelia felt anxious to leave him behind with her father and Carlisle, but she knew Matthew would be a relief. "He is doing well" Cora told her daughter. "Do you think?" Ophelia said. "I do, even your grandmother didn't have remarks" Cora said. "Well, that was because he is a respectable man, he is working to make something for himself" the Dowager said. "I think he's very interesting, you don't meet many Irish travellers, especially not ones who build a place for themselves in such a big fashion" Isobel said. "I must say, he is quite the charmer" Mary said. "Thank you for being nice to him" Ophelia said. 

The men soon returned, and Ophelia noticed how only Carlisle looked like he wasn't having a good time. "Survived" Ophelia joked when Tommy joined her and her sisters. "I'm

made of more than you think" Tommy said. "Would your family want to come over for dinner as well?" Cora asked Tommy. "My family isn't used to dinners like this. My sister and aunt will be the only ones who know how to handle themselves" Tommy said honestly. "I would like to meet them either way" Cora said. "I will ask them, my lady" Tommy said. "Good" Cora said.

At 11 pm most decided to go to bed, including Ophelia and Tommy. "I hope you will be able to sleep tonight" she said. "Knowing you are close by is enough for me" Tommy said, and left for his own room, which was on the opposite side of the house, and from Ophelia's room. And Ophelia knew better than to sneak around, especially with a man like Richard Carlisle in the house and what happened last time.

Tommy slept fine, but not long. At 5 am he was already awake and decided to go outside to have a smoke. "Oh, I'm sorry Mr. Shelby" Daisy said when she ran into him. "It's alright, Daisy, you are up early" he said. "I lit the fires early in the morning and then wake the servants up at 6 am." Daisy said. Tommy nodded. "And you help Mrs. Patmore with breakfast as well?" he asked. "I do, sir." Daisy said. "Well, I shall no longer withhold you from your work" Tommy said, and Daisy thanked him. Tommy went to see Ophelia's horse. Cerberus, who was a beauty and a much better horse than his had been, and he hoped one day he could buy a fine horse like that as well.

The rest of the weekend went down smoothly although Tommy never got along with Richard Carlisle not with what he knew. "I been wondering why you send Sir Carlisle those looked, but I assume it's because Ophelia told you about Mr. Pamuk" Cora said when she found Tommy on her own. "She did, my lady" Tommy said. "Please, I can tell my daughter loves you and I hope one day you do decide to marry her" Cora said. "I plan on that as well. I love your daughter with all I have but I also know that the life of the wife of a bookmaker is not something she deserves. I plan on getting my business up a running within a year, and that's when I know I have made more of myself" Tommy said. "Ophelia never cared about that, but I admire you for trying for her anyways, not every man would do the same." Cora said. "She deserves the best" Tommy said. "It would make the Dowager a lot more pleased as well" Cora said.

"My parents also came into money later in life. My father made it as a dry goods merchant in Cincinnati, and he tied up his money well. When I got of age, they thought with the money we had, I would do well here" Cora said. "He made sure even after his death, my mother would be comfortable" Cora said. "Is it just you?" Tommy asked. "No, I have a brother. We both got our share and until my mother dies no one gets more than that." Cora said. "What is your brother doing?" Tommy asked. "He keeps jumping from one interest to another. Invests in them. Some work out some don't" Cora laughed. "His recent one I know of was cars" Cora said. "Well, I don't see any wrong with that, yet" Tommy said. "Luckily" Cora said.

Cora liked Tommy, he seemed like the type to actually try make an effort for Ophelia, unlike Carlisle who didn't even seem to try and bond with the other family members. Even Lord Grantham didn't seem to have many troubles with Tommy. He tried to fit in and that's all Lord Grantham could ask for.

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i have finished s6 of Peaky Blinders and altho i wasn't planning on doing s5 + 6 bc i don't want to write about n@zi's but i might take some elements from it unless y'all are like nah