𝐌𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐛𝐲 | 𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐇𝐔𝐑 𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐁𝐘

Chapter 7 | Seven

'Chapter 7 | Seven | Bad news'

•••••

"Did you give Mr Shelby his sandwich, Eve?" Ma asks as I approach the fire.

"Yeah, um I'll go fetch the plate." I tell her, rather out of it, still slightly flustered.

On entering the barn, I see the plate on top of the bale he slept on but on top of the plate are two Ten Bob Notes.

"Idiot." I mumble, a smile upon my face as I grab the notes and walk back over to Ma.

"Mr Shelby left these, Reg go run them to him will ya?" I tell my brother as I hold the notes out in front of me, Reg lifts his head up as he, Danny and Pop are all sat down, Pop reading the paper.

"Ya mean ya don't what 'em?" He says almost stunned.

"Reg they belong to Mr Shelby, he only left them to be polite and he has no need, go run them to him."

"It's a pound, Arthur Shelby spends triple that each night at the Garrison, it means nothing to him, Eve." Reg explains.

"I don't care, go give them to him before he gets too far away." I demand, getting annoyed at how he won't just go give him his money.

"If ya don't want 'em I'll have 'em." Danny laughs, snatching the notes, holding them up in the sun, admiring them before Ma grabs them off of him, his face dropping.

"Evangeline, Arthur left those for you, you have 'em." Pop says, lifting his head up from his paper, Ma handing me the notes. The boys huff in defeat before going off, Ma leaving too.

"It was only a bacon sandwich." I sigh, looking down at the money as I sit beside Pop.

"And a kiss on the cheek." He whispers, winking at me.

My eyes widen.

"But you listen to me, Evangeline Maple Harrison, you keep them kisses on his cheek, Arthur is a mate of mine, that's correct. But take my word for it when I say that man is the devil in flesh when he wants to be." Pa warns, squeezing my knee before getting up.

I sit and rethink his words, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭.

Not Mr Shelby, surely?

|| Time skip ||

•••••

"I was starting to think they had killed you." I tease Esme as she sorrowfully walks over to my vardo. "Haven't seen you since Tuesday."

She doesn't reply just sits there on the step, staring into nothing.

"Bloody hell Esme what's happened?" I ask full of concern as I stop unpegging the dry clothing off the line and sit next to her.

"You cursed me." She sighs.

"What are you in about?"

"The whole marriage thing." She spits.

Waiting for her to explain further, she gets out a cigarette.

"For fuck sake Evangeline they've arranged me a marriage."

My eyes widen as she anxiously smokes.

"With who?" I slightly shriek, completely caught off guard.

She shrugs.

"When?"

She shrugs again.

"Shit." I say as she lends me a puff which I usually wouldn't accept but considering it seems that I'm going to do die alone, I think; fuck it.

"Who arranged it?"

"The woman in charge herself." Esme groans.

"Well did ya tell her ya don't want to?"

"Do you think I'm some sort of prick?" she huffs. "Of course I did, and, of course, it made no bloody difference. Apparently if I don't all hell is gonna break loose."

Stunned, we stay sitting in silence before Esme tries to change the subject.

"Where were ya Pop and brothers off to altogether?" She asks.

"I didn't even know they'd left." I chuckle.

Then Esme's face drops.

"Evangeline." She says urgently.

"What?"

"Bloody hell, Evangeline it's the boys boxing sessions on a Thursday!"

That was all it took for her to say before I found myself taking off in a run, straight to the gym. Ma followed behind me Esme shouting to her the reason for my outburst which only fuelled Ma to be just as livid. All that repeats in my mind is how Teddy has cried to me, over and over again saying how he doesn't want to do it, how he doesn't want to upset Pop but he just can't. I feel so stupid to have trusted that they wouldn't make him, I feel so stupid that I didn't stop them; I can just imagine his face right now, tears falling and eyes red and puffy.

Running as fast as my legs can carry me, I end up on the same road as the gym, as no one is stood outside I try and push open the doors but they won't move. Frantically banging on them, a sweaty buff man in a vest and shorts emerges from them.

"Look luv what is it? I've got lads to train." The man moans.

"Teddy Harrison." Ma says hastily.

"What?"

"I'm his mother and I want him out of there, don't give me no shit David, I know you know which one he is, you train my Reg n'all." She spits through gritted teeth.

"He's in there with his dad, I can't do anything." He shrugs before trying to close the door but Ma puts her foot in, stopping him.

"Chelsea, move ya foot, you ladies shouldn't be here." David orders.

"Get my son out of there, now." She raises her voice.

"Evangeline." Ma says before grabbing the man and pulling him outside as I bolt through the now open doorway.

Upon entering I see Reg, his face darkens at the sight of me but I ignore him, looking for Teddy.

There he is.

In the ring.

Pop one side of him and Danny the other; an anxious looking Uncle Charlie behind them. I storm over only to be grabbed by Reggie.