the princess and the pauper ♕ tommy shelby

chapter twenty seven

Matthew arrived just before lunch. "We wanted to tell you all the news first, but... Mr. Shelby and I have managed to reduce Mr. Bates sentence to life imprisonment" Matthew said. "Oh, how marvellous" Lord Grantham said. "How did you manage it?" he asked. "There was some persuading, but the Judge agreed it all looked very suspicious. Of course, we are far from done, but now we have more time to restart a trial" Matthew said. "Good, Ophelia why don't you and Tommy tell Anna the good news upstairs" Lord Grantham said. Ophelia nodded and went downstairs with Tommy.

"Mrs. Hughes, may we speak to Anna?" Ophelia asked. "Of course, my lady" Mrs. Hughes said and went to get Anna while Tommy and her waited in Mrs. Hughes' room. "Mrs, Hughes said you wanted to speak with me?" Anna said, and her face had no more joy. Not like she used to have, before everything happened. "Anna, we have some news, about Mr. Bates" Ophelia said. "Oh God" Anna said, placing her hand on her chest. "Mr. Crawley and I have managed to reduce his sentence to a life imprisonment. It's still life, but now we have time to put together a case and fight it to get him free" Tommy told Anna.

Anna let out a cry of relief. "Thank you so much" Anna said. "Thank you both, my lady, and Mr. Crawley" Anna said, and Ophelia held her arms open to hug Anna, knowing she'd need it. "Of course, we all know Mr. Bates is innocent." She said and walked with her to Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes. "Mr. Carson, Mrs. Hughes, Anna has received some good news about Mr. Bates, could she have some time off this morning to go see him?" she asked. "Of course," Mr Carson said, and Anna didn't even explain before she went to get ready. "What news did she receive, my lady?" Mrs. Hughes asked. "Mr. Crawley and I have managed to reduce the sentence of Mr. Bates to life imprisonment, that way Mr. Murray can build a case to free Mr. Bates" Tommy explained. "Oh, how kind of you, Mr. Shelby" Mrs. Hughes said and smiled. "It was nothing, truly" Tommy said before he and Ophelia went back to the others.

That evening everyone celebrated the news, and Cora even decided to host the servant's ball anyway in a fortnight. While the ladies were in the drawing room already, Mary seemed too not be there. "Where is Mary?" she asked and looked around. "Perhaps she is using the powder room?" Edith asked. "Maybe" Ophelia said but she stood up and went to look for her sister. When she heard shouting from the library she went to look. She found Mary and Sir Carlisle in a heated argument. "Mary, everything alright?" she asked walking into the room. "I am fine, please go enjoy yourself I will be there in a moment" Mary said. "Are you sure?" Ophelia asked, not liking the look in Sir Carlisle's eyes. "Yes, darling, I am" she said but it still didn't soothe her feelings. Before she could leave Matthew walked in.

"Everything alright here?" he asked. "Of course, he gets in" Carlisle says. "I was here too, don't blame Matthew" Ophelia said. "Is he why you are doing this?" Carlisle asked, completely ignoring Ophelia, like she wasn't even there. "No, I am doing this because I don't think we'd make each other happy." Mary said, and Ophelia realised what was going on. "After everything I did for you" Carlisle said. "And I am forever grateful, but we should be with people who we love, and can make us happy" she said.

Carlisle walked closer to Mary and grabbed her arm tightly. "Let my sister go" Ophelia said and walked closer as well. "Don't talk to me, you are nothing but that bookies whore" Carlisle spat at her. Before Ophelia could even react, Matthew punched him. "Oh God" Mary said shocked at Matthew's actions. She wouldn't have been shocked if it was Ophelia, she had almost expected Ophelia to punch Carlisle. Ophelia had also been shocked, and like Mary thought, she planned on punching Carlisle herself.

"Hold on!" Tommy said walking into the room and pulling Matthew and Carlisle apart. "Easy, Matthew" Tommy said and looked at Carlisle. Ophelia looked at Mary and then at Matthew. She walked over and punched Carlisle in the face. "Ophelia!" her father shouted in disbelief as he and the Dowager walked into the room. "It's alright Lord Grantham" he said. He stood straighter and looked at Ophelia. "Just know, the threats and bribes will stop, and this family will fall to ruin" he said as he looked at her. "Not if I can help it, Sir Carlisle" Tommy said.

Carlisle huffed and walked towards the door. "I'm leaving in the morning, Lady Grantham, I doubt we'll meet again" he said to the Dowager. "Is that a promise?" she shot back, and he was surprised. Out of everyone he assumed she liked him. He walked away without a word and Mary checked Ophelia's hand. "Do I want to know what that was about?" Lord Grantham asked, looking at everyone. He theorised it has something to do with Tommy, he was the only reason he could come up with why Ophelia would act like that. "I broke it off with Carlisle, and when Ophelia walked in, he called her a whore which Matthew fought him for, and Tommy separated them" Mary explained. "Then I punched him" Ophelia said looking at her father. "Good" Lord Grantham said and walked out. "If I had known, I wouldn't have stopped you" Tommy said to Matthew. "It was the right thing to do, Shelby, and besides, I think Ophelia punched even harder." Matthew replied. 

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finishing this book first, planning to rebrand a bit, would y'all want a sequel?