"Before Arthur starts his nonsense, where's Ainsley Tom, she's supposed to be back from London by now?" Ada asks, missing her older sister figure and desperately needing to talk to her.
"She had to freshen up, long drive home, greeted me herself out the Garrison earlier."Thomas says coolly wanting to divert attention away from the current affairs his wife was handling.
"Right, now that's settled, I've called this family meeting because I've got some very important news," Arthur spoke addressing the family around the room, trying to maintain his scoff from his sister's words.
"Scudboat and Lovelock got back from Belfast last night. They were buying a stallion to cover their mares. They were in a pub on the Shankhill Road yesterday, and in that pub, there was a copper... handing out these." Passing around leaflets to the men surrounding the table.
"If you're over five feet and can fight, come to Birmingham." John spoke up from the side of the table.
"They're recruiting Protestant Irishmen to come over here as Specials." Arthur continued.
"To do what? Ada asks looking concerned.
"To clean up the city, Ada. He's a Chief Inspector. The last four years, he's been clearing the IRA out of Belfast." Tommy retorted in response to Ada, capturing Arthur's attention.
"How do you know so bloody much?" Looking confused and angry Arthur stared down the table at his brother.
"Cos I asked the coppers on our payroll."
"And why didn't you tell me?"
"I'm telling you." Arthur internally scoffed at Tommys reply and took a swig of his flask not bothering to reply.
"So why are they sending him to Birmingham?" Polly asks with a questioning look towards Thomas.
"Well, there's been all these bloody strikes at the BSA... and the Austin works lately. Now the papers are talking about sedition. And revolution. I reckon it's Communists he's after." Catching Adas attention as she lifts her head at the mention of the strikes.
"So this copper's going to leave us alone, right?" Polly says with a concerned tone.
"There are Irishmen in Green Lanes who left Belfast to get away from him. They say Catholic men who crossed him used to disappear in the night."
"Yeah, but we ain't IRA. We bloody fought for the King. Anyway, we're Peaky Blinders. We're not scared of coppers." John scoffs out, grinning slightly.
"He's right." Arthur backs him up emphasising Johns point.
"If they come for us, we'll cut them a smile each."
"So, Arthur... is that it?" Tommy questions with a bored glance, wanting to finally greet his wife home properly.
"What do you think, Aunt Pol?" Arthur replies with.
"This family does everything open. You've nothing more to say to this meeting, Thomas?" Polly asks with a glance of suspicion and a tone of accusation.
"No. Nothing that's women's business." Tommy says in reply, glad his other half wasn't there to slap him over the head and eliciting an offended look from his aunt.
"Brave man you are to say that when your wifes not by your side, besides, this whole bloody enterprise was women's business while you boys were away at war. What's changed?"
"We came back." He spoke with a solemn tone, wishing to be anywhere but in that room, preferably with his Ainsley.
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Walking into the church and down the aisle, he approached his Aunt and sat behind her, releasing a heavy sigh of exhaustion he spoke, "I have ten minutes. What do you want?"
Turning to face Tommy as he slouched over slightly placing his palms on his knees, "An explanation. I've always been able to tell when you're hiding something. People round here talk. Some of them work at the BSA. I've been talking to the wives of factory hands. Detectives have been asking questions in the proofing shops."
Fully facing Thomas, carefully observing his reactions she continues, "Nothing happens in that factory without you knowing about it. Speak God and Aunt Polly are listening."
Glancing at his aunt and sighing he thought of his next words carefully, remembering what his wife had told him earlier that week - over a single letter which, as instructed was burnt after being read.
"It was meant to be routine. I had a buyer in London for some...motorcycles. I asked my men to steal me four bikes with petrol engines. I'm guessing my men were drunk. There's a still inside the factory makes tram-line gin. Ainsley told me earlier this week, they picked up the wrong fսcking crate. The boys dropped it at Charlie Strong's yard as agreed. They must've taken it from the proofing bay instead of the export bay."
Pausing to regain his composure he carried on recounting, "Inside we found 25 Lewis machine guns, 10,000 rounds of ammunition, 50 semi-automatic rifles, 200 pistols with shells."
"Jesus, Tommy." Polly uttered shaking her head slowly at the new information, not even pondering on Ainsley's input, knowing that she knows everything and everyone's business.
"All bound for Libya. Sitting right there in Charlie Strong's yard."
"Tell me you threw them in the cut." Turning quickly to face Tommy once more eyeing his face up and down to try and read his expression.
"We put 'em in the stables, out of the rain. The guns hadn't been greased yet."
Aghast with the situation she turned once more facing forward with open lips and wide eyes, before pivoting quickly and beating Tommy on the shoulder with her hand, "So that's why they sent a copper from Belfast."
Recovering from his attack, he tilted his head side to side as he spoke, "Maybe, maybe not."
"Thomas, you're a bookmaker, a robber, a fighting man, you're not a fool. You sell those guns to anyone who has use to 'em, you will hang!" Polly spoke with urgency and concern, waiting for a passer by to walk away before continuing.
"Dump them somewhere the police can find them. Maybe if they know they haven't fallen into the wrong hands this might blow over. Tell Charlie to dump them tonight."
"No. He won't move contraband under a full moon. Three days until it wanes." He spoke calmly with staring eyes, focussing on nothing only the space In front of him.
"Then you'll do the right thing?" Eliciting a nod from her nephew she speaks again, "You have your mother's common sense, but your father's devilment. I see them fighting. Let your mother win, don't leave your wife alone Thomas."
Signing the cross and exiting the Church, leaving Thomas to his thoughts, his next task was to once again meet his wife.
Sorry for not a lot of involvement of Ainsley but she will become central to the story next chapter.
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Unconditional Love
FanfictionAinsley and Thomas Shelby, are madly, no, insatiably in love with each other. Ever since they were children. They went from fighting away bullies to fighting their feelings - although they inevitably lost that fight. Where you see one, the other is...
