The Sweetest of Hearts.1| T.S

•Worcester race.

On the day of the Worcester races, Maude went to the Garrison for a drink early in the morning to calm all the nerves she felt. She worried about how the day would play out, and being told no when asked to go with the men to the race, only made her upset.

"Morning Arthur." She called out to the oldest Shelby brother as she stepped into the snug, giving him a friendly smile. "Mind if I join you for a drink?." She asked as she nodded her head towards the bottle of whiskey surrounded by glasses that sat on the table.

"Maude love, of course not, come on have a seat." He insisted, patting the chair next to him before grabbing the whisky and a clean glass, pouring Maude a drink as she sat down. "I uh...I hear you went with Tommy the other day." He said as he handed her the glass, a smile tugging at his lips.

Maude turned to Arthur with raised eyebrows."He told you?" She asked as she sipped on her whiskey.

"Daniel did." He informed her, and she nearly choked on her drink as she looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. "But Tommy had a new life to him when he returned yesterday morning." He said with a knowing smile as his gaze turned to his whiskey glass.

Maude was silent for a second as she smiled softly. "He did?" She asked as she looked at Arthur with big doe-like eyes, her smile growing when he nodded his head.

"You're good for him love." He insisted as he reached out and gently patted her shoulder, smiling at her. "I'm glad my brother has found a woman like you." He said, giving her shoulder a squeeze before turning his attention back to his drink.

"It's about time you found yourself a woman as well Arthur, ey?" She asked as she quirked a teasing eyebrow at Arthur, grinning against the rim of her glass as she looked at him.

Arthur let out a soft chuckle as he shook his head. "Oh, I like having many women, Maude." He insisted as he finished his whiskey, quickly refilling his glass again. "Won't settle. Not until I've met the right one." He insisted.

"Oh, the right one will come Arthur." She assured him, reaching out to rest a hand on his shoulder as she raised her eyebrows playfully at him. "And she will give you hell." She insisted and he grunted in response before chuckling softly.

The door to the snug shot open and John grinned as he looked between the two, spreading his arms out by his side. "Look who's having a party without me." He called out before sitting down opposite the two, helping himself to the whiskey bottle. "Heard you spent the night with Tommy." He said as his gaze flicked towards Maude, and he grinned from ear to ear.

She huffed as she stared at John with wide eyes. "Who else did Daniel fucking tell?" She asked as glanced at Arthur with frustration as he stifled a laugh, reaching out to give her back a pat of pity.

"So what did you two do?" John asked as he wiggled his eyebrows at her in a suggestive manner. "Sit around the fire and tell ghost stories?" He asked as he gave her a knowing smile.

Maude rolled her eyes at him before a sarcastic smile tugged at her lips. "Yeah, and the bloody ghost was you." She huffed at him as she quickly finished her whiskey.

"I'm not dead." He replied as he lightly returned her sarcastic smile, scoffing when her middle finger shot out at him and he replied by giving her the middle finger right back.

"Not yet." She muttered with a shake of her head as she got up to her feet, reaching a hand out and adoringly patting his cheek. "Not until I'm done with you." She playfully threatened, chuckling when he reached out to flick her forehead but she swatted his hand away before making her way towards the door of the snug. "Remember we have to be at the shop at nine." She informed the two men before making her way over to the empty/ bar. "A whiskey, Harry." She called out to him as she sat down, her eyes scanning over the mostly empty pub. "Is Grace not in today?" She asked when she noticed the blonde's presence was missing,