The Hanging Noose

Fifty-Four

The man walks forward, his slight heeled shoes tapping against the cold floor.
"Your cousin, Tommy Shelby. He killed my father."

"Your father ordered for his wife to be killed," Dottie answers back, her eyes bulging as she looks at the man, trying to see if he wears a gun.

"And you killed a man, didn't you?"

Dottie's heart races as she nods. "It was self defence."

He clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "You're a murderer, but not to worry. I don't discriminate." He says, smiling as he shrugs of his jacket. He throws it on to the floor. "I want your family dead, Dorothea."

"You're Luca Changretta?"

He grins. "The penny has finally dropped, hmm? What a smart girl you are."

Dottie doesn't respond, instead she continues to stare at him as her chest rises and falls. She ignores the ache in her shoulder.

"Are you hungry? You've been asleep for a day."

Dottie hesitates, but nods.

"And thirsty?"

Again, Dottie nods. She narrows her eyes, trying to guess what he's playing at, what his tactic is.

He grins again. A sickly grin. "I'm not a monster, Dorothea. Whilst you're here, I'll give you what you want. As long as I get what I want."

—

Dottie curls up on the mattress as a thick blanket covers her. Beside the mattress is a mug of steaming water and a plate, once filled with a simple ham sandwich. Her bedpan is full, with Luca's men refusing to empty it.

Luca was ignorant towards Dottie. He thrusted harshly in to her, before he rolled off after orgasming.

Dottie tried to ignore the repulsive touch of her skin, she longed for a bath, but for now a sandwich and some peace would be good.

It isn't the first time Dottie's been made to bend to someone's will.

Both her and Micheal were taken advantage of during their time in the nunnery. She isn't sure where it was just the once. She was once sure the priest had taken advantage of her several times, but all those memories seemed to melt in to one evening.

Dottie hugs her body tightly, refusing to acknowledge the ache between her legs and the goosebumps irrupting on her skin.

—

Every day was the same. Dottie would wake up to the cold, her bedpan would be emptied and breakfast would be brought out to her. She waited and waited, thinking of her two children at home.

The first few days she had cried, curling up in to a ball as she thought of Eliza and Florence. Florence was barely a toddler; and had yet known so much misery in her life, and all because of Dottie.

Thinking of her children had broken her heart. She hoped Isiah was watching them, loving them as she would. She prayed to God above, the girls would be happy, and her presence wouldn't be missed. She hoped if she died the girls wouldn't know her, they wouldn't miss her and they wouldn't know the pain of loosing their mother so young.

Dottie had hoped she had more time with her family. She had barely been a mother to Florence. She had focused all of her time and energy on Micheal, when he was an adult.

During the evenings, Dottie was visited by Luca, who gave her food in exchange for some release. She didn't mind too much, he was quick. Within five minutes, he was done, rolling over and pulling up his trousers. Dottie only hoped he won't have gotten her pregnant, she couldn't stand the thought of failing as a mother for the third time.

One evening, Luca stared down at Dottie; who was staring at the open door.

"Your cousin is dead." He had said. "Arthur Shelby is dead, and Tommy Shelby will follow."

For the first time, Dottie had allowed herself to screech. She had screamed, yelling at Luca as she banged her fists against the door.

"The moment I get out of here, I'll fucking kill you!" She promised, feeling her rage burn within her.

She imagined what her mum was doing. Whether her mother was going crazy, or she had accepted Dottie's disappearance. She wondered whether Tommy was looking for her, and whether Micheal was healing. She prayed once she was dead her body would be found, and her family would have some closure.

During the night, Dottie dreamed of a tall woman with dark hair and dark eyes, high cheek bones and a pointed nose. She announces to Polly and Ada that she's pregnant. As soon as Dottie wakes up she knows who she dreamed off. Lizzie. Poor Lizzie Stark. Pregnant and carrying Tommy's baby.

Dottie curls up on to the mattress, clutching the blanket between her fingers as she closes her eyes.

"Thea Girl, what did I tell you if you ever left me?"

She can hear the slippery voice of Reggie Smith, hissing in her ear. She shakes her head.

"You're not real, you're not real," she tells herself, muttering in to her blanket.

"This is your karma, Thea girl."