TOO SWEET / thomas shelby

THREE / difficult

Nell had considered going into nursing during the war. She ended up opting out, instead of nursing the men in the war— she nursed her poorly little sister, as she laid flushed in her bed.

She would have been good.

So now, she sat beside Arthur as he groaned in pain when she wiped the blood from his eyes. Polly wrapped a bandage around his hand.

"John can do that— John wipe the blood out of his eye," Ada said, busying herself.

"Since when did you give orders?" John asked.

"It's fine, let me do it— stop moving, Arthur," Nell grabbed his chin gently, pulling his face towards her.

"I'm a trained nurse."

Nell had to refrain from giggling too much, as she pressed a cloth to Arthur's bloodied cheek.

"Don't make me laugh, it hurts me face."

"I bloody am!"

She shook her head, sharing an amused look with John as Ada insisted, "You went to one first-aid class in the church hall, and got thrown out for giggling."

"Not before I learned how to stop somebody from choking."

"I'm not bloody choking am I?"

Nell shushed Arthur as he leant back on his chair. Ada poured water into the bowl beside Nell.

"You will be when I wrap this cloth round your neck."

Arthur batted at Nelly's hand as she studied his face, trying to figure out where the worst cuts were. With a pointed look from the McNulty woman, he quickly stopped making so much fuss.

"Let me see him," Tommy walked into the room, lighting a cigarette between his lips as he entered.

He made his way around to Nell, standing next to her and handing Arthur a bottle, "All right, have this."

Nell sighed as Tommy took the cloth from her hand and leant over her to wet it in the bowl. She leant back as far as she could in her chair without it toppling over.

Arthur groaned as he took a sip from bottle, Tommy soon taking it off of him, "Give me that."

He poured some of the liquid onto the cloth. Nell tongued her cheek as Tommy took over from what she had been doing— she was just about to do the very same as him, and Nell didn't appreciate Tommy swanning in and taking it from her very hands.

She knew he meant well, or rather, nothing by it, but it was still irritating.

"He held the cloth to his brother's head, "You're all right."

Arthur clamped a hand around Tommy's wrist.

"He said Mr Churchill sent him to Birmingham. National interest, he said. Something about a robbery."

Tommy stood back, and Nell didn't miss the look Aunt Polly gave him.

"He said he wants us to help him."

"We don't help coppers," John chimed in.

"He knew all about our war records. He said we're patriots... like him," Tommy let out a breath, Nell watched him carefully, "He wants us to be his eyes and ears. I said..."

Arthur winced painfully at Polly, who was still tending to his hand.

"I said we'd have a family meeting and take a vote."

Tommy stayed quiet, sparing a quick glance to Nell, who now was checking Arthur's other arm for any injuries.

"Well, why not? Hmm? We've no truck with Fenians or communists."