Devils Inheritance | Peaky Blinders

02.

Thomas was never one to allow a girl of Matilda's age into the family meetings, which only meant she was absent from every single one. Finn, too was not permitted to attend, causing the pair to listen in through the doors whenever one was held— trying to work out what was being said.

All Matilda could make out was that Arthur was speaking, hell that was obvious considering his voice was loud enough to hear from all the way down the street. He appeared to be talking about Scudboat and Lovelock returning from Belfast the previous night, and then some nonsense about a copper.

She found it quite a bore to be honest.

"If you're over five feet and can fight, come to Birmingham." She faintly heard John say, she figured he must be reading from a letter or something.

She then heard Arthur speak again, "they're recruiting Protestant Irishmen to come over here as Specials."

Matilda's eyebrows furrowed, 'what on earth were they going on about?' she thought to herself. She had finally had enough of being locked away from the family meetings— she was family too, there was no valid reason as to why she shouldn't attend.

And with that she pushed open the doors to the room ahead, in which the Shelby's, and Polly Gray, were situated in. "I want to know what's happening." She said, folding her arms over one another.

"Matilda, leave. This is no business for you." Thomas demanded, his voice firm, leaving no room for arguments.

She scoffed and shook her head, "why should I? I've had enough of being stuck behind closed doors, as well as little Finn here," she explained, holding up the hand which was latched onto her younger brothers.

Arthur glanced at Tommy, before turning his focus on his little sister. "Leave her be, ay. She has a point, she is family."

"She's sixteen. Far too young."

Matilda looked at Arthur with grateful eyes, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. He responded by giving her a gentle pat on the head. "I heard something about Irishmen. What was that about?"

"Exactly." Ada, the only other female Shelby, added. "What are they going to do?"

"They're going to clean up the city, Ada." Thomas replied, the girls head snapping over to where he was stood. "He's a chief inspector. The last four years, he's been clearing the IRA out of Belfast."

Matilda took a seat beside John, her eyebrows furrowing. She hadn't the slightest idea what anyone was going on about— but she must admit, it was awfully interesting.

She watched as Arthur's eyes darkened with suspicion, "how do you know so bloody much?"

"Cause I asked the coppers on our payroll." The second eldest reported. Thomas never failed to break eye contact, yet his expression was unreadable.

Matilda leant into John, her hand coming up over her mouth to hide what she was whispering. "What's going on?" She inquired, "What did I miss when I wasn't present?"

The boy chuckled, fiddling with the toothpick that constantly remained between his two lips. "Don't worry about it, Tills. It's nothing you would understand anyways."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, "suit yourself then." She muttered as she sat back up straight, fixing her posture.

She turned her attention back onto her other two brothers, who still seemed to have it out for each other. "And why didn't you tell me?" Arthur questioned, his voice dangerously low.

"I'm telling you." Tommy said.

Arthur took a swig of his drink, the alcohol evident on his breath. "So why are they sending him to Birmingham?" Polly added, a magnifying glass hovering over the words written on the poster/letter.