The Poisoned Rose

Chapter Thirty-Three

With a sigh, she slowly pushed herself down onto the chair by the fire, "I cannot wait until my body is my own again."

Polly smiled at her, "It shall all be worth it when you hold your child in your arms. They shall be the most important thing to you."

"Have you found anything important?" Rose asked, nodding towards the files scattered all over the table.

"No." Polly said frustratedly, "There's nothing that will help us. Tommy just gave me the job to sort through all of this so I was off his case."

Agreeing with the elder woman, Rose nodded, "Heaven forbid we actually do something helpful."

"You have always been helpful."

"I was but then I married John and became pregnant." Rose laughed, "And now John wants to wrap me up and keep me in the same room."

"His biggest fear is that he shall lose you." Polly told her, "Especially after what the doctor told you."

"The doctor was speaking rubbish."

Shaking her head, Polly chuckled, "Of course you would say that. You fell Rose, everyone is looking after you."

"I am not an invalid though."

"John loves you, he is just protecting you." Polly replied, "Let him protect you."

Groaning, Rose looked down at the fire, "Why am I not allowed to protect him? All I do is try and help the situation. Yet he still goes out all the time killing people and following a blind leader."

"We are women." Polly explained, "And this is a mans world."

"Only because a man made it so, we can change it."

Polly smiled as she moved to sit opposite Rose, "What are you up to? I knew it would never be good to let you spend so much time alone."

"Here we are Polly, stuck at home and doing nothing. Yet the men are all out to fight a gang they have no clue about."

Polly sighed, "They won't be home until tomorrow."

"Because they've gone to London. My home. And I cannot return there."

"You can return another day."

"Another day." Rose said sadly, "Preferably when all of this nasty business is over."

Smiling, Polly said, "You can bring your children with you."

"Yes."

The two fell into silence until finally Polly narrowed her eyes, "Why were you on the telephone earlier on?"

"I still have my contacts back in London." Rose told her, "Tommy thinks he can win this war without any help or knowing who they are. I, however know that that is not possible."

"You're finding out their weaknesses."

Rose grinned, "Of course I am. It's what I've always done."

"Are you going to tell them?"

"Not until it's necessary."

Polly laughed as she shook her head, "Rose Shelby you are an extraordinary woman."

"If I don't do something then I think I might go mental." Rose replied, "I have counted everything that there is in that room. Do you think if I'm forced to rest I can change rooms periodically so I have new surroundings?"

Polly laughed, "I don't see why not."

"John probably wouldn't like me moving that small distance though, fear I'm going to do something I shouldn't."

"What do you think will happen tonight?"

Rose thought for a moment, "They'll have a small conversation about nothing that shall lead onto a small fight and then the men shall return with their faces and egos bruised."

"Their egos?"

"Why yes, they are off to fight former boxers. There is no chance of them winning."

"Why didn't you tell Tommy that?

"So that when he returns he understands that he needs to learn who is enemy truly is not just go wanting a fight."