The Poisoned Rose

Chapter Forty-Seven

Watching from afar, Rose waited patiently for all of the men to leave. Polly joined her as they stared at the men jumping into their cars and slowly driving away. From inside one of them, John nodded at his wife, the two of them agreeing to what was going to happen next.

"You told him?" Polly asked her.

"Yes, that and other things." Polly went to ask what the other things were but Rose spoke before she could, "Shall we begin?"

The two women made their way back inside and began to get everything ready for what was to come. 

Firstly, Rose went upstairs and finished packing all of the children's belongings, all their clothes and toys were being put away. "Mother!" Katie shouted, "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere safe." Rose told her whilst she placed the last of the books into a cardboard box, "Have you packed everything you want to take!"

Katie nodded her head as she passed her a book, "Yes, this is the last thing."

"Stop worrying darling, everything will be okay."

"I'm going to miss living here though," Katie glanced around the room, "And seeing you and dad all the time. You will come soon, won't you?"

"Of course I will, your father shall come as well and then we shall be a family again." Picking up the box, she addressed the rest of the children, "It is time to leave now."

And then slowly, they walked down the long staircase and out in front of the house where a large car was waiting for them. Linda was already sat down, with her child on her lap whilst Ada, Karl and Polly - who was holding Georgina - were waiting patiently by the door. Rose bent down and helped Charlie get into the car, "Your father loves you Charlie and he shall see you soon."

The three elder boys then quickly jumped into the car, squabbling about who was going to sit beside the window. "As the eldest I should be allowed to!" Jack screeched loudly at his brothers.

"I get sick when we go in the car though!" Joe replied as Louis pushed past both of them.

"Can I please sit next to the window?" Elsie's angelic voice called out.

Rose smiled as the three boys looked over at their little sister and then slowly nodded their head. 

"You've got them wrapped around your little finger." Rose said to the young girl before tightly hugging her, "I love you darling."

"I love you too mummy." Elsie then climbed into the car and sat in between the window and Louis.

Edward grinned up at his mother, "We are going on holiday!"

"Yes, you are, enjoy."

The last one to get into the car was Katie, she stood staring at Rose, a serious expression on her face, "Goodbye mother, please don't be gone for too long."

Rose hugged her and in the end she did not want to let go, "Look after your siblings for me Katie, and remember, your father and I love you so very much."

"I love you too mother." And then she stepped into the car leaving Rose to stand by herself.

"You are going to have a wonderful little holiday, and soon you will be joined my your father and I."

"Goodbye mother!" They all called out and then Rose slammed the door shut before she moved over to Ada and Polly.

Ada smiled at her, "Thank you Rose, thank you for everything you've done."

"It's been my pleasure. To know that  you and all the children are safe is all that I care about."

"Say goodbye to mummy," Polly cooed at to Georgina, "Here you go."

Rose gently rocked her youngest child, "I shall see you soon dear." She then looked over at Polly, "Look after yourself Pol."

"I should be the one saying that." Polly laughed before turning serious, "Things are only going to get worse, be careful Rose."

"I promise you Michael shall survive this war."

Polly took Georgina off her and smiled graciously, "Thank you Rose."

"It is time we left." Rose's sole remaining relative said as he walked around the car, "We will want to be long gone by the time the Peaky Blinders return."

"Thank you." Rose told her brother, "Thank you."

He laughed, "We are a family Rosie, we stick together."

Rose stood beside Lizzie as they watched the car drive away, "What do we do now?"

"Sort through all the different papers, find something that could be of some use." Rose replied and waited for Lizzie to leave before she moved over to the van where all the children's belongings were. 

"A big honour." He said as she neared him, "For Rose Shelby to ask me to help and then give me the secret location of the safe house."

Laughing, Rose closed the back doors, "Thank you Alfie, as allies we must work together and trust each other. And you should feel honoured, you are the first person who is not a Crawford to know where this house is."

"A secret, I like secrets. Especially when I know the secret." Alfie replied as he grinned at her.

"Are you going to be okay driving there?" Rose asked him, "I can come with you if you wish."

"As much as I would like to take up that offer, I think it would be best for you to stay here, just in case they return earlier than expected."

The two stared at each other for a moment, "Thank you Alfie."

"I look forward to when we meet again Rosie." Alfie said as he started the car up. 

The house was different, even though the children spent most of their time in their rooms, the whole house had been affected by their leave. It felt colder. It felt darker. And Rose hated it.

For the rest of the afternoon, she sat in her and John's room, creating new mixtures of poisons and medicines that could be useful in the battles to come. 

"I don't like this Tommy." Arthur commented as he stared around at their surroundings, "This doesn't feel right."

Tommy shook his head, "We can do this, they are just boys while we are men."

"Why are you allowing this to happen to our family?" John asked his brother, "You are destroying us!"

"They started this." Tommy argued back, "And I shall finish it."

And that was when the Gray gang turned up, Michael at the front, glaring at his cousins. 

Tommy was the first to act, pulling his cap off and then proceeding to attack the younger men. It was horrific, family fighting family, friends fighting friends. John and Arthur disliked the fact they were fighting the boys they had watched grow up and especially as one of them was Finn, their youngest sibling. 

Blood splattered the walls and floor. Screams and shouts echoed around the room. And then finally Tommy held his gun up before slowly moving it down so that it was aimed at Michael's heart.

The bullet flew through the air and everyone scrambled away, not wanting to fall victim to it. John screamed at the top of his voice as he pushed his cousin out of the line of the bullet.

Rose switched the light off of the Nursery, it was as though her children had never been there. Every trace of them removed. Her eyes were down as she sighed deeply.

The war had truly begun.

None of the men knew what to do as they watched John collapse onto the floor, shock filled them as his body stayed still on the ground.

The war had taken its first victim.