𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒔, thomas shelby

thirteenth shot.

(thirteenth shot)

13 | In which it grows resplendent.

"Don't forget to pay Mr. Fletcher a visit, maybe after a fright he'll start talking less about what he doesn't know."

"Yes, ma'am."

Bella stopped and looked around, noticed newly placed furniture in the new home office. It was too big and sophisticated for what she was used to, while it seemed too little for what she really wanted.

The man turned to leave, but Bella raised her eyebrows remembering a certain situation.

"Wait, Gilbert." Bella asked, and the servant in the bowler hat stopped at his boss's request. Bella went behind her desk, opened the drawer and placed an envelope on top of the dark mahogany. "I hear your son is sick, if he needs medicine or if something is missing, be sure to talk to me."

Gilbert widened his eyes, swallowed hard and cleared his throat, taking the envelope from the table.

"I appreciate it, ma'am." Bella smiled and turned to the window behind her, listening to Gilbert's footsteps until he left, closing the door.

It had been a few days since she had left Birmingham, and no matter how muddy and smoky there was in London, it was remarkable that doing what she did was easier than ever.

There were many gangs in London, but the Sabini and Solomons were the ones who made the rules. Bella studied them every day since the opening of the nightclub, which happened so fast and she soon learned that Francesco Sabini didn't handle little money.

She missed comfort sometimes, being in London meant having to walk with eyes wide open. There were Sabini men mingled among their own, and Bella was wary of the orders she passed to them, Francesco's men were too proud to take orders from a woman, and Bella's men lacked the patience to deal with the insult of having to live with the men who treated their boss - whom they were loyal to - as an insignificant person.

Bella was unaware of her men's loyalty before, all she did for them was because she believed they deserved a help because they had to live in such a difficult world with no choice. But Bella's unintended pleasures to the poor men in Birmingham who worked for her earned her pride in being part of something.

And the 'Men of Andriessen' was the term they used when they finished any service where blood and gunpowder were spilled in her name.

Her shoulders tensed at the knock on the door.

"Bella?" She relaxed, rubbing her forehead and pulling the chair to sit down.

"Come in, Lizzie."

The tall, light-eyed woman turned the doorknob and walked through the door.

"I brought your mail."

"Yes, yes," Bella replied, distracted by some lingering thoughts. "Tell me what this is about."

Lizzie nodded, doing what she asked.

Bella was still getting used to the fact that Rebecca was no longer around as usual, she gave the woman the choice to come with her to London or take care of managing the factory in Birmingham, Rebecca declined to leave Small Heath and Bella respected her choice. Instead, she brought Lizzie Stark to help her, and the woman was very efficient.

Lizzie was withdrawn from Bella because of her past, but Thomas Shelby's ex-fiancé understood Lizzie's effort to quit prostitution, just as Rebecca had done.