Smoke [Tommy Shelby]

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dedicating this chapter to the wonderful FeedMeFryes for encouraging me with your kind comments

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LITTLE feet stomped through the sweet shop, making their way up to the counter. The bell had rung out as the door swung open, but Elizabeth was crouched underneath the counter cleaning up sugar crumbs. She stood slowly, looking to see which customer awaited her service. Finn Shelby stood before her with his cheeky smile, with the friend who had helped him steal previously in tow. Elizabeth raised her brow at the sight of them stood together, bold as brass, but smiled anyway. Finn was a charming clash of mischievous and sweet, and she couldn't bring herself to be mad at him. "Yes, boys?" She asked, picking up her metal scoop in preparation.

"Quarter-pound of Lemon Sherbets, please Elizabeth." He recited the same order as last time, and Elizabeth hid a smile at his confidence. She knew exactly where he got that from. She nodded her head and set to work, scooping out the sweets in to a brown paper bag, weighing them carefully. From the corner of her eye she noticed Finn fishing in his pocket for coins, hearing the clinking of the metal. In respect of his newfound honesty, she added a few extra sweets to the bag. Soon enough, the boys were running out of the shop, grubby hands already digging through the brown paper bag. "Thank you!" Finn called over his shoulder as an after-thought.

Tom shook his head with a low chuckle. "I've never heard that boy use his manners in my life, unless he's got his Aunt Pol twisting his ear." He looked at her gingerly. "You have a great way with children."

Elizabeth wondered if the caution in his eyes was fear of her connection to the Shelby boys. He wouldn't be the only one afraid of the boisterous gang. "I was always good with children growing up," she answered honestly, divulging more information than she needed to try and put to bed any of his worries. "I used to look after all of the young children in my street during the war."

Tom nodded, offering her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. It occurred to Elizabeth she hadn't been told anything about the family he had – she wondered whether he had children, wondered if they had fought in the war. Had they returned from war? She didn't dare ask. War was the unspoken elephant in every room in Britain, even a year after it had ended. In most homes empty chairs sat permanently waiting for people who wouldn't come home, some families were torn apart indefinitely, and pubs were scattered full of men who never fully returned home, parts of their minds forever trapped in battles and scenes too ungodly for words.

Nearing the end of Elizabeth's shift she began to clean up as much mess as she could. The bell rang above the door as Elizabeth wiped down the counter. She felt the tension of the room thicken immediately. She looked up, already knowing who to expect. Thomas Shelby, dressed in his smart three-piece suit, stepped forward, walking towards the counter in leisurely strides. "I saw Finn and his friend scoffing sweets," Tommy explained, respectfully keeping his gaze focused on Mr. Brown. "I deemed it fit to come and check they didn't steal them again."

Mr. Brown smiled weakly in return. "No, they paid, Mr. Shelby." He answered politely. "Thank you for checking. It's really no trouble, even if they don't. They're just boys after all." Elizabeth was good at reading people, and she knew that was her boss's way of trying to dissuade Tommy from returning to the shop. Mr. Brown could live with a couple of children stealing a few sweets if it meant he didn't have to hold a conversation with Tommy Shelby.

"Very good." Tommy nodded, glad to hear Finn hadn't been causing chaos again. "The boys will pay for whatever they take from your shop as I told them this morning." He moved his gaze to Elizabeth, who flushed at the memory of her demanding payment from Tommy for the stolen sweets. The thought of Tommy pre-warning the boys to pay before they came to the shop made her stomach flutter.