Tommy's Rose

Chapter 26: Hold Your Fire

Primrose Shelby

I pressed my back up against the wooden wall and tried to steady my breathing as my heart thumped against my chest. My face was frozen, my hands were gripped tightly around my gun as I tried to stay as calm as could. I looked up to the second floor of the barn, the children were all up there with their backs against the wall hiding behind anything they could to stay hidden behind barrels, stacks of hay and crates.

We had been walking all night trying to make it through the storm, I led everyone through a field and we found a farm and we took shelter in the barn, we were only staying for rest and waiting till the storm calmed. We weren't going to cause any trouble or hurt anyone else, we just wanted to avoid Jameson's men and get home...

"Hello?" Cockney shouted. "I ain't gonna hurt ya."

I clicked a bullet into my gun and looked through a hole in the wall. I watched as a man dressed in black, he had a scruffy looking beard and a large black hat. What I didn't understand was that he was alone?

"The lady who owns this farm said she saw a group of children early hours this morning walk across her field and into her barn," The man informed me. "You wouldn't know anything about that would you?"

"I'm alone," I said loudly.

"Prove it!" The man challenged me. "Come on Princess out you come."

I looked up at my friends who were all shaking their heads but the fire in my belly told me to go because my Father would, he would open those barn doors and so I did. I pulled the latch and I pushed the large double doors open then I held up my gun.

The man chuckled. "Well look how brave you are!" He stated. "Tell you something it's been hard tracking you down sweetheart."

I kept my gun steady. "Who are you?" I asked.

"No one thought you'd be up this way you know," Then man began to explain as he took a step towards me. "We tore London apart looking for you but no, no you were nowhere to be found then we went to Manchester and he fired up a few places but no you weren't there either. You were hidden on the outskirts of a small city called Wolverhampton. Now tell me how did you get this far away from the cave."

"A compass and a map," I stated, keeping my eyes locked down the barrel of the gun.

The man looked me up and down. "Where's the map?" He asked.

I tapped my head. "All up here," I told him. "What side are you on?"

"Arthur Shelby said you were smart, just like your Daddy," He told me and took another step forward. "I'm looking for a girl and another twenty children... So what's your name?"

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of my Uncle's name. Now I had to make a choice; neither would be right but I had to pick one; Kill the man before me or tell him my name.

Slowly I lowered my gun. "My name is Primrose Shelby," I told him. "I'm the daughter of-"

"Tommy fucking Shelby!" The man finished with a smile. "Without further ado I'm your Uncle, Alfie Solomons and it has been a long night looking for you!"

Alfie walked up to me and placed both hands on my shoulders smiling. "A lot of men have been trying to track you down darlin'." He told me. "So why don't you show me where those other children are?"

I led Alfie into the barn and I looked up. "Come on out everyone," I said loudly. "It's okay, he's with the peaky blinders."

One by one the children stood around the top floor of the barn looking down at Alfie who stared at the children in shock. Javier and Daniel appeared in front of Alfie; Daniel had regained some strength in his body, he looked battered and bruised but then again we all did. Javier was still in alot of pain but he was a fighter.