When The Boys Are Away

Part 54

It had been a month since the incident, times had changed, people had moved on, Tommy was back to his usual business-forward self. Harlow retaliated by giving him a cold shoulder, as if that night where he comforted her had never happened. 

It killed her that he could give her so much hope and tear it away again and again. 

Before he had headed back to London though, Tommy promised Harlow he would always only be at the other end of the phone if she needed him. She couldn't find it in her heart to remind him that she tried to call last time and look how that turned out. 

"This is ridiculous!" Polly cried, swatting a book down on the table of the betting room, crossing her arms in frustration. Lizzie, Ada and Rose glanced up from their various positions in the room, sharing questioning looks as Harlow handed the older woman a letter with handwriting she knew all too well. 

"He doesn't even have the decency to speak to us in person, he has Finn delivering fucking letters." Polly complained, snatching the paper roughly whilst Harlow perched on a stool beside Rose. None of them could be bothered to speak up, Tommy wasn't worth defending anymore. They knew where his priorities lay, and it wasn't with them, they hadn't been for a long time. 

"After everything that happened a month ago, he learns fucking nothing. Thomas Shelby singlehandedly takes on London, what's next? New York!" Polly laughed coldly, running a hand through her wild hair, pinning it back behind her eyes as she paced. 

Rose, Ada and Lizzie now knew about what happened to Harlow, after a few too many glasses of wine and tears shed. They promised to keep quiet, and she trusted them with everything she had. 

Lizzie had shared some news of her own, she was pregnant. Jay was ecstatic, he'd always wanted to be a father since before the war. However, Tommy had him running around in the most dangerous city in the country, hundreds of miles from his wife and unborn baby. That was another thing Polly was furious about. It seemed like she could form a never ending list. 

"I've learned to expect nothing Pol," Harlow muttered absentmindedly, flipping through an open book that contained some of the betting shop figures. They remained exceptionally high. 

Ada gave her a concerned look, nobody could quite figure out the dynamic between Harlow and Tommy, so they stopped trying. With the move down to the London and the constant orders Tommy was throwing around, nobody had a single moment of spare time. 

Nobody except Harlow who had been given absolutely nothing at all to do. 

Although she wasn't fond of the idea of jumping right back into the centre of the business, having nothing to do was awfully boring, and damn right depressing. Harlow missed working alongside the Shelbys, the Wentworths and her brother, even if the risks involved were still relevant. 

None of the boys apart from Tommy and Michael knew what Campbell had done to her, and Harlow was perfectly comfortable with keeping the rest in the dark, hopefully forever. She wanted to move on and forget, but with all the free time she had, all the brunette could do was think and relive it. 

"That's the problem!" Polly retaliated, her anger wasn't directed at Harlow, but it came out as such, "We shouldn't have to put up with this. We do just as much for this company as anyone, but who reaps the benefits? Not us!" 

Harlow sighed in agreement, dropping the book back on the table as Polly continued, "Lizzie's pregnant for Christ's sake, Rose is engaged and has John's four kids to look after, we shouldn't be stuck in this room day in, day out." 

Unaware of the horrendous mood his Aunt was in, Arthur strolled through the door with a wide smile on his face, which soon vanished when his ears were met with her words. Ada smirked as his mood changed instantly, and he turned around to leave before Polly could even notice him. 

"Arthur! You tell Tommy that if he wants to speak to us, he can do it face to face, not through fucking letters." Polly ordered as he was about to leave the shop, to which he waved his hat and nodded quickly, stepping back out onto the street with a sense of urgency. Harlow frowned, bidding farewell to the women to find out what the eldest Shelby was up to. 

Whatever it was, it seemed suspicious. 

"Arthur!" Harlow called down the street, watching as he stopped beside the car, twisting around to respond, "Why are you in such a hurry?" 

Arthur was like a completely different person than he was when he first returned from war. He was calmer, wiser, less short-tempered. Harlow would have loved him however he acted, but she was glad to see that he was back on track. 

"Got a meeting in London, Tommy wants me to go instead of him." He responded, checking his pocket watch with an anxious expression. Harlow narrowed her eyes, "A meeting with who?" 

It was very unusual for Tommy to send someone other than Harlow in his place, especially alone. Whatever he was busy doing elsewhere must have been particularly important. 

"Alfie Solomons and Billy Kitchen." Arthur responded, his hand perched on the door handle as if he was desperate to get away. Harlow raised an eyebrow; it was normally only she who had meetings with Solomons. She knew how to read him, how to get on his good side. What was Tommy thinking sending the most unpredictable member of the Peaky Blinders? 

"Let me come with you." Harlow offered, tightening her black coat around her shoulders as a cold wind whistled down the street. Arthur remained quiet for a moment, as if debating it over in his head. 

"You know I would Harls, but Tommy gave orders." Arthur admitted, shoving his hands in his pockets awkwardly as Harlow tilted her head to one side. 

"What orders?" She questioned as if it was a ridiculous statement, which it was. 

"Doesn't want you doing business with Solomons anymore." He shrugged lightly, as Harlow struggled not to roll her eyes. Of course he didn't. 

The only other man who showed her any interest was Alfie Solomons.

Boldly, Harlow strolled round to the other side of the car, pulling open the unlocked door and jumping inside with a stern expression. Arthur looked in with a conflicted expression from the other side, "Arthur, I'm coming and that's final."

Sighing in defeat, Arthur jumped in the car beside her, starting the smooth engine with a swift twist of the keys, 

"Well, it's your funeral when Tommy finds out, not mine." 

"I very much doubt that." 

***

Thank you so much for 100K reads. Never in a million years did I imagine that so many people would read this. 

I'm so sorry that this chapter was short, I needed it to develop the story along. 

Thank you for all the lovely comments and votes, it means the world.