When they get outside, they stop before joining everyone else. Where the dancers had been dancing now stood Mosley, making this 'oh so grand' speech. Bea stood next to Polly and Tommy in between Polly and Lizzie as they heard Mosley's speech.
"I'm sure our host will forgive me if I use this platform, this gathering of friends and like minds, to give you, his trusted allies, an early announcement of a long-overdue event. I want to tell you good folk first... that with the dawn of a new decade...I will be setting a new course. Setting up a new political movement here in the very heart of England. And Mr Shelby will be with me, shoulder to shoulder."
Hearing that Tommy was supporting whatever bullshit Mosley was saying made Bea turn and look over to him, wondering what was actually going on.
"It will offer a new conception of politics in which the great character of the British, our true character, will be reborn." Mosley pauses, looking at everyone around him, who listens carefully. "Many of you lost fortunes in the recent stock market crash. The men of money, the capitalists in New York, the Jews... the money-power, they... they run an international system in which the infinite mobility of money, its capacity to create financial chaos and panic, can bring down any government that dares for one moment to oppose it."
Bea finds Gina and Michael in the middle of the crowd. She can see straight away that Gina is pleased with the course this speech is taking. Michael on the other hand was hard to read. Bea wondered if he actually understood what Mosley meant.
"For generations, the efforts of hard-working men like you have equipped our competitors against us. The cotton mills of India. The cotton mills of Asia. Created with British money but used for the destruction of Lancashire and Yorkshire!"
Many voice their support for this, saying things like "disgraceful".
"The usurers of New York, the sweated labour of the Orient combining to destroy the iron and steel factories of Warwickshire and Staffordshire. These are policies that could not be pursued by British statesmen unless they were mad or the servants of Jewish finance! They are the ones who took your money, but it is I and those who know this truth who will light a flame the atheists cannot extinguish!"
Everyone started clapping at that.
Bea was able to find Aberama, alone, away from it all, spitting and then slowly walking away.
"The ranks of our heroes of the Great War have been betrayed again and again by politicians! But hear this - those of you who fought the Jew war for nothing, you brave men, you will join hands with the angry youth of Birmingham and Manchester and London and Liverpool and declare that England lives tonight and marches on!"
"Well said!" someone, in the middle of the clapping crowd, supports.
"I say all this to you now... because I believe it is in places like this, with people like you, that we will have to pass on our message directly. Our message can be summarised with these words - Britain first." Mosley pauses to let the crowd clap for it. "And because this is our message, I doubt it'll be reported fairly in the press. I'm afraid the newspapers of this country are owned by the same vested interests who took your money. They sell to the people false news... to raise the interests of the faction and the section above the interests of the nation."
"So hear my words and pass them on to those with ears to hear. And be reminded that when the new decade begins, there will be the birth of a new political party which will speak for you. This party, this new movement, this revolution... will be called the British Union of Fascists."
"Bravo!" someone shouts as everyone claps with a look of admiration on their faces, for the words Mosley had just said.
Mosley raises his hand slightly as he gets down from the stage.
"What the fuck are you doing, dealing with a man like that, Tommy?" Lizzie, with her arms crossed over her chest, asks, as they all look at Mosley, heading towards them.
"Yeah... you're going to have to trust me."
"Again," Polly says.
Mosley passes by them, and they turn to face him.
"I'm going to fuck the swan," he affirms.
Bea looks at Polly, next to her, frightened for the girl who Mosley was requesting.
"Somebody go and tell her to come to my room," Mosley orders.
"How do you know she'll come?" Polly questions.
"Because they always do," he simply answers.
Bea looks at Tommy, who himself seems bothered with that answer, just as the women next to him, as he seems to bite his tongue.
"And you are?" Mosley asks turning to Bea, curious.
"Take a guess," Bea dares with a fake smile.
Mosley narrows his eye, intrigued by her.
"Not a Shelby," Mosley determines.
"That's hardly a guess."
"Well... maybe you'd like to accompany me and the swan tonight," he suggests.
Bea lets out a chuckle. "Not in the slightest, sir. I'm not into old man. Besides, maybe you should focus on one at a time. Especially since you're drinking and all," Bea mocks, remembering Lizzie's words.
She smiles widely before stepping slightly back, to get more distance between her and Mosley, who seems to be the one biting his tongue now.
Polly moves away, to go and call the girl who danced the part of swan.
Mosley lets it go, slightly smiles at Lizzie, grabs her hand and kisses it.
"Now, forgive me. I'm going to borrow your husband for a little while," he says.
"This way," Tommy says as he passes between Mosley and Lizzie and towards the house.
Mosley stares at Lizzie for a little longer and then follows.
"Lizzie..." Bea calls out. "Come on, let's grab a drink."
"You have a mouth on you, I give you that," Lizzie says.
"Bonnie always said that there were times for me to just stay quiet, and I never did..."
"He was right about that."
"You started it, inside. You even put coins inside his drink when you said the night had ended prematurely..."
"He deserved that one."
"And he deserved the one I served him with as well."
Lizzie shrugs, not finding an argument against that.
"I'll buy you two gifts next year, to make up for this one," Bea says with a smile as she intertwines her arm with Lizzie's and they walk.
"Don't worry about it. You coming tonight was enough. I know you weren't well, and I imagined you wouldn't want to come to a party."
"I think a party is what I needed. Really, it has been very nice."
They get to a table with drinks and each pickup one.
"What the hell was that speech?" Finn appears out of nowhere and gets in between the women, making them unlock their arms.
"Ask your brother," Lizzie says unable to hide her annoyance.
Bea gets an empty glass and fills it with whisky, handing it to Finn.
"What? You didn't like the whole 'Britain First' shit?" Bea asks mocking.
"Oh, yes. Fucking loved it. I totally support Mosley and the Fascists," he mocks.
"Where were you anyway, Finn?" Lizzie asks. "You didn't watch the ballet."
"Uh..." Finn looks at Bea for a second, "I was just... doing cocaine," he lies.
Lizzie, who caught the glimpse Finn gave Bea, smiles slightly, amused.
"Yeah? Well, I think Aberama has some news for you Cocaine—I mean... Beatrice," Lizzie jokes.
Bea's chin drops, shocked that Lizzie saw right through them. She also wondered if this perspicacious woman standing before her had guessed that they had been together before.
"Don't worry, I won't tell Aberama anything. But he is looking for you."
"All right..." Bea slowly backs away, pinching Finn on the side as she does, as if warning him to keep the talking about them at a bare minimum.
"Aberama!" she calls out when she finds him, away from everyone else and staring at Polly.
Aberama turns to Bea. She slowly gets closer to him and then hugs him.
"Polly told me you were back," he says.
"I felt better so I decided that I should return." Silence fell between them. "Sorry I didn't tell you sooner."
"It's fine, as long as you're staying with Polly..."
"Yeah, I am," Bea confirms. "Lizzie told me you were looking for me. Was it just to say 'hi' or..."
"I have something that I want to tell you."
"What is it?"
"I'm marrying Polly. Just proposed to her and—"
Aberama couldn't finish his sentence since he was almost tackled by Bea, who was now hugging him again, even tighter than the last time.
"That's the best news I could have heard right now," Bea says as she steps back with a big, admiring smile.
"I'm glad you're happy about it."
"We're going to be a family!"
"Yes, I suppose so..."
"You suppose so?! That comes with the wedding old man."
"Yes, yes, I know."
Polly then gets closer to them.
"You told her?" she asks Aberama.
"I did."
"I'm glad. Polly... I really am glad I'll be your family," Bea says before giving her a tight hug.
"You've been living with me regardless. Nothing much will change."
"Why is she hugging you, aunt Pol?"
Bea lets goes of Polly and looks back to see Finn, one drink in hand and the other hand in his pocket.
"My father and your aunt are getting married."
"Really?" Finn asks, more confused than anything.
"I think you meant to say 'congratulations'," Bea jokes, with a smile.
"Yeah, sure, congratulation, I guess." Finn takes the hand in his pocket out. "Well, since we're sharing, there's something I'd like to share."
"I'm sure we're all interested to hear what you have to share after you showed that much support to your aunt and I getting married," Aberama says, showing disinterest in what Finn has to say.
However, Finn hand going on Bea's lower back sure does spark his interest, as Aberama looks slightly angry at what he was seeing.
"Bea and I..." he pauses and looks at her, making sure it was alright to say it now, "we are together."
"Together?" Polly asks as if she had heard a joke. "Since when?"
Bea looks at Finn, unable to speak with nerves.
"Not that long," Finn lies.
"I'm sorry, I think I just hallucinated," Aberama interferes. "What did you just say, boy?"
"I love Bea very much. And I won't ever let her go."
"Is she the girl you tried to impress by getting shot at?" Aberama wonders, already knowing the answer.
"That's not... It wasn't really me trying to impress her. I just wanted to do something for the family."
"Right... Dying sure would make it," Aberama says with disapproval. "You like this kid?" he asks Bea, with doubt.
Bea looks at Finn and surrounds his waist with her arm. "I love him," she admits, looking Finn in the eyes.
There was silence for a few seconds.
"Exactly since when is this been going on?" Aberama points between Bea and Finn.
"A couple of years..." Bea says.
"Almost four," Finn adds quickly. "Since before she went to America."
Bea can see Aberama visibly disturbed by the news but trying to control himself.
"Right, right... Well I don't bless whatever it is that you two have."
"Aberama," Polly calls out. "Now don't be unreasonable. Finn is a fine catch."
"I'm sure he is, but I don't want my daughter with a boy who goes around playing with guns and getting shot while trying to impress her."
"Bonnie was all right with it," Bea speaks softly. She wanted Aberama to know, that their dear Bonnie knew and approved of Finn. "I think he'd be glad to know I was telling you about Finn, even if it took me too long."
"He only ever wanted you happy," Aberama affirms. "I'm glad he was... involved in your life, I suppose."
"Me too," Bea says with a sad smile. "Well, I should see if I can find Isaiah. Haven't seen him since he left."
"He was around," Finn says looking over the crowd.
"I'll look for him."
Bea drops her arm and steps away, leaving Finn to deal with Aberama on his own.