"No. I'll fucking kill him."
"Tommy, don't you dare! Oh, tell him, Pol!"
The shouts echoed through the house, jolting me alert from where I sat in the kitchen, staring into space with a cup of tea in my hands. I ran through to the dining room, finding Ada crumpled on the floor in a mixture of tears and rage. Tommy — I noted with a leaping heart — was sat upright, though clearly it pained him. And his face was twisted in pure hatred and fury.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"It's got nothing to do with you," Ada spat.
Tommy stood to his feet. A thin sheen of sweat formed across his skin. "Don't you dare speak to her like that," he warned Ada.
"So you've clearly no problem with Billy Kimber's daughter, but you'll react like this because of Freddie?" Ada wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "You're awful, Tom. You're horrible."
"Right," Polly cut in. Tommy's gaze was murderous. "Let's all just take a breath, shall we? There'll be a way of sorting this out."
"Shipping us out of the country?" Ada sniffed. "That's your go-to, isn't it?"
"He didn't even do you the grace of marrying you," Tommy said.
"Maybe he would, if you weren't such an ass to him!"
At that, Ada stormed from the room, followed seconds later by the front door slamming shut.
Polly sighed, bringing her hands to her forehead.
John whispered in my ear. "Ada's pregnant."
"Would someone bring me a glass of fucking whiskey?" Tommy shouted.
Surprisingly it was Finn who obliged, giving his elder brother a pat on the back to accompany the glass of alcohol. Tommy threw it back, every muscle in his neck contracting as he swallowed.
"Mate, you've been through a lot—"
"Shut it, Arthur." Tommy addressed Polly next. "Find Ada and that stinking piece of shit that did this to her. Handle it. Or I will."
Polly sighed. "Awfully hypocritical, aren't you, Tom?"
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
"Only, I'm told you've gone and fallen for Kimber here." Polly stuck her chin in my direction by way of gesture. "And yet you're giving Ada a rough time about honour."
Tommy's gaze was cool upon Polly like a viper. He turned to me suddenly, addressing me for the first time.
"Kimber, are you pregnant?"
My skin cooled. "No," I squeaked. John gave a quiet laugh.
"See, Pol? Completely different."
"No, Tom, it's not." Polly brought her hand down on the table with a slap. "How're you supposed to set any sort of standard for Ada?"
"It's not my job to set the standards for Ada."
Polly pulled herself upright. Triumphant. "Exactly right. Now, I will sort this mess out. And when Freddie agrees to marry Ada, sooner than later, you will be civil. Is that understood? There's no need for bloodshed. Not when there's babies involved."
Tommy didn't look like he much agreed at all, but he stayed silent, allowing Polly to leave the room. What a queen, I thought, my respect for Tommy's aunt having raised exponentially.
"Kimber. You'd better leave too."
I looked at Tommy as though he'd gone mad. He ignored me, lighting a cigarette.
"And why is that?"
"Because we need to decide what to do about your father. Best you're not involved."
"I can handle it." I stepped forward, suddenly angry at having been excluded. "And you are fresh out of surgery." I snatched the cigarette from his lips and stubbed it out in the ashtray. "You need to rest."
"I'll rest when I'm dead. Arthur?"
I turned to Arthur, my eyes pleading. Surely he wouldn't side with Tommy.
He shifted uncomfortably. "We won't be long. Why don't you go make a start unpacking?"
I clenched my jaw, and my fists. I turned to John, my last hope. He only shrugged, avoiding my gaze.
"Fine," I said coolly. "If shooting one of my father's own men, pieces of his brain still all over me because I've been waiting for Tommy to wake up... if that's not enough to earn your trust after weeks of being held here and told what to do, then I don't know what is." Nobody spoke. "I'm off to the Garrison."
"Like hell you are," Tommy said.
I whirled around to face him. "You don't get to kick me out, then tell me what to do!"
"I do when I plan to marry you, Kimber, and therefore it's my job to keep you safe."
"I kept you safe. And this is what I get for it."
Tommy glanced at John, who shifted slightly, standing in front of the doorway.
"What, I'm allowed to stay for the meeting now after all?" A laugh escaped my throat. "Get out of my way, John Shelby, or you will regret it. I'm still armed." I shoved past John. Mercifully, he did not fight back. I addressed Tommy one last time before I left. "And you can think twice about any sort of marriage between us if this is how I'll be treated. I am not my father. I don't know how to make that any clearer."
I didn't wait for a response as I left, slamming both sets of doors closed as I stepped into the early hours of Birmingham morning.