December 5th 1919
It wasn't long until her brothers were back to being Peaky Blinders. Now that they were back from France, things were going to be different.
"Hello Curly" Lottie smiled brightly as she pulled her boots through the mud of the stables. "Hello Lottie" he stuttered. "You seen Tommy? Aunt Pol is looking for him" she asked, stroking the white horse he had previously been grooming.
"I believe he's taken his horse somewhere" he nodded, looking back at her.
"Something to do with the Kemp Ton races on monday?" The girl guessed. "I'm not sure, you'll have to ask him"
She nodded and turned the other way.
"See you soon curly, not supposed to be here anyway" she admitted, running back towards Watery Lane, hoping nobody had realised she was gone.
People nodded their head at the girl as she ran through Small Heath.
One thing Lottie enjoyed about the Shelby name, was the respect that came with it. She loved it. Most people would nod their heads, make way for her. While others either hated her for being a Shelby.
-
"Morning Mr Shelby" a man nodded as Tommy walked to Watery Lane, opening the door and hanging his hat on the hook.
Finn turned, quickly throwing his cigarette into the fire.
"Finn?" Tommy started. "Arthur's mad as hell" Finn stated. Tommy picked up the cigarette that hadn't gotten into the fire and examined it.
"What does a ten year old know about hell, eh?" he asked. "I'm eleven sunday" he argued. Tommy laughed, patting his shoulder and walking away, opening the doors to the betting shop.
John stood at the chalk board, writing numbers in different columns as men scurried around, placing bets.
"Fucking hell" Lottie whispered, throwing her feet under the table.
"Tommy! Tommy!" John shouted. "Look at the book, just look" John began showing Tommy all the bets placed on Monoghan boy"
Thomas nodded. "Good work, John"
"Tommy" Arthur interrupted. "Get in here, now" he demanded, his hands in his pockets. Tommy closed the door to Arthur's office as he poured himself a glass of whiskey.
"Now you was seen doing the powder trick down at Garrison Courts" he pursed his lips into a straight line. "Times are hard." Tommy defended.
"People need a reason to lay a bet" he added.
"There was a Chinese" Arthur spoke, "The washer women say she's a witch" Tommy said. "It helps them believe"
"We don't mess with Chinese" Arthur reminded him.
"Look at the book-"
"Chinese have cutters of their own" Arthur hit his fist into the table. "We agreed Arthur"
Lottie watched as her older brothers spoke in the dimly lit room. Something about the Chinese was all she heard. Lottie never understood their families issues with the Chinese.
"I'm taking charge of drumming up new money" Tommy says, "What if Meaghan boy wins, Tommy?"
"You fixing races now. Do you have permission from Billy Kimber to be fixing races, mm? What's got into you"
Tommy looked down.
"You think we can take on the Chinese and Billy Kimber. Billy's got a bloody army-" he shouted. "I think, Arthur. That's what i do" he inched closer to Arthur. "I think, so that you don't have to"
Thomas approached the door.
"There's news from Belfast" Arthur began. Tommy ignored him, leaving the office.
"I'm calling a family council at 8, i want all of us there" Arthur shouted.
"Ey, you, feet off the table" he scolded his younger sister. She rolled her eyes and did what he said before standing up. "Tom," she started. "Yes Lottie" he sighed.
"Can i go over to the stables" she asked. "Want to see uncle charlie and the horses"
Thomas licked his lips, thinking, checking his pocket watch.
"Be home before dark" he ruffled the younger girls hair. She shoved his hand away and rushed to the door, grabbing her cap.
Lottie wasn't going to the stables, she was going to meet up with an old group of friends from school.
Reggie, Danny and Isaiah.
They were all older than her. Nice boys though. None of her family knew about them.
She quickly ran through the streets of Small Health, running to the canal.
"Look who it is" Isaiah joked, his accent thick. "Sorry, Tom was busy with Arthur" she excused, placing a hand on her chest.
"When did they get back?" Reggie asked, lighting a cigarette.
"Around a month ago" she nodded, sitting beside them under the bridge. He handed the cigarette to her and she took it.
"They'd kill me if they found out i was here, they don't like me hanging out around the canal" she said, blowing out the smoke.
"Don't let them find out then" Danny laughed, snatching the cigarette from her fingers.
"Kind of hard when there's Blinders on every fucking corner"
Reggie jokingly smacked her arm. "Language, or i'll tell Polly" he winked. "Fuck off" she hissed, pushing him away. "When do you come back to school" they asked.
She shook her head.
"Not sure i'm going back"
"Why's that" Isaiah asked, sipping from the bottle of alcohol he had stole. "The boys are back, don't want to. Keep getting kicked out anyway" she rolled her eyes.
"Because you keep threatening to cut people" Reggie laughed at the girl and looked out to the water.
"What else am i supposed to do" she asked, raising her eyebrows. "Ignore them" Isaiah suggested. "Oh please" she laughed. "Just because your dads a preacher ,Siah"
He sent her a hard look and shook his head.
"You heard about Danny Whizz-Bang" Danny spoke up. "Gone mad they said" he mocked.
"Not surprised, been stood in France with her fucking brothers" Reggie teased. "Shut your fucking mouth Reg or i will cut your tongue out" she pointed a finger at his face.
He raised his hands in defence.
She looked at the sky, realising how dark it was getting.
"I need to go" was all she said before rushing back toward the other end of Small Health.
-
John walked out of the alleyway, stopping at a gun being pressed into his cheek. "Look at the gun" Polly hissed. John carefully looked at the gun she was holding.
"You recognise it?"
"Mm" he hummed, clenching his jaw. Polly's hand collided with his face. "Get up of your arse, you umping pig" she spat.
"Aunt Poll! What the fuck did you do that for" He shouted.
"Finn was playing with this, this afternoon by the cut" she scolded. "It was loaded, nearly blew Ada's tits off"
"It must've fell out of my pocket" he said, avoiding her eyes.
"He said he found it on the sideboard of the betting shop" she tilted her head. "With bullets in it"
"I must've been drunk" he stuttered. "When are you not drunk?" she hissed.
"Look, Aunt Pol. I'm sorry"
"We'll keep this between ourselves, if you swear not to leave guns lying around"
John nodded, taking the gun from her hands.