"Morning Harry, need any help?" Delilah asked, sitting upon a bar stool in the Garrison which was completely empty.
"No that's okay" He shook his head, sweeping the floor. "Can i get you anything?" he asked her. "No, i'm just here to try do my crossword, house is too bloody loud" she sighed, causing the man to chuckle.
She pulled out the pen and paper and scanned the words.
"Hows ya father?" he asked, "and your mother, she happy hes back?"
Lilah nodded, staring down at the paper. "Hes been a bit of a prick lately, dont tell him that ive said that though"
Harry smiled, shaking his head.
The door opened, a blonde woman in a green coat entering. "Who are you?" Delilah asked.
"I'm here about the job as a barmaid" she spoke confidently. Harry stood straight, looking at her. "Are you mad?"
"Am i what?"
"Do you know about this place?" Harry asked. "I'd leave if i were you, wouldn't want to work here" Delilah bit the end of the pen.
"I saw it in an advertisement" she stepped forward.
"Jobs been filled"
"But it was in yesterdays paper" She stated. "Believe me love, i'm doing you a favour. You don't want to work here"
"I'm not asking for favours i'm asking for employment"
Delilah whistled at the girls tone.
"Your too..nice" Harry said. "How would you know" she asked. "Too pretty" Lilah nodded, looking her up and down.
"They'd have you up against a wall"
"I have experience" she stepped forward, pulling out paper. "And references"
He took them from her hand. "What part of Ireland are you from?"
"Galway"
Harry hummed. "I worked in Dublin" She said.
"My mother was from Galway" Harry smiled, "your too pretty"
"Watch" she took off her hat. "And listen"
The girl picked up a bucket and began singing. Delilah's eyes widened, grinning. She held back her laughs as the woman sang.
Harry and Delilah looked at each other, confused.
"In Ireland, my singing made them cry and stopped them fighting"
"Well, your not in Ireland now" Delilah stated. Harry scratched the back of his head. "I hope you know a lot of songs"
"Harry, you know he won't like that" Delilah whispered. "Who?" the blonde turned.
"I wasn't talking to you" Delilah hissed.
-
Delilah laughed at the movie being played on the projector as Arthur smacked her hand away from the popcorn. The laughter soon stopped when they were being dragged from their seats by Coppers.
"What the fuck, who are you" Arthur asked.
"Get your hands off me" Delilah kicked. "I'm Arthur fucking Shelby, ay you get your hands off her" he pointed as they dragged them away from the theatre.
-
Delilah watched as the man hit Arthur over and over again, blood flying everywhere. "Arthur Shelby, lead pack dog of the peaky blinders" another man walked in.
Delilah observed him.
"And you must be..?" he looked down at her. "Don't you touch me" she warned. He pulled a face. "Tommy Shelby's daughter?" he guessed.
"You may a finger on her and i-" Arthur began, only to be cut off. "Look at me" the older man grabbed his face before hitting him, sending his head backwards.
Delilah winced, watching him cough in pain.
"Your uniform?" He asked, looking at the cap in his hand. "Terrifying i'm sure. Did he have a gun?"
"No gun, knife in his sock. Cosh in his belt" Moss spoke. "And the girl?"
"Nothing" he shook his head. Lilah twisted her hands around the rope, wincing at the burning friction.
"Now Mr Shelby. I want you to see this as me introducing myself to you, understand? In all the world the only thing that interests me is the truth" he stepped forward.
"What do you know about the robbery?"
"What robbery?" Arthur asked. "I will ask you again, what do you know about the robbery"
"I swear to god i don't know what your talking about. What fucking robbery?"
The man stood straight, taking a deep breath. "Perhaps i should ask your little niece then?" he suggested.
He turned to Delilah.
"What do you know?" he leaned down, grabbing her chin. Delilah scowled at him, feeling sick as he touched her skin. "You get away from me..now" she whispered.
He nodded, tilting his head. "Your mother is Francis Shay, yes?
"Francis Shelby" she corrected, biting her lip. "And you are not to utter another word about her or my father"
"What do you know, Delilah?" he asked. She licked her lips. "I know nothing" she said truthfully. The man nodded, looking down at her and letting his hand collide with her face.
She hissed in pain, squeezing her eyes shut.
"What do you know?" he repeated. "I just fucking told you" she shouted angrily. "I know nothing"
He hit her once more, this time with his face, causing blood to rush from her nose. "Don't make me ask again"
Moss raised his hand to the man. "Your not to touch the girl, i told you that already, Inspector Campbell"
She raised her eyebrows at the name. "Shit name that" she joked. "Excuse me?" he asked. "You heard me" a laugh left her mouth, a metallic taste filling it.
"Pretty like your mother but bitter like your father"
"You lay one more hand on her and i'll cut you to bits the next time i see you" Arthur threatened.
Time passed, the area around Delilah's eyes had formed a dark bruise, a cut had appeared on her lip and her nose was swollen. Arthur was barely breathing, his whole face covered in blood.
Lilah hung her head low, breathing heavily.
"That enough" Moss said, pushing the man away.
-
Arthur helped Lilah walk into the house on Watery Lane.
"What the fuck happened to you?" John jumped from his seat, grabbing the young girl. "That fucking inspector" she hissed, holding her mouth.
"Finn go get Tommy" John told his younger brother. "John wipe the blood out of his eye" Ada said as Arthur sat in the chair.
"Since when did you give orders?" John scoffed, leaning against the door.
"I'm a trained nurse"
"Don't make me laugh it hurts my face" Arthur said as Polly wrapped his hand. "I bloody am" Ada argued.
"You went to one first aid class in the church hall and got thrown out for giggling" John reminded her.
"Not before i learned how to stop someone from choking"
"Well i'm not bloody choking am i?"
"You will be when i wrap this cloth round ya neck" she threatened
Lilah held her head in pain. Tommy walked in, a bottle of rum in hand and Francis behind him. "Let me see him" he said.
"Delilah" Francis' heart dropped as she kneeled in front of the girl, examining her swollen nose. The woman frowned as Tommy hadn't even noticed the state of his daughter.
"Have this" he gave the bottle to Arthur before picking up the soaked cloth and pressing is to his face. Arthur hissed in pain. "They said Mr Churchill sent him to Birmingham"
"He's called Inspector Campbell" Lilah spoked, touching her lip.
Tommy stood straight, looking at his daughter. "No on told me he laid a hand on my daughter" he said.
They all stayed quiet. "I'm fine" she winced at the pounding in her head. John took the cloth from Tommy and kneeled beside Lilah.
"Wants us to help" Arthur said. "We don't help coppers" John sighed. "He knew all about our war records."
"This'll hurt" John warned before he pressed the cloth to the cuts on her face. She squeezed her eyes shut, grabbing his wrist.
He gently wiped the dried blood off her lip and the rest of her face.
"Ada get her something for her eye"
"Tom, what are you going to do about this?" Francis asked, standing before him. He lit a cigarette. "Tommy," Francis raised her voice, following him as he walked through the house.
He stopped, lowering his shoulders.
"That man hurt our daughter. Tell me what youre going to do" she said sternly, staring into his eyes.