Delilah walked over the grass, holding Reggie's hand as she tried to hold back her tears. She looked at Tommy who was standing beside John and Arthur. He looked back at her.
A harsh look was sent from the girl over to her father.
"Come on," Ada whispered, rubbing her back. "Your mother wouldn't want you being sad on her funeral" she added.
The two girls placed a white rose down beside the casket that held Francis. "Goodbye mum," she whispered. "At least one of us got away"
Polly pursed her lips into a straight line, pulling the young girl into a hug.
Tommy stepped forward, clasping his hands together. He cleared his throat. "As your all aware, two weeks ago, my wife Francis. Was shot inside the Garrison whilst we were celebrating our daughter, Delilah's birthday." he said.
"It was not Francis who was supposed to die that night, it was me" Tommy nodded. "Francis had a good heart, she loved everyone. And she was taken far too early"
Delilah took a deep breath and turned, walking toward the cars. She threw her hand over her mouth, silencing the cries. She could not bare to stand and watch whilst her father stood almost emotionless whilst they buried her mother.
1 week later
Tommy sat alone in the betting den, a drink in hand. Delilah watched from the door as he spoke to himself. She had realised that she was slowly losing him. She had also realised that he had lied to Francis that night in the Garrison, about Grace. He and the barmaid had been carrying out a romance, that nobody knew about.
And despite the death of Francis, he was continuing that. But not because he wished to, but because he felt alone.
Delilah leaned forward, the wood underneath her making a noise. "You never were good at sneaking around" her father spoke, looking at the wall. "Neither were you, i always knew you were sneaking around with that barmaid" she crossed her arms.
He snapped his head toward her. "You disgust me, father"
He sat forward. "What am i supposed to do, eh?" he asked. "You couldn't of waited any longer before you started shagging that whore" she laughed.
"Your mother is gone, Delilah" he shouted. "She's gone. She's not coming back. Do you expect me to wait around, miserable my whole life"
This time, his words did hurt her, but she was angry. "You don't have to wait around, dad, you've been miserable since the second you came back from France. And you always will be miserable" she hissed.
He wiped his mouth.
"But tell me one thing, what is so hard about you actually being a father to me. Ever since she died you've basically neglected me" she raised her voice. "Tell me, what is it"
"Look in the mirror, Delilah, you might find the answer" he said, filling up his glass.
Delilah scoffed. "What is that supposed to mean"
"It means that you look almost identical to your mother" he shouted. "And it hurts because you look like her, you act like her. You are your mothers daughter, Delilah"
"That's not my fault" she shouted back.
"It was your name that was on that bullet, not hers. Why can't you own up to something for once" She asked, pushing her ginger hair over her shoulder.
Instead of arguing, he remained silent.
"This is hurting me as much as it's hurting you, if not more, dad" she whispered. "Get that into your small fucking brain"
-
2 weeks later
"Dad? our katie's done a wee in the bed again" one of Johns kids shouted as John and Esme remained in the bedroom.
"I'll be there in a minute mate" John laughed.
Tommy walked in, looking at the two. "John i told you to keep the doors locked" he reminded. "I could've been anyone now get dressed, we're doing it today"
"As a matter of fact he's doing me today" Esme sat up. "Make sure he's done you by nine" Tommy pointed, leaving the room.
"You should learn to knock"
"It's not a day for knocking" Tommy said.
Polly stood, praying. "Dear lord may this day pass well, let none get hurt, and make them that do, not Shelby's" she whispered.
"Watch John, because he has so many depending on him. Watch Arthur, because he's likely to hurt himself as much as anyone else"
"And watch Thomas, i know how he is but he does what he does for us"
"Speak of the fucking devil" Delilah whispered as her dad lingered behind Polly. The girl stood, grabbing her book and leaving the room.
Today was the day that they planned to fight with Billy Kimber, get rid of him.
-
"Right i've brought you all here today, because this is the day that we replace Billy Kimber" he stood tall.
"This is the day we become respectable. The day we join the official National Association of race course book makers" he nodded.
"I don't know what that means" Delilah admitted.
"Your supposed to be 15" John reminded.
"But first" Tommy interrupted, " we do the dirty work. We've all known this days been coming"
"i just haven't told anyone the date"
He turned to the chalk board. "We're going to the Worcester Races. Track opens at one, we'll get there at two"
"Now Kimber thinks we're going there to help him fight the Lee brothers, but thanks to the efforts of our John, and his lovely new wife Esme" he pointed at them. "The lees are now our kin"
"I interrupted those efforts this morning and- i can assure you all John is making great sacrifices for the cause of peace"
"Yeah, all right" John stopped him, his arm around Esme.
"So it'll be us and the Lees against the Kimber boys" Tommy continued. "We take them out but leave the bookies"
"I expect a swift victory which will send a signal all the way to London that we believe in letting legitimate business run peacefully"
"And uh, what about Kimber himself" John asked. "I'll deal with Kimber"
"Any other questions?"
"Yes" Polly nodded, standing at the doors of the betting den. "Does anybody object if i bring a new comer to the meeting"
She opened the doors.
"I'd like to introduce the newest member of the Shelby family" Ada stood with the small baby in her arms, smiling.
Delilah jumped from her seat, looking at the baby in Ada's arms. "Oh Ada" she whispered.
Everyone began clapping. The last time they'd seen Ada was at Francis' funeral and Delilah's birthday, where she only spoke to Polly, Delilah and Francis.
"Welcome home Ada" Tommy smiled. "We named him Karl" she told them, "after Karl Marx"
"Karl bloody Marx" Arthur joked. "Let me get a look at him"
"Here we go" John sighed.
"Hey, look, he looks just like me" Arthur lifted Karl up. "That's his arse that looks like you Arthur" John teased.
"He's alright, he's a shelby"
"Well, Ada, am i forgiven?" Tommy asked. "If what aunt Polly says is true, you are" she folded her arms.
He nodded slowly. "It's true"
Ada wrapped her arms around her older brother. "Thank you Tommy"
"Right," Tommy pulled away, "Delilah, Finn you stay with Aunt Pol and Ada until we're ready to go" he instructed, following everyone else out.
"Let me see" Lilah whispered, looking at the baby once more. "Can i hold him" she asked. Ada nodded, handing Karl to her.
"He's so small" she whispered, holding him as if he could break. "How are you doing?" Ada asked her. She swallowed hard. "The best i can be"
-
"Do you have the enclosure tickets?" Grace asked whilst Tommy poured pints for the men. "And the register of book keepers on the track"
"In me coat" Tommy told her. "You did a good job Grace" he cleared his throat. "The next family meeting, i'll make sure you're there"
"If i were family" she looked at him, "but i'm not"
John sat across the bar, staring at his brother with a cold look. He was annoyed that Tommy was continuing on with Grace despite the death of Francis being so recent.
"That could change" he told her, "Tommy" she began. "We'll talk about it more when i get back alright-" he stopped her. She shook her head. "When will you be back?"
"Now is this how you're going to be? Eh?" he joked, looking at her. "You waiting for me at home saying 'what time do you call this'" he grinned.
John stood, walking away, not being able to listen to his brother talk about them things.
"The barrel needs changing"
She had guilt plastered all over her face.
"Go on Tommy, go out the back and give her a good seeing to before we go" Arthur told him. He ran a hand over the back of his head and went into the back room.
Grace wiped her eyes. "Grace"
"Hey, Grace, i was joking" he assured her. "Tommy the truth is, when you get back from the races i won't be here" she admitted.
"What are you talking about?"
"All right, look, Grace. I know you weren't born to be with a man like me, but i'm turning things around"
"When i get back here tonight, i will have one of the biggest legal racetrack syndicates in the country" he smiled, holding her face. "And i'm going to close down some of the other stuff" he promised. "Maybe open a club, hey? Like in London"
"And another thing" he grabbed her chin, "you have a contract of employment. With a real limited company, you remember?"
"I remember everything Tommy" she looked into his eyes. "I am going to make a success of this" he nodded. "I am going to make a success of this, i am"
Grace held Tommys face close with hers.
"I know, i know" she whispered. "I'm not talking about marriage, we know each other" he said quietly.
"We can talk"
She shook her head, grabbing his hands.
"We're the same"
"Tommy, i have done something terrible to you" she admitted.
Before they continue, the door opened.
"Right, tell him what you just told me" Arthur pointed at Jeremiah Jesus, Isaiahs dad.
"Just head there's two vans driving up the Stratford Road, an old corporal of mine said he recognised some of the men" he stuttered. "He said it's the Kimber boys, they're headed this way"
Tommy's expression dropped, looking at Grace.
All three of them men left, leaving her alone in the room.
-
"Ada, wake up" Tommy slammed the door, waking up Ada and startling Delilah. "You, the baby and Delilah get into the bullring where there's lots of people"
"What's going on" Aunt pol asked. "We've been fucking betrayed" he hissed.
Delilah sat up straight, understanding almost automatically. She new exactly who'd betrayed them, she knew ever since she saw that blonde barmaid listening in on her fathers conversation. She tried bringing it up to both Polly and Tommy but they both shut her down.
"Someone let slip, kimber and his men are on their way here"
"Tommy who else knew about today" Polly asked. He hit his fist on the table.
"It was that little girlfriend of yours, i tried telling you" Delilah said quietly.
Everything began adding up in his head.