"Do you want a drink?" Lizzie asked, leading Linda to the room that Lottie sat. "Ive stopped" she said, looking at the painting of Tommy and sitting down.
"So what have you decided?" Lizzie turned.
"Ive been talking to the friends," Linda said. "What friends?" Lottie asked. "Quakers. Friends who meet at the Meeting House in Bourneville. Im staying in Bourneville"
"And what do they say?"
"They say ive been led astray." she said quietly, looking down. "If youve come to talk about redemtion, you're talking to the wrong person"
"I also went to a solicitor. They heard my name was Shelby and suddenly, they were too busy"
"To divorce a Shelby man, you have to go to a solicitor in London" Lizzie said, "I found one, he said hed represent me, i put the phone down. Not through fear, I chose this life, it didnt chose me"
"Well said" Lottie nodded.
"Also Lizzie, one of the friends is a man. He listens to me when i talk, his wife died of the spanish flu. He has a daughter-"
"And you're considering making this daughter an orphan?" Lizzie cut her off, "Nothing has happened" Linda shook her head, "Nor will it. He would die without his eyes. And out of kindness, Tommy would offer his daughter a place in one of his institutions for orphaned girls. Or even take her into the family. And it would begin again. What is the thing, Linda? The thing you cant put aside"
"Its not Arthur, its who i am whe hes there. God hears every filthy word in my head, knows every dirty thing."
"And your friends dont use filthy words?" Lottie asked.
"If i fall this time, ill fall all the way"
"Perhaps its what you deserve with your filthy words" Lizzie joked, "I used to fuck seven men a day and now im learning how to ride a horse side saddle"
Linda smiled, "Theres good and theres evil"
"And theres both mixed" Lizzie suggsted. "And thats Arthur and you and me, Lizzie." she whispered.
"You dont get what you deserve, you get what you take"
-
"Someone called Polly Gray to see you, yes or no?" the nurse spoke. "Yes" Aberama whispered, Polly walked in, looking at him sympathetically.
-
"Ive come to take you to the clinic," Ada aighed, walking up the steps to Gina. "I already told Micheal. My husband, or no one"
"Ive got a car" Ada said. "They have taxis, even in this fucking city," Gina rolled her eyes. "Look if they dont hear a heartbeat, they're gonna give you options, none of them are nice. I had my check up three days ago. They heard a beating heart. But if they had told me that baby had died inside of me, i would of wanted someone with me"
Gina looked at her.
"My husband may do as hes told but, er, i dont"
"Look if they hear a heartbeat, you wont need anybody with you, because you'll have the baby with you. So i will leave you alone, but if you get in a taxi in this city and they hear your accent, they'll take you on a grand tour." she showed her the keys. "Come on"
-
"So when will mum be home?" Karl asked. "She said she had to go to Birmingham" James told him, "Do you want me to cook you something?"
"Cook? You're a man"
James raised his eyebrows, watching Karl move his chess peice. "This is really not fair" James complained. "You're mother never told me you were this good"
"Im in a club, im champion, Ive beat people even older than you"
"Even older than me?"
"At school, some of the children say that black people and Jews are worse." Karl said. "Worse than what?"
"Than anything" he shrugged. "And one teacher, Mr Hudson, he calls my friend a little jew boy"
James sighed, "Karl, these days there are some very stupid people, saying some very stupid things, okay? What do you think?"
"Checkmate. I think i dont want you to be my dad..'cause my dad white and hes in heaven" he said, knocking the last chess peice over.
-
"I was expecting Ada" James said as Arthur and the other two walked in. "Yeah, did she give you a key did she?" Arthur grunted. "I was meant to meet her today but she said she had to go to Birmingham"
"Yes, Tommy sent her on a mission. She's doing my job for me" Micheal said.
"Where's Karl, eh? Where's the boy" Arthur walked around. "He went to buy an ice cream" James told him. "Ada said to tell you she'd be late." Tommy sighed.
"You knew i'd be here?"
"Yeah we knew you'd be here. We have some business for you"
They sat in the room James was previously in with Karl. Micheal sat snorting cocaine. "Any business i have with you, Mr Shelby is meant to be strictly confidential"
"Er, Micheal, you still have shit on your shoes and my associate here can evidently smell it."
"I don't mean any offence" James defended. "Here Micheal, go find Karl, get him an ice cream, yeah? The man doesn't trust you" he said, placing coins in front of Micheal.
"Fuck you, Tom" He whispered. "You know Gina phoned, baby's hearts beating strong but i swear to god, Tom. By the time that baby draws his first breath, you and i will be done"
Tommy scoffed. "And you will be king, is that it Micheal?"
"You know, Tom, there are doctors in London now. Who can talk their way into your head. Dig out all the shit, perhaps you should see one" He said, walking out.
Tommy coughed. "Your still not alone"
"Me brother and i are the same person, here is a letter from Mosley, you should read it" he handed it to him.
James read over the letter. "What investigation is he talking about?"
"Two weeks ago a journalist was killed in Maida Vale. The night before he'd come to me about some story he was going to write about me"
"We had nothing to do with that killing" Arthur pointed.
"Mosley wants you as his deputy?" James asked. "His consistency in Smethwick. It borders me own. He wants Birmingham as a strong hold. He knows i have strong support among the working people."
"We help him out with rallies and show up at some town hall meetings" Arthur said. "Right and why are you showing this letter to me?"
"Minister of state. Who may had seditious intentions"
"There's no proof of sedition in this letter"
"You work in intelligence, Younger. You don't need proof, give it to your superiors"
"Mr Shelby, i have a very specific briefZ My brief is specifically to gather information on the activities of Communists"
"Your immediate superior in the intelligence unit is a Colonel Patrick Wyatt, yeah?" Tom asked. "I understand he regularly plays polo with Oswald Mosley. They share membership of various clubs in London and Birmingham."
"I have specific orders, I am a soldier-"
"You think you can join this family?"
"I had no intention of joining a family."
"Thank fuck for that cause you'd hate our weddings" Arthur leaned forward. "i thought you said this was about business?"
"Yes. Family business and government business. All in one envelope. Younger, listen to me, forget about Ada, weddings. You know what Mosley represents, you know his philosophy. Now i'm planning to reply to him and tell him that i'm making up my mind but in the meantime you need to give me instruction. I could fight him on me own if i have to, or i could join his organisation. And undermined him on behalf of the king but you need to make a decision"
Younger sighed. "I suppose there are a few things i could do on my own initiative"