𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓
𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡, 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐡𝐚𝐦
Adeline sat at the head of the table, slouching in her chair as her father spoke. "I believe that it has been confirmed the guns are in fact with the Peaky Blinders." He said.
She yawned and leaned her head back. "That was confirmed weeks ago, father." She retorted.
James scowled at his daughter and took a seat. He had called a meeting in a council building not too far from where Adeline had been staying. She thought it was pointless because no meeting would speed up the process of finding the guns.
"I have told you once and i'll tell you again, you will receive updates when me or Inspector Campbell see fit. As of now, there is not much to update you on. So with permission— i'd like to leave." Adeline pushed her chair away from the table.
Anne looked to James and nodded once. He sighed and ran a hand over his face. "You have permission."
"Very well." She said, wasting no time to get to the door.
"Oh but— Adeline!" He stopped her as she opened it. She let out a frustrated breath and glanced over her shoulder. "Do not let that man lay a finger on you. You cannot afford to be falling into his web." He said.
She raised an eyebrow and scoffed. Adeline didn't reply to his pathetic comment. Instead she finally exited the room and slammed the door behind her.
-
Upon arriving back in Small Heath, Adeline was met with the sight of police officers breaking their way into a home. She paused and laid her eyes on Inspector Campbell who stood smoking a pipe.
He looked over and locked eyes with her, removing his pipe and grinning at her.
Only seconds later, a man was dragged from his home. She swallowed hard and turned the other way, not wanting to be too close to the Inspector.
She knew the Garrison would be empty due to the time so that's where she went. And to her surprise, Arthur was already in there counting up money in the back room.
Hanging up her coat, she peaked her head around the door. "Afternoon, Mr Shelby." She flashed him a soft smile.
He momentarily looked up and nodded to her. "Adeline." He grunted.
She looked at the box that had been left on the table and went to open it, screwing her face up at the strange smell that left it. "These cigarettes have a strange smell, Arthur." She said.
"They smell like rotting water and look," she handed him a box, "rats have gotten into some of them.•
Arthur took the box and examined it. "They're stolen, are they not?" Adeline questioned. Arthur hummed, "don't ask."
"They smell cause you keep them in the boat?"
"What do you care, eh? Now can you come and check my adding up." He asked, sounding fairly demanding. "Please." Arthur added.
She walked to him and peered over his shoulder. "You know— you should make a new start to this place, do it properly. These cigarettes are not fit to sell."
"Smells like Gallipoli." He sniffed.
"You should find a new place to store them." She suggested, correcting some of the numbers he had written down on the paper.
"It has to be far away from coppers." He grunted.
"But not rats?" Adeline chuckled half heartedly. "All the wharves have rats, Addy." Arthur told her. "What's wrong with a dry warehouse?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Tommys orders."
"What orders?" She urged. "Always keep contraband near petrol boat moorings." He said plainly. She frowned, "don't boats get searched?" Adeline was beyond confused. "We control the junctions. So there's more than one way out— no locks within a mile so we can move that stuff fast."
"Your brother doesn't obey the law but he has rules? Precise man— your brother." Adeline commented as she walked out.
"Is my adding up right?!"
"It is now!"
-
Adeline stepped out into the dark after finishing a shift at the Garrison that she wasn't even supposed to be working. She reached up, locking the door.
"Arthur tells me you've been asking questions." A familiar voice said from behind her. Her eyes widened and she slowly turned to face him. "About how we run our business— and how we get our booze and where we keep it."
"I'm just trying to help." She gave him half a smile.
"Let's you and me go for a walk." Tommy pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on. Adeline gripped the keys in her hand anxiously. "Where to?"
"Come on," he said softly, trying to ease her nerves.
Thomas led her over to the church and allowed her to enter before him. She swallowed hard and looked around the dark room. "Why here?"
"You're a good catholic girl aren't you?" He asked.
Adeline had never recalled mentioning her religion to him before but decided to agree. "Yes." She said simply. "Well then you know it's here that people come to confess. After you—" he allowed her to sit before him.
She stared ahead and kept her hands on her lap.
"Well here it is, Adeline. I'll confess— i need someone. Kimber has an advisor by the name of Robert. He talks well. He keeps the account— runs the legal side of the business."
"And you need a Robert?" She asked.
"Arthur tells me you have ideas." Tommy stated. She tilted her head, "i'm not an accountant nor a lawyer." She said. "No— no but you have something i need...class. I need someone who looks right at the big meetings, Epsom, Ascott."
"Is this a job interview?"
"Arthur says you're good with numbers."
A laugh left her lips and she looked away. "Well that's relative, he's quite poor." Adeline joked, earning a breathy laugh from the Shelby man. "You keep the books in order." He suggested.
"They were chaotic."
"But you're a liar." He said. Adeline's heart dropped and her mouth parted. Did he know who she was— what she was? She remained quiet. "No catholic girl would enter a church and forget to make the sign of a cross." He spoke.
She let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding and closed her eyes for a moment. "You're very perceptive, Thomas."
"First you lie to me about that pub you used to work in. Now i find out you're a protestant."
"Do you care?" Her voice was no longer soft and welcoming but instead defensive. Tommy shook his head, "no."
"I lie to fit in." Adeline offered an excuse.
"You pull a pint like someone who is thinking about it." Tommy said with a frown. "This isn't an interview this is an interrogation—" Adeline said with slight panic, attempting to stand.
"Sit down."
She hesitated before sitting again.
"Look, Adeline. You washed up in a place you don't belong for whatever reason. My good fortune—"
"And perhaps mine." She chimed in.
He stared at her and readjusted the way he'd been sitting to fully face her, his eyes darting across her face. "You know that most of what I do is illegal."
"I'm not blind."
"And yet you'd still be willing to work for me." Tommy stated. Adeline looked at him again, "are you offering me the job?" She asked. Tommy's arm leaned against the back of where they'd been sitting, barely touching her.
He scoffed. "Then I accept." She assured him. Tommy looked as though he had a thousand thoughts rushing through his mind. "There is something else you should know— a very important detail about my reasons for employing you."
Her heart pounded when he gently moved her hair from her face, his knuckles brushing against her skin. Her eyes looked down to his lips as he leaned in. Tommy carefully kissed her and she didn't pull away. It was a soft kiss— not aggressive like she would have imagined.
As he pulled away, his hand remained on her face.
"You disappoint me." She teased. He removed his hand and looked down. "Do you resign?" He asked. "No, my appetite for the work has only increased." Adeline assured him.
Silence fell over them but Tommy took a deep breath— telling her he was about to speak again. "You weren't supposed to be working tonight." He said quietly, "it was your day off. You worked every day over the past week but yet you choose to work on your day off. Why is that?"
Her mouth grew dry and a strange feeling washed over her. "I like to keep myself busy."
"Clearly." Tommy chuckled.
She began debating telling him about her son and his passing— and how it was approaching the anniversary of his death. Something within her was screaming to tell her not to. But a bigger part of her made her tell him.
Adeline stood and walked to the small candles at the front of the room. Tommy watched intently as she did so. She kneeled and lit one, clasping her hands before her.
"I had a son." Adeline told Tommy. "His name was William. He was a good boy— teenager he was." She continued. Tommy wondered where this was going but he could tell it wasn't good.
"And he—" She paused, her voice starting to shake and her eyes burning. "And he was kind— i loved him dearly. He liked to ride his horse and read. Sometimes he reminded me of his father. William was a good boy." She began speaking quietly.
Tommy went to stand beside her and she stood to her feet, watching the burning flames.
"And he got his life taken away from him. By a monster—" Adeline's voice cracked and her lip trembled. Tommy's mouth parted at the sudden information and he began feeling awful.
"They cut him— beat him like an animal. His face..it was—" but she couldn't finish her sentence. The moment replayed in Adeline's head and she clasped a hand over her mouth.
"Come here—" Tommy sighed, "come on. Come here." He whispered, wrapping an arm around the back of her shoulders and pulling her into his embrace. She tried her hardest not to cry but it was no use. Tommy held her tightly, a hand placed on the back of her head.
"I'm his mother and I failed to protect him." Adeline whispered.
Tommy closed his eyes and said nothing, knowing that no words could aid the pain she felt. "I could have stopped it all." She cried.
Thomas hushed her and rubbed her back. Her hands were shaking and tears had stained her cheeks. Pulling back, he cupped her face, forcing her to look at him.
"Stop." He whispered. "You cannot blame yourself for something that was not in your control, Adeline." He assured her. "And the people who took your boy will get what comes to them."
It was funny— hearing a man like him say a thing like that. He had tortured many men in his time. All of which he did without any hesitation. But a part of him thought differently when he saw Adeline in such a state.
She worked for him now. It was his duty to protect her.
༻✦༺
any suggestions on how you want this to go, leave here. For example:
How does he find out she's a princess working for Campbell. Is it when he finds out Grace is?? Or sometime else.
Does she suddenly return home to london for a few days, leaving Tommy extremely confused. Could possible turn up the day they try and defeat kimber. Her reasoning for leaving was to try and resign from her 'mission.'?