CHAPTER TWO: Common Love for Horses
TABITHA DIDN'T COME DOWN FOR DINNER THAT NIGHT.
She was in her thoughts, still processing that her father was going to marry her off to the head of the Peaky Blinders. Tabitha's other sisters were taught that they were to marry someone they love, not for power or status or to make alliances. Finneas and Kezia never married for those reasons, and they didn't want their children to either.
Tabitha's mother was from a wealthy gypsy family who hated Finneas' because of bad blood between them, and they fell in love in secret because Kezia's parents wouldn't have allowed it. They got their happy ending, even though it meant Kezia never saw her side of the family ever again.
Thomas filled her thoughts as well, his crystal blue eyes still staring at her, piercing and exposing her soul. She didn't know him at all other than the Peaky Blinders and that they were bookmakers. Still, she didn't deny that Thomas Shelby was physically a handsome man, only four or five years older than her. His eyes were what drew Tabitha in the most, never seeing such a beautiful pair in her life, more beautiful than her own.
The Shelby brothers didn't stay the night, returning to Small Heath. Thomas Shelby was going to come back the next day to go over wedding preparations and to see the stables, due to his love for horses. Tabitha was still fresh in his head from when she walked into the study. Her light brown hair in waves that stopped at her shoulders, her matching eyes with flecks of gold in them, holding the last innocence she had left after the war.
Tabitha woke up early, laying in bed and looking up at her bedroom ceiling. She heard her mother downstairs, smelling the food she was cooking. Her mother was also telling at her father in Romany, telling at him to go check on Tabitha and talk to her as Tabitha got dressed. She headed downstairs right when her mother stopped yelling. Penelope, Charity, and Ocean were silently eating their breakfast as Tabitha sat on the end of the pearly white stairs of their home.
Finneas walked out of the dining room, seeing his eldest daughter on the stairs. He softly sighed, then sitting on the steps beside her. Tabitha didn't look at her father, but looked down at the floor, still upset from the decision of being betrothed.
"I know you're still upset about the...decision," Finneas said, putting his hand on Tabitha's knee. "But we don't have much of a choice."
"There's always a choice, papa," Tabitha mumbled. "How could a man just out of the blue marry off his daughter?"
"You think I want to marry you off like this? This is killing me as much as it's killing you."
"Then don't let this happen." She begged, putting her hand on top of his. "Call this off, for me."
"I...I can't," Finneas started. "Tabitha, I can't allow a war with the Blinders. As I'm afraid to say it, I'm too old, and my old bones can't take it."
Finneas knew what Tabitha we about to say, but cut her off as she parted her lips to speak.
"I'm not powerful enough to fight, and we're lucky Thomas has agreed to put our feud at rest. If you won't do it for the family, do it for me, for your sisters, your brother, and your mother," he explained. "You are the only one to fix this. It's time for you to step up, to honor the family."
Tabitha scoffed at the request, looking away from her father. "All you care about is honor," she mumbled. "Even if you have to sacrifice your children for it."
"But the greatest honor is having you for a daughter," Finneas whispered as his daughter looked back at him. A faint smile forming on her lips before he leaned in and kissed her forehead.
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Finneas went into his study after breakfast with Kezia and went straight to work. Tabitha's younger siblings went off to their daily routines out of the house as Tabitha spent her time reading books in the living room. When she wasn't at the stables or in her room, she was in the living room, curled up with a book. She read works from the Brontë sisters, Mary Shelley, and Jane Austen.
Tabitha's favorite book was Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë though. She enjoyed the all-consuming passion Catherine and Heathcliff had for each other, which while noble in it's purity was also very destructive. She was secretly a romantic even though she was the most independent of Finneas Hearn's daughters, and read that book at least five times at that point.
She closed the book at the end of a chapter, deciding to move to the piano across the room. Kezia made sure all of her children learned piano and a variety of other instruments. Penelope favored, while Charity favored the flute. Ocean favored the guitar, and Tabitha and Theo were the best at playing the piano. They would play during Christmastime for the whole Hearn clan.
Tabitha sat down on the piano bench, lighting touching keys until she began playing a poignant melody. It was one she learned as a little girl, but no played it better than Theo did. As she played on and on, Tabitha lost herself in the music, playing the notes as She poured all out of her emotions into it.
Thomas walked into the Hearn home to meet with Finneas, but Arthur and John didn't accompany him. Thomas was about to make his way to the study when heard music playing a couple doors down. He followed the sound, and silently opened the door to the source, seeing someone familiar with wavy, light brown hair playing a poignant melody on a piano. He entered without making a sound, leaving the door halfway opened as he listened to Tabitha play beautifully.
Tabitha didn't hear Thomas come in, her eyes closed as She continued to play. His footsteps were silent, approaching her thinking that she was just ignoring his presence. He stood right beside her, seeing her eyes closed and putting herself fully into the melody. When Tabitha opened her eyes, her fingers landed on the wrong notes when she jumped at the sight of Thomas standing right beside her.
"Oh my," Tabitha mumbled to herself before looking up at Thomas. "Do forgive me, I didn't hear you come in."
Thomas didn't react to the apology, and the tension in the room grew between them. Tabitha got up from the piano bench and pushed it under the piano.
"How long have you played?" Thomas asked, his voice deep and raspy, with a thick Birmingham accent. It was the first time Tabitha heard his voice, and sounded like music to her ears.
"Since I was six," she answered shyly.
She nostalgically looked down at the piano, gently brushing her fingers over the keys. She decided to give the betrothal a try, for her father's sake.
"Mother wanted my siblings and I to learn a variety of instruments to entertain guests of any occasion," Tabitha said. "I'm the only one who has a special connection to the piano though."
The room was silent again as Tabitha and Thomas looked at each other. His eyes trapped her in and hers did the same, his expression stoic while hers was a little shy. Tabitha didn't notice how chiseled his cheekbones and jawline were until that moment. Not to mention his golden Romani skin that made his look so much more handsome, like a beautiful beautiful painting.
"Where's your father, Miss Hearn?" Thomas asked.
"In his study, that's where he usually is," Tabitha replied, fiddling with her fingers as they still looked at each other. "Perhaps in--in view of the circumstances, you could call me Tabitha."
"Well, of course, if you call me Tommy."
"Sure...Tommy."
Tabitha faintly smiled as they continued to gaze at each other. Their heads whipped away when the door freaked open. Finneas entered the room with his eyes widened and have a sigh in relief.
"Ah, Tommy," Finneas said as he approached. "One of the maids just told me you were here, my apologies. I hope Tabitha's been good company."
"Haven't been here long, Finneas. Just pulled in," Thomas answered before him and Finneas turned to Tabitha.
"I was going to go show Tommy the stables and our finest horses, but your mother and I need to go visit your grandmother for a bit because she has a cold," Finneas said, putting together an excuse to get his daughter and Thomas to be around each other. "What don't you take Tommy down to the stable, Tabitha? You both love horses."
"Sure," Tabitha said, giving her father a forced, faint smile.
Tabitha walked with Thomas alone together down to the stables and the large field with it. The trip was silent, walking through the green grass until Thomas spoke up.
"How many horses do you have?" Thomas asked.
"We have seven horses, one for each my parents, my siblings, and I," Tabitha answered.
"Last I checked, there were only six of you. Who does the seventh one belong to?"
"My twin brother, Theo..." Tabitha frowned, looking away from Thomas. "He died fighting on the front lines in Belgium, but we still keep his horse."
Thomas had heard Finneas lost a child in the war, but he didn't know it was Tabitha's twin brother. Hell, he didn't even know Tabitha had a twin.
"Who's owns and runs this?" Thomas asked.
"Father and I both own horses and run the stables," Tabitha explained.
They soon approached the stable, and Thomas impressed by both it and Tabitha. The stable was in top condition, clean and pristine with a large field the horses were able to roam free during the day. The horseman came out from the stable with Apollo, the horse that belonged to Tabitha. Tabitha's eyes out up and she smiled at the sight of her beloved boy as Thomas watched her reaction. He was in awe at the horse's cream colored coat and white mane as it trotted toward him and whistled lowly at its beauty.
"Come, let's go meet him. The horseman let's him come greet me," Tabitha said, making her way towards Apollo.
Thomas followed Tabitha until they reached the beautiful horse. She gently brushed her hand down Apollo's neck before scratching and then his nose.
"Tommy, this is Apollo, my horse," Tabitha introduced. "Apollo, this is Tommy, my...fiancee."
The word was strong going off her tongue, but that was what Thomas technically was. Tabitha looked back at Thomas, who stood in front of Apollo. He gently ran his hand down Apollo's nose, faintly smiling as the horse leaned into him.
"Hello, boy," Thomas whispered to Apollo.
"Apollo loves meeting people," Tabitha said. "Beautiful, isn't he?"
Thomas hummed in response, running his hands down the horse's mane. Then his hands went across the horse's body, whistling from how impressed he was from it's strength and health. If Tabitha was the one looking after Apollo, then she was outstanding with horses.
"Do you have stables of your own in Small Heath, Tommy?" Tabitha asked, gaining Thomas' attention.
"I do have a stable yes, have a couple horses of me own," Thomas replied. "Curly would love him, Apollo."
"Who's Curly?"
"The best horseman in Birmingham, works at me stable."
Thomas made his way back to Tabitha as she continued running her hand down Apollo's nose. He collected his thoughts and finally spoke again.
"Would you like it if we have Apollo moved into my stable in Small Heath after the ceremony, since you'll be living there with me and my family?" Thomas asked, keeping his stoic expression. "You could go out and see him everyday and go riding as much as you'd like."
"I'd like that," Tabitha answered softly, knowing Thomas' gesture was kind.
Maybe the arrangement was going to work after all.
"Come, let me show you the other family horses, but they don't compare to how beautiful Apollo is."