CHAPTER THIRTY: A New Horse
DAYS LATER AFTER THE TRIP TO CAMDEN TOWN, THOMAS AND TABITHA HAS GATHERED THE FAMILY INTO THE BETTING SHOP.
Everything was set up in Camden Town, and Tabitha and Alfie said goodbye again with a hug. Knowing Alfie was keen on her before the war, Thomas was a little jealous of Alfie and Tabitha's friendship, but he was jealous of any man who laid eyes on her.
After that, they went to go see Ada and Karl in their new home in London. Ada was concerned about the men and coppers watching her house and Tommy told her that the men were on their side. She was only glad to see Tabitha, since Tabitha and Polly were the only ones in the family she talked to. Tabitha was glad to see her sister in-law as well, wishing she'd come back home to Birmingham.
Tabitha was already sad before the trip to Camden Town, trying not to let people see it. Thomas knew something was wrong, he saw it in her eyes, but was gonna ask after. On the way back to Birmingham, Tabitha told him that she got results back from a doctor in London, and found out that she wasn't pregnant when she thought she was. The news saddened her greatly, but it didn't stop them from trying until she was pregnant.
"This has better be good to interrupt my holiday," Polly said, entering the shop.
"Where's the boy?" Arthur asked.
"In the back room. I only brought him because afterwards, we're going to the museum."
"He wanted to come in and say hello-"
"Shut up, John," Polly cut his nephew off. "There is nothing of interest to Michael in this room. Tommy, get on with it."
Tommy dropped his cigarette in the ashtray and his arm wrapped around Tabitha's waist.
"Last night, one of our men had his throat cut in Winston Green," Thomas said. "This morning, I had a telegram saying it was Sabini who ordered it."
"And it says here that Thomas Shelby's next," Arthur said, tearing up a letter.
"If our men think we can't look after them in prison, they'll not work for us. Sabini knows that."
"So we need the Green sorted out," Tabitha finished for her husband.
"Scudboat, you and one of the boys break a couple of windows and get yourselves arrested. I'll have out coppers get you in the Green and you can find the bastards who did it."
"Instead of a window, can we punch a car?" Scudboat asked, making the others laugh. "What? Everybody else had a bloody car. I'm still on a donkey."
"Alright. Just get yourselves fucking arrested. It doesn't matter how. And before you All laugh, a boy is dead," Thomas replied. "He was just a kid. We'll start a fund for his family, Pol, Tab."
"Agreed," Polly and Tabitha said together.
"So is that it? Can I go now?" Polly asked
"Well, as company treasurer, I need your permission to spend a thousand guineas," Thomas said as she began packing up.
"On what?"
"On a horse."
"A thousand guineas on a horse?" Tabitha questioned.
"That's right, Tab," Thomas replied, smirking down at his wife.
"When was this decided?" Polly asked, looking around the room.
"You've been busy with Michael."
"Oh my God. So in the absence of common sense, you boys have had an idea."
"Polly, Tab, there's a thoroughbred, quarter-Arab folly up for auction at the Doncaster Blood Stock."
"What do we want with a thousand guineas horse?" Tabitha asked.
"We make our move on Sabini's racing pitches, any men we get into betting enclosure will be lifted by Sabini's police. A good racehorse is a passport too the owners enclosure."
"We'll be in there with the toffs," Arthur said. "Coppers won't know where to look."
"The Epsom Derby, Pol. We'll be drinking with the bloody king," John said, making Tabitha and Polly's eyes widen.
"The Derby?" Polly questioned. "Did he say the Derby?"
"That's right," Thomas said, clearing his throat. "For the last ten years, Sabini's made it his race. If we're going to take him down, might as well make it there at a symbol."
"Did you come with this in a pub by any chance?" Tabitha scoffed.
"I completely agree with Tabby, you must've been in a pub," Polly said.
"A good racehorse is an investment, like property," Thomas replied. "We need to diversify the portfolio."
"So when is this sale?"
"Tomorrow."
"Tommy's had a death threat so we'll have to go with him for protection," Arthur said.
"I'm going as well then," Tabitha said, putting her shoulders back more. "Plus, I want to see the horses." She mumbled the last part, making Thomas faintly smile from his wife's love for horses.
"So you're going to close up the shop, go out on a piss up and blow a thousand guineas on a horse that's not even a while Arab," Polly said.
"Quarter-Arab is better," Curly laughed. "Quarter-Arab, it means-"
"Curly, shut up."
Michael entered the room from the door and the room fell silent.
"I thought I told you to pick that door," Polly told John.
"He did. I used the key in the nail," Michael said, nodding to the door. "Look, I've been listening. I want to go with them."
"You see?" Polly threw her hands in the air for a moment.
"I love horses. I could even help."
"Over my dead body!" Polly replied.
"It'll be alright, mum." Her faced softened at the word. "I've been to loads of horse auctions before with my uncle. They're very respectable. People being their butlers."
"Yeah, and their posh wives," Arthur added.
"And their mistresses," John said, elbowing Michael.
"Let him come, Polly," Tabitha said, giving Polly a faint smile. "We'll got there, buy a horse, and come back."
"Yeah, like Tabby says," Arthur agreed.
"I'll drop him back at the house in Sutton before it gets dark, " John said.
"No," Polly answered, shaking her head. "Fucking no."
Michael said nothing else, and slowly walked out of the shop. The room was silent, full of tension until Thomas spoke.
"Alright, that's it. Back to work," he said as the men began to move. "Come on."
______________________
THE NEXT DAY, THE BOYS LOADED UP A LARGE VAN FOR THE AUCTION.
John and Arthur were arguing who was going to sit up front with Thomas when Thomas said Tabitha was going to sit up front beside him. Both brothers muttered how she was Thomas' favorite person and got in the back with the other boys. Polly finally allowed Michael to go with them that day, but gave him a curfew.
The drive was quiet most of the way, since Tabitha was still tired from the night before. Her and Thomas tried have another baby again, and then again early that morning. Her arms were a little sore, but she didn't mind the pain, and rested her head on Thomas' shoulder while he drove. At one point, Thomas pulled the car for the side of the road to check on the hood and so the boys are lunch before the auction. He got out of the car and helped Tabitha out before going to the back of the cargo van.
"She's heating up, Curly. Take a look," Thomas said.
"Yeah," Curly replied, getting out of the van.
Uncle Charlie got out of the van after Curly, needing be take a loss and Tabitha helped him out. John had gotten out to stretch his legs and Arthur and were Michael were the only ones in there. Michael began to unwrap some sandwiches.
"She made loads. Do you want one?" Michael asked.
"What the bloody hell is that?" Arthur asked.
"Sandwiches. Ham, I think. And we've got shrimp paste, too. There's tea. We'll have to take turns 'cause there's only one cup."
John then grabbed a bottle of rum and him and Arthur eyes the boy.
"What?" Michael asked.
"Sandwiches?" Arthur questioned as Thomas smirked. "Polly made bloody sandwiches?"
"What's this? Teddy bear's fucking picnic?" Charlie asked.
"Alright, we'll drink the tea and we will eat some sandwiches, and then we'll drive on. Alright?" Thomas said. "No crumbs, Charlie."
"May I have a sandwich, Michael?" Tabitha asked, faintly smiling.
"Ham or shrimp, Tabby?" Michael asked, fumbling on his words a little. His cheeks were soft pink when he looked at her.
"Ham, please." She gratefully took the sandwich from Michael's hand. "Thank you."
Tabitha then walked away as he began handing out more sandwiches. She leaned against the side of the van, eating her sandwich with Thomas beside her, a fresh cigarette dangling from his lip.
"Looks like Michael had a crush on you," Thomas said, then taking a long drag.
"Looks like it, he was fumbling his words when I asked for a sandwich," Tabitha chuckled. "He's harmless though, just a teenager."
They ate lunch and continued the trip to the auction. Thomas and Tabitha were holding hands, leading the boys into the building where auction was being held.
"Alright, lads, this is a respectable event and you will all behave accordingly," Thomas spoke up. "No weapons, no drinking. John, we will stay together. When our horse comes up, me and Tab will do the bidding. We've already registered the interest with the auctioneer, so I he knows to expect our bids."
"Do I get to run a hand over her, Tommy?" Curly asked, rushing to Thomas and Tabitha's side.
"No, we have a vets report, Curly. But keep an eye open when she walks."
"It's just, I got a feeling, Tommy. Something isn't right."
"It's alright, Curly. You're just in an unfamiliar place. We all are."
"I agree with Curly, Tommy," Tabitha said. "Something isn't right, my gypsy blood can sense it."
"It's alright, Tab, it's alright," Thomas assured, running her back as they got to the railing.
They waited for the next horse, and then came the horse Thomas was betting on. Him and a posh women with short brown hair were both betting on the horse, the price raising until the woman have up and Thomas wasn't going to lose the horse. Curly kept saying that something bad was going to happen and Tabitha felt the anxiety build up in her stomach, making her her closer to her husband. In the end, the horse was sold to him and Tabitha, and the man hit the gavel.
"Sold to Mister and Misses..."
"Thomas and Tabitha Shelby," Thomas announced his name slowly.
Then, Thomas and Tabitha left the auction room to sign the final papers for the horse. They were in the customer's office as Thomas had his arm around d Tabitha's waist, knowing she was having anxiety like Curly.
"To the premises of Mr Charles Strong. Small Heath. What kind of premises?" The auctioneer asked.
"Boatyard," Thomas answered.
"Yachts?"
"Canals," Tabitha answered that time.
"I'm curious, what is your business Mr Shelby, Mrs Shelby?" The auctioneer asked.
"Import, export," Thomas answered without hesitation. "But we also sell pegs and tell fortunes."
The last part made Tabitha giggle as they left. Arthur and the others were out in the hall waiting until the posh woman from the auction approached the couple.
"You two beat us to it," the woman said.
"Did we?" Thomas asked as him and Tabitha faced the woman. He's pulled his wife closer, establishing that he was spoken for.
"I was trying to nab a filly for my stud," she said.
"Sorry," Tabitha said as Thomas shrugged.
"Thomas and Tabitha Shelby from where."
"From Birmingham," Thomas answered with a stoic expression.
"Goodness."
"No, not much."
The woman than took her hand out to shake the couple's. "May Carleton. I breed racehorses and train them. What is it you two do?"
"We rarely answer questions is what we do," Thomas answered.
"Tommy, Tabby! Come on, hurry up! We got to go!" Arthur yelled.
"Before you both go, if you ever decide to put that filly out, I'd be interesting in having her," May said to both Thomas and Tabitha.
"We plan to race her," Tabitha replied.
"Do you have a trainer?"
"We know people."
"I know people too." May gave Tabitha her card as the boys were growing impatient.
"Let's go. We've got to get this boy home before dark or Polly will have your balls!"
"She will have 'em!" Arthur agreed. "Tommy, get your lady and let's go!"
"We know different people I guess," Tabitha chuckled, putting May's card in her pocket.
"My father knows Mick Hancock," May said. "He trained three Ascot winners."
"So that was your father?"
"Yes, we're joint owners of the stud. He took the majority share when my husband was killed. Ypres."
"You two! We got to get back to the caravans!" Arthur yelled. "The chickens, they're hungry."
Tabitha tried to hold back a laugh as Thomas kept his stoic expression.
"So, will you both consider me?" May asked.
"Yes, I believe we will," Tabitha answered with a faint smile.
"You still didn't tell me what you both do."
"Oh, we do bad things. But you already know that," Thomas answered that time, and then him and Tabitha walked away.
They were walking out to leave, and Arthur and John were joking around around rich women like May Carleton.
"Tommy, Tabby, maybe she was the something had I had the feeling about," Curly said.
"She's looks alright to me, Curly," John said with a smirk.
"Don't make me tell on you to Esme, John," Tabitha warned making the other boys laugh.
"All their men are dead, see? The officers all shot," Arthur said.
"Yeah, by us," John agreed.
"All I'll say is that she has good contacts to the racing world," Thomas said.
"And because your wife is right beside you," Tabitha added, giving Thomas a small glare.
It made John and Arthur laugh as Thomas tossed the keys to Michael.
"Here, Michael, you drive," Thomas said.
"Thomas Shelby," a man said, sitting at the auction table.
He immediately pointing a gun at Thomas and Arthur pulled his arm up so the man shot the air. Thomas instantly used his body to cover Tabitha and they went to the ground. Thomas then pulled him and her off the ground and he checked to see if she was unarmed before pulling out his gun and checking above them. Arthur was beating the assassin til he drew blood and had to have John and Charlie pull him up to make sure he didn't kill the man.
Tabitha rushed to Michael, who was standing away from it all, making sure the teen boy wasn't hurt. They pulled Arthur off the man completely and calmed him down, making sure the man was still breathing. Thomas turned around and quickly walked to Tabitha, who had her arm wrapped around Michael's to make sure he stayed away.
"Michael, you didn't see a thing. This didn't happen," Thomas told him. "Alright, give me the keys. Michael, give me the keys."
"Tommy, he's alright to drive," Tabitha said, her body shaking a little bit from the shock.
"She's right," Michael said. "I'm alright to drive."
"Okay, go. Go," Thomas replied, parting Michael to go to the car.
Michael did so, leaving Tabitha standing there, still shaking. Thomas grabbed her cheek, looking to see if she was hurt again before looking in her eyes. By the back of her head, he pulled her to his chest and threw his arms around around her. They tightly hugged each other, and Thomas kissed her head, silently thanking God she was unharmed.
"I'm okay, Tommy," Tabitha whispered. "I'm okay."