CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: Tabitha's Locket
THOMAS SAT IN HIS OFFICE A COUPLE MORNINGS LATER, STRESSED EVER SINCE THE DAY AT THE AUCTION.
He had men watching from afar everything his wife was doing when he wasn't around her, making sure she was protected in case Sabini's men came around. Tabitha's safety was his top priority after the incident at the auction, and so was the safety of their possible child, more important than anything in his life.
He barely slept as much as it worried Tabitha that she made him rest after all-nighters. Most of those nights, she even stayed up and helped him finish his work until the break of dawn. Those nights, they fell asleep on the floor of his office, with some small pillows and throw blankets. When Tabitha was asleep, Thomas would look down at her and smile. She was his person, his soulmate, the one who pulled him out of the tunnels and stopped the sound of shovels. Tabitha was his queen, and God help those who disrespected the queen.
Earlier that morning, Thomas went to the funeral of Harold Hancox, the Digbeth Kid, who died in jail by some men Sabini sent. After that, Thomas met with Inspector Campbell, and the two people from the Black Lion, the ones who threatened the life of his queen and their princess. They were working with Campbell, and have Thomas a job to kill a man, one who served in the war. at first Thomas refused to work with those who threatened Tabitha, but then took the file of information from Campbell after he exited the room.
Thomas sat at his desk after the meeting, looking at the file, seeing the man's was information. His head was in his hands while his lit cigarette rested on the crystal ashtray. He rubbed his temples when Lizzie knocked on his door and slowly opened it.
"Your wife is here to see you, Mr Shelby," Lizzie said, poking her head in.
"Send her in," Thomas answered, not looking up from the file.
Tabitha slowly entered the room and Lizzie closed the door as Thomas stood up from his desk. He couldn't but faintly smile at the sight of her, noticing the beautiful light blue blouse and matching pleaded skirt she wore.
"I brought some sandwiches, thought we could have lunch together," Tabitha said, approaching his desk with a basket in her hand.
"Yeah, sounds good," Thomas said.
Tabitha sat the basket down in a chair and looked down at her husband with worry in her eyes.
"How did the Harold's funeral go? The meeting with Campbell?" Tabitha asked.
"Well, his sister continuously hit me several times, but I don't blame her for it. Handed his acting mother some money. As for Campbell...he's given new instructions."
"Is this it?" She asked looking down at the file. "Is this who they want dead now?"
"It's already been taking care of."
Tabitha analyzed Thomas' face, noticing a small, bleeding cut on the right side of his temple. She lightly touched it and the blood was on her fingers.
"You're bleeding," she said worried.
"That was also caused by Harold's sister," Thomas explained.
"Let me take care of it."
Tabitha pulled out a napkin from the basket and dabbed it in a glass of water. She gently began wiping the blood away with the napkin, but Thomas kept his eyes on her as she did. His hand wrapped around her wrist softly, making her raise a brow. He made her put down the wet napkin and placed her hand on his cheek, desperate for her touch.
"I know you've been stressed out since the auction, Tommy," Tabitha said. "But you can't keep pushing yourself like this. You need to rest, relax for a little bit. It's Michael's birthday, you'll get to take a load off for the night. Plus, May Carleton will be here in an hour to look at the horse, so then we'll be free after that."
"How exactly did I agree to let you have Ms Carleton train our horse?" Thomas asked, raising a brow.
"I think May would be a great choice to train her. She knows people in the racing world, you said so yourself."
"It's a good point," he said.
"You're still upset over Grace...about what she did to us both," Tabitha started, her smile becoming a frown. "You don't trust other women because of it, but May isn't Grace. She's a war widow, lost her husband in Ypres...where I lost Theo." She looked at the ground, trying to keep herself from crying. "I wouldn't know what to do if I lost you..."
"You don't need to worry about that," Thomas said, wrapping his arms around her back.
Thomas pulled her body close to his, allowing her head to rest on his chest, softly swaying back and forth. He leaned down and placed a tender kiss on her lips, giving a faint smile.
"Come Josephine in my flying machine, going up she goes, up she goes," Thomas sang, swaying him and Tabitha a little faster, making her laugh.
"Tommy," Tabitha laughed.
They went from swaying to dancing as Thomas spun Tabitha around, making them both laugh. He spun her one last time and pulled her to his body, and then dipped her when someone knocked on the door. Lizzie's head slowly popped in, seeing Tabitha dipped towards the floor with Thomas holding her. The secretary quickly apologized as Thomas brought Tabitha back up and tried to look professional.
"Yes, Lizzie?" Thomas asked as his stoic expression returned.
"There's somebody to see you, Mr Shelby," Lizzie said quickly. "He says he's come about the position of accounts clerk."
"Right. Send him in."
Lizzie walked out as Thomas prepared both him and Tabitha glasses of whiskey. When they looked back at the man who entered, both Thomas and Tabitha's eyes widened in surprised and Tabitha faintly smiled.
"Michael..." Tabitha said as her and Thomas walked back to his desk. Michael followed behind them.
"Vacancy's been filled," Thomas said, setting his drink down.
"Not according to this morning's paper," Michael said, dropping the newspaper on the desk.
Then he sat down in the empty chair beside the lunch basket.
"At school, I was number two in mathematics. And I did a night course in accountancy at Worcester College. Mum says you've had six different accountant clerks in the last six months. When respectable men see the other things you do, they leave. But I, like Lizzie out there, already know what you do."
Thomas leaned against the bookcase, his eyes trained on Michael. Tabitha stated at the side of his desk, also looking at the boy.
"Mum says you want to be 80 percent legal within two years."
"Three," Thomas corrected.
"I can help. I know both sides and...well, you know you can trust me," Michael said. "I want to help you, Tommy, Tabby, become legal...do the right thing. I want to be proud of this family."
"Does Polly know you're here, Michael?" Tabitha asked.
"I'm eighteen on Friday, I'll go where I please."
Thomas leaned off the bookcase and towards his desk, not liking the ride attitude he gave Tabitha. He grabbed the telephone and placed it in front of the boy.
"You phone your mother," Thomas told Michael. "Good luck."
___________________________
TABITHA AND THOMAS MET WITH MAY AT THE BETTING SHOP AFTER LUNCH, AND THEN SHOWED MAY THE FILLY AT CHARLIE'S BOATYARD.
The posh woman mainly talked to Tabitha, since Thomas didn't fully trust her. Tabitha and May got along very well, complimenting each other on their clothes and hair as they had a drink together at the Garrison.
Thomas observed how May looked at his wife, and it wasn't the way Grace looked at her. There wasn't any attraction, so that made Thomas a little less tense and talk business. All three of them agreed to let May take the filly to her estate to train her, but Thomas hadn't picked a name. He already had a name, but wanted Tabitha to wait in anticipation for it.
It was Friday, Michael's eighteenth birthday, declaring him a young man able to make his own decisions. since he was legal to decide, he was going to stay in Small Heath with his mother Polly. The family was going to celebrate his birthday party at the Garrison, giving him his first alcoholic drink. Thomas had talked to Polly about letting Michael work as clerk for him, but promised to keep him away from anything illegal.
Tabitha was in her and Thomas' bedroom, getting ready for the birthday party after getting a telegram from her sister Penelope. The telegram was good news for Penelope and her husband and Elijah, who had been living in the Hearn family village since their wedding. Tabitha was happy for her little sister. The gypsy woman got dressed in a violet-colored dress and matching shoes, a new dress she got shopping with Esme. Thomas had walked in looking for his coat when he froze and looked at his wife.
"So, how did it go with Polly?" Tabitha asked, faintly smiling.
"Quite well," Thomas said, grabbing his jacket off the bed. "I'm going to tell Michael he's got the job at the Garrison."
"I'm glad you changed your mind, he seems like a good candidate. He came to apologize earlier about the way he talked to me the other day, looked like he actually meant it." She chuckled, fixing her hair in the mirror.
"That's good. I should've made him apologize when he was in my office."
"Penelope sent me a telegram earlier, told me some good news." Tabitha turned around to face her husband, a faint, take smile on her lips.
"How are her and Elijah? It's been awhile since the wedding."
"She's pregnant..."
Thomas' eyes widened, surprised, as Tabitha frowned and nodded her head once.
"I'm glad for them, I am," Tabitha said. "I'll send them a telegram tomorrow to give our congratulations."
"Don't get upset, we still have time," Thomas assured, grabbing his wife's shoulders. "Both of us agreed to go with the flow, right? We're not going to push and push for a baby."
"I'm not even sure I can have a baby. What if-"
"Don't think like that," Thomas cut his wife off. "We are going to have a baby when we have a baby. Okay?"
Tabitha nodded, keeping herself from getting worked up again. Thomas grabbed her fur trimmed coat off the bed and she put her arms through the blue silk sleeves. She turned around, showing the front of her coat and the dress to him.
"Will I do?" Tabitha asked.
"You do indeed," Thomas said with a smile, wrapping his arms around Tabitha's waist. "You look beautiful, Mrs Shelby."
She chuckled, "thank you."
"How about we missed the celebration and make a baby right now?" He asked, kissing her neck, making her giggle.
"No, it's Michael's birthday party, we have to go." Tabitha pushed Thomas off of her playfully. "We're going to be late."
Thomas and Tabitha walked to the Garrison together, and sat in the private snug with John, Arthur, Esme, and Finn. John had poured a mild for Finn since he was rarely allowed to drink. A couple seconds later, Polly came into the snug with Michael and the family cheered and laughed at the birthday boy.
"Happy birthday, Michael," Thomas said, shaking Michael's hand.
"Happy birthday!" Tabitha Said, throwing her arms around the boy for a hug, making him chuckle.
"Eighteen years old. Your a man today," Arthur smiled. "Give him a drink, John boy."
"There you go, lad," John said, handing Michael a pint of the mild.
"After that, we'll find you a lady of the night."
"Arthur!" Polly and Tabitha exclaimed.
"Michael," Thomas said, handing the boy a small, leather box.
"What's that?" Michael asked opening it.
"So you're never late for work."
Michael looked up and smiled from the words.
"Welcome to the business, Michael," Arthur said as Polly hugged her son.
John and Arthur were trying to get Michael a whiskey, but Thomas said only a dark mild since Michael had work the next day. The family then raised their pints.
"To Michael," Thomas said.
To Michael," Tabitha and the family repeated.
They all say down and the night was filled with jokes and laughter. Tabitha say close to Thomas and anyone was able to see the love they had for each other. It was in their eyes they way they looked at each other.
"You still haven't told me what you named the filly, Tom," Tabitha said over the loud music and the laughing.
"You really want to know?" Thomas asked, a smirk on his lips.
Tabitha nodded in response, and Thomas leaned his lips to her ear, whispering the name.
"Tabitha's Locket," Thomas said. "Her name is Tabitha's Locket."
Who's team Tammy and team Grabitha?