Crown of a Prince (Finn Shelby)

34.

Finally pulling themselves apart, Finn and Ailbhe got dressed, not wanting to keep Arthur waiting. Ailbhe wanted to go to the offices to remind them that May Carlton was coming for a meeting and Finn had to meet Arthur at midday. The idea of letting Ailbhe out of his sight for more than an hour was not appealing to Finn at all, therefore he made a deal with Ailbhe that he would walk her to the office, leave her with Lizzie while he met Arthur.Finally pulling themselves apart, Finn and Ailbhe got dressed, not wanting to keep Arthur waiting. Ailbhe wanted to go to the offices to remind them that May Carlton was coming for a meeting and Finn had to meet Arthur at midday. The idea of letting Ailbhe out of his sight for more than an hour was not appealing to Finn at all, therefore he made a deal with Ailbhe that he would walk her to the office, leave her with Lizzie while he met Arthur.
Having not told most of the family about them, Ailbhe didn't hold Finn's hand as they walked but he couldn't resist touching her altogether. He walked with her on the inside of the pavement, his hand rested on the small of her back when they changed direction. Once inside the door of Shelby Company Ltd and he knew no one was watching, he grabbed her quickly and kissed her, pressing one more kiss to her lips before winking and disappearing out the door with a smile.

Ailbhe pushed open the main doors, seeing how the men had cleared away the broken glass and mess from yesterday. It looked as though it never happened. She froze when she looked around, feeling a tightness in her chest at being back there so soon, when it was still so fresh. She could still feel his blood on her, the noose around her neck.

"Ailbhe" Lizzie's voice called her back to the present, yanking her out of the past "What are you doing here?"

Ailbhe looked around. Lizzie was sitting behind her desk, a bottle of whiskey beside her and she clearly had drunk a lot of it already.

"I remembered that May Carlton was coming today, I came to remind Tom" Ailbhe answered, looking down the corridor to Tommy's office where the door was open and it was clearly empty.

"Oh he remembered" Lizzie grumbled, taking another sip from the bottle.

Ailbhe didn't like that answer. Lizzie was a jealous woman and she knew that May and Tommy had a history, back when Lizzie was nothing more than the girl he used to visit. Now she was a voting member of Shelby Company Ltd, she was his secretary and his person. She had thought she was but the way Tommy had reacted when May arrived tugged at Lizzie's insecurities.

"You sleep well?" Lizzie asked Ailbhe, a knowing glint in her eye.

Ailbhe felt a blush rise in her cheeks as she realised Lizzie knew who had been in her bed all night.

"You two worked things out?" She asked, knowing that they must have put their pride aside because she had seen how Finn looked at her earlier, how he looked at her like he was the luckiest man in the world and he wouldn't ever make her regret picking him.

Ailbhe was nodding when the door slammed behind them and Polly swept into the room.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, knowing Tommy had given her the day off.

"I had to come and remind Tom about a meeting" She replied, but she doubted Polly even heard her. She seemed flustered and bothered but Ailbhe couldn't tell why.

"Where is he?" She asked, looking down the corridor and noticing Tommy's absence.

"Fucking" Lizzie replied dryly, reaching for the bottle.

"Fucking what?" Polly asked, turning around to face Lizzie.

"Fucking her" She snapped, waving a cheque in the air.
Polly walked over the desk, taking the cheque from Lizzie's hand and her eyes widening at the amount.
It was a signed cheque from May Carlton to the Shelby family charity.

"Ten thousand pounds?" Polly asked incredulously.

A smug smile appeared on Lizzie's lips.

"She left it blank so I filled it in for her" she answered, taking another sip.

Polly chose to ignore whatever emotional turmoil Lizzie was going through, she had bigger things on her mind.

"What's Tommy's diary looking like for the rest of the week?" She asked, pulling off her gloves.

Ailbhe knew she was up to something. Perhaps this was all to do with Tommy's plan.

Lizzie was not listening though.


"Tommy and his cock and his gin and that stuck up whore" She muttered, putting down her bottle only to push the tea pot in front of Polly, asking her to read her leaves.

"You haven't read my leaves in ages" She begged.

Polly sighed

"I haven't read anyone's leaves in ages" She answered.

It was true. Polly had stopped the séances and the tea leaves since returning to the company but Ailbhe had loved when she used to do it for them.

"Alright" she conceded, sitting against Ailbhe's empty desk "Pour, you too Ailbhe!"

Ailbhe rolled her eyes, she wasn't sure she wanted to know her future right now but she did it anyway. Lizzie poured her cup, passing the pot to Ailbhe who did the same. They did as they were told, swirling the tea cup, thinking about the men they love. Ailbhe had to smirk when she was thinking about Finn, how much she loved him and Lizzie rolled her eyes beside her snapping "Fuck him".

They thought about their white wedding dress as Polly guided them and poured the tea back into the pot.

"Alright, I'll read your tea leaves if you go and get Tommy's diary" Polly bargained, holding out her hand for the cup.

Lizzie stood from her desk, going into Tommy's office and grabbing his diary leaving the two women alone for a moment.

Polly turned to look at Ailbhe, her eyes narrowed and studied her for a second. Ailbhe felt like she was reading her mind, as if she could see into her soul. She hated when Polly did that, it spooked her. Polly reached over and tilted Ailbhe's head, examining the bruises and scars. She knew them well. The bruises on the wrists, the marks around her neck. They were injuries she had gotten herself and were ones that left emotional marks.

"Are you alright?" She asked, her eyes softening.

Ailbhe took a moment. She didn't want to lie to Aunt Pol. She felt herself nodding, she was alright and if she didn't feel like she was completely alright, she knew she would be soon.

Polly looked into Ailbhe's tea leaves, looking carefully before moving onto Lizzie's. She told Lizzie to mark Friday afternoon, to keep it free.

"Now read my future and make it fucking good" Lizzie told Polly, grabbing the bottle of whiskey again.

"Make sure he keeps it free" Polly warned Lizzie, marking this Friday with a black star.

Ailbhe had a bad feeling about this Friday, she didn't think it was an appointment with anyone official.

"Just read my leaves Pol" Lizzie sighed, rolling her eyes. She was sick of talking about Tommy.

"I already have" Polly told her, blowing the ink dry and snatching the bottle from Lizzie's hand.

"It's plain as day. Stop drinking whiskey, switch to stout" She advised her, putting away the whiskey and putting back on her coat.

"Why?" Lizzie questioned, but the hammer dropped for Ailbhe.

She knew that stout was what pregnant women drank because gin and whiskey harmed the baby.

"Make sure Tommy keeps that afternoon free, I have an appointment for him. And you" she pointed at Lizzie "Go and see a doctor about that baby in your tea leaves"

Lizzie's mouth dropped open; she was having a baby. Tommy's baby. She didn't even hear Polly turn to Ailbhe.

"And you" she pointed at her "You need to be careful. I'm seeing too much romance and love in your leaves for a girl your age"

Ailbhe felt a laugh slip through her lips. Polly had warned Ailbhe to stay away from men until she was much older. They were all liars and fools she told her. They only thought about themselves, drinking and sex, that is what Polly had told her. But Ailbhe knew this to be untrue.

She turned to Lizzie, who stood there barefoot and in shock at her news. Ailbhe had never heard Lizzie talk about kids, whether she one day wanted to be a mother but she knew Lizzie would be an incredible mother.

"This is great Lizzie" Ailbhe tried to get Lizzie's attention, to remind her that this was good news.

The door slammed again, Tommy coming around the corner.

"My office, now Ailbhe" he ordered.

He either didn't know or didn't care that he had interrupted them.

"Yeah, one second" she nodded, gathering her coat and checking Lizzie was alright.

Lizzie promised she was fine, not touching the whiskey anymore and knowing she needed to phone a doctor.

Tommy was already pouring himself a drink, offering one to Ailbhe but she refused. It was too early for her. He took one for himself and gestured at Ailbhe to take the seat in front of his desk.

"You'll be happy to know that Aberama Gold and his men got two more Italians this morning on my orders" He told her, taking the seat opposite her.

He noticed her digest the news, the hint of a smile on her face. She was glad there were two less men after them, two less of the men who wanted Ailbhe dead in a similar fashion to how the two men Finn and her brothers had killed, wanted her gone.

"Good" she replied, knowing the world was a better place without them.


"Polly dropped by, there was something off with her. She was shaken, I don't know why" Ailbhe told Tommy, knowing that if he knew what was wrong he could help.

Tommy just nodded, knowing exactly what had happened.

"She told Lizzie to keep Friday afternoon free. Why?" Ailbhe asked, pushing his diary towards him so he could see the date marked for himself.

He laughed dryly, his eyes not giving away anything.

"I also have heard from Alfie Solomons that we have a man who's willing to fight Bonnie Gold" Tommy nodded, tipping the last of his whiskey back his throat and changing the subject.

Tommy stood from his seat, lighting a cigarette and holding it between his lips as he pulled on his coat.

"I'm going there now to tell him now" He told her, holding open the door.

Ailbhe wanted to see Mr Gold, to thank him for their part in this morning. She also knew that Finn was training in the same gym and that maybe if Bonnie saw her with Finn, he would give up on her. She didn't want him to keep hanging onto hope, not when she knew Finn had her heart locked up tight.

"Let me" Ailbhe piped up, buttoning her coat. "I'll tell him, I'm going that way anyway Tom and you're busy I'm sure"

Tommy didn't bother ask why she cared; she wouldn't tell him anyway. She disappeared before he could question it further anyway leaving with a vendetta, war against the Italians and a drunk secretary who wasn't speaking to him.