No escape from the past (book 1)

Chapter four

We go up towards the pub and Thomas opens the door for us. Everyone looks up when he comes in and I stay close with him. He takes off his head and throws it on the bar. I feel a man that is sitting in the corner watching us and I look at Thomas, he doesn't really seem to bother or he doesn't notice.

The bar man comes towards us with a bottle of, I think, whiskey and opens it.

'On the house, Mr. Shelby,' the bartender says and looks at me. 'And what for the lady?'

'I don't need anything, thanks,' I say quietly and Thomas lies two shillings on the bar. Thomas looks behind us towards the man in the corner and I feel him staring at us.

'Who is that, Tommy?' I ask and Thomas looks at me and then back behind us.

'You'll find out soon enough,' he says and the bartender comes towards us again.

'I'm sorry, Mr. Shelby, but I have to ask, who is this young lady?' he asks and I look at my hands. I sigh and look up again.

'I'm Mila, Mila Lavigne,' I say slowly and the bartender nods.

'She's from now on part of the Shelby family,' Thomas says and the bartender nods.

'I'm Harry,' the bartender says and walks away. Thomas grabs a cigarette and flames it up, I look at him and sigh.

I lean against the bar and Thomas just looks straight forward, I guess it has something to do with the man that is staring at us. The man comes towards us and I look at Thomas, he slowly shakes his head and I nod.

'I'll take a Mild,' the man says and Harry nods.

'Right,' he says and pours the man a drink. The man looks at us and I avoid his eyes. I don't like the vibe he has, he reminds me of France and not the fun part. Thomas just casually smokes his cigarette and I'm just standing there next to him.

The man comes closer towards us and takes one of the shillings that were placed on the bar. I follow the shilling with my eyes and take a step closer towards Thomas. Thomas scoffs and the man leans with his back against the bar.

Harry looks from Thomas towards the man and then at me. I shrug and he gives me a small nod.

'Cheers, Thomes, good health to you,' the man says and I already don't like the man. The way he speaks, the way he acts, everything reminds me of France and I hate it. Thomas stays silent and the man takes his head.

He takes away some fabric and two razor blades show up. I raise my eyebrows and look at Thomas, he doesn't meet my eyes and just stays looking forward.

'The crown of a prince,' the man says and looks at me. I look away, scared for what I will see in his eyes. He throws the head back on the bar and looks at Thomas. 'Soon to be kind, I'd bet.'

'You don't bet,' Thomas says slowly.

'No, but these past few days I've been speculating,' the man says and Thomas makes a face of impression.

'About what?' he asks.

'One of my Union comrades has a sister who works in the telegraph office at the BSA factory,' the man says. I really don't know where he is going and I really do not like to know. 'She says, over the past week they've had messages coming up from London to the brass, from Winston Churchill himself.'

The man turns around and comes closer to Thomas. I take a deep breath and take a small step towards Thomas, so our body's almost touch, but there is just enough space.

'Something about a robbery,' the man says and I look at Thomas, he still doesn't look at any of us and it's kinda frustrating. "A robbery of national significance," it said.'