Eye of the Storm | Thomas Shelby

VII

1913

Evelyn is on a time limit. She knows the longer she waits the harder and more dangerous it is.

She knows most wouldn't even consider doing what she is. She has overhead from Silas how Arthur dealt with these situations. She doesn't know if Thomas is the same way.

After all, she knew the consequences of sleeping with a man that wasn't her husband.

She had debated on the many ways she was going to tell him. She knows if she approached him at his house everyone would know. She and Thomas never had any interactions and her request to speak in private would draw whispers. It also would be unusual to be in the Garrison unless her brother was in there.

Evelyn does however know that Thomas spends most of his downtime at Charlie's Yard. He had a love of horses. Charlie's Yard was located on the Cut and no one would think of anything if she were to take a walk along the Cut. Not many spent time there, to begin with.

Besides, the walk would give her time to figure out what she was going to say. She knows foolishly she wants to keep the baby. She doesn't care if Thomas wants to be with her. This child was a piece of her. She also fears if the abortion goes wrong. She doesn't want to take the risk. She just wants support for the baby.

If not, she does plan to curse him with the knowledge of telling their child he didn't want anything to do with them. Their child would know his name and who he was.

She walks along the edge of Cut. The summer weather is slowly turning to fall and there was a slight chill in the air.

She knows her life is about to change and she would be lying if she wasn't scared. She has no funds to support a baby. She knows Henry will kick her out as soon as she tells them.

Maybe having the baby would be cruel as she has no skills or way to support herself. She would be condemning her child to a life of poverty and the stigma of being a bastard. She wonders if it's selfish to keep the child.

Evelyn looks up and she almost trips over her own feet as Thomas is smoking a few feet away.

She must have made a sound as he turns his head towards her. He throws his cigarette in the water.

They eye each other silently. Evelyn is unsure of what to say. What does someone say after what they've done? Thomas hasn't sought her out since that night. She hasn't made any type of effort either. Nothing was supposed to come from that night. It was only supposed to be a night.

"Everything alright?"

Evelyn swallows the lump in her throat. Her mouth is dry as cotton. She licks her lips. "I'm pregnant." She blurts out. She ignores the churning in her stomach.

Thomas doesn't show any reaction. It unnerves her.

Evelyn stands taller. "And I'm keeping it." Her voice wobbles a bit and she finds his eyes trail down to her stomach.

Thomas steps closer. His hand trembles as he places it on her stomach. "We'll get married."

Evelyn shudders. Her eyes go wide. The edges of Thomas' lips curl up. He brings her in a hug.

"It'll be okay," he promises.

She decides to believe him.

. . .

1919

Evelyn knew something was wrong when Arthur and Silas had come back bloody from a night out at the Garrison.

There were no injuries on them thankfully. Yet from how they were avoiding her eyes, it doesn't take her long to deduce that this was Thomas' mess. It also meant it most likely had something to do with her.