𝖜𝖍𝖎𝖘𝖐𝖊𝖞 𝖒𝖊𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖘, 𝐭. 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐛𝐲 ¹

✧ 12 ✧

      𝐍𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐄𝐓𝐋𝐘 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐍, 𝐁𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐒 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑 𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐀𝐓. Her conversation with Thomas from the other day was still on her mind as she reached across the bar to pour herself a shot of whiskey. It had been nearly three days and she still had yet to receive a proper explanation.

All she knew was that Thomas had gone to visit the matriarch of the Lee family to discuss the tensions and a possible solution. A solution that was apparently going to be found in a marriage...

Nellie was honestly terrified that Thomas was going to attempt to marry her to one of the Lees as a way to get rid of her and solve their quarrel. But she didn't think Thomas would actually do that...or at least she hoped he wouldn't.

She sighed as she downed the whiskey and poured herself another one, the whispering coming from the office catching her attention.

She made her way to Arthur's office as she swirled the whiskey beneath her nose. Arthur sat hunched over the desk, slowly counting money as he tallied up the profits on a sheet of paper.

"Need help with that?" Nellie asked, her hip leaning against the doorframe as she sipped on her whiskey.

Arthur groaned as he looked up, irritation flashing through his otherwise pleased expression. "You messed me up, darling." He leaned back in his chair, his legs spreading slightly as he smiled at Nellie.

Nellie smiled and moved further into the office. "My sincerest apologies." She gave Arthur a mock bow as he set the money down and leaned back in his chair. Nellie sat on the edge of the desk. Before she got to say much more to Arthur, the sound of a door opening followed by heeled footsteps and soft grunts filled the room.

Nellie and Arthur watched as Grace walked past the open door with a large crate in her arms. Nellie's eye twitched with irritation as the barmaid called out to Arthur about the strangely-smelling cigarettes. Nellie rolled her eyes and slid off the desk as Grace approached. She crossed her arms over her chest as the woman appeared in the doorway.

"And here she comes," she muttered, earning a pointed look from Arthur. He was well aware of Nellie's contempt for the bar's newest employee, but he didn't entertain her. Just like the rest of the Shelby men, Arthur was drawn to Grace because she was pretty. He was blinded to her suspicious behavior by his cock. Typical man, she thought to herself.

"They smell like rotting water," Grace said as she stepped into the office, "and look. Rats have gotten to some of them." Grace hesitated as she handed Arthur a pack, her eyes landing on Nellie as she did so.

"Miss Allyn," she said in surprise, her lips quirking in a smile though the sincerity didn't reach her eyes. "It's nice to see you."

Arthur glanced between the two women as he sniffed the carton of cigarettes. Nellie forced a smile. "And you," she gritted out, her hand clenching around her whiskey glass.