Only Time Will Tell - A Peaky Blinders Story

Chapter 9 - Fun days and harsh nights

"Let's go to the fair!" Finn says excitedly as he practically pulls Cassie out to the car. "Alright, Finny! Just let me grab my coat." Cass says with a small laugh as she turns back towards the house. She come to an abrupt stop as John stands in front of her with a grin smacked on his face, holding her coat out for her. She can't help but laugh at his face as she thanks him, whipping the coat around her shoulders.

Before Tommy can get in the car, like his brothers already have, Cass pulls him to one side. "Do they know about our stop on the way?" she whispers, even though she is definitely out of earshot. "They'll know when we get there." Tommy shrugs in reply, making his sister roll her eyes in annoyance as they climb into the car.

~

The seemingly annoying chatter between the boys comes to an abrupt stop as Tommy turns onto a field rather than up the hill to the fair. "I thought you said we were going to the fair." Arthur says bluntly as the car comes to a halt. "We have business first, come on." Tommy replies as he clambers out of the car, helping his sister out at the same time. "What business?" Arthur says, looking between Cass and Tommy as they walk away from them. "Isn't that the Lee family?" John says as he follows.

"Ah! Tommy and Casandra!" One of the men says once he's noticed them. "Johnny Dogs, it's good to see you." Cass says as she walks over to him with her slight limp and hugs him. It really has been too long for them. "Tommy, how the hell are you?" Johnny then says, looking towards the man in charge. "All the better for getting the city smoke out of my lungs." Tommy replies, shaking his hand. Cass scoffs silently as he doesn't realise the irony of his cigarette that's hanging between his lips.

"I thought you lot became a bit too grand for us." Johnny says, leading the group further into the field. "We've been busy." Tommy says, taking another drag as he casually walks beside his old friend. "I see you're riding with the Lee family now." Cass butts into their conversation. "That's right." The gypsy replies with a smile. "Hmm. Myself, I'd rather live among pigs." Tommy spits out, facing the few men that are sat cooking around a fire. "Now, now, Tom. No disputing." Johnny says, attempting to sound threatening but failing.

The Lee men all look around with glares towards the group at the comment. Cassie can't help but cringe at the fact that their eyes linger on her. "So, your first fair since France, is it?" Johnny then says, changing the subject. "What do you know about France, you war-shy gypsy bastard?" Tommy retorts in a joking manor.

"So, this is the horse?" Tommy says as he makes his way over to the white horse that's attached to one of the caravans. "And that's the car." Johnny says, rubbing his hands together. Cass can't help but snigger at the look on John's and Arthur's faces as she joins Tommy to inspect the horse. He's nice and clean, got the right hoof maintenance, a beautiful mane, and a gorgeous look of strength.

"Hang on a minute..." Arthur starts, his frustration clearly growing, "you're not swapping the family car for a bloody horse." He continues, looking between Johnny and Tommy. "Don't be stupid, Arth." Cass remarks, almost jokingly with how exaggerated the rolling of her eyes is. "We're gonna play two up." Tommy then says, digging through his pocket for a coin.

Johnny walks back over to the group, his own coin being played with between his fingers. "Ok, fellas. You know the rules. Toss when you're ready." Cass says, acting like the mediator, even though she knows Tommy is going to win. Everyone watches in suspense as the two coins fly through the air, making a small clink as they clash together on the grass. Tommy and Johnny immediately both crouch down to inspect their fate. Two heads face back at them, making them both simultaneously stand to their actual heights and shake hands. Cass watches with caution as Tommy hands the car key over to their old friend.

"I knew it! I knew it. Tommy, you're a bloody idiot." Arthur yells at the exchange. "Relax, brother, Tommy said that Johnny could have a ride around if he lost. We won." Cass says, widening her grin at the last part. "Oh, alright then." Arthur says, almost retreating into himself as the Lee men start laughing.

"Are you Lee boys laughing at my brother?" Tommy says sternly, slowly, and menacingly walking over to the three of them. Cass is immediately filled with dread as she looks back towards the car which is currently being occupied by Finn. He doesn't need to see this. She moves to stand between her brothers as Johnny runs back over to them, speaking in Romani about how their grandfather was a king.

"He might have been a king, but their mother was a didicoy whore. The apple obviously doesn't fall too far from the tree." One of the Lees says in reply, gesturing to Cass as he did so. Immediately, Tommy sees red. The three Shelby men take their hats off and start slicing. A huge fight is breaking out between the 6 of them and all Cass can do is stumble backwards in shock. Flashbacks of France fill her mind and she can't seem to shake them. This was not how today was supposed to go.

~

The rest of the day went by in a blur for Cass. The fair, the rides, the candyfloss. None of it seemed to dull the horrors in her head. She seems to come back to her own mind when they turn onto their home street. People are outside of their homes, collecting the furniture that has been tossed onto the street. Women and children are crying, there aren't many men around who haven't been shaken up with some sort of beating.

"What the fuck's happened here?" Arthur says in shock. No one can bring themselves to answer since none of them have any idea. It's not long until their all sat at the kitchen table, being handed pints of mild from a bucket by Polly.

"The coppers told everyone that Arthur had agreed to it when they had their little 'meeting'." Polly explains after Tommy demanded to know what's been going on. "They smashed up all the houses that held communists or someone of their trade. They said the peaky blinders had cleared out of the fair to let them do it." She continues, looking around the room with a sense of power as she spoke. No one dare ignore her. She's Polly Gray after all. "I never said nothing to copper about smashing up bloody houses." Arthur states, defensively.

"Alright, which pubs did they do?" Tommy says, making it obvious that he's already bored. "The guns, the Chain, the Marquis. All of the ones that you for protection." Polly answers. "Let me guess, they didn't touch the Garrison." Cass says with a sigh, already knowing the answer. "He's smart, this copper. He made sure people thought we were in on it." Polly says, lighting a cigarette.

"Right, go on," she starts again after a moment of silence, "Drink your beers, get out. You'd better show people you're still the cocks of the walk." The finishes, practically shooing everyone out of the room. "Hand out some cash to landlords of the pubs. Pay some veterans to fix the places up." Tommy orders them as they leave, waiting for everyone but himself, Polly, and Cassie to leave the room.

Polly and Tommy start to talk, but Cass can't help but tune them out. The events of today have been playing on her mind, and the terrors of the past flashing into her mind aren't helping. She sits calmly in her chair, her eyes never leaving the table. Tommy and Polly don't even notice that she's checked out of the conversation until she abruptly stands and leaves the room. There's only one place she wants to be, and that's in the arms of her soldier.