𝑳𝑨 𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑼𝑺𝑬

𝑽𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑻 𝑺𝑬𝑷𝑻

♱♱

𝟑𝒓𝒅 𝑷𝑶𝑽

"Où étais-tu la nuit dernière qui t'es couché aux petites heures du matin(Where were you last night that come to bed at wee hours of the morning)." Salomé jumps hearing her cousin's voice.
Looking back from the mirror, Clara rested against the door frame a stern look on her face and arms crossed.
"I had to look over Arthur and John Shelby until their brother came to get them." Salomé turned back around facing the mirror, fixing the dress she had on.
She heard Clara scoffs at her response. "Yes and Tommy decided to leave his brothers in the Garrison to leave with you." Salomé tried to play it off like she didn't know what her cousin was saying.
"Where you get that information from?"
"When I saw you pull him into Mr. DuBois house...for the deuxième fois." Salomé turned around in a hurry pushing past her cousin closing the bedroom door.
"How do you know that?" Salomé whispered.
"No need to whisper, mama is down stairs rallying those children." Clara nonchalantly said leaning against the closed door. Salomé gave her cousin the look to answer the question. "Well let's see, first time I was coming home from work and I saw you scurry off to Mr. DuBois house with a plate of food then it was morning I saw Tommy Shelby leaving out of the house. The second time, this time, I saw you two at the edge of the courtyard holding hands then I saw you take him inside Mr. DuBois house." Clara smirked.
"What do you want in return of you keeping your mouth shut." Salomé knew there was a big risk if her family was to find out about her time with Tommy Shelby outside of just singing in the Garrison.
"I would never blackmail my sweet cousin who is in love with the gangster her papa hates." Salomé rolled her eyes, knowing even family wanted something in return for silence.
"I'm telling the truth, what you do with Tommy Shelby is none of my concern, all I say is I can help you." Salomé looked at her cousin confused, Clara walks up to their shared wardrobe. "I can help you keep the secret but only for so long." It was inevitable to keep the relationship a secret, they were bound for a slip up. "I would also like to help you change out of that dress." Clara rummaged through their wardrobe as she spoke.
"What?" Salomé looked down at her dress confused.
"Mama is gonna make you give a wee basket to the Shelby family and you can't go there looking like a flower maid." Salomé look down at her the pattern of her dress second guessing what she had decided to wear. "But don't I look pretty ?"
"Pretty like you are 15 year old girl, I know you are older than that." Clara says in a matter of fact tone before pulling out a better dress.

"The men are gone so that means I can ask you to deliver this to the Shelby's." Salomé looked down at the basket that Aunt Beatrice put in front of her on the table.
"A care basket?" Salomé looked at the items in the basket.
"I heard of Tommy Shelby was shot yesterday, I thought this basket will be a nice get well present, no."
Salomé looked at her cousin Clara beside her who was hiding away a big smile while eating toast.
"Bon, I need you to take it to them I wish I could but this house would be on fire if I left the children too long with Clara." Salomé chuckled at her aunt's comment about her cousin.
"I will be glad to give this to them, Clara can come." Her cousin looked over at Salomé.
"Oh sorry but it is my turn to help with the house today, unless you want to do it and I can give it to the Shelby's." Clara smirked at Salomé.
"No it's fine I'll take it...by myself, I'll take it now just to get it there before my shift starts." Salomé gave a polite smile to her aunt before looking over at Clara who had a mischievous smile on her face.
"I can 'ave one of the children walk you there if ya don't know the way."
"Oh mama, Salomé has been to the Shelby house before I'm sure the girl knows her way." Like the mother and daughter always did, they started bickering back and forth like old french village ladies.
Salomé used that opportunity to leave the bickering ladies quietly, slipping out the house without either one noticing.