Nothing Will Change

Chapter 54

Alfie Solomons insisted Rose tagged along to a celebratory business dinner with him and the Peaky Blinders. Since their first incident in Alfie's office, Rose hadn't returned or asked how business was going between them, but in the few times she had seen Alfie since, she was only beginning to slightly trust him. Though it all was very peculiar, as she had no real reason to be there, except his insistence. Tommy couldn't go because he had prior business with May, and although Rose begged to go with him instead, he refused. She guessed he couldn't go another night with two women drunk off wine teasing him.

So Arthur would go in his place, along with Billy Kitchen who had apparently been running the operation in Camden Town. He also saw the peculiarity, neither knowing one another but both eyeing each other as Alfie's men seemed off. His face was permanently stiff, Billy must have been identical to every man Rose had seen who was involved with the Peaky Blinders. Hanging behind them as they walked through the entrance to Alfie's bakery, he only briefly gave her concerned looks, not to throw her off. Arthur on the other hand either couldn't notice the eerie feeling floating around or had too much snow stuffed up his nose to care. He inhaled it off his hand like Rose wasn't present, silently apologising as she gave him a dirty look.

"Gentlemen, Rose, welcome, welcome," Alfie greeted as they made their way to him, holding his arms out. Rose gave a smile that was completely fake but reached the corners of her eyes, her hands in her pockets.

"Mr Solomon," Arthur greeted him in return, just missing the s on the end of his name.

"You must be Arthur."

"That is right."

Alfie took both his hands and shook them, "Arthur, Arthur! I have heard so much about you."

There was always something funny in the way Alfie spoke. It was generally quite quirky, not that Rose was to judge, just that it was something you wouldn't expect from someone of his nature. It punctured the air completely opposite of what you were expecting, but in turn always left you curious of what would happen next. He had given her advice that stuck with her, and she was very grateful, but at the end of the day he was still a gangster who kept a gun around at all times. And it didn't help that his assistant Ollie wasn't as welcoming.

He made his way to her once he was done welcoming Arthur, "Rosie my love it's good to see you!"

"Still Rose," she grinned awkwardly as he took her hand.

"You're probably very warm, Ollie take her coat would you?" He instructed even to Rose's protest, Ollie rolling his eyes before doing as he was told. She was wearing a new design that night, a forest green that was almost plain compared to all the other dresses she had designed in the past. But she could just not grapple what her purpose was.

Ushered into a room full of barrels, they were met with a long table waiting for a feast. Rum bottles dotted the table, brown rum, which had to mean something. Several of Alfie's men stood in different corners, a seat for Rose opposite Arthur and Billy. They were separated. Candles and actual bread awaited them, and Rose thought it best not to drink the rum as the colour held too much significance. At least to her, Arthur and Billy couldn't tell. If Tommy was there she could meet his gaze and he would know immediately what she was thinking, or at least they would be able to match each others suspicions. If Tommy was there she wouldn't be sat on the other side of the table, he'd have he practically on her lap if it wasn't inappropriate.

In that moment she wished he was there to sit on his lap.

"The Passover started off way out there in the Far East-" Alfie began, standing to Rose's left, "out in the sand, out in the desert, where my forefathers come from- the Jews, the brews, whatever you want to call them."