Game Of Bliss

(24)

"I've brought you all here today, because this is the day we replace Billy Kimber. This is the day we become respectable. The day we join the Official National Association of Race Course Bookmakers," Tommy states, standing at the front of the betting den, "but first, we do the dirty work"

"We all known this day has been coming, I just haven't told anyone the date," Tommy says, "we're going to the Worcester races. The track opens at one, we get there at two. Kimber thinks we're going there to help him fight the Lee brothers. But thanks to the efforts of our John, and his lovely new wife Esmé, the Lees are now our kin. It'll be us and the Lees against Kimbers boys. We take them out, leave the bookies. I expect a swift victory which will send a signal all the way down to London that we believe in letting legitimate businesses run peacefully."

"What about Kimber himself?" John inquires.

"I'll deal with Kimber," Mal says, his arm around Florence's shoulders.

"Any other questions?" Tommy asks.

"Yes," Polly says, walking to the doors that lead to the kitchen, "does anyone object if I bring a newcomer to the meeting?"

Everyone watches as Polly opens it, Ada walking through with her baby tucked up in her arms.

"I'd like to introduce the newest member of the Shelby clan," Polly smiles.

"Welcome home, Ada," Tommy states.

"We named him Karl. After Karl Marx," Ada informs.

"Karl bloody Marx," Arthur chuckles, stepping towards his sister, "let me get a look at him. He looks just like me."

"That's his arse that looks like you, Arthur," John remarks.

"He's alright," Arthur says, "he's a Shelby."

Ada looks at her sister, "don't let them damage him."

"He's safe," Florence replies, glancing at Tommy, "go talk to him."

"Flo," Polly says, as Ada walks over to Tommy, "she's at the bar, collecting some of her things."

-

"Florence," Grace greets as the woman walks into the bar, "have you seen Tommy? I haven't seen him for a while, and I need to tell him something."

"He knows," Florence states, "and he doesn't want to see you."

"Knows what?" Grace asks, buttoning up her coat.

"What you are. Why you came here." Florence says, "Campbell's not good at keeping his mouth shut when there is somebody else he'd rather protect."

"I am an agent of the crown. I have the power to arrest and the right to use force. So please, step out of my way," Grace states, retrieving her gun from her purse, aiming it in Florence's direction, "this gun is loaded."

Florence scoffs, walking closer to Grace, "I'm not afraid of you. Shooting me will do you no favours, especially not with Tommy. Instincts a funny thing, you may be a copper, but you fell for him, didn't you?"

Grace doesn't respond, and Florence was close enough now to take the gun from her hand, "you won't be needing this."

"I'll fight you with my fists and show you how a rich girls fights," Grace counters.

"If I came here to fight you, you'd already be knocked out, and I'd be on my way to sink you to the bottom of the cut," Florence says, placing the gun down on a nearby table.

"Then why are you here?" Grace asks.

"Unfortunately, I'm here to make sure you get out of this city safely, at my brothers behest, he wants you gone but not dead, despite my efforts to change his mind it was to no avail," Florence states, "the funny thing is, when some times gone by, when this is over, he might forgive you. I'd hate for him to be that foolish but sometimes the blood from his brain just rushes to his dick before he can make a logical decision."

"What was he like before the war?" Grace queries.

"Don't push me, Grace," Florence replies, "he might forgive you. But nobody else will, and I can promise you that we won't make it easy for you to be accepted in the family, to feel wanted. So just... don't come back."

"I'm not planning to," Grace says.

"Good, that's good," Florence nods, "well, let's be on our merry way."

"You don't have to escort me," Grace replies.

"If he finds out I haven't he'll have a hissy fit and I'm not in the mood to deal with that today," Florence says, "negative reinforcement and all that crap."

"Isn't negative reinforcement punishment for not doing something?" Grace responds, and Florence shakes her head, "negative reinforcement is doing something to avoid an unwanted outcome, for example Tommy throwing a hissy fit."

"Could the unwanted outcome not be deemed a punishment?" Grace questions, "surely that's synonymous, either way you're avoiding something."

"No, you're getting it wrong," Florence states, "negative reinforcement is increasing the likelihood of something happening through the removal of something unpleasant. Me doing this lowers the chances of Tommy nagging me, but Tommy nagging me isn't a punishment."

"You know your stuff," Grace hums.

"I'm intelligent, yes, is that really such a shock?" Florence replies, "you think I just wander around the betting den to be someone's muse?"

-

"Where are you going? Why are you dressed in black?" Florence queries, watching Ada push the pram out of the door.

"The men are being idiots, so we're sorting them out," Ada says.

"I feel like I've missed something," Florence mutters.

"Kimber is in Birmingham, nobody is making it to the races, they're having a stand off on Garrison Lane which we are going to put a stop to," Ada states.

"Please tell me your plan is not to get in the middle of heaps of men pointing loaded weapons at each other with your baby," Florence says.

"Not just with my baby, with you as well," Ada replies.

"Oh fucking hell," Florence sighs.

"So are you in?" Ada asks.

"Well you're not doing this by yourself, so by default I guess that's a yes," Florence replies.

"Fabulous," Ada smiles.

"This is pretty far from fucking fabulous, Ada," Florence responds.