Falling Free

-Two-

Like most girls, Niamh Shelby had grown up imagining her wedding day in her head. Beautiful blue skies and a dress to rival that of a fairy princess. Guests galore to all smile and compliment her on her stunning beauty and radiant etherealness. Flowers that matched the beautiful delicate colours of the bridesmaids dresses. A wedding breakfast that would be the grandest affair anyone had ever seen and when she danced with her new husband, the entire venue would watch on with such hope and joy for the love that shone in the eyes of the newlyweds as they looked upon each other as though they were the only ones in the room.

With a glance outside of the window at the ominously dark rain clouds rolling towards the stately home, Niamh sighed and let her shoulders slump as Ada's deft fingers styled and primped her unruly curls. Never in all of her imaginings had she come up with this. Marriage to a stranger and to a London gangster who hated her family and would therefore hate her too.

"Rain on your wedding day is supposed to bring good luck," Esme announced from her seat close by the window where she was watching John trying to corral their children out of the garden and inside. "Perhaps the Jew'll have a heart attack before you make it up the aisle or maybe that Italian that hates him so much has someone on his way to shoot him."

"Doubtful considering the lovely little congratulations card Sabini decided to send this morning," Polly muttered.

Darby Sabini and Alfie Solomons had been enemies for as long as either one could remember. Always bickering over territory and the races, the only time they had ever come together was against the Peaky Blinders and even then that union had been short lived once Sabini went back to his old ways and stopped Alfie's bookies working the races.

It seemed though that Sabini realised that with Solomons and the Shelbys forming an alliance through marriage that he stood no chance against them both. Which was why he had sent Tommy a card just that morning, informing him that so long as the Peaky Blinders stayed within Solomons' territory and left Sabini's alone that there would be no trouble. It was of course a thinly veiled threat but one that everyone knew had no real levity.

"Heart attack it is then," Esme glowered at no one in particular.

Niamh liked Esme. She was abrupt and she was a little stand-offish sometimes but Niamh felt sorry for the girl. All she wanted was to be out on the road, raising her family the gypsy way, but instead she was stuck in Small Heath, looking after children and helping out in the den on race day and knowing that despite being married to John, she would never be counted as a real part of the family. Although Tommy might allow her to sit in on family meetings sometimes and give her opinion, she knew as well as everyone else, that ultimately John had the final say for the both of them.

"You don't have to do it, you know," Esme turned to look at Niamh. "I have kin who would take you and hide you where Tommy would never find you."

"Is that right?" Polly's face bore the same look of amusement it always did when Esme opened her mouth.

"It is," Esme nodded seriously. "I like you, Niamh. You've a good soul and you've always been kind to me. I don't want you to do something for us and regret it for the rest of your life."

"Us? You're no more a Shelby than I am a Lee," Polly huffed out a dry laugh before her face sombred. "But that being said, I don't entirely disagree with your suggestion."

"You don't?" Niamh frowned.

"No," Polly sighed. "If you want to go then we can distract Tommy and the others long enough to be able to get you out of here."

"And me," Esme added. "I know where there are Lees close by and I can take you to them and get you safe passage from there on."

"Who could fucking believe it," Ada exclaimed through gritted teeth due to the hairpins in her mouth. "Takes you getting married for these two to agree about something."