𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

82

Tommys car came to a stop and he got out, standing on the gravel. He walked up the path, his head down. "Who the fuck are you?" a man shouted. Tommy paused, slowly pulling his gun. "I'm the owner of this colt pistol and the bullets within it. And i'm in a hurry. I followed the patron signs of the Lee Family. Im looking for Esme Shelby-Lee"

"Never heard of her"

"She is my brothers widow" he said in Romani. "I am very anxious to speak to her"

"Esmes husband was a fucking dirty diddicoy, he was a Peaky blinder"

"Yeah?" Tommy asked. "Well, i am the elder and more terrible. And as i said i'm in a hurry. Where is she?" he held up a stack of money.

Esme walked up toward him, between the men. She grabbed the money.

"Put your gun away Thomas, there's children around" she sighed. "You only found me cause i let you find me. I heard you were looking and i'm curious.

"If any of these men is your man, tell them i want no trouble"

"I don't have a man. What use is a man? Horse pulls the wagon, dog keeps me safe, cat keeps me warm at night. And if anyone's gonna give you trouble, Tommy Shelby, it'll be me" she said. "What do you want?"

"Tell em to leave"

"You think i'm in charge here?" she asked. "Oh i'm sure of it, Esme"

Esme told them all to leave and turned to him. She walked away and Tommy followed.

"Didicoys too grand to put his arse on the grass these days" she scoffed.

He sat and took his hat off. "I have a daughter, Esme, her name is Ruby. She's fallen ill, suddenly. She's very sick. And i can tell by saying her name and looking in your eyes, that i've wasted petrol, time and hope."

"Wasted petrol on what? Oh..Tommy Shelby OBE, MP, running around the mountains in pursuit of a Gypsy curse, is that? I thought you had Polly deal with the spirits"

"Polly is dead"

Esme leaned back slightly. "Bullet or blade?" she asked.

"Still speaks to me in my dreams. It was her who told me to come find you" he said, staring at the grass. "Polly," Esme breathed, standing. "That name like the ringing of a school bell. 'Come and do as your told.' Fuck, so glad i'm not in your camp anymore. Made of bricks and bars"

"My daughter is dying, Esme" Tommy raised his voice. "Some people go to France. To Lourdes. I hear they sell trinkets, i need more than fucking trinkets"

Esme looked over her shoulder, frowning at him. "Delilah?"

"No, Ruby and I can tell from your reaction, Esme, this is not your going. Sorry for troubling you," he walked back toward the car.

-

Delilah sat patiently, looking as Oswald walked into the room.

"The butler says our American friend is parking the car," he spoke. "He also says, in answer to your inquiry, Diana, that the coat our exotic friend is wearing is made by Chanel" he placed a hand on the chair, kissing Diana's cheek. "That's a very expensive label" he continued.

"Yes it is" Diana agreed. "But the perfume i can smell on you is very cheap."

He cleared his throat. "I'm deeply, deeply annoyed that Thomas isn't here." Mosley said, sitting down. "It is a family emergency apparently," Diana looked at him. "We only have the eldest daughter Delilah"