For the Good of the Family

Bedside Meeting

I sat between Ada and Michael at the small table setup in the hospital room. Tommy sat on Michael's other side, Arthur's seat still empty. We've been sat around the table for an hour now waiting for the oldest Shelby brother to arrive. It only took a few minutes to complete our official company business, everyone voted in favor of Polly Gray to return to her position as company treasurer.

Tommy checked his watch again before standing with a sigh.  "Alright, he's an hour late. Fuck him. This business directly affects Arthur, but he's not here so we'll take a vote without him."

Ada leaned back in her chair. "What business?"

Polly answered as she dug around in her briefcase. "Official business that wasn't on your agenda Ada."

"An informant told us that six years ago, Luca Changretta came from New York to be best man at his cousins wedding." Tommy leaned on the table as Polly passed each of us wedding pictures. One a group photo and another smaller one of a single man.

"We found out they used Reid and Dunn on Broadgate for the photographs. The photographer kept the negatives, I persuaded him to print us copies." Polly pointed to the smaller photo. "That is Luca Changretta."

The man in my dreams. The groom waiting for me at the end of the church aisle. My family's enemies sitting in the pews, all turned to watch me walk down the aisle. To give myself in front of God to the man that killed my brother.

"I've seen his face so I could pick him out. Half the men in the photograph are Changrettas, which means, chances are they are the men who will come to kill us. We need to get both these photographs into pubs and on street corners. Then put it about that there's a reward for information." Tommy stood up straight, looking over our heads to avoid eye contact. I've seen his face. Every night for months I've seen it. Bells ring in the back of my head even now.

Polly looked down at the table then back at us. "We also propose that we give a copy of this photograph to Mr. Aberama Gold."

Ada and I both let out gasps at this. Tommy started to speak but I cut him off enraged. "No! The law of the bullet is clear! Arthur has a duty to this family, to our brother! You can't pay Aberama Gold to avenge John, Tommy! His funeral was used as bait and now you want to sell our vengeance!" John was our brother!

Aunt Pol sat back down before speaking again. "Dropping the law of the bullet was part of the modernization that I was working on before I was executed."

"You weren't executed Pol." Michael spoke up from beside me.

"What did you call me?" A sharp glare from his mother kept my cousin quiet.

"Luca Changretta needs to die, by any means necessary. All those in favor raise your hand." Tommy raised his hand.

Ada and I shared a weighted look before she spoke for the both of us. "We should wait for Arthur. John was our brother. It's one thing for another member of the family to kill Luca, but he needs to die by a Shelby's hand. Not an outsider. Arthur would agree."

Looking around the table, it was clear our objection didn't make a difference. Lizzie, Polly and Michael all raised their hands. Four against three. The pictures would be passed on.

Tommy cleared his throat looking down to avoid the upset stares from his sisters. "Olive proposed a more permanent arrangement with the Gold family. Olive? Would you like to take over?"

I stared blankly at the head of the family for a few moments. I silently enjoyed the awkward glances around the table from the others. Good, be uncomfortable.

With a sigh, I stood to present my idea. "At Christmas dinner I suggested a marriage alliance between the Shelby family and the Golds. Mr. Gold had three children old enough for marriage. Two daughters Esmeralda and Florence, and a son Bonnie. The options from our side include myself, Finn and Michael."

Michael immediately started complaining about not wanting to marry a witch. Lizzie and Ada both looked confused that I suggested a match and not Tommy. Polly stared hard at me, likely for putting Michael in the running to be sold off.

Tommy's unblinking stare prompted me to continue. "Making Bonnie a blinder and paying cash for dead Italians doesn't grantee loyalty from any gypsy clan. Especially not a clan like the Golds who steal from other gypsys . Blood is all that matters. Now, I plan on fulfilling the alliance myself if Aberama agrees to it. So you can quit whining Michael." I tossed that last line out just to make my cousin shut up.

Lizzie raised an eyebrow at me. "Did you suggest this before or after you saw him?"

"Before, but from what saw of him yesterday, I certainly won't complain about gaining a such pretty husband out of this deal." I shared a flirty smile with Lizzie and Ada. Bonnie's milky pale skin coming to the forefront of my mind. The blush on his neck matched my favorite nightdress. The church bells keep ringing.

"Well let's put it to a vote. All those in favor of offering Mr. Aberama Gold a marriage pact raise your hand." Tommy again was the first to raise his hand.

Polly and Michael kept their hands down. "If Mr. Gold refuses his son and offers a daughter instead, you'll give him my son?" Polly's eyes glare at me across the table.

I gave her an unimpressed look. "Of course not Pol. You'll be negotiating the alliance this afternoon. If Michael is to be married, you'll be the one to offer him."