SACRILEGE | THOMAS SHELBY | PEAKY BLINDERS STORY (HIATUS)

ii. | sanctuary

ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｔｗｏ:

ｓａｎｃｔｕａｒｙ

"There is no sanctuary

like the value of home."

✞

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DURING THE SHORT WALK FROM GARRISON LANE to Watery Lane, Delilah Sainte discovered that the youngest of the Shelby clan had what Kathleen, her mother, would have called the gift of gab. The girl had barely stopped to breathe between whatever story it was about her overprotective brothers, school, or a boy she fancied and anything else she deemed important enough to share with Delilah. The elder girl found it somewhat endearing and just distracting enough to alleviate some of the nervousness she didn't know she was feeling until they'd turned onto their desired street.

Yes, she had heard many stories from her father when she was growing up about his family; his mother, Mary, was a devout catholic woman that looked down her nose at anyone she deemed uncouth or beneath her. Lillian, his only sibling, was kindhearted with a beaming smile and an easy laugh. She'd given Roosevelt hell in their younger years, as little sisters are often wont to do, with her propensity to get herself into difficult situations which usually ended in him dealing out a beating or receiving one in defense of his wildly free spirited sister.

There were stories of Aunt Lillian's husband as well; William Callaghan had been boyhood friends with Roos and had been head over heels for Lillian since they could walk. While Roosevelt hadn't had any qualms with the match, their parents - mainly the Sainte matriarch - had all but forbidden such a union.

Not that Lillian had cared considering Will Callaghan was the man she was currently married to and had several children with.

Delilah had always admired the Aunt Lilly her father had told her stories about, but meeting her was another thing entirely. What if they didn't get on like her father once thought they would? That would be most disheartening.

Shaking herself from her worrisome thoughts, Delilah looked around at the homes that made up Watery Lane. There were a number of them on either side of the somewhat busy street, all numbered to help differentiate which was which seeing as they were all so similar.

Ada steered them toward a house, babbling on all the while, on the left side of the street, door emblazoned with a bronze 6, and pushed the door open motioning Delilah in ahead of her.

"Ada Shelby that had better be you walkin' in that door!" The stern brogue of a woman's voice called out from the next room over.

Ada's eyes widened in an accusatory sort of way as she shared a look with a somewhat amused Delilah whom was trying for all the world not to appear as if her heart was about to beat its way straight out of her chest, as she walked in front of the older girl leading her further into the little house, down a narrow hall that opened up into a small kitchen where three women waited.

The first woman was stood in front of a small, round wooden table, hands on her hips as she watched the two girls walk into the kitchen. She was very beautiful, Delilah noted, with features very similar to Ada; her hair long and curly and wild, flowing freely down to the middle of her back; it was similar in color to Ada's, maybe a few shades deeper, the brown nearly black, which contrasted nicely against her slate blue eyes. She was pale, like Ada, with the same slight smattering of freckles along her nose and cheeks. Her pink lips were set in a motherly scowl as she stared daggers at her daughter, not seeming to have noticed Delilah standing behind her just yet.

"You've been gone nearly two hours!" The woman admonished, firm stance never lessening. "I sent your brothers after you! What've you to say for yourself then?" Her foot began a light tapping as she waited for whatever excuse the girl would give.

"Well-" Ada began.

Clearing her throat delicately, Delilah spoke up, "it wasn't Ada's fault, Mrs. Shelby," she began meekly, feeling all eyes in the room turn to her. She heard a light gasp but continued on keeping her eyes on the Shelby matriarch, as she placed a gentle hand on Ada's shoulder. "I wasn't paying much attention to where I was walking and ran into her. She was kind enough to help me find my way. I can pay you back for the damaged apples."

"Lilah?" She heard a breathy voice all but whisper.

Turning away from Ada's mother she gazed at the blonde woman sat at the far side of the little wooden table with brown eyes that immediately reminded the red head of her fathers; eyes she'd loved since she was old enough to remember.

"I found her wandering the streets all by herself. I was just trying to be helpful!" Ada cut in indignantly, trying to save herself from whatever trouble she thought she was in for.

"Holy Jesus," said the third woman, hand at her throat and eyes wide, that was sitting closest to the two girls that had just entered. "Well if she ain't just the spitting image of our Kitty at that age."

All the while Delilah never took her eyes off her  who she knew in her heart to be her aunt. She couldn't believe she was here, with one of her fathers favorite people in the world, without him. Tears sprang to her eyes and before she knew it she was in her Aunt Lillian's embrace.

"Oh sweet girl," Lillian whispered and she ran her hand through Delilah's red tresses, soothing her in a way she had not known she needed until that very moment, "it's alright now; you're alright. You're home and you'll never be left alone again."

And for the first time since the fire that claimed her parents lives, Delilah let herself show just how sad and lonely she had been. For the first time in weeks she let herself cry for all that she had lost and feel hope for all that she might be gaining in the wake of it.

For the first time in weeks, Delilah Saints felt as if she had finally found some sort of sanctuary.

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Just something to tide you over while I proofread chapter iii.

Also, thank you for all the well wishes! Even if I haven't responded I see them and they are so very appreciated ❤️