Violent Delights | Peaky Blinders [thomas shelby]

FIVE.

( book i, CHAPTER FIVE )

    ELIZABETH HAD BEEN SERVING DRINKS and softly humming to herself when she noticed a tall figure command the attention of the room- Thomas had returned.

He walked up to the counter where Eliza was busying herself with serving drinks, "You seem to be adjusting well."

She chuckled, "Surprisingly so. Although, Ron seemed to have gotten bored after the first few minutes. He would not stop going on about your Monaghan Boy- had to send him back home."

Tommy's lips quirked into a half smile- he enjoyed the boy's presence and the fact that he liked old Monaghan Boy.

"So, what can I get you to drink, Mr. Shelby?" She asked, but was immediately interrupted with Harry rushing up from behind her and placing a bottle of alcohol in front of Tommy.

"On the house, Mr. Shelby," Harry smiled, sending a nod towards Eliza to let her know that anything for Tommy would be on the house.

Nonetheless, Tommy placed two coins down on to the table.

She noticed a few men at the table near the entrance wanting more ale, so she hastily grabbed a tray with the bucket of ale resting on top of it and headed over to them, but not before sending Tommy a quick smile. As she left to the table, she noticed a man stand from his seat and walk towards Tommy and the two began a seemingly strained conversation.

"Here you go, lads. That'll be-"

The front door of the Garrison roughly bursted open as a large man came rushing in. He overturned the table Eliza was waiting on- immediately causing those seated to scurry to the other side of the room and her to gasp in surprise.

He rampaged the place and charged around it- tossing and turning tables, all while yelling.

Eliza would have been scared if she hadn't had seen this type of behavior in her brothers- particularly Augustus.

After the war, her brothers had adjusted to civilian life the best they could. But sometimes she would hear Elliot crying at night and notice how Jeremy would stare blankly at things for odd amounts of times. But her Gus would have it the worst. He'd wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat or sometimes he wouldn't even wake up. He'd rampage around the house- tearing everything apart. She remembered once when her brothers had not too long returned from the war when Gus went on his first rage. Elliot and Jeremy locked her and Ronan in her room til morning as they tried to wake their elder brother up and calm him down.

She was suddenly brought back into reality when Tommy gripped her waist in a harsh manner as he moved her out of the man's line of destruction. He and the other man then grasped both of the hallucinating man's arms and hoisted him to the ground- where he lay flat on his back.

"Danny! Danny, calm down- Elizabeth stay back!" Tommy shouted when he saw the pinned down man struggling to break from their grip. Tommy wouldn't be able to live with himself if something happened to her- and he knew Danny would feel much worse if he ever hurt anyone in his state.

Nevertheless, Eliza ignored Tommy's protests and bent down on to her knees on the opposite side of Tommy and behind the raging man's head.

"Sh..." she hummed, stroking his cheeks and forehead. The man stopped struggling, but continued on breathing heavily, his eyes focused on her chocolate brown orbs, "You're safe. You're not a whizz-bang. You're a man. Sh..."

Tommy and the man beside him, Freddie, stood in shock as they watched their friend basically turn to putty in the Ramsey girl's hands. He no longer struggled against their restrain, but began to calmly breathe on his own. Oddly enough, it reminded Tommy of when Eliza calmed Monaghan Boy when Ronan scared him. He didn't know what, but something about Eliza's presence brought a sense of tranquility and peace- like that of still water.

Noticing their recently calmed friend, Tommy and Freddie hoisted him up until he was standing on his own. Tommy then held his hand out for Eliza to take- to which she did and stood up as well, brushing her skirt off.

"You good, Danny?" Freddie Thorne asked, patting Danny on the shoulder.

"Oh God..." Danny mumbled in response, clutching his cap to his cap and running his free hand over his head, "I did it- I did it again, didn't I?"

Noticing Tommy's lack of response he groaned, "I did. Mr. Shelby I'm so sorry."

Tommy shook his head and patted his friend on his back before leading him out of the pub, "You have to stop doing this Danny boy. Here, go home to your wife and kids, eh?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you- and thank you too miss!" He stated, turning to look back at Eliza, "I am sorry if I frightened you."

"It's quite alright, Danny," she nodded back gently, "And please- call me Eliza."

Danny nodded before rushing out of the pub with his cap in hand. As the man left, Tommy took out a few notes from his pocket and handed them to Harry- presumably for what Eliza noted was for the damage caused.

After the incident, everyone began to chatter amongst themselves once more- all except Eliza, Tommy, and the man Eliza still hadn't formally met.

"Maybe you should put a bullet in Danny Whizz-Bang's head..." Freddie muttered to Tommy- if she hadn't have been paying attention Eliza would have never heard it, "Or maybe you'll just have to put one in mine."

Tommy didn't reply as Freddie left him to go sit back at a table with his comrades. He stayed silent- Eliza wanted nothing more than to ask him about what the man had meant, but she stayed silent as well.

Deciding to head back behind the bar, Eliza gripped her skirt and began her trek- after Danny Whizz-Bang's entrance, she was positive Harry would need some help cleaning up.

"Elizabeth-" Tommy spoke up just as she passed him, causing her to stop beside him and look up to him expectantly, "Thank you. Not many would have even come near Danny in his state."

She nodded with a soft smile, "He's been through enough hell. This..." she thought for a moment of what word to use, "...This burden should not be his to bear alone."

"It shouldn't," Thomas said after a moment, "But, nonetheless, it is."

He then lead her back to the counter and took his seat, watching her with a solemn gaze as she served men their drinks.

Nonetheless it is, he thought to himself once more.

Although, it had not been Danny Whizz-Bang's burden that plagued his thoughts that afternoon- but his own.