you want it darker { tommy shelby }

one: the water is wide

"the water is wide, i cannot get over,
neither have i wings to fly;
give me a boat that can carry two
and both shall cross my true love and i."

february 1919

"There's a letter for you 'ere, darlin'." Came Alfie's husky voice from the study.

Iris rolled her eyes before reluctantly walking into his office, her gaze not quite meeting her fiancés'. "From who?"

"Don't say. It's from a place by the name of 'Small Heath'." He read the name like it was the punchline to a joke.

Iris lurched forward. She hadn't heard anything from her family back home in months and was desperate to see what the letter said. "Give me it!"

Alfie's eyes narrowed devilishly. "Hasty hasty, aren't we?" He began to theatrically fan the letter between his fingers, taunting her. "What do we think's in this letter to get you so bloody excited? Eh?"

"Stop playing games, Alfie. Give it to me, now."

He began to open the wax sealed letter before letting out a raucous laugh and chucking it across the desk to her. "Tell me what it says though, love. The anticipation is killin' me."

Iris tore the envelope open and quickly unfolded the letter.

"What's it say?"

The letter slipped from her fingers and dropped to the floor. "No." Iris whispered. She shakily sat down in the chair next to her for fear she might faint.

"What's it say!" Alfie demanded impatiently.

Iris shook her head in disbelief. "It-it's from my mother. Martha's dead."

"Who the fuck's Martha?"

"My sister."

Alfie groaned. "Well that is rotten, ain't it."

"The funeral's... " Her eyes scanned the letter rapidly, hungry for information . "It's fucking tomorrow! I have to go, Alf."

"What? You have to go now?" He asked, an irritated edge in his voice. He had asked her to take the scheduled meeting tomorrow  while he 'tended to some business'. More likely shagging one of his side pieces.

Iris gritted her teeth and felt a flare of anger rise in her chest. "Yes, now. My sister is fucking dead, Alfie. Did you miss that bit? She's fucking dead!"

"You're right. Sorry love. Come 'ere." He opened his arms to her and she gladly walked in to them. The couple hadn't been this close in months, but Iris appreciated the effort he was making. He held her gently as she sobbed into his chest. "I'll sort your train tickets out, yeah?"

Iris smiled sadly at him as she wiped her tears. "That'd be lovely." She climbed from his lap and retrieved the letter from the dusty floor. "I'll go pack me stuff." She sighed as she began walking out.