Grayson • Peaky Blinders

• Eleven •

• Series One •

It had been three months and Cora found herself walking down the familiar cobbles of Garrison Lane. It was the early evening and Tommy had sent a fourteen-year-old, Isaiah Jesus to fetch her while his father was out preaching.

Cora entered the worn-out pub and immediately caught the eyes of the numerous regulars who, although she had came here to drink for months now, were still shocked that a woman of her status thought the place was good enough for her to step a toe in. However, one thing had changed: they were all fucking terrified doing something to offend her. It wasn't worth losing an eye for.

Placing her jewelled purse on the bar top, Harry was quickly in front of her a large glass of expensive import red. "You're usual, Miss Grayson. On the house."

"Harry," Cora said, hand pressed against the bar with the sound of coins scratching against one another clear as she slid her her across the top, "you know I insist on paying for it."

"Miss Grayson -," Harry tried to slide the money back over to the Londoner. The amount of money she was paying for the glass was at least double the amount it was worth, she was almost paying for a full bloody bottle.

"Mister Fenton," she cut off, placing her hand over his and pushing them back towards them. A insistent glare on her face that could make even Polly tremble. "I insist."

With a defeated 'thank you' Harry got back to work as Cora turned to scope out the pub, noticing Freddie Thorne sitting in a booth with, what she could only assume were, other communists. They caught each others' eye and had a moment tense staring before Freddie looked away.

The doors to the Garrison open and, in dramatic fashion, entered Thomas Shelby. If the pub hadn't been quiet before it was quieter now as men moved out of the way of the gangster.

"On the house, Mister Shelby," Harry said as he placed a bottle bottle and tumbler in front of Tommy, who came to stand next to Cora.

Tommy still placed a couple of coins as payment before turning to look on the direction Cora was. "I caught Finn smokin' this morning," he ratted out the ten-year-old, cigarette in hand.

She sighed heavily, "I blame you." She looked at Tommy who was masking his confusion. "He wants to be like you. And Arthur. And John. You fucking Shelbys' all fucking smoke."

"And you don't?," Tommy but back bluntly.

Cora playful placed her in index finger in front of her smirking lips as Tommy exhaled smoke in her face.

"I'll take a mild," Freddie's dulcet tones rang out on Tommy's right. And as the pint was placed in front of him, Freddie slid one of Tommy's coins over to him. "Cheers Thomas. Good health to you."

"Freddie, is today really the day to be provoking?" Cora questioned aggravated. Since she had met Freddie Throne, he was always trying to get under Tommy's skin and that fact she knew Ada was shagging him didn't help.