Y O U R C R U C I B L E
"May you be in heaven a full half hour before the devil knows you're dead."
Lottie Thorne, sister of the notorious Freddie Thorne, is counted as part of the Shelby family. And her loyalty is...
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"I've been trying to think of a solution - to get freddie out"
The stables were warm as the sun shone brightly down on where Lottie stood with the horse. She was brushing its coat as Curly and Charlie walked in and out grabbing something or other. Lottie was able to find complete peace with horses, a feeling she could not achieve when around people. She was completely lost in her own thoughts, that she didn't hear when someone said her name from behind her. It was only when they tapped her on the shoulder did she snap out of her reverie.
She turned around to see Tommy, his hands in his pockets, his hat sitting squarely on the top of his head, a half burnt out cigarette in his mouth. Lottie smiled at him, no longer feeling the tension that had been present before. "What are you doing?" He asked, walking over to the horse and patting it.
"Just tidying him up," she replied proudly. "You may be expanding the business, but he still needs to look gorgeous for the races, otherwise no one will bet on him."
Tommy chuckled and bowed his head, finishing his cigarette. Lottie took out another from her pack in her pocket and handed it to him. He muttered a 'thanks' and lit his and her own that she had put to her mouth. They moved to stand in the doorway of the stables their backs to the horse as they looked out on the cobbled yard around them.
Lottie breathed in a long breath of smoke before saying, "I've been trying to think of a solution - to get Freddie out."
Tommy looked to the canal.
"But I can't seem to think of anything worth anything," she continued, staring at him. She threw her cigarette to the ground without much thought and turned to fully face his direction. "Freddie may be an idiot, but he's my brother and now your brother-in-law. You must have been thinking, too."
He sighed a puff of smoke and threw his cigarette away. "I have," he said shortly. "I've been asking around about which cell, where'll they'll be taking him."
"Tommy, he's a known communist," Lottie said, her voice alert. "They'll kill him. I can't lose him, Tommy."
"You won't," he assured, facing her, too. He walked over to her and rested his hands on her shoulders. There weren't any tears in her eyes, Lottie wasn't much of a crier - except for a few exceptions, although recently, she had cried more than he'd have wanted her to in a lifetime. "I promise we will get him out."
Lottie looked into his piercing blue eyes as if checking he was telling the truth. Finally, she nodded. "Okay."
"Good," he nodded. He then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. Sometimes he forgot how young she was. His other brothers, except Finn, were involved, but they were older, used to the business, but she was only 18, just an adult and yet she was involved in all the dealings that went on. Holding her in his arms, she felt tiny, like a child, and he was scared that one day, because of the business - because of him, she'd break beyond repair. As he held her, he understood Maxim's worry for his family, especially Lottie.
