Loving Gwen Baker (Thomas Shelby/Peaky Blinders)

Chapter Nineteen

Tommy had finally managed to persuade Gwen to move into the country abode. It had taken him another two weeks, and Gwen had spent both weekends in the beautiful flint cottage - Tommy dropping more hints and suggestions about what she could do to make it her own...giving her more ideas on how to make it feel as though her parents were still with her.

The front of the house had beautiful pure white roses scaling the flints, and there was a boarder with pale pink and peach rose bushes on one side of the path. A pretty stone bird bath was standing proudly in the centre of the paved area.

The back garden was beautifully established. There were roses, honeysuckle and evergreen shrubs dotted about, and although there was no lawn (the grass had been taken up and stone paving had been laid) the garden was a circular shape and Gwen could see that she would be able to plant things in the boarders surrounding the property. The hedge overlooking the meadow would have to be trimmed back on occasion, but she would be able to plant marigolds at the base of the hedge, and there was always the option of potting plants to bring in some more colour.

The art room for her mother was the main thing, Gwen realised. Remembering her mother through their love of a shared hobby (rather than anytime the young woman went upstairs) was something that the strawberry blonde could finally smile about.

Tommy had enlisted some of the Blinder lads to help her move her belongings across. There was no need to move her furniture (the cottage had everything she would need, which meant that her house was going to be rented out fully furnished). The Peaky Blinders helped Gwen with her single suitcase of clothes, several boxes of books and paint supplies, the little food that she had in her cupboards, and other knickknacks that she had lovingly collected throughout her twenty four years.

Pol helped her get the house straightened out. The Blinder lads left as soon as they helped unload her things (and once Gwen had given them all a cup of tea), to give the two women some privacy.

Tommy was off somewhere for business, (Gwen had heard him mentioning a visit with Johnny Doggs to the Lee's) and the strawberry blonde hoped that he wasn't about to go getting himself into any trouble.

"John surprised us all," Pol was saying, as she placed the china teacups and plates into the cupboard. "He said he wanted to get married."

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Gwen smiled, but then noticed the look on Polly's face. "Is it not?"

"He's asked Lizzie Stark to marry him."

Gwen felt her entire face heating, "Oh."

"'Oh' isn't the word I would use." Pol scoffed, "In any case, John's doing it for the right reasons. He needs help with those kids of his."

"You know I'm not one to gossip, Pol." Gwen began, handing the older woman another teacup to pop into the kitchen cupboard. "But...I don't think Lizzie knows anything about children. I mean, I'm not one to talk - I've only ever babysat Ada, and I suppose I've looked after my neighbours - old neighbours - children when they've gone out for dinner...but I don't think I've heard anyone say that Lizzie babysat for them."

"I think Lizzie Stark is the reason men find a babysitter."

The conversation continued until there was a knock on the door, and Gwen moved out of the kitchen to answer it.

Her entire face lit up when she found Tommy on the doorstep, "How have things been today?" He asked as she invited him inside.

"I could ask you the same question." She replied, unable to keep the worry out of her voice. She didn't see a black eye, or any visible scrapes, and her concerned eyes caused Tommy to smile.