Loving Gwen Baker (Thomas Shelby/Peaky Blinders)

Chapter Twenty Four

Gwen had put another saucer of cream down for the cat, and she smiled when she was washing up her breakfast bowl (the porridge was foul!) as a little grey face was peeking out from the hedges at the end of the garden.

She busied herself around the kitchen, but tried not to make any loud or sudden movements in case she frightened the skittish cat.

The strawberry blonde made herself a cup of tea before settling down at the kitchen table, facing the backdoor and the saucer placed down for her little visitor. Sure enough, when Gwen was halfway down her teacup there was a pair of bright eyes peering curiously around the door before the little grey ball of fur began lapping up the cream. As soon as the saucer was finished, the cat took notice of the strawberry blonde and froze.

"It's alright." She encouraged the cat softly, "I'm not going to hurt you."

The grey and white feline was unsure, and slowly backed out of the door before turning on their heel and scarpering back into the garden and disappearing back into the hedge.

Gwen rode her bicycle down into Small Heath, and was able to charm some cooked chicken pieces from the butcher. He had been friends with her father, back in the day.

The strawberry blonde popped into see Grace at the Garrison, but the Irish blonde was too busy to talk. Pol was out too, so Gwen cycled back home.

Her little furry visitor had been - leaving her a horrid looking dead mouse on her doorstep. Gwen shrieked, before disposing of the unmoving rodent over the hedge.

As Gwen picked out any bones from the chicken, she could hear a rustling in the bushes. She smiled, but continued on with what she was doing before setting the plate of shredded chicken a few feet away from her beside a teacup of water.

The cat didn't come, not while Gwen was sitting there. So, the strawberry blonde decided to bathe. She washed her body and scrubbed her hair before drying off and plaiting her long strawberry blonde locks over her shoulder. They would be dry by the morning, and her hair (hopefully) curly for her day at the races with Tommy.

The cat was crouched over the shredded chicken, licking his lips, but froze when Gwen paused by the backdoor.

Slowly, Gwen crouched down and gently held her hand out. The cat was undecided about coming forwards, but did so incredibly nervously. After giving her hand a curious sniff, the cat vanished once more, "I think I'll call you Harry." She murmured to herself, "After the Great Houdini."

Gwen kept the door open for the cat to fit inside if he wanted to sleep in the bundle of blankets again, and she placed the bowl of water beside it along with the rest of the chicken pieces.

The strawberry blonde could see that the cat had been finding something to eat, for he was quite fat...but if he kept on coming to her house and took shelter from the rain with her, then perhaps his owners had moved on and left him behind? Gwen hated the thought that someone would do that to an animal! But judging by how skittish the little guy was, he obviously hadn't seen any human kindness.

Gwen painted all afternoon, and when she stepped into her kitchen to make a spot of dinner - she smiled when she could see the pretty grey cat curled up on the blanket. He wasn't asleep, however, he was watching her. His head positioned down low incase he needed to scarper.

She spoke softly to him as she milled around the kitchen, but made sure that she didn't go anywhere near him (she didn't want to frighten him away!). Before she headed up to bed, Gwen put down another saucer of cream and smiled when she saw his eyes flicker from her to the delicious treat.

"Goodnight, Harry." She paused before she left the room, "Please, don't bring me another mouse."

The strawberry blonde rested well, even with the rain hammering down upon her window - she had always found the sound very soothing. Except she always needed to get up during the night to pee.

Her hair hadn't turned out as curly as she had wanted it to, which was typical. So, the strawberry blonde wrapped her long hair around her head in a crown braid, leaving a few wisps out to frame her face. Gwen had never worn makeup before in her entire life, so she was ready with plenty of time to spare.

The emerald green dress fit like a glove, and Gwen felt as though she were a Princess in the fine silk! She couldn't help but twirl around her room, and grin at her reflection in the floor length mirror.

The strawberry blonde remained barefoot for the moment, carrying her black shoes down the stairs and placing them by the front door (out of the way so that Thomas wouldn't trip over them when he came inside).

Gwen made herself a cup of tea as she put some cream down for Harry, and she was surprised when the feline stuck his face into the saucer before she had pulled her hand away! With the lightness of a feather, she traced the tip of his soft looking fur with her fingertips and although he was a little nervous at first, he continued to lap up the cream as she grew more confident to pet him: she even sat on the floor beside him!

"See, Harry, I just want to be friends."

He ran away when there was a knock at the front door, his tail bushing out in fright.

Gwen dusted off her dress as she ran to the door. "Good morning, Tommy." She greeted the handsome Shelby standing on her doorstep.

He removed his hat as he opened his mouth to speak...but words failed him once again. He settled for a small smile and a nod, so Gwen invited him inside.

"What time do we need to leave?" She asked, "Do we have time for a cup of tea? I've made one, but I haven't had it yet."

"Have your tea, we'll leave when you're ready."

She smiled, "Would you like one too?"

"No, I'll have a whiskey when we get there." He said, "But thank you." He followed her into the kitchen...before stopping shortly after entering. "Gwen?"

"Yes, Tommy?"

She turned to look at him when he didn't answer, and saw him staring at the saucer sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor. Curious about what it was doing there, he bent down to pick it up.

"Oh, that's for Harry."

Tommy raised a brow, "Do I need to have a word with him about kipping on your kitchen floor?"

"Not that Harry." She replied with a small giggle. "There's this cat that keeps appearing."

"Probably because you're feeding it." Tommy said, placing the saucer on the kitchen counter. "If you stop, it'll go away."

"It came before I fed it." She said, "He appeared at the window when we had that first night of rain. I kept hearing scratching noises...I thought it was a rat, at first." She shuddered, "He frightened the life out of me, when I looked up and saw this pair of eyes watching me through the darkness."

Tommy lit up a cigarette, and Gwen opened the kitchen door and gestured for him to step out into the garden.

"Oh, so you'll welcome a stray cat when it's raining, but you won't let me stand in here?"

"The cat doesn't smoke." She countered.

He stubbed the cigarette out, and took the tea (that he had previously declined) from her when she handed it to him. "You look lovely, by the way." He said, "I should've said that when you opened the door."

She blushed, "Thank you."

"Are you ready for a day of dancing?"

"I am." She replied, her eyes sparkling with excitement, "I trust that you're wearing your dancing shoes, Mister Shelby?"

The corners of his lips twitched upwards, "All of my shoes are dancing shoes, Miss Baker."

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