Tommy's Rose

Chapter 1: A Letter

A/N- Hi guys, thought I'd give this story ago. I love the bbc tv show and I am from Birmingham myself, my Dads family are from small heath and we are distant relatives to gypsies, I can relate to the types of people on the show and their characters. I have a pretty cool story lined up here and I would appreciate any feedback when possible. Please enjoy the story.... by order of peaky blinders xx

The Year was 1921, it had been three months since the death of Mrs Grace Shelby and the King of Birminghan Tommy Shelby had locked himself away in his mansion keeping his feelings to himself, sheilding his broken heart from the world around him. Tommy talked very little to his family and in anger had pushed them away but all that was about to change, a single knock on the door was about to change that, a single letter was going to flip the gangsters world upside down...

*KNOCK*KNOCK*

Tommy Shelby huffed as he took a drag from his cigaratte trying to think who would want to see him on a Sunday; His brother's John and Arthur had been around early that morning, his sister was coming over tomorrow and his assistant Lizzie had the day off.

The study Tommy was currently sat in had papers covering the desk, the ash tray was over flowing with burnt out cigarattes, two empty bottles of whiskey were lying on their side on the floor by his feet and the curtains were half open making the room look dark and smokey... Yes Tommy Shelby was in a bad way, he was lost and hurt, the one person he loved was ripped away from him and for someone who finds loving hard well as you can only imagine the man was in a lot of pain. 

"Mister Shelby a women is here to see you," The maid Mary announced as she poked her head through the door.

Tommy frowned. "What women?" He asked as tried to organise his papers.

Mary opened the door and showed an elderly women into the office. "This is Miss Dorothy Ward, she runs the orphanage just outside of Birmingham," Mary explained. "She has a letter for you."

The elderly women was very grey, slim figured, dressed in all black but she wore a kind smile reminding Tommy of his grandmother who used to yell at him for trying to ride his grandfathers horses bare back in the fields in the afternoon after school.

"I have a letter from Louisa Price, she told me to hand deliver it to you," Dorothy said as she pulled out a hand written letter.

Tommy frowned. "I haven't heard that name in a long time," He mumble as he took the letter.

Dorothy slowly sat in the arm chair in front of Tommy's desk as he ripped the envelop open then taking a breath before reading the letter;

Dearest Tommy,

I pray you have not forgotten me or forgotten about us in the last eleven years because my love I haven't forgotten about you and I how could I?
A Shelby boy stole my heart, you showed me things I didn't know existed, you showed me how free I was in this world and for that I thank you every day and I am sorry my love but I am writing this letter to inform you that I am sick, by the time you get this letter I will have passed on to God's gargen.
I regret not spending more time with you and telling you all this in person but Thomas Shelby the reason I walked away from you all those years ago was becasue I was with child, the child is yours and I am certain of this because as you know you were my first and only lover at the time, once you see your child you will know by the eyes, those damn blue eyes are like the summer sky and I regret every day that you were absent from our childs life but now I pray you will take our child in as she has no one but you and your family, I have told her stories of a man by the name Tommy Shelby and that he is a disguised hero on the wrong side of the law. Tommy Shelby I beg you to please raise our daughter, love her how you loved me and show her how to handle the world.

All my love Louisa Price

Tommy slumped down in his chair still holding the letter in his hand trying to take his mind back, all the way back to eleven years ago; He was nineteen years old, he had women wanting him and his brothers but one girl caught his eye that beautiful green eyed, blonde haired beauty from a small village in Wolverhampton, she was stunning and Tommy fell there and then.

The two teens rode horses around Birmingham, they camped out by the canal doing what teens do but it only lasted a few months as Louisa had to go back to her village, she left Tommy a letter and that was all, no address for him to write to and no final goodbye and now Tommy can see why, no he understands why she just left him...

"The name?" Tommy asked as he looked up to the ceiling.

Dorothy frowned. "I'm sorry?"

The gangster tossed the letter onto the desk and looked at the old women. "What is the girls name?" He asked.

"Primrose Price," Dorothy told him. "Now I see you in the flesh, Louisa was right."

"Aye?" Tommy asked.

Dorothy leaned over the desk. "Primrose has your eyes," She told him. "I delivered the girl eleven years ago, Louisa helped me at an orphanage in Manchester, then liverpool and then I brought the two of them to Birmingham two years ago and then Louisa got sick."

"Why didn't she find me then?" Tommy asked in confusion."We could have talked."

"Would you have talked to her?" Dorothy asked making Tommy look away.

Truth is Tommy probably wouldn't have spoke to her, she hurt him and Tommy wasn't a very forgiving person but if Louisa had told him they had a child together he might have agreed to support the two of them but it's too late for that now...

"The girl is yours when you are ready, I have not filed her as an orphan yet," Dorothy told him. "You have two days."

Tommy frowned. "Give me the address," He told her. "I'll collect her tonight, have her things packed."

Dorothy handed Tommy a scrap piece of paper with messy hand writing on it. "I will have her ready for tonight," She told him.

Tommy watched as Dorothy walked out the study then when the door shut Tommy began shrugging on his coat, lighting another cigeratte, then downing his glass of whiskey that was on the desk as Tommy made his way out the study he stuffed Louisa's letter into his coat pocket along with the address as to where his daughter was then as he neared the door he picked up his hat and placed it on his head.

"Mary make up the spare room next to mine, I've got a guest staying!" He told his maid.

Tommy threw the front double doors open and walked to his motor car, he climbed in firing up the engine then he sped down his drive towards Small Heath.

"Fucking women!" Tommy growled as he drove.