Roguish Women- Tommy Shelby

Nature Boy

 "Have you heard of the Latin Quarter in Paris?" Her voice arrived before she did, her body trailing after her American accent.

Tommy glanced over his shoulder to see her approaching. He was out on the deck of the ship that was taking them back to London. It was late, the trip was supposed to go overnight so most passengers were sleeping. But Tommy needed to clear his head and have a smoke out in the salty air.

"I haven't."

Kate came to stand at the railing beside him. She peered down at the dark churning water below as the ship steamed through the waves. "It's the home of the Bohemians. Artists and rebels of the like."

The word was familiar to Tommy. Sometimes it was passed around to describe gypsies although it was more of a loose term. He never considered himself one. Bohemians were wild as far as he knew. He made a sound of interest but didn't think the Parisians had any importance to him.

"I lived in the Quarter when I first came from America. They believe in four things." Kate turned and leaned her back against the metal railing. She wore her thick coat to ward off the harsh sea winds. "Freedom, beauty, truth, and love."

Tommy scoffed. The list sounded flowery and too optimistic. None of those had any bearing in the real world.

She raised an eyebrow. "You don't agree?"

"I didn't get to where I am today because of love or truth or...whatever else you said."

Kate stuck out her lower lip, appearing to ponder his response. "I never said I agreed with them."

"You're looking to find out what I believe in. Try to see what sort of man I am." Even as he addressed her, his blue eyes looked out over the moonlit-horizon. Watching the gray clouds drift over the English Channel.

"You don't let much on so a girl has to be more direct." She shrugged and sighed. "I'll take that as you're going to keep those things to yourself. I just thought you might want some company out here in the cold."

"I like to be on my own."

Despite the moody response, Kate snorted a laugh. "Yeah, I think I've caught onto that by now. Then I'll go back to my cabin." She pushed away from the railing and began to walk across the deck.

"Kate," Tommy called after her and waved her back over. As she walked back, he reached into his coat and pulled out a flask to hand her.

"What's this?" She unscrewed the cap and took a tiny sip.

"To help with the cold." He replied.

A smile tugged at her lips. "You want me to stay?"

"What do you believe in?" Tommy didn't completely confess that he wanted her to stay.

She took a triumphant swig from the flask before handing it back to him. "I believe in the things I see in front of me. Whether they be beautiful or ugly. My mother was killed by an enemy of my father's. But I didn't believe the news until I saw her body being dragged out of the Charles River."

Tommy would give his condolences but he was sure she had heard it all before. They all had. 'I'm sorry for your loss' didn't mean anything to him anymore. They were just words. "What about what people say?"

"Well, you can see it in someone's eyes, can't you? Whether they're telling you the truth or not."

"Sometimes."

"Then it's a visual thing."

Tommy took a drink and offered the flask to her again but she shook her head. "You trust people then?"