thunder cloud. peaky blinders

FIVE

CHAPTER FIVE

Robinson sat behind the wheel, her hands gripping the leather of the seat, eyes scanning the closed wooden gates in front of the car. Marco was beside her, one hand holding the door, the other covering the lower half of his face as if it could hide the plain look of distress that twisted his features. Only Marti seemed hopeful in what could only be called a shell of a plan.

Drive through the gate. That's what Robison had been told to do. Despite her nerves, forever eager to please, she took it in stride. She'd borrowed the keys from the barkeep, snatched a few hats from the coat rack and crowded them into the car without a complaint. Not even Harry's moans of doubt could hold her back.

"Are we sure this is the right idea?"

"Do you have any other suggestions?" Adelaide barked. "We need to get out of here and the sooner the better."

Harry didn't say anything. He sat back against the window, covering his eyes with his hands, hopeful that if he couldn't see what was happening, then it mustn't be occurring at all.

Again, Avery didn't give them time to object. Within seconds, she'd floored her foot against the accelerator, gripping the clutch, pulling the car from beneath the shed cover. They struck the wooden boards like lightning, letting the barriers pummel to the ground and the car lurched over them with a bump. Robinson spurted out a litter of profanities, but with a little effort, the car spurted forward again; it skidded around the corner and down the street.

Adelaide twisted back, glancing out of the windows, watching as Sabini's men scrambled through the smashed gateway, rushing towards their cars. But Robinson had spun around the corner too fast, only just able to keep control of the wheel.

Marti let out a shout of excitement, leaning forward in her seat to wrap her arms around Robinson's neck from behind.

"I can't believe you just did that! Where the hell did you learn to drive like that?"

"I grew up with brothers," was all she said, her face erupting with a dark blush.

It was Harry who directed them through the streets. Adelaide stared from the window, letting her mind concentrate on the passing scenery in an attempt to dull the aching of her brow. It all looked the same. It was just as she remembered. The rolling streets of greys and browns, the intermittent sparks of countryside that hid behind dark clouds.

It reminded her of the first time they'd driven through the place. There was the same buzzing sense of anticipation lingering in the air. Except it had been Robert who'd driven them, smiling at her through the mirror, eyes always mirroring how she felt. Adelaide's hands gripped the seat. She could not think of him anymore. Not without falling into a rage that made her want to cry and pull on her own hair. Robert had been the only one to ever understand her, to say things without ever letting the words pass aloud.

This is for him, she thought, and though it was not much of a sacrifice to find the comfort of Tommy Shelby and his family again, she knew that the future did not bring ease.

When the car engine finally started to smoke above the bonnet, they decided it was time to ditch the evidence and walk on foot. They were close, deep into Peaky Blinder territory now, growing further away from Sabini's control.

"This is it," Adelaide breathed out.

The house sat in the middle of Watery Lane, small and unassuming. It felt like second nature, stepping toward the door and knocking on it. The others stood at a distance behind.

The door opened to reveal an older woman. Polly Gray had not aged a day since she'd last seen her. Her hair was shorter and lighter, her expression meaner, but she still looked like Aunt Pol.

"Fuck me." The exclamation brought a look of surprise to the boys' faces. The woman looked between them with narrow eyes. When she finally rested on Adelaide, her expression was much like a snake. "Never thought I'd see your face at my door again again."

"Can't say I blame you," Adelaide said, daring to keep her tone casual. She could not yet gauge the nature of Polly's response. It could be either, she supposed. Pol could love her or hate her and she'd still look the same with that smirk on her face.

"I'm always right you know," Pol said, levelling her with a solid gaze that she could not discern. "I always know. I was right about you."

"There's only one thing can blind a man," Adelaide said, repeating Pol's own words. "You were right about that. Just not about me."

The woman nodded. "I told you, I'm always right," she said. "Love can blind a man. It blinded Tommy. His eyes were so heavy on you, he never considered Grace, never considered what she could do. Never considered you either."

Adelaide stayed quiet and levelled her with a blank look. There was no use arguing with the woman, even if it meant letting her say such words in front of her associates- in front of her brother.

She supposed Pol was right, in a way. She'd blinded Tommy.

Aunt Pol crossed her arms over chest, hip popped to one side. "So what do I call you? Miss Smith?"

"Adelaide's just fine, Pol," she said, her voice like a song.

This was Polly easing to her. She knew it.

"So what do you want?"

"To talk things through," Adelaide said, and soon her face broke out into a smile. "A roof over our heads would be nice too. You owe us that much."

Pol looked too begrudging to agree, but eventually she rolled her eyes. "I suppose we do," she said, and as she held the door open a little wider, Polly's face softened ever so slightly.