A Shelby Mistress

Coin Toss

"Polly?" Anne whispered staring at her daughter who was gently sleeping against Jane.
"Yes Anne?" Polly smiled taking a sip of her drink and following Anne's gaze.
"Will you watch over her?"
"With my life, if he hurts her I'll kill him myself not to worry Anne"
Sharing a smirk the two women clinked their glasses together and downed both their drinks with a satisfied sigh.
"No! It's not me!" With a startled cry Aurora pulled away from Jane and began to breathe heavily.
"Aurora! Aurora are you ok?" Polly questioned, eyes wide as she took in the terrified girl.
Glancing around at all the staring faces, Aurora felt her heart beginning to calm in her chest, the nightmare was over.
"I'm ok, thank you Pol"
She wasn't lying to Polly, she was ok and found herself more confused. Placing a light smile on her face, Aurora began to recount the dream in her head. It had been a different from her usual nightmares.
Where was Bill?
The train station?
Aurora remember the baby resting in her arms, it had seemed so real, watching herself cry out to save the child....her child. Many unanswered questions ran through Aurora's mind but before she could have time to think it over, the door opened and then men came out one by one.

"Mouse" Tommy grunted, cigarette in mouth causing her to instantly perk up at the sight of him.
He stood in the door frame, staring deeply into her for a moment. He looked suspicious but Aurora was unsure why, had she done something?
With one last look, Tommy turned and walked back into the room leaving Aurora more confused than she already was. Turning to look around, she caught Polly's gaze.
"Follow him" Polly directed nodding towards the open door that Tommy had disappeared through once again.
Biting down on her lip, Aurora stood up and brushed down her dress. She felt extremely light headed but not wanting to make people believe there was something wrong Aurora took a few slow steps, her sight turning black as she pushed herself.
"Just a dream Aurora" she whispered, pushing it all to the side and picturing Tommy's face in her head, he helped, he always helped.
Aurora wondered if it was her time to have a 'business' meeting with Tommy, perhaps if he was calmer now they could talk about the stranger at the fair. Aurora knew Tommy recognised the woman, she wasn't stupid enough not to notice yet she didn't want to upset Tommy by asking too much. He hated questions whereas Aurora was a woman who wanted answers.

"Close the door behind you" Aurora heard Tommy called out as Aurora stepped into the kitchen.
Her eye sight now coming back in full force, a sweet smile crossed over Aurora's face. The house was very homely and warm. Aurora wasn't sure what to expect from Tommy's house but the inviting feeling it held was not the first thing that came to mind. In the kitchen were a set of open double doors, decorative curtains either side, the kind you would see in a grand club.
Stepping into the doorway, Aurora saw Tommy stood in the middle of the room waiting for her and taking a quick look around a thrilling sensation washed over Aurora.
"Tommy you 'ave no idea how much I've been wanting to see this place!" Aurora expressed beaming at Tommy who had took a seat and appeared to be relaxing, a happiness in his eyes like he had won something dear.
"Feel free to look around" Tommy responded taking the time to enjoy his cigarette as he observed the wide eyed mouse.
Walking past Tommy, Aurora made her way up the steps at the opposite side of the room and stared at the board in front of her. Her eyes scanned each race, each horse and the numbers that appeared alongside them. Aurora had never been to race or a betted on one, her knowledge on horses were limited to the beasts themselves. The shop fascinated her, she couldn't imagine just how intense it was in this room day in and out. Aurora could see from the messily chalked numbers that the business held an immense urgency.

"These races, some of 'em are fixed are they not?" Aurora hummed turning to look at Tommy who smirked slightly, giving her the answer she already knew was coming.
"Some are fixed, less so now then before we got our first legal race track pitch. Money is coming in well, more fixed races creates more suspicion. To keep the business going at the level it is, we need a tight ship" Tommy explained as Aurora turned away from the board and walked over to sit on the stool next to him.
"Smart Tommy" Aurora remarked, she had not been here before the raise of the Shelby's but Aurora felt proud of them.
They were the true definition of what working class people could achieve if they had the intelligence and fearless nature of Tommy.
"Aurora I brought you in here to tell you that with your fathers permission and blessing he has handed me the North"
And there it was, the bombshell that quickly had Aurora choking on air, her mind and heart going into a frenzied state of panic.
"Me Dad has given you the North?" Her words came out more harsh than she had expected them to.
"Yes"