LIKE STEEL || Tommy Shelby

XV. SWORD AND SHIELD

- SWORD AND SHIELD -

The Shop was empty when Rose pushed open the door later that afternoon. She walked towards the door that connected to Polly's home, but paused when she heard a voice floating towards her.

"Lord, protect Arthur and John. They're both good men, despite what they may say," Polly prayed. Rose gently pushed the door open to see the stern woman sitting at the kitchen table with her head bowed.

"And be with Tommy. I know how he is, but he does what he does for us. I think."

She signed the cross over her heart and opened her eyes. A small smile appeared on her face when she saw Rose standing at the door. She patted the chair next to her.

"Tommy told you?" Rose asked, sitting down. "He's told you what's happening today?"

Polly didn't answer, instead walking to the stove and putting the kettle on to boil.

"I used to say that prayer every morning during The War," Polly said, sitting back down. Her eyes were stern and her gaze cut right into Rose like a knife.

If Tommy was the head of the Peaky Blinders, it did not take a genius to see that Polly was the iron fist.

"They are lucky to have you," Rose said, smiling as she found herself meaning the words.

"I know what is going down today," Polly finally muttered, leaning back in her chair. "And when it's done, the Peaky Blinders will be in charge of all the races north of London."

A proud smile curved her lips as she brought out a cigarette and lit it.

"If it all goes to plan," Rose said quietly, only daring for a second to wonder if it would.

"Don't worry about that, girl. Not yet," Polly chided, smoke curling around her head.

Rose was silent, her eyes trained on her shoes. She could feel nerves begin to rise in her chest as she remembered what Tommy had told her.

Polly sighed. "You've fallen in love with a man who is followed by danger. And he is no stranger to chasing it himself, too. You keep up this worrying, love, and you'll die of stress before anything ends up catching him."

Rose let out a puff of laughter and looked back at Polly.

"Thank you," she sighed.

"Don't thank me, Roseanne. Today we move on Kimber, today we win the tracks and the betting pitches. But tomorrow is a new world. Everything is changing around here," Polly smiled, putting out her cigarette and dropping it in the glass ashtray. "Plant your feet, girl, or this wind is going to come and sweep you away."

Without another word, she stood up and walked out the front door, leaving Rose wide-eyed in her wake, the kettle screaming on the stove.

***

Rose made her final stop at the clinic. On Sundays, it opened later in the morning, but even then, nobody was waiting for her as she opened the doors.

Before she could even set her handbag down, the phone on the back wall began to ring. She hurried over to it and pulled the receiver to her ear.

"Rose," Tommy's voice crackled across the line. "Rose go to the Garrison and go now."

"Tommy, what's wrong?" she asked, her heart suddenly racing at the strained worry in his voice. The line was silent save for the static.