Roguish Women- Tommy Shelby

Cheers

            Grace and Tommy were serving beers while the Peaky Blinders chatted. A nervous energy filled the air. Everyone knew that they were walking into another battle. Striding into uncertainty. There was no guaranteed any of them would make it out of the standoff alive.

Kate went to sit at the bar beside Arthur. "Where do you boys want me to stand?"

"Best stay here with Grace. Polly'll be at the betting shop holding down the fort." The eldest Shelby responded.

"And I'll be safe here?"

"Kimber's men ain't taking a step past us." Arthur proclaimed confidently and nudged John who nodded in agreement.

But the mood in the pub changed in an instant when Jerimiah strode in and whispered something in Arthur's ear.

"Oh, for fuck's sake." Arthur groaned and stood up. He walked behind the bar with Jerimiah and walked to the backroom where Tommy and Grace had disappeared to moments earlier.

Kate couldn't hear what they were speaking about but the look on Tommy's face when he emerged was clear enough. Something was wrong.

"Kate, get up, follow me." He ordered.

"What's going on?" She stood up but hesitated.

"Right, let's get a move on!" Arthur's voice boomed over the mirth in the bar.

Tommy grabbed Kate by the arm and pulled her towards the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~

He didn't answer any questions Kate asked on the way to Polly's flat. He simply moved quickly, urging her along. Polly was already upstairs with Ada and the baby when Tommy stormed inside.

"Ada, c'mon. Go with Kate, get to the Bull Ring where there's lots of people." He spoke firmly almost to try and eliminate any need for questions.

Polly, however, wouldn't do anything without an explanation. "What's going on?"

"We've been fucking betrayed." Tommy paced about the room like a trapped hornet. "Someone let it slip to Kimber. They're on their way here and we're outnumbered."

Ada scooped up Karl, her eyes met Kate who was finding it hard to move a muscle. Kate expected to see fear on her face, but instead, she seemed to be thinking something over.

"Who else knew today was the day you were moving in on Kimber?" Polly questioned.

There was a pause in the room. Tommy stared into the hearth where a small fire was blazing. Realization settled over his face. The horror of his discovery was enough to make Polly's lips part in disappointment.

It hit Kate when she least expected it. "Grace told me." She said before she could stop herself. Polly turned to look at her. "She said you were going after Billy Kimber, just moments before you all came into the Garrison today." Kate's stomach wrung into knots. How could Grace betray Tommy and the rest of the family? She assumed the barmaid was close to the family, close enough to care about their wellbeing. She liked to think she had a read on people who were deceptive. But she never expected such a move from Grace. Maybe she'd underestimated Birmingham.

Polly's jaw set with resolution. "I'll deal with her." She said to her nephew.

Tommy regained some composure and nodded curtly. He looked to Kate, wondering what the consequences were if he trusted another outsider. But there was no time. "Take Ada to the Bull Ring, stay where it's crowded the most. Make sure people see you."