Angel

2

            I stood pacing in the parlour, our whole family gathered for the meeting. Arthur, John and Polly stood next to the fire place, all too anxious to sit down. Esme sat on the couch next to Finn, whos knees were bouncing. I watched as John pulled out a watch before speaking, "Where the bloody hell is Tommy?" he asked. "He's on his way," Polly answered calmly, trying to ease the tension that filled the room. "While we're waiting..." Arthur stated, leaving the room before entering once again with a box of whiskey. "This is all the stock that's left from the explosion. So..." he trailed off, starting to pass off bottles to our family. Polly rolled her eyes as I took one from my brother, opening the bottle and taking a pull. "Before Tommy gets here, I think we should get some things sorted out between the rest of us," John said, clearing his throat. "You think?" I spat, taking another pull. "Yeah. I want to know. When did we take a vote on this expansion South?" he asked. "If you have anything to say, you wait for Tommy," Pol scolded him. "Amen," Arthur muttered.

            I watched as Esme and John exchanged a look and John moved to speak again, "I see the books. Legal and off track. Stuff you lot don't see. In the past year, the Shelby Company Limited has been making a hundred and fifty pounds...a day...a fucking day. Sometimes more, so why are we changing things? Polly, look what's happened already. We haven't even set foot in London and they've already blown up our fucking pub," John monologued. "Who says it was the cockneys?" Arthur piped up. "Who else?" Esme asked as if the answer was obvious. "So you know who did it, do you?" Polly said, her voice low and venomous as she and Esme faced off. I took another pull from the bottle, knowing I'd need to at least drink half of it to make it through this meeting. "I'm told only family are allowed to speak," Esme replied softly. "Everybody's allowed to speak," Tommy's voice rang out. All heads turned as he entered through the back door, cigarette hanging from his fingers.

            "On your feet Esme. Let's hear what you have to say," Tommy gestured for her to stand. I watched as she looked to John for answers. "I speak for our household," John stammered slightly. "Shelby Limited is a modern enterprise and believes in equal rights for women. On your feet Esme," Tommy said, wandering to the center of the room. "I am not a blood member of this family," she started, rising to her feet, "But perhaps indeed because I am not a family member I can see things in a different light. So I will get to my point." "That would be nice," Polly scoffed. "As my husband said, Shelby Company Limited is now very successful. But London...I have kin in Shepherds Bush and Portobello. It's more like wars between armies down there. And the coppers fight side by side with them. And there are foreigners of every description and the use of bombs is the least of it. I have a child. Blessed with the Shelby family good looks. I want John to see him grow up. I want us to someday live somewhere with fresh air and trees. And keep chickens or something. But London is just smoke and trouble Thomas. That's all I have to say," Esme finished quietly, sitting back down.

            "That was a lot of words, Tommy. Have a drink to wash them down," Arthur spoke, handing Tommy a bottle of whiskey. I took a pull out of my own bottle, watching as Tommy did the same. "First of all, the bang in the pub was nothing to do with London. The bang is something I'm dealing with on me own," Tommy started, holding up a hand to silence our questions, "And we have nothing to fear from the proposed business expansion. So long as we stick together. And after the first few weeks nine tenths of what we do down there will be legal. The other tenth is in good hands. There are many in this room who have expressed their reservations. And any of you who want no part of the future of this company are free to walk out the door. Right now." He turned, smiling at John and Esme. "Go and raise your chickens. But those of you with ambition? The expansion process begins tomorrow." With that the meeting was ended, and Polly and I followed Tommy into the parlour as he began to open the cash safe.

            "Tomorrow? I'm company treasurer, Lena's my right hand. You should have spoken to us first," Polly scolded, "It's Newmarket tomorrow." "Yeah," Tommy said vaguely. "Third busiest day of the year," Polly reminded him. "We've got eighteen staff, not including Lena," Tommy reminded her. "Who you trust with two hundred quid takings?" Pol asked incredulously as Tommy struggled to open the door. "I changed the combination," Polly told him defiantly, crossing her arms over her chest. "What's going on Tommy? Who did you meet at the Black Lion?" I asked, but Tommy never removed his gaze from the safe door. "Give me the combination Polly," Thomas urged, his voice cautioning. Polly's silence was her only reply. "What happened to the pub was Irish business," Tommy said, looking to me. He moved his gaze back to Polly, clearly waiting for the combination, but she didn't budge. "We are in a situation where for everyone's safety it is best if some things remain undisclosed," Tommy said softly. "Why tomorrow?" I asked him.

            "Like Pol said, tomorrow is Newmarket. So all the London bosses will be at the races," Tommy explained, lighting a cigarette. "And you just roll up and take the city," Polly finished for him. "We take the opportunity to show our hand. The Italian gangs and the Jewish gangs have been at war for six months in London," Tommy said. "Not our war," Pol said. "The Jews have been having the worst of it. They need allies," Tommy told her. "We don't," Polly insisted. "But we need a foothold. At the Southern end of the Grand Union. The Jewish gangs control Camden Town," Tommy replied. "Your mother used to say it's his cleverness that'll kill him," Polly shook her head. "No one gets killed. We go down tomorrow when the town is quiet and leave our message. If Alfie Solomons and his Camden boys come to us, we'll negotiate the use of a secure bonded warehouse. Then we can begin our legal operation in London," Tommy said, "Without a shot being fired." It was a promise I didn't know if he could keep. "Now Polly or Lena, please. Open the fucking safe," he sighed. "That was a fine speech you made in there about this company believing in equal rights for women. But when it comes to it, you don't listen to a word we say," Polly sighed, "Maybe you don't trust us."

            "She was just one woman Tommy. It's time you forgot about her," I said gently, watching as Tommy deadpanned at my words. "Forgot about who?" Tommy muttered, taking a drag as Polly moved to open the safe door. "You and the boys go and get yourselves killed," she said lowly before leaving the room. "It's not just the boys and I," Tommy said quietly as he stared at the pile of cash within the safe. "You want me to join you?" I asked, and he withdrew some money before closing the door, counting it. "We need insurance. You're a member of the Peaky Blinders. He'd never hurt a woman. When we meet with Alfie Solomons in a few weeks, I'll call with a time and a meeting place," Tommy explained before striding out of the room, leaving me with a growing sense of dread, realizing the grave danger he'd put me in. He was betting we'd be safe because he's heard Alfie Solomons would never lay a hand on a woman. He was staking my life on hearsay, not taking into account my name was Shelby too. I hardly counted as a normal woman. I was just as much a gangster as John and Arthur, a voice of authority amongst the Peaky Blinders. And Tommy was betting that just because I was a woman...we'd be safe.