Roguish Women- Tommy Shelby

Blood-Stained Gloves

            Tommy was in a foul mood days after he fought with Kate. And on the day of Grace's dinner, he came to find her office was empty. With a frown, he turned to seek out Polly.

"Where's Kate?" He asked his aunt when he tracked her down.

"She called in."

"Called in?" He raised an eyebrow. No one called in to say they wouldn't be at work. Not unless they were a part of the family. Everyone was afraid to defy him. He'd had to send a man home because he came to work with the flu and on another occasion, he had to call for an ambulance to pick up a woman who had fainted in the middle of the day. "Did she give a fucking reason?"

"She said she didn't want to deal with you today," Polly replied exactly what Kate had told her over the phone.

"Didn't want-her job is to deal with me." He got agitated and his voice started to rise.

His aunt recognized the warning signs of a Shelby tantrum so she pointed at a chair near her desk. "Sit and talk." She ordered.

Tommy didn't appreciate being spoken to like a child but listened and sat down. "Talk about what?" Even without knowing the topic of conversation, he knew he would need a smoke. So, he grabbed his pack out of his pocket.

"You and Kate. You've been at each other's throats for weeks. She looks at you like you killed her mother and you look at her like she's broken your heart." Polly perched on the edge of her desk, looking at her nephew expectantly. "Out with it."

There weren't many times Tommy didn't trust Polly. In fact, many people in the world wouldn't get the same level of respect he had for her. So, he trusted her not to go gossiping about anything he told her. He rubbed the heel of his hand into his eyes and let out a long sigh. "A few weeks ago, she got drunk on absinthe at the Garrison. John brought her to my place to sleep it off. She was talking about all sorts then she just...she said she loved me."

Polly put a hand to her mouth. Not because she was very shocked, but because she had sensed something between the two. But she thought it was just some odd thought. She wasn't willing to play childish games though so she lowered her hand and resumed a firm stance. "And? What did you say?"

"Polly, I'm married with a child on the way. What am I supposed to say?"

"Tommy." She spoke slowly. "There's no baby." She was brave to say such a thing when she knew it was an instant trigger for him.

Her nephew stood up with a fury. His eyes narrowed. "No talk of the baby tonight." He warned. "Be there on time, be respectful to Grace, and enough about doubting her. This is her night and I won't have me family gossiping about her."

Polly sighed. There wasn't anything else she could say to him. So, she didn't say a word, letting him leave when the silence continued.

~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been a few days of struggling with a decision for Kate. That's why she ended up not going to work the day of Grace's dinner. She couldn't handle the conflict she had in her head.

The day after her argument, flowers were sent to her flat. Kate panicked for a second, wondering if they were from Santo, the Changrettas, or anyone else looking to threaten her. But she was met with a brush of relief when she read the card. Which was strange because it was Grace's name on the card. She wasn't sure she would be relieved to see her name. But it was far better than any alternative.