Cruel To Be Kind - Peaky Blinders Fanfiction

Part 36 - Meeting Miss Violet

I decided to take a day or two off from this story - I built Cromwell Estate on The Sims4. It actually looks like I had envisioned and now I have a detailed build of it for when I reference it in the story.

I hope everyone is well and coping with isolation. Sorry for any mistakes made - I always miss one or two when proofreading.

Please enjoy this chapter

Love Comet96 xx

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As we sat down for dinner, I had a feeling that Tommy was right. One day, this is what our life would be life.

One day, sitting around in a big house like this would be normal. It wouldn't feel like everyone was uncomfortable with money and wealth. Tommy would get the family here because he was cunning and ambitious. The Shelby family would have the riches because he was determined to get that for everyone.

I just didn't want to see what road he had to go down to achieve it all. When would he stop? When would enough be enough?

"Alright," Tommy started, setting his glass down on the table and gaining everyone's attention. "Daisy, take John's boys to bed." I could see Finn's excitement as Tommy let him stay at the table.

"What about Finn?" Polly asked, sending the nine-year-old a look.

"Finn's a Shelby and I decided he's old enough to hear what goes on in this family," Tommy said to her, daring her to argue. I could see that she wanted to argue but stopped when I gave her a reassuring look.

"Well, what's going on then, Tommy?" Arthur asked, trying to big himself up in his chair. He didn't like that Tommy was the one with all the answers. He still believed he was in charge of the family. I think part of him resented Tommy for marrying me, not because he married me, but because of what he got in the marriage.

The big estate house, the staff working for him, the nice horses, and the money, everything Arthur wanted for himself.

"As you all know, we made a deal with Graves. A written contract," Tommy said, plucking a cigarette from his little metal tin and sliding it in his mouth. "He can't hurt anyone in the Peaky Blinders and none of us can hurt him."

"And that's why he took your wife and Jacob? Because they ain't Peaky Blinders?" Polly said clearly annoyed that the protection didn't extend to all the family.

"No, not one member of the Shelby family can be touched, he didn't read the small print." At least he mentioned that. It would be hell if Polly thought she could be used to get to Tommy.

"And what are you gonna do about it then?"

"I've got it sorted, Pol." Sometimes I wondered what would happen if Tommy let her have her say. Would the company be better off? "That's not why we're here."

"We know the deal with Graves, Tommy," Arthur said, gripping his glass of whiskey in his hand. He'd had too much to drink.

"Right, you think you know it." This is where I was waiting for Arthur to lose it. When he came to the realization that he wasn't in charge and Tommy was really the one with all the plans.

"What do ya mean I think I know?" Arthur boomed, slamming his glass down on the table as he rose from his seat, face red.

"You know about the horse and the races, but you don't know about the other clauses of the contract."

"What fucking clauses!"

"Arthur, if you let him speak you'll know," I said, feeling myself getting frustrated with him. Every time he interrupted led to more time we had to wait for Tommy to explain things.