sweet french. peaky blinders

63

Lucille

"Ada, wake up!"

The urgency in Tommy's voice was enough to startle Lucille. He could be heard shuffling around, his breath heavy, all the way from the kitchen. She shared a look with Polly, before she hurried in, meeting Dawson halfway as they rushed to Ada and Tommy.

"You and the baby get into the bull ring, where there are loads of people. Lucille take Adds, my sister will show you the way," he ordered, picking Adds up from Ada's lap and placing her in her mother's arms.

"What's happened?"

"What's going on?" Polly repeated as she finally entered the room, throwing her towel to the table.

"We've been fucking betrayed. Somebody let slip. Kimber's men are on their way here," Tommy shouted.

Polly's head snapped toward him. "But you can handle them, Tommy?"

"It's just us. All the Lees are all on their way to Worcester. We're outnumbered."

He turned, forcing his hands down onto the table, hitting it again with a groan. The cross they stood in the middle shook, toppling on its pedestal but remaining upright. Tommy ran a distressed hand over his face.

"I thought the date was a secret?" Lucille asked.

Polly nodded, agreeing. "Who else knew today was the day you were moving on Kimber? Who else did you tell?"

His eyes widened slightly, breath turning a deadly calm.

"We needed someone to do the numbers. Arthur said she would help. Arthur bloody said-"

"The barmaid?" Polly exclaimed.

"She wouldn't do that... would she?"

But what did Lucille know about the barmaid? She seemed sweet, sure, but how often had they spoken to one another?"

"I'll deal with Grace," Polly said. "If you set eyes on her again, you might kill her."

"Calm down, Tommy. You leave this room without your head and you're dead," Lucille said as she leaned over, soothing her thumb across the gristle on his cheek. "Remember the promise."

He nodded, closing his eyes for a second as he took a breath. "Go. Keep Adds, and Ada and the baby safe," he said quietly. "I love you."

Lucille pecked his cheek, stepping back with Adds still in her arms so he could leave. Dawson stepped to her side.

"I'm here to help."

"Are you sure?"

A smile broke out on his weary face. "More than I'll ever be."

She nodded and hugged him quickly. "Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. And you, you don't be idiotic either."

Polly had left minutes after without saying a word. Her lips were drawn into a drown, her eyes darkening with a frightening scowl. By the look on the woman's face, even Lucille feared what she would do. If looks could kill...

Ada wasn't much better. Stubbornness ran in their blood, Lucille remembered. She stood in the doorway, baby Karl crying in his pram. Ada bit her lip, closing her mind from the cries as she pulled on a long, black coat.

"We're not going to the bull ring," she finally said.

"What do you mean?"

"We've got to stop this."

"How?" Lucille asked as she ducked into the hallway, taking the coat that Ada chucked her way. It was one of Polly's.

"By showing them how stupid they're being. By reminding them of the consequences of fighting- of the funerals that will be left after their death," Ada said, brutal determination painting her face like war stripes.