Cobblestone | Arthur Shelby

Chapter 2

Norah had been working at the Garrison for a week now, and she had become accustomed to the way the pub and its costumers work.
It was 8am and she was walking over the the pub to open up. Unlocking the back door and stepping in, she hung her coat and bag on the hook in the back room. She grabbed the broom and quickly sweeper up any mess that her or Harry could have missed the night before, and making sure the pub looked perfect for its 8:30am opening.
She jumped quickly at the sound of the front doors rattling, unsure of the reasoning she slowly approached. Broom in hand she reached her dainty hand towards the handle, only for the door to be thrown open onto her face. Norah's frail body tumbled towards the floor where she landed on her bum harshly. Blood gushed from her nose.

Her hands flew to her face trying to prevent her blood going onto her clothes. She was to focused on the pain in her nose that she completely forgot that there was a person stood by the door until "Oh Fuck, Arthurs gonna kill me" the voice of the famous John Shelby echoed around the empty pub, he grabbed Norah and helped her up off of the floor
"John? Why would Arthur kill you?" She questioned, being utterly confused as to what John was talking about
"He's got a soft spot for ya Norah" John stated like it was completely obvious, Norah just gave him a perplexed look "come on, I'll get Aunt Pol to clean you up" and with that John guided her through the now bustling streets of Small Heath. He had a tight grasp around her waist just in case she fell.

Norah walked with John towards what she assumed was their house. It was quite simple, almost identical to hers just on a larger scale.
"Wait, wait! John what about the Garrison, I am meant to be working today, what about Harry?" She was panicking excessively, she loved her job at the Garrison even though she had to put up with some of the drunk men trying to make advances on her, but most of the time there was a Shelby there to stick up for her.
"Calm down, I'll tell Harry you won't be there" John attempted to calm down the panicking girl who still had blood rushing down her face, she only nodded as a reply.

Her and John entered the Shelby family home, Norah followed him into what looked like a dining room/kitchen where a woman with dark brown hair and brown eyes sat reading a book.
The woman jumped from her chair as she saw John with the girl who had rushing from her nose "John! What happened to the poor girl?" The woman seemed as if she was chastising John so Norah assumes that this was the Aunt Pol
"Pol, this is Norah. She's the new barmaid, I accidentally hit her with the door" John mumbled as if scared for his Aunt to tell him off. Polly rushes towards Norah and guided her to one of the many dining chairs.
"John go get some towels, and get Ada to come and help me" Polly demanded John as she tried to nurse the girl.

The sound of the front door opening and closing made Norah switch her gaze from Polly to the person approaching the kitchen. "Jesus! What happened love?" The sudden appearance of Arthur in the kitchen slightly relaxes her as Arthur was the only Shelby she was really close with.
"John accidentally hit me with the door, I'm completely fine though, just a little bit of blood" she smiled up at him but soon stopped smiling as she saw the anger in Arthur's eyes, her face now painted in confusion.
"I'm gonna kill him!" Arthur shouts as he storms around the house trying to find John, the volume of his voice made Norah flinch as she was not used to that type of volume.

"Oh ignore him sweetheart, he is just a little bit annoyed" Polly tried to comfort the girl by holding her hand. The sound of footsteps coming down the stairs made both women look, a young girl who looked only slightly younger than Norah herself stood in the doorway, she somewhat resembled Arthur and John so Norah assumes that this was Ada
"Aunt Pol, why did you have John wake me and why is Arthur saying he's gonna kill John?" Questioned Ada as she walked down the stairs, when she reached the kitchen and her eyes met Norah's green ones she soon realised the cause of the commotion.
"Ada this is Norah, she is the new barmaid" Polly explained to her niece as Norah sat with a cloth to her face trying to stop the bleeding
"Oh hello, it's lovely to put a name to the face. Arthur has not stopped talking about you" Ada exclaimed while inspecting the girl in front of her
"It's lovely to meet you as well" Norah replied as Ada wiped the excess blood from Norah's face.

It had been around an hour and Norah's face had finally stopped bleeding. Her, Ada and Polly still hadn't seen Arthur and John since they both had left. Norah had become extremely close with the Shelby women over the course of the hour they had spent together gossiping.
"I really must go now" Norah started as she stood to leave, just as she was about to exit the kitchen Arthur came in.
"Norah are you alright?" Arthur question her as he grabbed her face in his hands and inspected her for anymore injuries other than her bloody nose
"I really am fine Arthur, thank you for your concern though" Norah smiled at him as he let her face go once her knew she was ok. "Well thank you so much for your hospitality but I am going to head home, it was lovely meeting you Ada and Pol" Norah headed for the front door after Polly and Ada had both said their goodbyes to the polite young girl.

Just as Norah grabbed the door handle, a calloused hand which belonged to Arthur grabbed hers. " I'll walk you home love" Arthur pulled the door open for Norah as she muttered a simple thank you as he followed out behind her.
They walked together down the cobbled street of Watery Lane as Arthur's hand rest comfortably on the small of her back.
"So Norah, have you always been a barmaid?" Arthur has been curious of the girl since the first day they had met
"No, I was a nurse in my old Village but when my father died my mother wanted to move so we came here and the barmaid position was the only thing available other than become a whore" she exclaimed, Arthur was the first person other than her mother that she had talked about her father with since his death, Arthur tightened his grasp around her waist in a way of comforting her
"Oh. I am sorry about your father" Arthur states, he had never been good with consoling people so him and Norah had somehow had made a mental agreement to just leave the subject at that.

"This is my house" Norah breaks the comfortable silence that had enveloped them, Arthur nodded towards the girl bidding her a goodbye as she disappeared into her house. He had been inside the neighbouring houses so he knew that her house only one bedroom, so he made a mental challenge to himself, he was going to treat this girl like the princess she deserves to be.

Norah walked into the living room to see her mother asleep on the couch even though it was only midday. She draped the nearest blanket over her mother and headed to her room to unpack anything she hadn't had chance to situate in her new home yet.
She spent her night as usual, look after her mother make dinner and then fall asleep. But this night her dreams were full of a certain Shelby brother.