Roguish Women- Tommy Shelby

Silence Tells Me Everything

           They tried to make the best of the remainder of their holiday, but the news of the alliance put a damper on things. They returned to Arrow House with the promise that Tommy was going to get right to work on trying to reunite his family. Ada was meant to be leaving for Boston in the next week, but Tommy put her to task one more time before she left.

"Tom, I'm on thin ice with them as it is." Ada reminded him.

"This isn't about pride anymore; this is about survival. If they want to survive then they should consider listening to me." Tommy insisted from behind his desk.

"That's your problem. If what you're saying is true then you need to make it a joint effort instead of just controlling everything like always!" His sister snapped.

He threw his hands up. "For fuck's sake, I'm trying my best!"

Ada frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'll tell them what you told me. I guess it's up to them how they want to respond."

Tommy pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. I've done all I can. I want you all safe."

She sighed and nodded. "I suppose this wasn't just your doing." The history with the Changrettas was long and winded but she knew each of her brothers had a play in the matter. No one could fully blame Tommy. "I'll talk to them."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Out in the stables, Kate was grooming Blue before he was trailered to Mays so he could be trained. Initially, Tommy said the gelding wouldn't need to be there for long. They weren't training him for the track like Buchanan. But then, he made the unfortunate error of getting on Blue just to see how he would take to the bit.

The warm-blooded thoroughbred-cross threw him so hard out of the saddle, he had a hard time getting up for a minute. Tommy assured Kate he could break the gelding in if he had the time. But decided it would be in everyone's best interest to hand him over to May for training.

Despite the horse's aversion to a saddle, he was very well-tempered on the cross ties. Kate enjoyed spending time with him, making his coat shine, and giving him pats and treats. Blue took a liking to her even in the brief time he was there before going to May's. Along with dancing again, it was nice to have something to distract her. And she needed a great deal of distraction.

"You've made alliances too." Alice reminded her, on their first meeting after Kate and Tommy returned from Scarborough.

"I know," Kate mumbled.

"You probably have more people on your side than that asshole has on his. And, he's coming to us. He's not going to send all of his men over here, that leaves his home base vulnerable. He has one army. Can't be more than twenty people. You have armies in Birmingham and London. Everything's going to be okay."

Kate nervously chewed on her fingernail. "Tommy's family is still all over the place though." She pointed out.

"Well, that's Tommy's problem to sort out," Alice said. "He knocked down those fences, he's the one that's got to repair them."

Kate was ruminating on that idea as she led Blue back into his stall. As she locked the latch, Tommy came into the stables. She could sense the irritation coming off of him as he strode down the aisle.