By Order Of The Fucking Peaky Blinders

23 - The Arrest

"Fancy seeing you here, aren't you a bit too young to be drinking?" A voice speaks from beside Charlie.

"Miss Shelby, is this man bothering you?" Harry asks. "It's fine Harry." Charlotte replies downing her drink turning to her father. "What are you doing here?" Charlie questions.

"Personal invitation of the owner. He also told me that my little girl was performing, that's not something I could miss." He smiles but she glares at him, "I know you want something, I just don't know what. Money maybe? For you drugs and whores. But I sure as hell know you aren't here for my family." Charlie tells him.

"You always were smart, even as a child, but what's one thing I always reminded you." Arthur Sr says, "fast women and slow horses will ruin your life- great lesson to teach a daughter by the way." Charlotte retorts.

"No, not that thing" he replies, "it's okay to be smarter than everyone else, just can't go round always pointing it out because people don't like it- I'm guessing you're one of those people. Don't like people being smarter than you, makes it harder to manipulate them." Charlie replies.

"I do what I can to get by.. same as everyone else." Arthur Sr shrugs, "not everyone abandons their kids with no money. Forcing his sister and oldest son to raise teenagers and toddlers. Then comes back and tries to scam them." Charlie says pointedly.

"Charlie, there you are." Diego says approaching her with Isaiah making her breath a breathe of relief. "This your boyfriend." Her dad asks, "no, not that anything in my life is your business, nothing." Charlie replies bluntly.

"I'm just trying to get to know my daughter." Arthur Sr says defensively, "you'd know your daughter if you didn't walk out on her when she was 7 years old." Isaiah says, lighting his cigarette blowing the smoke in the Shelby dads direction.

"And who the fuck are you?" Arthur Sr says, "Isaiah, Isaiah Jesus." Isaiah replies, "do you know who I am?" Arthur Senior asks, "given my previous comment, that is an extremely stupid question to ask." Isaiah replies making Diego and Charlie laugh.

"Why don't you just back off, she obviously wants nothing to do with you." Diego says, "I can see where I'm not wanted." The Shelby dad shrugs walking to the other side of the bar. "Well obviously you can't or you would have left before he said that." Isaiah retorts loud enough for Arthur Sr to hear.

"You alright?" Diego asks, "yeah, that man just gets on my last nerve, makes me want to strangle him." Charlie replies. "Do it" Isaiah eggs on with a smirk.

"Ohh, believe me one day, i might just." Charlotte laughs.

-

"Arthur, you seen Tom about?" Charlie asks, "I don't know and I don't care." Arthur grunts walking over to their father as she closes her eyes sighing, downing the rum he'd just placed in her hand.

"CHARLOTTE FUCKING SHELBY" Tommy yells storming into the pub.

"Welp, he's not happy with you." Diego says, "if I die... don't let them burn me in a dress." Charlotte says, before taking a deep breathe, standing up and walking out of the snug to see her brother stood there looking less than impressed.

"Hey Tommo, you alright?." Charlotte says, but he glares down at her, "we are going home" he says yanking her arm gently and pulling her out the pub.