Falling Through Time - Thomas Shelby

Chapter Twenty-One

Charlie had found Briah alone in the stables when she arrived at Arrow House and she preferred it that way. She brushed the mare's coat and gave her plenty of treats from the hessian bag on the hook while they waited for everyone to return from the church. The urge to go inside and help herself to the alcohol was strong but she resisted, knowing she would need her mind sharp for the night ahead.

"What have they done to you?" She asked the horse who had been quiet and lethargic since she entered the stables. "They haven't tamed you have they?"

"No, just a bit of morphine for the sports tonight." Johnny Doggs said as he walked in the stable with the other horses. "Everyone's inside."

"You drugged my horse." Charlie scoffed.

"Gotta fix the race somehow, redcoat's have got it comin' if you ask me."

"Why are there redcoats here?"

"Grace's family, cavalry for the King." He said before spitting at the ground in distaste.

"Oh great. I'm sure that's going well for the peaky boys." Charlie chuckled.

"Tommy's called a family meeting in the kitchen in five minutes." Johnny said, locking the stable doors and waiting for Charlie to join him.

She had nothing else to do so she looped her arm through his offered one and they headed to the back of the house and through the staff entrance to the kitchen. Tommy looked stressed as he paced the pantry waiting for everyone to arrive and he froze as he saw Charlie standing amongst the chaos like the calm of the storm. The moment only lasted a second but she could see the gratitude in his eyes at seeing her there. Spinning away he asked Johnny where Arthur and John were just as they entered through another set of stairs, lost and confused.

"Right, you're all here." Tommy said as he lit up a smoke, avoiding looking at Charlie while he did so. "Today, this is my fucking wedding day."

"Yeah," John interrupted, clearly angry, "and you said there'd be no bloody uniforms."

"Nevertheless, nevertheless John," Tommy calmed him, "despite the bad blood, I'll have none of it on my carpet."

"What about the cobblestones?" Charlie asked teasingly, earning a glare from Tommy and a laugh from his brothers.

"Now, for fuck's sake, nothing will go wrong. Those bastards out there are Grace's family. And if you fuckers do anything to piss them off, your kin, your cousins, your horses, your fucking kids, you do anything-"

"What about snow?" Isaiah asked suddenly as John pulled him in a playful headlock.

"Yeah, their women are sports, I'll say that." John laughed.

Tommy stalked over to the two and Charlie could see the need for control burning in him. "No. No. No. No cocaine. No cocaine. No sport. No telling fortunes. No racing."

He was making his way around the circle, edging himself closer to losing his temper as he did.

"No fucking sucking petrol out of their fucking cars."

Charlie barely contained her amusement as he warned Finn who was prolific at the act.

"And, you, Charlie."

Charlie's head shot around, eyes narrowing as she dared him to give her instructions but he turned to Charlie Strong instead. "Stop spinning yarns about me, eh?"

"I'm just trying to sell you to 'em, Tom."

Tommy wiped his eyes as if he hadn't been sleeping well and it was catching up with him. The cigarette in his mouth was burning quickly and she could feel the snap coming on.