"This is all the Peaky Blinders' fault. Your fault, Finn. Damn you."
Beatrice Gold, the youngest child of Aberama Gold, was living with her aunt when she decided that it was time to live the life that she wanted.
Running away to Birmingham without...
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"What do you think?" Bea asks with a hopeful smile.
"It's... amazing. Really well done, Beatrice," Michael compliments. "You have a real talent for painting."
"Well... I did practice for a long time for it."
"Even so, not all people who practice have the skills to paint a portrait like this. It's very realistic and the eyes... it's amazing the details you've put in them. I could swear the eyes are watching me wherever I go."
Michael turns his back on his portrait to face Bea.
"Are you sure you want to work for Shelby Company Limited and not make money with your talent?"
"I have talent with business as well, don't why?"
"You sure do, but it's easier to find someone who can take care of business than someone who can paint like this."
"It's harder to make money from paintings than from business. But, if you think about it, it's better for you. You got one of the few pieces in the entire world by Beatrice Gold. Sounds special, right?"
They went to Alexander's dinner party that weekend. It was much calmer than Jack's big one, with people talking quietly around the table. There was no band playing music either.
Gina was there and she tried to talk to Michael, but Michael seemed more interested in eavesdropping Bea's conversation with Jack and Alexander.
"You have to show it to us, then," Alexander insists on Bea telling them she had finished Michael's portrait.
"And now when you have time, you have to paint my portrait," Jack says with a smile. "I am more than open to the prices you have."
Bea looks at Michael over her shoulder, since, to talk to Jack and Alexander she had to sit with her back to him.
"I have a few prices. It depends on the size of the portrait, if it's full body or just from the waist up, and also how long it'll take me. Time is money after all."
"Time is indeed money," Jack confirms. "I have money, so just tell me the prices."
Michael finally joins the conversation to hand over a paper with numbers.
"You can take it and study it. Beatrice is a quick painter, but obviously, that facet can be irregular once she starts painting," Michael informs.
"However, I will start by making an estimate of the time I'd usually take and if you agree on it, any extra time it takes me to paint, will be free of charge."
"Sounds very good," Jack agrees.
"Maybe we should discuss further another day," Michael says. "It always sounds unpleasant to talk business around the table."
"I couldn't agree more, Mr. Gray," Jack affirms.
"Still... I have to ask," Alexander starts. "What exactly is your line of work here in New York?"
"Import, export," Michael answers vaguely, smoking his cigarette.
"For the Shelby Company, right?" Alexander insists with a hint of amusement in his eyes.
"That's right. It's my family's company."
"But you're 'Gray'," Alexander points out.
"My mother's maiden name is Shelby," Michael clears without emotion. "Why do you care? Are you interested in our company?"
"No, no. Just curious."
Michael was hiding his annoyance at the conversation but Bea could see it clearly. Alexander, who wasn't doing much to try to hide anything, was obviously trying to see if something would trigger Michael off. Perhaps he knew of the Shelby reputation and some things that they had done, and he was trying to see if that bothered Michael or not. Bea would do it if she wanted to have some leverage over a person, like she did with Gina at the party Jack Bradley threw the week before.
Bea wasn't sure why Alexander was trying to find something that he could use against Michael, after all she didn't really see anything wrong with Alexander at first. He seemed like a good person. Still, he could be a good person to her and not so much to Michael.
So, when dinner is done and Alexander invites everyone to go to the living room to have some drinks, Bea refuses.
"I'm sorry, but Michael and I have some plans tomorrow morning and we have to wake up early, so we must go."
Michael, next to her, looked at Bea slightly surprised, since they didn't have anything for tomorrow and she was lying. But, since he didn't want to be there any longer, he said nothing and went along.
"Oh, not even a drink?" Alexander asks with disappointment and Bea understands that he would really enjoy if she'd stay.
"Yes, I'm sorry. Perhaps another time."
"All right, yes. Another time. There are some nice bars around the city," Alexander says.
"You know the hotel where I'm staying, right? Well, now I know here you live, so we'll be in touch."
"Of course. Thank you for coming tonight, Bea... Mr. Gray."
"Lovely dinner," Michael says shaking Alexander's extended hand. "Next one has to be on us, right Beatrice?"
Beatrice, smart and attentive as she was, felt like Michael was saying that they'd organize the next one so that they wouldn't have to go to anymore unless they were the one organizing it. Maybe she was reading too much into it, maybe she already knew Michael well enough.
"Sure," Beatrice agrees. "Good night!"
They walked away and as the dinner hadn't been that far from the hotel, they walked, testing if Michael could really handle himself without the cane. Bea took Michael's arm as they did.
"Why did you lie?" Michael wonders. "We don't have anything tomorrow, so there was no reason to leave early."
"You'd do it for me," Bea simply answers with a shrug.
"Still... I thought you wanted to get closer to them."
"Yes, but not when they make you uncomfortable."
"I wasn't uncomfortable," Michael refutes.
"All right, you weren't. But Alexander was trying to tick you off. So... we can have drinks at the hotel. The two of us."
"Sounds better than any party you've been invited to."
"They invited you to!" Bea defends, jokingly.
"No, they extended the invitations. Different things."
"You went, so... Let's just go get some drinks then."
