"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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As Alfie got better, he started moving a little bit. One day, Bea decided that, since he could walk just fine, he should get out of the house.
The weather was slightly windy and cloudy, but there was no rain in sight.
"Come," Bea says loudly as she gets inside Alfie's room. "You are getting lazy, Mr. Solomons."
"I have been shot—"
"Weeks ago," Bea interrupts. "It's time for you to get out and breathe some fresh air," she says as gets closer to the bed and tries to pull him up by one arm. "Besides, you haven't taught me anything you say you would. How can I be the wealthiest woman out there when all I do is play piano and paint?"
"Don't you enjoy," Alfie starts as he sits up, "to be free for a little while longer, golden child?"
"Enough time for freedom. Now I need to learn. Come on," she encourages again for him to get up fully. "One day soon I'll have to return to Birmingham. Get up now."
"You are insufferable."
"Oh, Mr. Solomons, it's just a little walk on the beach. Won't hurt."
Alfie got ready and Bea got him his cane.
They walked slowly on the sand, close to the sea line, that kept going slightly in and then retracting back out into the sea. Bea intertwined her arm with Alfie's so he'd be able to lean on her on one side on the cane on the other.
"Isn't this nice?" Bea asks. "I never felt such peace as I do when I walk, with the sea breeze stroking my face."
"You know how I'd feel peace?" he asks rhetorically. "By knowing if Tommy is taking good care of my dog."
"I'll check on the dog when I get back, you grumpy old man."
After that walk on the beach, Alfie started moving a bit more around and, despite Bea still spending a lot of time doing whatever she wanted, from then on Alfie started lecturing her on business and how she was meant to do things.
He said she had a bright mind, but he wanted to see how deep she could reach. No doubt she had many talents and was smart enough to make the right decisions involving business, but there was plenty of work to be done if she was going to be what Alfie wanted her to be.
"Miss Gold!"
Bea was at the beach, where she had taken her painting supplies as she tried to get some inspiration on the scene, she was trying to replicate for the second time but with different elements.
She turned to look at Alfie's maid, calling out for her. The woman said nothing, wanting Bea to get closer to the house rather than having to shout to speak with her.
"The distance is the same," Bea whispers. "You can come over here."
As the maid had no intention to move, Bea put down her pencil and went closer to the house.
"Mr. Solomons is expecting you for lunch."
"It's lunch time already?" Bea questions.
"Yes, miss."
"I'll just bring my things in before."
"I'll let Mr. Solomons know."
Bea turned her towards the sea again, and with her back to the maid she rolled her eyes.
After getting everything inside, without smudging the painting, Bea joined Alfie.
"I didn't exactly think you'd fall short of my expectations, and, fucking hell, you've never been further away from them."
"Look, I'm interested in business, but that book is just... I'd rather you just telling me stuff."
"I'm not about to teach you from zero."
"Well, I already do business in the Shelby Company, so I'm not starting from zero."
"Read that fucking book or leave here, now."
After lunch, Bea picked up the book and started reading. Two days later, Alfie started talking to her about business, but the more illegal side, and the stuff she'd need to do to always come on top including knowing every weakness of everyone that may or may not benefit her in the future.
Days passed by, Bea learned, and read, and listened, and painted, and had long walks on the beach, and read to Alfie. Time flew by without her even notice. She had been gone, without giving any news to anyone for too long. But she liked it that way. It had been long since she felt as peaceful as she did.
"Are you done?" Alfie asks as she hides behind her canvas that he had yet to see with paint on it.
"It's been days. Can't you be patient for a few more minutes?"
"I've been patient for days now. This is time we are losing."
"This is time you assured me I could have, for fun and leisure."
"I think the time for fun is over."
Bea stops painting the final touches and looks over the canvas.
"What do you mean?"
"What's the best way to learn than to practice?" Alfie asks rhetorically. "You should practice. So, it's time for you to return to Birmingham and put everything that you've studied to test."
"Already? But there's so much we have yet to talk about."
"Well, I can't just teach you everything all at once. You should prove that you have understood what I said by doing it."
"But... if I start working I won't have time to come to Margate."
"I'm sure you'll find a way, golden girl."
"What if I don't?"
"If you like Margate that much, I'm sure you'll come back sooner rather than later."
Bea agreed to go, but only after finishing a few paintings she had left unfinished.
There were too many paintings to keep on display around the house, so she told Alfie to either sell them, or keep them for another time when she would be able to take them to Birmingham with her.
After four days, she packed her suitcases and ended her first stay in Margate.
