Savage Beast-A Peaky Blinders retelling of Helen Keller

17.

Tommy had brought Lily to Camden Town. He had a meeting with Alfie, and he wasn't going out of his way to drop Lily off with Polly, or John and Esme and their tangle of kids. Lily's stockings were dirty, as she had been outside that morning, playing in the wet rain slicked sidewalk. She clutched her doll in one hand, holding it close to her chest for safekeeping. Her shoes made clacking sounds on the pavement. Her free hand was out in front of her, roving about and making sure she wasn't about to slam into anything. Once they arrived at Alfie's office, and were let in, the Jewish man adorned with jewelry looked her up and down with a peaked interest. "Now what the fuck is Tommy Shelby doing with a child? And in this establishment of all things." He held his hands out to the girl, who trotted over to his open arms and grabbed hold of his large ring adorned hands, sniffing wildly. He smelled of bread and rum. "Alfie. This is my sister. Excuse her wild tendencies. She's untamed." Tommy said simply.

 Alfie was not stupid-and he was able to guess in the absence of an explanation from Tommy that the girl was deaf and blind, as she gazed off, unfocused, and she didn't respond when Alfie gave her a gruff 'hello.' The girl finished her sniffing of his hands, and her hands moved to roam his clothes, then his beard. She got to his glasses, pausing, brows knit together. She pulled them from his face, something Alfie thought quite comical. "You're raising a little thief, are you? She's blind and deaf but still got the Shelby qualities, eh, Tommy?" Alfie guffawed. Tommy blinked, stone faced. He was here for business, not to talk about the child. Lily was putting the glasses on her face the way she had felt them go on Alfie, and once she settled them on, she felt satisfied and smiled to herself. She patted the glasses and then her chest, as if to say 'glasses mine.' It was a crude way to attempt communication, but it was all she had. Alfie burst out into laughter as he poured a drink for himself. "You are not taking my good reading glasses, you little thief." 

He reached for them, gently taking them off her face and settling them back on his own. The girl snorted, breathing heavily, ready to scream, but Alfie saw her anger boiling up and dipped his finger into the sugar bowl, handing her a cube. She stilled, recognizing what it was instantly, and she was satisfied, sitting down against the thick wooden desk of Alfie's, suckling on the sugar cube. Her mouth made loud sucking noises as she devoured the sugar. 

"You're good with her." Tommy coughed and lit a cigarette. "Ah. She's a child. I may not have one of my own, but I know they are simple creatures. After all, I was once one, wasn't I mate?" Alfie grinned, before steepling his hands and getting down to business speak. Lily finished her sugar cube, and began to run her fingers through her dolls hair in an attempt at brushing it. It wasn't long before a sort of...dispute over the paperwork and such began, and Tommy said that he had planted a bomb. 

Alfie remained calm, but Ollie, one of his apprentices of sorts, began to shake, chattering off to Alfie in fear. "You would really do that to this little girl here? You are cold, Tommy." Alfie shook his head, before standing to shove Ollie. "You are behaving worse than the child on the floor, there. Look-she don't care about no bomb, does she?" He grinned almost maniacally. It was a joke, obviously-Lily had no knowledge of a bomb-even if she somehow did, she didn't even know what a bomb was. Her knowledge was simple, and limited. 

It turned out everything was fine, Tommy had gotten what he wanted as always, and Alfie did too. Lily let Tommy lead her by the wrist-she was still in new territory and didn't know where she was going. They walked back to the car. The Derby was coming up. 

Lily was going to the derby-she didn't know what exactly was happening-but she felt the quickened footsteps of the family-smelled the fancy perfumes and colognes. She knew something exciting was happening. Polly dressed her in a frilly dress, and Lily frowned when Polly laced up her shoes and washed her hands clean with soap, and brushed her hair through. It was a ton of work, and probably wouldn't last long, but Lily Shelby was clean and dressed for the Derby. She was supposed to go with Polly-anything the Peaky Boys did was to be kept away from the girl. She was just there to eat the food and pet the horses. Polly insisted the child would be able to sense the horses racing. 

Once they arrived at the gates of their destination, Lily sniffed the air excitedly, hands reaching out for anything and everything new. Already people were staring at the girl, hands out and nose to the air. It was a peculiar sight. But soon, people tired of staring at her, and turned back to what they came to see-the horses and the racing. The racetrack had a buzz of energy in the air-bets were being placed, drinks and food were being ordered, and women went to the powder room to fix their fancy hats and reapply their lipstick. 

This was the most fun Lily had enjoyed in a while-she had been spending most days either at home at the flat, or stuck in the betting shop, or at Polly's home or tagging along while Tommy talked to strangers about business. But this-this was something she could enjoy. She knew horses were near, and her hands twitched in excitement as she itched to stroke their manes. She turned, grasping for Polly and signing for 'horses'. 

Polly laughed as she watched the girl wildly dance her fingers on her palm, signing aggressively for the horses. "Let's go to the stables, then." She spoke to her niece, who of course couldn't hear her.  

*authors note: Lily is so happy to be around horses-she can smell them and loves to pet them. Also Alfie appearing and meeting Lily the 'little thief' is so iconic!