Only Time Will Tell - A Peaky Blinders Story

Chapter 17 - All the bitter, just not the sweet

"This had better be good to interrupt my holiday. I didn't see any of you doing this when Casandra was away." Polly says bitterly as she enters the betting den. Cass just rolls her eyes. She thought Polly would be over their spat by now, especially since she was fine with Tommy. "Where's the boy?" Arthur asks, ignoring the side comment about his sister. "In the back room. I only brought him because we're going to the museum." Polly replies with a sigh. "He wanted to come in and say hello." John says with a smirk. "Shut up, John. There is nothing of interest to Michael in this room." Polly snaps at him.

"Get on with it then, Tom." Polly then says, her annoyance showing no sign of disappearing any time soon. "Last night, one of our men had his throat cut in Winston Green. This morning, I had a telegram to say that it was Sabini who ordered it." Tommy says, holding his usual stoic expression. "It also says that Tommy Shelby is next." Arthur adds, tearing up the telegram.

"If our men think we can't look after them in prison, they'll not work for us." Tommy continues. "I'm guessing Sabini knows that otherwise he wouldn't have done it." Cass says, wanting to help everyone else understand the severity of the situation. "That's right. That's also why we need to get the Green sorted out." Tommy says with a firm nod.

"Scudboat, you and one of the boys break a window or something and get yourselves arrested. I'll have our coppers get you into the Green so you can find the bastards who did it." He then orders, looking towards their old family friend. "Instead of breaking a window, can we steal a car? Everyone else is getting bloody cars. I'm still on a fucking donkey." Scudboat says, prompting John and Cass to snigger at the idea of such a large man being stuck to ride a donkey. "Fine, whatever, just get yourselves arrested. It doesn't matter how. And before you all laugh, a boy is dead. He was just a kid and we're going to start a fund for his family." Tommy replies with a sigh, prompting the laughter in the room to stop. Except for Polly, but she wasn't laughing anyway.

"So is that it? Can I go now?" Polly then says after a moment of silence. Cass watches her sceptically as she rushes to grab her hat and bag. "Well, as company treasurer, I need your permission to spend 1000 guineas." Tommy answers, making his aunt snap her head up. "On what?" Polly asks sternly. "A horse." Cass replies for her brother, making Polly roll her eyes.

"1000 guineas on a horse? When was this decided?" Polly asks, now pacing in slight anger at the fact that she wasn't included in the initial decision and Cassie was. "You've been busy." Tommy says plainly. "Well, so has Cass but she bloody knows." Polly retorts, side glancing to her niece who once again rolls her eyes at the comment. "Pol, there's a thoroughbred, quarter-Arab filly up for auction at the Doncaster Blood Stock." Tommy explains, trying to get Polly's attention away from his sister.

"What the fuck do we want with a 1000 guinea horse?" Polly asks, suddenly calm. Tommy takes a deep breath. "When we make our move on Sabini's racing pitches, any men we get into the betting enclosure will be lifted by Sabini's police." Tommy says. "A good racehorse is a passport into the owner's enclosure." Cass says with a shrug. "We'll be in there with all the toffs. The coppers won't know where to look." Arthur adds with a smirk. "Yeah. The Epsom Derby, Pol. We'll be drinking with the fucking king." John then says, earning glares from his three older siblings.

"The Derby? Did he just say the fucking Derby?" Polly asks, her anger returning. Tommy takes yet another deep breath before returning to look at his aunt. "That's right." He says plainly before clearing his throat. "For the last 10 years, Sabini has made it his race. It's time for that to change. What would be the point in taking him down if we don't make a symbol out of the experience?" He then adds with a cocky shrug.

"Did you lot come up with this idea in a pub by any chance?" Polly almost yells. "Pol..." Tommy starts. "A good racehorse is an investment. It's like buying property." Cass says, cutting off her brother by saying the exact words that were on the tip of his tongue. "Exactly." Tommy says with an almost proud smirk. "So when is this sale?" Polly then asks, sighing to show her annoyance. "Tomorrow." Tommy replies. "And Tommy's had this death threat, so we have to go with him for protection." Arthur says smugly.

"So, let me get this right. You're going to close the shop, go out on a piss-up, and blow 1000 guineas on a horse that isn't even full Arab?" Polly says, now tapping her foot to try and rid of the angry energy her body is holding. "Quarter-Arab is better." Curly butts in, trying to convince the older Shelby woman. Polly goes to say something, which was clearly going to be spiteful, to Curly before snapping her head towards the door.

Cass follows her eyeline to see Michael walking into the room. "I thought I told you to lock that door." Polly says to John who just shrugs. "He did. I used the key on the nail." Michael says casually. "Look, I've been listening, and I want to go with them. I love horses. I could help." He then says with hope laced through his words. Polly just sighs and sends a glare towards Tommy. "Over my dead body will you be going with them." She says bitterly, her voice bouncing off the walls around them.

"Polly, he might enjoy it. Everything will be alright, we'll be there in case anything happens. He won't be caught in any crossfire." Cass says, hoping to help Michael out. "Shut up. You have no right to be involving yourself with this. You haven't even been here for the last month." Polly snaps at her. "And yet I know more about what's going on than you." Cass retorts, leaning forward crossing her arms over her chest.

"I've been to loads of horse auctions before with- with my uncle." Michael says, unsure whether to bring up his other family yet trying to diffuse the tension between the two women. "It's all very respectable. People bring their butlers." He then says with a reassuring smile. "Yeah, and their posh wives." Arthur adds with a smirk hidden behind his glass of whiskey. "And their mistresses." John then says, jokingly nudging his cousin. "Let him come, Pol." Arthur says before downing his drink.

There's a moment of silence as Polly makes her decision. "No. Fucking no." She says sternly, prompting her son to step closer to her. "Please, mum." Michael says quietly. "No." Polly replies darkly, not caring about the fact that her son just tried to manipulate her. Michael sighs before walking out of the betting shop, slamming the door as he does so.

"Well, that went well." Cass says sarcastically. "Alright, that's all. Get back to work." Tommy then says abruptly, hoping the commotion will distract Polly from hitting his sister. Everyone quickly disperses, leaving the two women alone with Tommy.

"Pol, when we were all his age we'd seen a million horrors. Letting him go to a simple horse auction will be like child's play compared to the lives we've lead." Cass says, standing from her seat at the desk. "I fucking said no, and that's final." Polly snaps. "Come on, Pol. I know you don't want to scare him away. He's old enough to make his own decisions, so stop treating him like a kid." Cass argues, prompting her aunt to slam her fists on the table. "Don't you dare tell me how to be a mother." She yells before storming out of the room. Cass just sighs and walks in the opposite direction. Tommy turns his head between the two in confusion. They have never acted like this towards each other before, which means it's going to last a hell of a long time.