The Sweetest of Hearts.1| T.S

•Expansion into London.

XVIII. Expansion into London.

A family meeting was called in the betting shop, and everyone from the Shelby family as well as the Felton family gathered in the shop, all waiting on Tommy who was usually always the last to show up, millions of other things having his attention as well.

Maude stood by the door leading into the kitchen, staring out the back window as she smoked her cigarette. John approached her and she already sighed, knowing what he was going to ask her. "Where the bloody hell is Tommy?" He asked as he pulled out his pocket watch and looked down at the time.

"He's on his way." She repeated the answer she has given him every time he has come to ask her for the past twenty minutes. She looked him at him with furrowed eyebrows before joining the rest of the family by one of the tables, sitting down next to Polly.

"All right then, while we're waiting patiently..." Arthur spoke up as he got up from his chair, picking up a crate of the Garrison's stock and placing it on the table. "Whisky." He said and both Polly and Maude turned to look at Henry who effectively avoided them as he looked the other way. "Left over from the explosion. It's good stuff, as well." Arthur informed them as he poured everyone a glass.

John shared a look with Esme who sat on the stairs with a book, taking a glass of whiskey offered to him, finishing it before he cleared his throat and spoke up. "Right." He said as he clasped his hands together behind his back. "Before Tommy gets here, I think there's a few things we need to get straight between the rest of us."

Polly raised her eyebrows as she looked at John. "You think?" She asked.

He silently stared at her for a second. "Yeah." He replied with a nod of his head. "Yeah, I do. I want to know...When did we all take a vote on this expansion south?" he asked as he looked around at everyone.

"You have anything to say, you wait for Thomas." Polly insisted, a tone of warning in her voice as she gave him a pointed look.

"Polly's fucking right." Arthur agreed with a nod of his head as he stared at his brother.

"I see all the books. Legal and off track. Sort of stuff you don't see." John informed them, eyes lingering on Maude because he knew she saw all the books as well. "And in the past year, the Shelby Company Limited has been making £150 a day." He continued on and Maude bit back a sigh as she glanced at Polly who knew more or less as well what was in the books. But it was Tommy's business, not theirs and not John's. "Right? A fucking day! Sometimes more. So what I want to know is why are we changing things?" He asked as he raised his eyebrows before his gaze landed on his aunt. "Polly, look what's happened already. We haven't even set foot in London yet and they've already blown up our fucking pub."

"Who said anything about cockneys?" Arthur asked as he stared at his brother.

"Who else?" Esme asked as she glanced over at the group with raised eyebrows.

Polly's gaze sharply turned towards Esme. "Do you know who did it, do you?" Polly asked her as she raised her eyebrows.

John glanced between his aunt and wife before shaking his head. "No, she doesn't know who did it." He snapped at Polly.

"I'm told only family are allowed to speak," Esme muttered as her attention turned back to her book and Maude quirked an eyebrow at the girl.

Tommy stepped into the kitchen, glancing between everyone who sat around the table before his gaze turned to Esme. "Everyone's allowed to speak." He informed her and Esme's eyes widened as her head snapped towards Tommy. "On your feet, Esme, let's hear what you have to say." He demanded.