𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

5

Thomas walked through the house, tossing his coat aside and passing through the kitchen where Finn sat smoking a cigarette into the flames of a coal fire.

Finn attempted to get rid of the cigarette before Tommy sees, looking up at his brother as he walks in.

Tommy squinted, kneeling down and grabbing the half burnt cigarette off the floor and tossing it into the fire, looking up at his brother.

"Arthur's mad as hell." Finn told him. "What does a ten year old know about hell, eh?" Tommy asked, standing up.

"I'm eleven Sunday." Finn argued as his brother walked away.

Tommy entered the betting den, scanning the room. "You, feet off the chair" He pointed at Lilah who scoffed, throwing her feet to the floor and continuing to read her book.

"Tommy, will you just look at the
board. Will you just look." John urged, showing his brother the book in his hands.

Tommy frowned, reading it. "Yeah, well done John boy" he praised. "Tommy! Get in here!" Arthur shouted.

Tommy sighed, walking into the dimly lit office. Arthur slammed the door.

"You were seen doing the powder trick down at Garrison court." Arthur spoke.

Tommy leans back against the door.

"Times are hard. People need a
reason to lay a bet."

"There was a Chinese." Arthur continued. "The washer women say she's a witch. It helps them believe. Arthur"

"We don't mess with Chinese, Tommy"

"Look at the board..." Tommy began

"Chinese have cutters of their own." Arthur snapped. "We agreed. I'm taking charge of drumming up new money." Tommy said quietly.

"When did we agree that?"

Tommy simply glanced at the bottle of rum on Arthur's desk. Arthur stepped back.

"What if Monaghan Boy wins?" Arthur asked his younger brother.

Tommy stared hard at Arthur to suggest it's all under control. Arthur gets to his feet, his big fists on the desk.

Delilah stood beside the wall in attempt to listen in. "Get away" John scolded. "He'll kill you if he sees that"

-

"Right, Finn, Lilah fuck off" Arthur sighed, walking into the den. "No, Delilah you can stay" Polly stopped the girl from walking out.

"What?" Arthur asked. "She's almost fifteen for christ sake, she needs to have some sort of idea of what's happening" Polly argued.

Lilah sat down, crossing her legs with a smug grin on her face. Francis touched the girls shoulder, sitting beside her. Arthur sighed. "I called this meeting because i've got some very important news." he began. "Scud Boat and Love Lock got back from Belfast last night. They were buying a stallion to cover their mares"

Delilah huffed, tapping the desk.

"They were in a pub on Shank Hill Road yesterday and in that pub there was a copper, handing out these"

"If your over five feet and can fight come to Birmingham" John read.

Lilah snatched the paper from his hand. "Why do we need people in Birmingham?" The young girl asked.

"They're recruiting Protestant Irishmen to come over here as Specials." Arthur told them. "To do what?" Ada asked.

"To clean up the city, Ada" Tommy chimes in. "He's the chief inspector"

"What's there to clean up? The horse shit?" Lilah said, laughing slightly but stopping when nobody laughed with her, not even John. "Delilah," her mother scolded quietly at her language.

"The last four years, he's been clearing the IRA out of Belfast." Tommy nodded.

"How do you know so bloody much?" Arthur squinted.

"Cause i asked the coppers on our payroll"

"And why didn't you tell me"

"I'm telling you"

Arthur shook his head, swigging the contents of his flask. "Why send him to Birmingham?" Polly asked.

"There's been all these strikes at the BSA, and the Austin works lately. Now the papers are talking about sedition. And revolution. I reckon it's communists he's after"

Lilah glanced over at Ada who looked down at the paper, biting her lip. Ada had a thing going on with the communist Freddie Thorne. Delilah was the only one who knew about it because once her and Ada snuck out at the same time. They promised not to tell Pol if they told each other where they were going. Ada was off to see Freddie.

"So this copper is gonna leave us alone then?" Lilah asked, clearing her throat.

"There are Irishmen in Green Lanes who left Belfast to get away from him" Thomas stated. "Catholic men who crossed him used to disappear in the night"

"Yeah, but we ain't IRA. We bloody fought for the king" John spat. "Anyway we're Peaky Blinders, we're not scared of coppers"

"He's right"

"If they come for us, we'll cut them a smile each, isn't that right Lilah?" John said, looking down at her. She grinned widely, nodding.

"So, Arthur, is that it?" Tom interrupted.

"What do you think, Aunt Pol?" Arthur looked at the older woman. "This family does everything open, you have nothing more to say to this meeting, Thomas?"

Tommy shook his head. "Nothing that's woman's business"

"Tommy," Francis frowned at him.

Lilah widened her eyes. "Excuse me?" She asked her father. "Whilst you were away, everything here was women's business"

"What's changed?" Polly asked.

"We came back"

-

Delilah watched out her window as a car drove down Garrison Lane and kids and men threw stones and empty bottle at the car. "Go away" They all shouted.

She frowned in confusion, wondering who was inside the car. And why everyone was so angry.

"Lilah" Ada hissed from the door. "Hm?" Lilah hummed. "I'm going to see Freddie, cover me?" she asked.

Delilah nodded, waving her away.

"Why arent you asleep yet?" Tommy stood beside her door. "I could ask you the same thing," she said coldy, not looking at him. Tommy licked his lips. "Dont stay up too late, eh?"

When she stayed quiet, he sighed and returned to his own bedroom.