𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

9

"Lilah, up now" John pulled the sheets from the girl, waking her up. "John fuck off" she hissed, covering her eyes. "Ey, watch your language." he scolded, "get up, we're going to the Cheltenham Races"

She sat up, squinting. "Youse never let me come the races" she said, confused.

"Yeah, well, things are changing. Now come on, we're waiting" he said, leaving the room. Delilah let out a breath and pulled the light purple satin dress from the wardrobe which had embroidered flowers over it.

"Delilah Shelby if you aren't down these stairs in two minutes we are leaving without you" Arthur shouted. "I'm here calm yourself" she huffed, tucking a piece of her red hair behind her ears.

"Right, come on then" he said, grabbing her shoulders and guiding her outside.

Delilah frowned, seeing the large group of Peaky Blinders beside the van. "Took your time" John sighed. "Shut up" she hissed. He offered her his hand, helping her up into the back of the van. "Wheres my mum?"

"Shes, uh, not coming." Arthur frowned.

They drove for around half an hour before everyone got out and stepped onto the mud. "My dress" Lilah sighed, lifting it from the floor.

Arthur stepped out of the van, walking round and grabbing her shoulder, taking her round the where the rest of the Peaky Blinders where. "I can walk myself," she told him, shrugging his hand away.

John walked around the corner, his arms open and grinning.

Arthur jumped onto a wooden bench after pushing Delilah toward John and Finn.

"Shut up" he laughed, pushing her shoulder. "I didn't even say anything" she rolled her eyes.

"Attention" Arthur said in a sing-song voice. "Right, this is what's known as your final briefing before going over the top " he said.

"Sixty miles down that road is the Cheltenham race track" he pointed.

"Johnny what is our mission, boy" he asked his younger brother. "To stick it to the Lee Family, Arthur" he shouted, leaning back.

"That's right" Arthur smiled. "The Lees are skimming money off the legal bookies. Running chalk, selling raffles, then beating them as they won't buy"

"But today, we're going to stop them"

"What about Kimbers men, I thought he had his own protection" John spoke up, his hand in the air like a school boy.

"Kimber has let his troops go rotten" Arthur informed. "They're on the take from the Lees to look the other way. We're gonna show Kimber how it's done"

"Now take what you're good at" he said pointing at the box of weapons.

Delilah reached for a gun, only for John to pull her hand away. She screwed up her face. "So you expect me to walk around unprotected?" she asked. He licked his lips and let go of her wrist, allowing her to take the gun and tuck it into the strap underneath her dress.

"So when do we share out the cash" John asked. "We don't. We're not keeping the cash-"

"What's the point then" Delilah questioned, staring at him. "You're in Tommy's army now boys" he said. "And Lilah"