𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃, ⁱˢⁱᵃʰ ʲᵉˢᵘˢ

30

Tommy followed Tatiana into the cellar where Alfie Solomons stood. "Your jeweller" She pointed. "I don't think they trust me, Tommy" he said.

"Mr Solomons is the only jeweller I trust in London" Tommy lied, knowing full well that Alfie was no such thing. "Yes, Trust, yes" Alfie nodded. "Might have to add that on the old invoice"

"As we agreed, your jeweller will now select items to a total value of £70,000" Tatiana said. "When you have selected your chosen items, they will be put into a box and stored"

"When you have fulfilled your part of the deal, the box will be delivered to you"

She stepped away, "May i just start, right, by saying that i may choose to stay here and just starve to death and choke on sapphires" Alfie joked. "I'd never go back to the fucking world again"

"The jew smells of rum" Tatiana's father said in Russian. Alfie looked at him. "There is a good reason for that, you know, little man" he said, understanding what he had said. "Because my shop, right, is just above a rum house, so all them.."

"You speak Russian?" Tatiana asked. "I do yea cause of me mum. Yeah me mother." He nodded. "You people, all right, you hunted my mum with dogs through the snow. Yeah"

"But, today right, is for forgiveness, isn't it" he rambled. "For selection. So, now, hello right" he picked up a necklace.

"I think it's fair to say, yeah, £1,500"

"£1,500?" Her mother, Izabella scoffed. "All right i will give you £1,800" he corrected. "I know the current market value, £1,800 it is" She nodded.

"That's very gracious of you" Alfie whispered.

-

Polly looked at the finished portrait with a smile, stepping toward it and reaching her hand out before stopping. "Oh, sorry, can i.."

"I insist" he nodded. She pulled the sheet from over it and smiled widely.

"There. A woman of style and substance." he said, "i'm a student of silence is this a good silence or a bad silence?" he asked.

"It's good"

She let out a laugh, admiring it. "I know it isn't saying much in the grand scheme of things, but, this is the best work i've ever done" he admitted. "I'll miss Sundays" she said.

"There'll be more Sundays" he assured.

-

The three Shelby brothers walked back out to the car, just as the sun began rising.

"You're quiet Arthur" John said, getting back in the car. "Yeah yeah fuck off" he whispered. "You got all your buttons back eh?" Tommy teased.

"Yeah all right fuck off"

"Yeah what's God gonna say about it Arthur" John asked. "Fuck off both of you"

"He tells Linda everything" John whispered. "Every single thing"

"Yeah well we will see" Tommy sighed, starting up the car. "Gonna miss you when you're gone now Arthur"

Arthur leaned back. "Just drive the fucking car"

-

Florence walked beside Micheal, behind the rest of her family as they all walked to the large building. "Come on, picture" Arthur said, forcing them to stand beside each other.

The camera flashed and it was hardly a second before they all turned to continue walking.

The Grace Shelby Institute for Orphaned children.

"Welcome to the opening of the Grace Shelby Institute for the non insured children of the poor" Polly spoke. "I would very much like you to join me in thanking the man that made the founding of this establishment actually possible"

Tommy stood, "Ladies and gentleman, Mr Thomas Shelby"

People began clapping as he stood, Charlie in his arms. "Come on, Speech" Arthur shouted. Florence gave Tommy a reassuring smile. "Say it Tom, say it to 'em"

He stood at the front of the hall. "Lay the foundation" John shouted.

Everyone sat.

"I didn't come here today to make a speech but i will say this. These children are now safe. In our care, they will be safe.  Because we are from the same cold streets as we are. And in our care, they won't be shipped away to the colonies. Or separated from Kin, or made to work for man in their various ways" he said.

"They will grow up here at home. Loved, in Birmingham. Because this is our city"

"By order of the Peaky Blinders" Arthur interrupted. Everyone clapped again, well most people did. Tommy nodded and returned to his seat.

"Now let us sing, Immortal Invisible" Polly spoke.

Tommy left the room, staring at the portrait of Grace in the hall. "Hear that Grace?" he asked. The door opened, Father Hughes appearing behind him.

"The absence of my invitation to this event was obviously an oversight on your part, Mr Shelby"

He ignored him.

"But, look. I have the keys" he showed Tommy. "I've allocated myself an office, just there, two doors in from the street. It's the one that already has the stove and crucifixion on the window. Mr Shelby?"

"It is the one that has the crucifixion on the window in orange and red. That will be my office. And i will take them to Saint Aloysius for confession. You do understand these key are part of our broader arrangement?"

Tommy sighed, keeping his eyes on the portrait.

"In the next 24 hours, you will do exactly as you have been instructed, you'll not deviate, you'll not fail" The priest whispered, walking away.

Micheal stopped as he watched him walk past.

"The lord mayor would like you to come and eat cake and drink some tea" Micheal kept his eyes on the door that Father Hughes had went through.

Tommy stayed quiet, letting Micheal leave.

-

"Tommy says mingle and smile" Ada reminded both Florence and Polly. "It must be the trains" Polly said.

"No Ruben?" Ada asked. "Do you know any other guests from London not turned up?" Polly asked. "Some, i think, yeah. Pol, i'm paid by the company now so i have to talk to other people" she said, smiling at her cousin and walking away.

"Where's Micheal?" Florence asked Polly. "I'm not sure, love"

"Mr Shelby i'd would just like to say that i wish i had met your dear wife before she was taken from us and i would like to allocate an hour a day of each my ladies time to make winter clothes for the little ones" A woman told Tommy.

"Speak to my secretary, Miss Stark, in the grey hat" he pointed over toward Lizzie. "She knows my diary"

The woman nodded and left.

"Fuck me Tom, i don't know how you do it. Incoming"

"Mr Shelby". Another woman approached. "Yes"

"Your little boy looks so much like you" she smiled. "Yea he's a little rascals isn't he" he nodded.

"Mr Shelby would it be too inconvenient to steal you for a moment" she asked.

"No no, no inconvenience at all" he shook his head, walking with her. "Tommy i'm sorry, he wants you" Ada sighed, handing the crying boy over to Tommy.

"Oh, come here, Charlie" he said, taking the boy. "It's so lovely seeing a man willing to hold his child in public" one of the women said.

"From the members of the Moseley War Widows Institute" they said, handing him a small statue of a horse.

"Made from a photograph of your horse that ran at the Derby"

"Oh that is very kind, thank you very much"