𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃, ⁱˢⁱᵃʰ ʲᵉˢᵘˢ

66

Rain poured outside the hall as people chanted different things. Tommy and Lizzie walked up the steps, into the building.

Florence soon followed, Isiah on her arm.

"Mr Shelby, Mr Shelby?" A man shouted. The four of them turned. "Daily Mirror" he said. "May i ask why a socialist MP would attend a fascist rally, sir?"

"Let him in. Let me answer the question" Tommy told them.

"Mr Mosley's constituency borders my own. We've worked together in the past. He was once a socialist himself. My role here tonight is to..to act as a bridge between ideologies. I'm in the middle" Tommy nodded, turning around.

"Er, Mr Shelby, you once shared a platform with Mr Mosley. Will you be sharing the stage with him tonight?"

"No, i'm simply here to remind my friend Mr Mosley, that the way of the British people is compromise. You can print that, pal. Fucking rag" he whispered as they continued up the stairs.

"Lizzie you should know that Mosleys wife died six months ago. So give him your condolences will you?" Tommy said, offering Florence a cigarette.

"Tonight he'll be with his mistress, who is apparently a lady of some standing and has given him great comfort in his time of grief"

Florence's head turned to the stairs when she heard shouting.

"Fuck off you dozy bastard" Arthur shouted. Tommy groaned. "Move out my fucking way!" Arthur shoved.

"What is Arthur doing here?" Lizzie asked.

"Mosley invited him. I agreed. Arthur made me a promise, which he appears to have broken"

"Move i'm on the fucking list" he continues. Johnny dogs ran up the stairs. "I tried my best" he said. "He's his some junk in his sock"

Florence pushed them out of the way.

"All right, enough, let go of him" She shouted, lifting her dress from the floor. "Oh Florence" he shouted. "Hello Arthur's

"I fucking said move" she hissed. "Oi" Tommy shouted. "Come on, you're in"

"My brother, Tommy" he shouts, "and my lovely Florence"

Florence bit her tongue, placing her arm under his own and helping Tom carry him up the stairs. "Johnny dogs, Mosley invited me. Said wear a black fucking shirt"

"I said i'd look like every other bastard" he drunkenly said.

They placed him down. "Lizzie" he shouted. "You're an angel"

They carried him through a hall. "I've fucking let you down i know i have all right" he mumbled. "Arthur shut up" Florence hissed. "I've fucking said sorry a million times and i'll say it again. I'm sorry"

They placed him on the floor. "Yep" Tommy sighed, unbuttoning his shirt.

"Look at Johnny Dogs look at the fucking state of him" Arthur laughed. "He looks like a fucking waiter"

"Shut up" Johnny hissed.

"Get me a fucking drink"

"Johnny take your shirt of and give it to me" Tommy said. "For fucks sake tom"

"Take your fucking shirt off now and give it to me" Tommy said. "Arthur this is my fault, my fault, remember we voted on getting involved in the opium trade, you voted no."

"I said no"

"Remember, i overruled you. I've been away"

"Where've you been, Tom?" He slurred. "And Ada tells me you've been hanging out with Mosley,?" he nodded. "Yeah in Smethwick" Arthur said.

"Yeah?"

"At his big beautiful fucking house. They have parties there in Belgravia"

"Arthur" Florence grabbed his face, slapping him softly. "Come on, get it together. You told me you were clean" she whispered. "I'm sorry, Flo, i really am" he held her wrists.

Tommy slapped him hard and Arthur held his face. "You fucking slapped me" he said. "You slapped me"

"I have to remain unresolved. Do you understand. Unresolved in everything" he shouted.

He continued shouting at Arthur. "All right Tom, enough" she shoved him a away. They're throwing petrol bombs out there" Lizzie appeared.

"I thought Ada was taking care of you?" He asked. "Ada's got decisions to make" Arthur said. "About working with us"

"I'll speak to Ada."

"Listen i'm going home-"

Tommy pushed him back. "You stay there, i have something for you. Lizzie you go with Johnny, Johnny take Lizzie to her seat"

"I don't have an invitation"

"You're wearing a fucking black shirt you can do what you like. Go on. I'll follow you, go on"

-

A blonde woman appears on the stairs. "Ladies and gentlemen, tonight he has truly earned your adulation. The future prime minister of this great country, Sir Oswald Mosley" she introduced.

"Fuck you Mosley" a man shouted.

The woman stared at Lizzie and Tommy as the lights went dim.

"Who the fuck.." Florence whispered. Oswald walked down the stairs.

"Fuck i look terrible" Lizzie whispered. "You look beautiful, Lizzie, i need to impress this woman so i will act as if she is beautiful as well."

"Mosley" he nodded. "Diana, this is Tommy Shelby, MP, OBE" He introduced. "Mr Shelby, Lady Diana Mitford"

"Oswald a most recent and last ever mistress" she smiled.

"And this is my wife, Lizzie Shelby" he nodded.

"Beautiful earrings" Diana compliments. "Oh i stole them from Tiffany's" He joked. "Actually he bought them in Paris on our honeymoon" Lizzie corrected.

"God, i hate paris" Diana said. Tommy hummed. "I hear you prefer Berlin."

"Oswald and I are going to marry there, aren't we, Oswald?"

"Mosley, i have business to discuss. Perhaps you and i could find somewhere a bit quieter?"

"Darling, Mr Shelby just made the astonishing suggestion that we men go off and discuss business while woman wait around looking glamorous"

Diana laughed. "Goodness, what head do you think it is, 1807?"