𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

87

Delilah sat with Charlie under her arm, Madeline asleep on the bed beside them. "What's going to happen, Delilah?" he whispered. She blinked hard. "I don't know..Charles..i don't know. But whatever does happen, i'm here, Lizzie is here."

"You promise?" he asked, lifting up his pinky finger. "I promise," she linked his finger with her own.

"One day, Charlie, i'll take you back to America with me. And you can have a big bedroom, and a horse," she smiled, leaning her head back. "And we can live in a house bigger than this one," Delilah smiled slightly.

"I'd like that.." he whispered. "I see her, Ruby, every time i close my eyes, can't sleep." he said. "She holds onto me, Delilah"

"Don't let her go, Charlie. Keep her with you."

-

"Take a look at her," Tommy called out to Diana who approached the January. "Now imagine ten people living on site. Step on, have a look inside,"

Diana took her shoes off.

"I've had a response from the Guinness Trust about building charitable housing on two sites along the canal network between London, Birmingham and Liverpool" he said as she stepped onto the boat. "This lock here will be one of the sites. I have the permission i just need the finance. I know that you and your husband, Bryan Guinness are estranged. But i understand you still have influence in the Guinness family."

Diana scoffed.

"Your support might help them make their decision. Will you help me?"

She stepped back off, walking round to him and holding her hand out. "I've booked a suite in a hotel a mile from here, my chauffeur will take us there" she said as he helped her onto the boat.

"You look quite the thing, dressed like that, like a working man. They'll probably show you to the coal house to make your delivery."

"Yep. They probably will," he sighed.

"Oswald has fucked your wife, so, my suggestion is about balance and proportion. It would be only fair," Diana sat, taking the cigarette from his fingers.

"Can i assume i have your support?" he asked. "This isn't about charitable housing, this is about changing the world, Thomas. It's about a different kind of trust, absolute trust. We have important work ahead of us. It's much harder to lie with your body than with your words,"

"This i have learnt" he agreed.

"Mostly, i do whatever i want to do," she told him. "Sometimes i do things for the cause, in this case it's both. Come." Diana stood again.

-

Tommy collapsed beside Diana on the purple bed sheets, breathing heavily. "In the interests of absolute clarity, that is simply the English aristocracy's way of shaking hands" she said. "So..welcome"

He stared at the ceiling, sitting up and holding his head.

-

Lizzie looked at herself in the mirror, fixing her hair. "We need to leave early to catch the first train to Liverpool. Yes?"

"Yep" he agreed.

"So we eat early, finish early."

Tommy pulled his shirt over his shoulders. "You changed the combination of the safe. Why?" she asked. "Have you got new secrets?"