𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

88

The man walked through the dark, cold hall, stopping in front of Micheal as snow fell. "I'm here on behalf of your wife Gina and Jack Nelson. Mr Nelson's prepared to get you out of here. But first he needs an answer to a question. If the answer is yes, you'd be released. If the answer is no, you'll stay."

"I have consulted my mother,"

"Your mothers dead" the priest said. "Nevertheless, i've consulted her. And, yes, when i'm released it is my intention to kill Tommy Shelby"

-

Micheal walked out to the door, running a hand over his hair. He placed his hat on his head, lighting a cigarette. "You want a drink first or a whore first?" the man asked.

"I want to see my wife first"

"After you've fucked your wife, you're going to kill a man, right?" he asked. Micheal ignored him, walking past him and getting inside the car.

-

Lizzie sniffed as Tommy closed the door to Ruby's room. "The smoke from your daughters funeral is still in your clothes..and you slept with someone. Not just someone, the enemy" she let a singular tear fall. "Every enemy we ever had in one woman."

"There are some things that i do, Lizzie-"

"You're not so good at lying any more, Tommy," she interrupts him. "These days the truth gets in your eyes"

"I have to go to Canada, Lizzie. I need to know where you will go" Tommy places his hands in his pockets.

"You see? You just accept it" she whispered. "You don't fight it. You are cursed, Tommy. Never to understand the limits that other people will accept. Never to be allowed in where everybody else is. A curse never to be lifted."

"I will be away, Lizzie. And while i'm gone, i know a place-"

"Always gone. Always away" she mocked. "Well now your rings are gone, your rings are away. I'm already packed" Lizzie's voice cracked as she held her hand up. "Now leave me to say goodbye to Ruby"

Tommy licked his bottom lip, leaving the room and walking out to the stables where Charles sat. Delilah was beside him, drying her hands on a towel.

"I have to go away for a bit, Charlie." he said as the boy washed his hands in the water. "Look at me. Hey, look at me,"

"Mum already told me she's leaving. And she told me why."

Lizzie walked inside, joining them. Tommy leaned against the fence.

"Mum, where are you going?" Charlie asked. "A hotel..and then your father will get me a house." she said quietly. "Delilah will be going back over to a America when business is done"

"Lilah...i'll come with you, i'd rather be with you, wherever it is." he looked at Lizzie. "You're not my mum, but you're more my mum than he is my dad. He's never here, i'd be on my own here,"

"Oh, Charles, love" Lizzie breathed.

"I don't think dad would allow that, Charlie." Delilah sniffed.

Tommy stared at the floor, listening before looking up. "You can go," he said. "You can go, son, i know a good place, Lizzie, i'll arrange that place. And, Charlie, you can take him, eh?" he nodded toward the white horse. "They have stables at this new place, after a while he'll listen to you. He'll forget about Ruby, that's how horses are. Then when Delilah goes back to New York, you can go with her,"