𝐆𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐘 𝐂𝐀𝐑 ᵐⁱᶜʰᵉᵃˡ ᵍʳᵃʸ

020

ROSALIE SAT WITH THE SHELBY FAMILY, alongside other close Peaky Blinders, inside the office of Tommy's house.

Micheal had taken her along to the family meeting in hopes to tell the family of their news.

They all sat, waiting for him to speak.

"Before I begin, I want to let you know I made a mistake. I made a mistake, and I want to apologise to all of you. Arthur, you warned me against getting involved in Russian business, and you were right."

Arthur hummed.

"I doubted your wife, for that, I am sorry. Linda, I have added 3,000 here, in the hope you will forgive me."

Linda stood, taking the money. "Apology accepted"

"Esme, I doubted you as well.

"Now John has got innocent lives on his conscience. Ordinary working men..." she hissed.

"Yeah, alright Esme, got it" John stopped her. "No she's alright" Tommy said. "You and Arthur are gonna have to share that burden. But i hope the house that you can buy with this," he tossed money in front of John.

"Can become a place of contemplation. Perhaps redemption"

John took the money and returned to his seat.

"Charlie, for lost tools and dangerous goods and Curly's wise words. Johnny, for board and lodgings." he tossed money at them.

"Lizzie." He whispered, handing her money. She scowled and threw it at him.

"Michael, for the killings. Five for cutting and five for shooting."

"No, Tommy." Polly stood. "What? Tell me, eh? This is who I am!" He shouted.

Rosalie frowned at the interaction.

"And this is all I can give you for what you have given to me. For your hearts and your souls. Yesterday, I nearly lost my son. You should fucking understand that. For what, eh? For what? For this? For this?" he ranted.

"And I know that you all want me to say that I will change, that this fսck¡ng business will change." he mocked.

"But I've learnt something these last few days. Those bastards. Those bastards are worse than us. Politicians, fucking judges, lords and ladies. They are worse than us. And they will never admit us to their palaces no matter how legitimate we become. Because of who we are, because of who we fսcking are because of where we are fucking from."

"Isn't that right Ada?" he asked. "Our Ada knows. She got smart about revolution. And she knows you have to get what you want your own way"

"Lizzie, I want it known, that money was for you because some nights it was you who stopped my heart from breaking, no-one else."

Lizzie stared at him.

"And the rest of you, you took the King's shilling. You took the King'a fucking shilling. When you take the King's shilling, the King expects you to kill."

"Isn't that right Arthur?" he looked at Arthur. He stayed quiet. "Yeah, that's how it works, right John?"

Micheal stood, taking the money. "Thats right" he whispered. He returned to his seat and hesitantly took Rosalie's hand in his.