VICES AND VIRTUES | Thomas Shelby

TWENTY ONE

In the days that passed the birth of Daisy, Florence had yet to return to the home she shared with Elijah out in the rolling countryside of Warwickshire. Elijah had been back to the house to collect provisions for Florence and the baby, but Florence just felt far more at ease being close to Imelda and Polly. She knew that she would have to go home eventually, Margaret and Richard had yet to meet their new grandchild, given that she was still in Small Heath. George and Diana had made the journey, and they were delighted to meet the little girl, no one had ever seen George look so proud.

Each of the Peaky Blinders had met Daisy, except the one who truly mattered. John and Esme came by the house the morning after she'd been born, then Arthur came a few days later, with a teddy bear that he'd bought for her, and then later revealed he may have stolen it from the fair. But there was no sign of Tommy, even though Polly had assured the girl that she'd notified him of the birth of the little one.

"Ada, I wasn't expecting to see you today," Florence smiled, carrying baby Daisy as she entered into the front room of Polly's house, with no sign of Polly.

"Aunt Pol invited me over to meet the little one," Ada beamed as she laid eyes on Daisy, "She's a beauty."

"She's a crier, that's what she is," Florence sighed, rocking a now sleeping Daisy in her arms, who insisted on screaming the house down at regular intervals throughout the night.

"Like her father then?" Ada replied, before realising the gravity of what she had said, "Sorry, I didn't mean-"

"It's okay, I know what you meant," Florence assured her, reminded of the conversation she'd had with Polly in which the woman spoke of how each of the boys were such different babies, "Is Polly in?"

"She's in the kitchen, making tea," Ada told the girl, "She'll be through soon, is Imelda home today? I'd love for her to meet my little boy."

"She's gone into the city for the day to meet some new fabric suppliers, she'll be back by the afternoon," Florence explained, recalling the conversation she had with her mother that morning, shortly after Elijah explained he would be spending the night at the house in Warwickshire as his parents had invited him on a shoot early the following morning.

"That must feel freeing," Ada sighed as her son began to stir, crying softly as Daisy remained asleep, "Not being trapped in the restraints of Small Heath."

"Do you miss London?" Florence asked as she sat in one of the armchairs, letting Daisy nestle against her chest.

"It's far more lively than Small Heath, everything here is dull shades of black and white, down there it's in vivid colours," Ada replied, reminded of the months she had spent in the city with Freddie.

"Oh, Florence, I didn't hear you come in," Polly smiled as she entered the room, armed with a tray of cups, saucers and a teapot.

"Daisy wanted to meet Ada," Florence replied as she gazed down at her tiny daughter, "And Ada wanted to meet Daisy."

"She's a little treat, isn't she?" Polly grinned, placing the tray on the table before making her way over to Ada's little boy who continued to cry in his moses basket, "As are you, little man."

"You're much better with him than I am," Ada sighed as she watched her aunt pick the little boy and rock him slowly.

"He settles quicker with me cause he can't smell the milk," Polly assured the girl as she strolled around the room, cradling the little boy, "He's sleepy, we'll put him down."

"Have you got a name for him yet, Ada?" Florence asked.

"Karl, after Karl Marx," Ada replied and Florence couldn't help but smile at the girl's reluctance to choose a name to appease her brothers.