Devil's Backbone (A Peaky Blinders Fanfiction)

Chapter 19

Lizzy's eyes filled with fear as she continued to be held in Ana's knowing gaze "Lizzy, why?"

"It's not what you think Mrs Shelby I swear it..." Lizzy tried to explain "He didn't give me any choice"

"What?" Ana paused "How do you mean?"

"I didn't want to help him, but he made it impossible to say no" Lizzy looked at Ana who gestured for her to sit down "He made threats about my family. He made it sound easy, coming here, working for you, keeping him informed of any changes...I didn't think I would ever grow so fond of you and Mr Shelby. It was easy to start with then the more I got to know you the more it felt wrong betraying you like that. Then one day I told him I couldn't do it anymore..."

Ana noticed Lizzy's hand start trembling "What happened?"

"He made sure I knew exactly where I stood" Lizzy exhaled deeply and looked into the empty space behind Ana "The weekend before last...It wasn't a robbery"

"He did that to you?" Ana gasped as she headed over to the crystal whiskey decanter and poured Lizzy a small glass.

"Not personally, it came as a warning" Lizzy drank from the glass "I'm so sorry miss I never meant to put you in harms way, if I had of known he was planning what he did the I would have told you about the letters myself"

"It's alright Lizzy" Ana whispered gently.

"I'll collect my things" Lizzy replied sadly and Ana hesitated.

"What for?" Ana looked puzzled "You don't need to leave Lizzy, I'm not happy about what you've done. But you came clean, you have seen so much since you have worked for us and everytime you have chosen to look the other way"

"It's none of my business Mrs Shelby" Lizzy said quickly.

"What is it my father has over you Lizzy?" Ana took a cigarette out of her packet and lit it with a match from the drawer in the desk "Money..."

"NO..." Lizzy seemed horrified at this suggestion "Of course not, I do not care for riches"

"Then what?" Ana frowned, she was genuinely puzzled.

"My family" Lizzy whispered "He has my brother in lock up and my sister in one of his whore houses. He says if I write to him then he'll keep them safe, maybe even get them out"

"And what if you don't?" Ana could feel her blood boiling "LIZZY!"

"Then he'll kill them" Ana gasped at Lizzy's revelation "You see the thing is I hold no value over my own life so this was the only way he could...I'm so sorry Mrs Shelby...I didn't know what else to do..."

"Hey hush now" Ana quickly stood when she saw Lizzy getting herself into a state "There's no need for any of that"

A noise in the lobby distracted Ana instantly, she rushed to the window and looked for Tommy's car. It still wasn't back "Shit" she exhaled "Lizzy can you fire a gun?"

"No Miss" Lizzy looked terrified.

"Then you'd better stay here" Ana grabbed a rifle from the back of the cabinet and made sure it was loaded "Don't come out until I come back Alright?"

Ana opened the office door slowly and closed it gently behind her, peering into the darkness. She held the rifle against her chest and took a few steps towards the top of the stairs. Ana could hear banging coming from the maids quarters, but there weren't any screams or any signs of obvious distress.

Suddenly scattered footsteps hit the stair wells and Ana instinctively readied her rifle, pointing it and waiting for the shadow to become a solid figure "Jesus fucking Christ Ana" a familiar voice calls out. The voice belonged to Bear "What the fuck?" He exhaled as he snatched the gun from Ana's shaking hands.

"I thought...you usually call out when you're here" Ana stuttered and turned back to her office.

"I waned to avoid the maids, I've brought some gin back from the docks..." Bear looked at Ana who's chest looked to be pounding "I think you could use a drop"

"I'm fine...Where's Tommy?" Ana paused and Bear relaxed "He's just got some business to take care of then he will be home. He told me to meet him here"

"What?" Ana looked puzzled "When?"

"Earlier when I spoke to him, I tried calling you here but the line wasn't working" Bear explained and Ana still looked distracted "Ana is everything alright? You look..."

"Yeah...sorry I erm...I need to tell Lizzy it's safe, I left her in my office" Ana replied and Bear nodded.

"Did you ask her about the letters?" He wondered and Ana nodded.

"You were right, they were to Charlie. He has been threatening her family" Ana paused "How did you know?"

"An instinct" Bear lightly tapped the side of his nose with his finger "It must be the gypsy in me"

"Aye it must be" Ana chuckled as she walked back to her office "It's alright Lizzy it's just Guy"

As Ana spoke the front door opened again "ANA" Tommy's voice echoed around the lobby "ANASTASIA!"

Ana rushed out of the office and down the stairs "Tommy?" She was confused by his urgency.

"Oh thank god" Tommy cupped Ana's face in his hands and kissed her forehead.

"Tommy what's happened" Ana frowned as she looked into her husbands eyes. They were full of fear "Thomas?"

"I just had a feeling" Tommy gasped for breath.

"Bullshit" Ana snapped and Bear and Lizzy left the room "Thomas Shelby, when have you ever been able to.lie to me? Huh? The look on your face when you came in here. That was more than just a feeling...Tell me" Ana stood firmly as Tommy lit a cigarette.

"Alright one of the Lees said he saw a man entering the house, a tall man" Tommy replied and Ana paused to listen further "I thought maybe they had come back for you"

"Did you not guess it was Bear? He told you he was coming back" Ana tried to make sense of it all.

"He said he would be back in a few days...not today, not tonight" Tommy had managed to catch his breath, he looked deep into Ana's eyes and hesitated "the thought of someone hurting you again...I just had to get home"

"Well I'm not hurt Tommy" Ana touched Tommy's hands that were now against her face again "See, I'm fine. We're fine" Ana spoke gently and ran her hand across her stomach "I used the rifle you had left me behind the cabinet..."

"Good" Tommy nodded "I'm sorry if I frightened you...I just had to.know you were safe. I love you Anastasia Shelby, more than my own life"

"I know my love, and I love you more than mine" she replied as there foreheads rested against each others.