Gentleman

Chapter Nine

Roselie felt her temperature rise as she sipped some whiskey, she had found herself back inside the small office where she first spoke properly to Alfie Solomans.

"You don't need a woman to iron your shirts Alfie, you need a woman to balance your books and make them clean again" Roselie forced a smile.

"And you can do that?" Alfie replied leaning forwards on his desk.

"Well I don't iron shirts" Roselie grinned playfully. Alfie found this confidence rather attractive, he too returned her smile.

"No I suppose there isn't much cause for that in prison" Alfie looked deep into Roselie's eyes and hesitated "Are you alright you look a little...?"

The heat rising in Roselie had become more obvious and she found herself feeling quite ill "I could use a glass of water" She managed. Alfie poured deer some into a glass from the jug on his desk. Roselie drank a little and felt the urge to be sick "Excuse me" she stood quickly and tried to leave but the dizziness caused her to faint. Alfie Rose quickly and managed to hold her so she didn't bang her head.

"Lizzy, LIZZY" a young woman rushed into Alfie's office.

"Good heavens" Lizzy gasped "Is she...?"

"Call a doctor" Alfie ordered.

"Yes Mr Solomans" Lizzy rushed away as Alfie continued to hold Roselie in his arms. As he looked down he noticed the blood seeping through her dress.

A thousand thoughts rushed around in his head as he continued to hold her. Her eyes didn't open once.

×××××

"I don't know Tom, but I can assure you she isn't here" Ada spoke sternly on the phone "Are you sure she even left Birmingham?"

"Two of our boys put her on the train" Tommy's voice came from the receiver "Ada, Rose...the man from the prison, the man she was...it was Joseph King"

"KING?" Ada exclaimed in pure shock "As in the Joseph King who has flattened our every move? How? Why?"

"That doesn't matter..." Tommy replied, Ada thought for a moment.

"Shit Tommy she's pregnant, is it?" Ada asked. Tommy's silence confirmed what she suspected "Joseph's the father? What is she going to...?"

"It's already been taken care of" Tommy reassured Ada.

"What you mean...? Jesus christ Tommy, you put her on a train to London after something like this and now she's missing?" Ada barked.

×××××××

Roselie's eyes opened slowly, she now found herself in a powder blue coloured bedroom. It was a feminine and very elegant room "Oh you're awake Miss Shelby" A young girl poured Roselie some water "I'll go and fetch Mr Solomans.

Roselie's heart raced as she suddenly remembered what had happened, what must Alfie think of her now. She thought.

"Lizzy said you were awake" Alfie seemed a little awkward "May I come in?"

"It's your house" Roselie shrugged, but then nodded "Yes" she waited for Alfie to sit down "Listen Alfie I...?

"You don't owe me an explanatiom" Alfie sighed.

"I feel that I do" Roselie exhaled deeply "I know what you saw, my clothes have been laundered" she pointed towards her clean dress hanging on the back of the door "And yes I was pregnant, with a man...a guard from the prison...but it isn't what you think. I was forced, I know I shouldn't tell you this but I couldn't bare it of you thought badly of me"

"Rose, what I saw last night. I would never tell anyone and I will see to it that no-one in my household will speak of it either" Alfie sighed "You could have lied to me but you didn't, why not?"

"Because I believe you to be a good man, granted you do bad things. But I can see you have a good heart Alfie" Roselie smiled weakly "And I felt you had a right to know"

"Well in that case I appreciate your honesty then" Alfie spoke a little more cheerfully "Now shouldn't you contact your family, let them know where you are?"

"Probably, I'm not sure I'm ready to see them..." Roselie exhaled deeply.

"Well you don't have to rush off, you are welcome here for as long as you like" Alfie stood up "This room, well call it yours for as long as you need to" Alfie walked out of the room "Would you like something to eat? Or some tea perhaps"

"Tea would be lovely" Roselie replied. As the door closed she looked around the room. She wondered why a man like Alfie Solomans had such a feminine room in his house.

×××××××

"Where was this?" Joseph asked one of his hired heavies.

"Camden Town" the man replied "Soloman and Sabini territory"

"DAMN IT" Joseph slammed his fist down hard against his desk "When?"

"Last night, some of our men saw her arrive at Alfie Solomans house. It was late, she didn't come out either" Joseph looked up at the man, his face full of fury.

"And what do you mean by that?" Joseph snarled. The man shook a little, but stayed tall.

"I just mean a women of her means...reputation, it doesn't take a genius to work our why she was there" The man sniggered, Joseph reacted by punching the man in the face hard, he watched the man stagger back.

"WATCH YOUR FUCKING MOUTH" Joseph yelled as he grabbed the man's collar "If I hear you or anyone else speak badly of her again...I will tear you apart"

"JESUS JOE" Sebastian cried as he came in through the door "He's one of the only good men we have left" he pulled Joseph away from the man, allowing the man to catch his breath "Don't let her in Joe, clear her out of your head...before you kill us all"

"Did you know she was in Camden Town?" Joseph asked his brother, who nodded " I need to see her Seb, we need to warn her..."

"We...no Joe, we don't need to do anything. If you go the Camden Town then you go alone" Sebastian hoped this ultimatum would bring his brother to his senses.

"Then I go alone" Joseph spat "That son of a bitch is marrying her off to some Jew to seal a business deal and she doesn't even know"

"She isn't your concern anymore brother" Sebastian risked a hit from his brother "What if she doesn't want to see you, what if she still chooses him?"

"Then so be it, but at least she chose. Her decision wasn't made for her" Joseph shrugged and dissappeared leaving a defeated Sebastian standing beside the man Joseph had just taken his rage out on.

×××××

Roselie was grateful for Alfie's offer of refuge, however she felt she did owe Ada an explanation. She found herself stood on Ada's doorstep once more "OH THANK GOD" Ada cried as she rushed down the steps and hugged her young sister, do you have any idea how worried I've been. Tommy called"

"Checking up on me is he?" Roselie snarled.

"No, Rose it's Grace" Ada replied grimly.

"What's she done this time?" Roselie rolled her eyes.

"She's been shot" Ada could barely speak "Rose, Grace is dead...when you didn't come here I thought maybe they had got you too" Ada hugged A stunned Roselie. Although she felt no love lost for Grace, Roselie still felt sympathy for her brother "We are to return back to Birmingham tonight, by train"