Gentleman

Chapter Eighteen

"Mr King, he's been asking for you" One of Joseph's maids greeted him as he entered his house. She had a small boy in her arms "I can keep him for a little longer if you're..."

"Thank you Mary, but I'll take him now" Joseph took the boy and held him close, almost breathing him in "You can go now"

"Sir" Mary nodded and stepped away.

Joseph waited until he was alone with his son "Hey little man"

"Mama" the little boy spoke clearly.

"She's gone away again for a little while, but she'll be back soon" Joseph kissed his son gently "Now why don't we go into the kitchen and get you some supper"

××××

"It can't be true she would have said...Moss would have" Polly paced desperately as she tried to take in the news. She noticed Tommy didn't reply "Jesus Christ you knew...didn't you?"

"She told me she was raped and that the child had been sent away overseas" Tommy replied "She begged me not to tell anyone. I gave her my word that I would never mentioned it...that He would be forgotten"

"Forgotten? Tommy he's blood...our blood. Me and Ada could have taken care of him" Polly protested.

"And what? Allow Rose to be reminded of his violent conception?" Tommy replied.

"But it wasn't violent was It? She loves King"

"Yes but I didn't know that then. I just knew what she told me" Tommy leaned forwards and inhaled deeply "Truth is she lied to us Polly, and that lie changes everything. It gives Jospeh King a whole new hand to play"

××××××

Roselie was surprised to see Ada sitting beside her when she woke again "You took your time" she smirked playfully "Christ Rose you look terrible, is it true you were jumped? Arthur and John are furious"

"Where are my clothes Ada?" Roselie answered solemnly "Tell me where they are or I swear I'll wall through Small Heath in my slip"

"You can't be serious? Where do you plan on going? To him? To Joseph King?" Ada was angry with her sisters stubbornness "Rose that man...You can't trust him"

"That's where you're wrong Ada, right now Joe is the only man I can trust..." Roselie's eyes filled with tears as she was reminded of Tommy's betrayal.

"He's a snake..." Ada hesitated when she saw Roselie get out of bed.

"If you want a snake, open your eyes and look closer to home...a snake is amongst us" Roselie's words were harsh and sharp.

××××××××

Joseph sat in his office, with a cigarette between his lips. His eyes widened when he saw Roselie walking towards him "Rose?" he quickly stood and moved so he could support her, she was still bruised front the attack.

"I can't be in that house with him Joe" Roselie inhaled deeply "I dont recognise him anymore, please don't send me back there again"

"Rose I..." Joseph ran his hand through his hair.

"Please Joe, you said of I ever needed somewhere...I don't just need somewhere, I need you...I love you...its always going to be you" Roselie sniffed. Joseph cupped her face in his hands and looked deep into her eyes.

"If you do this, if you make this choice...then you are drawing a line, there'll be no going back darlin. It'll be us against them...are you sure you're ready for that?" Joseph tried to make her see sense, the last thing he wanted was for Roselie to be unhappy.

"Do you love me Joe?" Roselie asked simply and Joseph nodded.

"You know I do darlin, with all my heart" he whispered.

"Then trust me when I say it's the right thing to do" Roselie sighed deeply as Joseph kissed her forehead and then rested his head against hers "We can be a family" Roselie ran her hand across her stomach.

"What about our son?" Joseph's reply unnerved Roselie. But the moment she thought about it the more she realised having the boy in her life might not be such a bad thing. Especially now she had practically cast herself out of the Shelby family "He's a part of us too darlin, he has me and you in him"

"Perhaps now is a good time to introduce him to his Mama" Roselie smiled weakly, she was surprised to feel Joseph take her hand. He led her down the hall towards a bedroom door.

Joseph pushed the door open, reveailling the small boy who was sleeping soundly "Oh god Joe, he's so...I'm so sorry" the emotion swamped Roselie all of a sudden, she became overwhelmed with regret and love for this little boy.

"You don't have to be sorry, it's what we agreed remember. I would take care of him until you could love him, until you were ready" Joseph brushed Roselie's cheek "He already loves you very much"

××××××

"I knew that woman would ruin this family one way or another" Polly yelled furiously as she paced the floor "You do realise that's it now don't you? She won't ever trust us again after this"

"She's still a Shelby" Tommy frowned, but Polly sniggered in amusement.

"Are you really that blind Thomas? Don't you know what you've done? The two most dangerous men in Birmingham are in love with your sister, we're out of our fucking depth. And for what? So Grace could hold her head high in front of her family?"

"Grace wouldn't have survived prison" Tommy defended his reasons.

"Your sister barely made it out alive" Polly was quick to protest "All this time you have tried to turn her against him, and now, now you have turned him into her strongest ally"

×××××××

"The fact she is back under Kings protection makes it more difficult surely sir" One of the senior officers questioned Campbell as he double at checked details.

"Perhaps a little if you choose to dwell on the negative side" Campbell seemed smug.

"There's a positive side sir?" the officer seemed puzzled.

"Yes I believe there is, I think god has sent us a gift" Campbell explained his theory "And that gift is this...if Roselie Shelby is becoming closer to King, then she is straying further away from her family. Which means she is choosing a side...I think we may have found a way to bring down the Shelbys once and for all...and Roselie is the key to doing just that"

×××××××

Roselie laid beside Joseph and sighed "You alright darlin?" Joseph said as he sat up a little, to see her better.

"What will happen to me now Joe? I can hardly hide behind my Shelby name any more without a family to back it up" Roselie seemed a little upset.

"No but you could hide behind the King name" Roselie giggled a little at first.

"I can't exactly go around calling myself King can I?" She grinned, her expression became more serious as soon as Joseph took her hand in his.

"You could if you were my wife" Joseph looked straight into Roselie's eyes "Marry me Rose, I know I've asked you before. But this time is different, I..."

"Yes" Roselie had gotten carried away, her heart was now ruling her head.

"Yes?" Joseph was stunned by Roselie's quick answer.

"Yes I'll marry you, Joseph King" Roselie let out a loud laugh as Joseph pulled her into him and laid down over her "I love you..." she whispered just before he claimed her with a forceful kiss...

"I love you too Mrs King" he smiled.