Candy [THOMAS SHELBY]

Chapter Forty

Weeks had passed and Josephine had completely healed, allowing her to go back to work, much to her relief and Tommy's annoyance. While she couldn't wait to have things go back to normal, Tommy had wanted her to stay at home for a few more weeks, just to be completely sure, even though the doctors had given her the all-clear.

With Josephine wanting to work full time and Tommy not wanting her to work at all, they compromised on her working part-time and on the days she wasn't in the store, she took up Tommy's office and worked on paperwork.

It was currently one of her days off so she was in Tommy's office but she wasn't able to focus on the sheets in front of her, her mind kept on wandering to her husband. He had recently received news that Arthur Shelby Sr had died and had taken the other Shelby brothers out hunting to tell them about it and the only person she mildly concerned about was Arthur. Tommy, John and Ada all hate the man and most likely didn't care about his death and the man had only appeared once or twice since Finn was born, so Finn had no memories or care for the man. But Arthur had a complicated relationship with his father.

The sound of a car rolling up to their house caught Josephine's attention, they weren't expecting anyone and Tommy and the boys went off on horses and they also would come through the back of the house and not the front, so she frowned in confusion.

Before she could go and find out, the office door opened and Tatiana walked in like she owned the place, causing Josephine to instantly scowl, she couldn't stand the fact that the woman she didn't like was in her home.

Tatiana looked surprised to find her at Tommy's desk but she quickly soothed her surprised expression back into her normal blank stare but Josephine caught it.

"Can I help you?" She asked

"I am looking for your husband..." Tatiana's eyes moved around the office, taking in everything.

"He's not here at the moment. That's why you usually call ahead before you visit."

"Will he be back soon?"

"Can't say."

"I'm surprised to see you here," Tatiana spoke

"Thought I'd be six feet under?" Josephine asked dryly

"It certainly would have made sleeping with your husband easier."

Josephine whipped out the gun Tommy stashed in the draw of his desk and pointed it at the duchess,

"Want to say that again?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

Tommy with the perfect timing stepped into his office, his steps faltering at the sight of the dutchess.

"Duchess." Tommy greeted.

"Sorry I came unannounced," Tatiana apologized

Tommy noticed Tatiana didn't turn to look at him, her gaze focussed straightforward so he stepped further into his office and once again his steps faltered at what he saw.

"Josephine..." Tommy sighed

"Thomas."

John took that moment to barge in, his focus on telling Tommy prevented him from seeing neither Josephine nor Tatiana.

"Tommy, you ain't gonna believe this, man. I just phoned the garrison, right? I just spoke to Billy." John couldn't stop laughing, "He says Polly, Esme and Lizzie have gone on fucking strike."

"They what?"

"They've gone on fucking strike!" John repeated, "Half of Birmingham is out. The female half, they're all out, every single one of them. Quakers put 'em up to it."