The Devil in the Window

Chapter Two

When Tommy and Catherine walked to the car, Lizzie was examining the car when they approached, and Catherine said.

"It's awful strange to be looking at someone else's car." Lizzie turned towards them with a little gasp, then said nervously.

"Mr. Shelby, Willie. What are you two doing, together?" Tommy spoke a lie.

"Why, I was giving Mr. Smit a ride home. He lives the same way as me." Lizzie nodded as she walked back to The Garrison. When she left, Tommy and Catherine got in the car, then they drove home. The drive was quiet, Catherine would just look at the trees that they've passed, thinking about relaxing in their garden with a cup of ginger tea. When they arrived at the manor, a butler came out to greet them.

"Mister and Missus Shelby, the children are waiting for you in the garden." the butler said as he opened Catherine's door, she stepped out, then said.

"Thank you, Wilson. Will you please make me a ginger tea and send it to the garden?" Wilson nods before entering the manor.

"Ginger tea? One of these days, you'll have ginger as a kidney." Tommy joked as the couple entered the manor, they slipped on their golden wedding bands that they have stashed in their vest pockets and carried on their way to the garden. Tommy opened the door for Catherine who walked through while thanking him, a maid was standing by the tulips while three kids, two boys and one girl ran around the hedges. The maid saw the couple then said to the children.

"Children, your parents are home!" the children's ocean blue eyes landed on Catherine and Tommy, then they ran towards their parents as they yell.

"Mum, Dad!" Catherine crouched down as her daughter, Ruby wrapped her small arms around Catherine's neck, she embraced her before lifting her up, then asked.

"How was school today, Miss Shelby."

"Good." the girl responded, then her father asked.

"Did you miss Mum and Dad?" Ruby nods before reaching for Tommy, he took Ruby out of Catherine's arms. Wilson came out with a teacup as her sons hug her waist, Catherine took the tea, then took a sip before sending Wilson off by nodding. Phillip looked at his mother's drink then said.

"You drink that tea all the time." Tommy and Catherine laughed; Tommy kissed his daughter's head. Ruby took Tommy's hat off his head and put on her own head, then said.

"I'm like you, Mum." Catherine's laughing stopped abruptly, Ruby's grip tightened on her father's collar, then Catherine spoke in a soft tone.

"I know, honey." Catherine handed her tea to the maid before raising her arms to take Ruby, Tommy handed their daughter to her as she spoke to all three of her kids.

"But Mum has a dangerous job like Dad, I understand that, but I have to lie more than Dad. Dad's friends can't know that I'm your mum, let alone, a woman." the children nodded to show that they understand, she put Ruby down, then said to Tommy.

"I'm going inside, don't want people to see me here." Catherine went inside as the doorbell rang; she ran out of sight of the front door when the butler went to open it. Wilson said to the guest.

"Ah, Mr. Arthur Shelby. What a pleasant surprise!"

"Just wanted to check in with Tommy's family, by the way, where's Catherine?" asked Arthur, Catherine made herself visible after the door was shut, Arthur smiled at her, then said.

"Hello, dear. How's Phillip?"

"Phillip's good, he's outside in the garden with Tommy and his siblings."

"Okay, but I want to make sure that you're alright with Lizzie being back and all." Catherine sighed heavily because she knew about Lizzie for a while, Lizzie first came when Catherine just joined the Peaky Blinders. Lizzie had Ruby before Catherine and Tommy fell in love, Catherine and Lizzie met before, but Lizzie didn't know that because she saw Catherine as a woman. Catherine faked her death after Phillip was born to catch spies, like Tommy's last wife, Grace, that would try to destroy her husband's business.

"Catherine. She will not get Phillip. Hell, she won't get any of them." Arthur said in a reassuring tone, then Catherine joked.

"You better. Because if you don't, I'll bury you alive."

"Uncle Arthur!" Charles yelled as he ran inside with Tommy and his siblings following behind him, Arthur picked him up and said.

"Hello, young sir. My, you gotten so big since the last time I saw you. How old are you now?"

"Seven." the boy responded while holding up seven fingers, Tommy then said.

"He just told me about him acing a math test." Catherine and Arthur looked at the boy, then Arthur said.

"Look at that, as smart as his dad." Catherine smiled then said.

"You know what that means?"

"What?" the boy asked, Catherine responded with a teasing smile.

"You get to help your siblings with their math homework." Arthur and Tommy laughed Catherine's tease as Charles groaned loudly, Arthur put Charles down, then the children ran to their rooms as Tommy said.

"Let's go to the lounge room." Arthur, Catherine, and Tommy went into the lounge room, Tommy grabbed three glasses and a bottle of whiskey.

They sat in the lounge for a while, they talked about their plans for tomorrow. Tommy could tell that Catherine was nervous about interacting with Lizzie again by the way she ran her thin fingers through her ginger undercut but she was willing to do her job. Tommy knew that Catherine would always get the job done, no matter how she felt about it.