sweet french. peaky blinders

60

Lucille

The sound of her knock filled the small space between Lucille and the door. Adds was tucked under her arm, hiding from the chill that wafted through the dim hallway. Ada's apartment was hidden within a grimy block, neighboured with questionable smells and sights- unfit for a Shelby, Tommy would say if he ever saw it. 

But Tommy wouldn't have to see it. After the scene at the Garrison, they'd agreed not to speak of it. They said it was for Dawson's sake, as he'd agreed to stay at Watery Lane with them for at least a week- the whole time of which his hands had shaken. Tommy was left foaming with anger- days long he spent sorting business.

"Who is it?" Ada's croaky voice came from the other side of the door. The walls were thin enough that it sounded as if she was standing there beside her.

 "It's Lucille," she said, trailing off and pulling her daughter closer still, the tight blonde curls on her head brushing against her fingers. "I brought Adds to see the little one."

Lucille was almost sure she heard Ada sigh with relief. There were a hurried shuffle and a click of locks, then Ada was swinging the door open, ushering them in. 

"Come in. Come in," Ada murmured, brushing her hand against her forehead. 

Sweat gleamed across her pale skin and her eyes looked dark, shadowed with blue under her lash line. Ada looked ill, with worry, no doubt. She'd had not a single word from Freddie since he'd been taken away, and she wasn't speaking to anyone but Polly.

Adds waddled over to the crib at the other end of the room, standing on her tiptoes so she could peer over the side. Her hands tangled with the knitted blanket as she tried to pull it back from on top of the baby. Ada let out a chuckle as she followed, picking up her son and bouncing him in her arms.

"This is baby Karl. Your cousin," she said softly, bending down slightly so Adds could take his hand in her own small one.

"There you go." Ada handed Karl to Lucille and wiped her forehead again as she shuffled toward the kitchen. "I'll put some tea on."

Lucille bit her lip. "Oh, it's alright. I could only come for a quick visit. I have to get back to see to Finn," she said. Ada nodded. She felt guilty for not staying, having not seen Ada for weeks.

"You're better with him than I am," Ada said, nudging her head toward the baby.

"I've done this before, remember. But truly, he settles quicker with me because he can't smell the milk," Lucille said. She could still remember when Adds was as tiny back in France. "A friend has come to stay. Dawson, we call him. I'd like you to meet him."

"I know Tommy's type of friend. I don't like them. They're sheep."

"Dawson is my friend just as much as he is Tommy. He deserves to talk to you before you come up with an opinion on him," Lucille argued.

Ada remained silent.

"I came to warn you," she finally said grimly, letting her take Karl back so Adds could say a proper hello. "Polly will be coming in a matter of days. To bring you home."

"She can try," Ada huffed. Her skin seemed to whiten even more.

"She just wants you to be with your family again. Is that really so bad?" Lucille said though she felt as if it was for another reason. Something bigger was happening. Something which she didn't quite understand yet.

Ada looked away, her cheeks finally flushing with heat out of anger. "It is when you're a Shelby."

"Grace?" 

Upon hearing her name, the barmaid's head lifted, her eyes narrowing as she searched for the called. But as she saw Lucille slide into a seat by the bar, her shoulders dropped slightly, smoothing out as her tightness dissipated. Grace always seemed to be on edge- as if she was waiting for someone to jump out at her and scream. Lucille didn't say anything. She just bit her lip and ignored the woman's strange movements, doing what she came to do in the first place.

"You haven't seen Finn, have you? I was supposed to pick him up from here ten minutes ago," she asked, turning to take another quick scan of the room

"Thomas' young brother?" she asked, but Grace didn't give her a second to nod before she was answering. "No, I haven't."

Another voice broke through the loudness of the pub and Lucille startled.

"My brother in Digbeth just said the police are coming down from Deritend, asking for Tommy Shelby by name," Harry said as he leaned across the bar, cleaning the cup in his hand, speaking as if the topic was the most casual thing. She supposed, having grown up in Birmingham, it may as well have been.

"Police?" Lucille asked. Harry nodded, battling with a yawn as he opened his mouth to speak again. 

He was saying something- but the letters that came from is mouth didn't merge into words at her ears as they should have done. Lucille was too busy staring. Staring as Tommy strode her way, commanding a path to be made with his presence only. Seconds later, she was on her feet and Tommy was shuffling her through to a back room, which smelled distinctly of beer and something she didn't wish to name.

"I'm going to have to lay low for a while," he said, his hands held firmly on her arms, rubbing up and down as if he were trying to keep her warm. Nerves, Lucille recognised.

"Why?"

"I lost the bargaining power. This copper, it's just me and him now," Tommy said, breathing out a sigh. He wouldn't look her in the eye.

Her shoulders deflated. "Oh, Tommy," she soothed. Lucille thought of their daughter and Polly, who sat waiting at home on Watery Lane. "What about Adds, what about the rest of the family?"

Tommy shook his head, calming her. "They'll be fine. He's only coming for me."

"Harry said the police are in Digbeth. Why didn't you just leave, if you knew they were coming?" she asked.

"If things go wrong-"

His voice was low. It was the tone he used when he was worried and trying to hold back the fact that he was scared. Because Thomas Shelby could never be frightened. Lucille knew different. Her hands gripped his colour, eyes staring him down.

"Tommy," she began.

He cut her off. "If things go wrong, I wanted you to be the last person I spoke to."

"Tell me things won't go wrong. Promise you won't let them find you," she warned.

Tommy didn't reply. His breath had quickened. Lucille closed her eyes as he brought his forehead to be placed against hers. It was nice to feel so close to him- to knock down the barriers that war had helped to build. Her eyelashes fluttered against his skin, ready to pull him closer still. But the door swung open, startling them both.

Finn skidded into the room, ruddy-faced and eyes wide. "The police are in the lane, Tommy!"

He began to move away, slipping from her grasp until she held him in place.

"Promise me."

"I love you, Lucille," he said, placing a kiss on her forehead.

But that wasn't a promise.

She watched him leave the room, the air seeming to stand still around her until she shook herself off, shuffling swiftly toward Finn. She took his hand, pulling him toward the back door.

"Come on Finn, we best be far from here when they do come."