this is a double update! make sure to read 11 first or this won't make sense!

That night Florence barely slept. All she could think about was the offer that Elijah had made her and the plan that they had concocted. She lay awake worrying whether it might be a mistake, but Elijah assured her multiple times that he was committed to the plan. She couldn't quite fathom why he would make such an offer, but as he continued to remind her, marriage didn't have to be the lifelong commitment that it once was.

She had slept in Elijah's bed while he slept on the chaise lounge opposite the bed. Of course she only had the clothes that she arrived in, so Elijah gave her one of his shirts to wear, which fell halfway down her thigh.

That morning the sun seeping through the window had stirred her from her slumber, she woke up to see Elijah still fast asleep, and she wondered whether the same doubts had plagued his mind while he slept. But the peaceful look on his face suggested otherwise.

When he finally stirred from his sleep they both acknowledged that it was time to put the plan in motion. Before they went to sleep the night before Elijah had called ahead for a driver to collect Imelda from Small Heath in the morning.

"Are you alright?" Elijah asked as Florence stood at his bedroom window, staring out at the driveway as she waited for the car carrying her mother to appear.

"I didn't sleep very well," She answered, keeping her eyes on the vast land owned by the Harringtons, trying not to become overwhelmed by the idea that her child would one day inherit it, without any biological link to the family.

"You'll feel better once we've told everyone," Elijah assured her, "Your mother will be here soon, I'm sure."

"What if they tell me to get rid of it?" Florence asked in a moment of fear, adamant that she wouldn't do that to her body.

"Flo," Elijah soothed as she turned to face him, "I won't let them even suggest it, alright?"

"I'm scared, Eli," Florence whispered, feeling uncomfortable enough wearing her clothes from the day before, "Of all of this, telling them, getting married, having a baby, raising a child-"

"Hey," Elijah smiled, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her into his chest, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

"I still can't believe you suggested this," Florence answered, glancing up at him.

"Honestly, neither can I," He replied, "But we both get something out of this, it's mutually beneficial."

"Maybe we should go downstairs and face your parents," Florence suggested, "They'll have one of their servants looking for you if you're not careful."

"Your timing is impeccable, look," Elijah pointed out the window as Florence pulled away from him to see the car that was sent to collect her mother making its way up the driveway.

"This is really happening, isn't it?" Florence mumbled as she kept her eyes on the car on its approach to the house.

"It is," Elijah nodded, "We better get to your mother before my mother does."

"You're right," Florence sighed, knowing how persistent Margaret could be, "We also need this to be convincing."

"Come on then, Fiancée," Elijah smirked, taking Florence's hand in his and leading her out of the bedroom.

The pair made their way along the hallway and down the stairs, the distant sound of chatter suggesting that the rest of Elijah's family were already eating in the breakfast room. It filled Florence with nerves, knowing that within the hour the course of her life would change more than she had ever anticipated that it could.

Elijah led Florence to the front door, knowing that the doorman would be waiting on the other side. He opened the door just as the driver was opening the passenger door for Imelda who seemed immediately out of her depth.

"Mr Harrington," Geoffrey, the driver, smiled as he led Imelda up to the steps, "How are you this morning?"

"Very good, thank you," Elijah nodded as Imelda beelined for her daughter, "How was the drive?"

"Flossie, what the hell is going on?" Imelda hissed as she wrapped her arms around her daughter, "You didn't come home last night and then this morning I woke up to this gentleman telling me that my presence was required at Harrington House."

"Why don't we talk in the garden?" Florence smiled nervously, glancing at Elijah, who's eyes were already on her, "Are you joining us?"

"Of course," Elijah nodded, leading the two women back into the house, heading for the french doors that opened onto the terrace.

"Elijah," Margaret's voice rang down the hallway from the direction of the breakfast room, stopping the three of them in their tracks as Elijah's mother emerged from the room, pacing down the corridor, "Where have you been?"

"I'm busy right now, we'll talk later," Elijah told her, aware of how important it was for Florence to talk to her mother before they spoke to his parents.

As Margaret got closer she noticed Imelda and Florence, "Elijah, it's a little early for guests don't you think?"

"Florence and I need to talk to Imelda and then we'll talk to you and Father," Elijah told her firmly.

"And you can't just talk to us together?" Margaret questioned, folding her arms across her chest.

"We'll talk to Imelda, then we'll talk to you, just wait for us in the drawing room," Elijah attempted to reason with her, knowing how stubborn his mother could be.

"Elijah," Florence muttered, just longing for the moment to be over, "It's fine, we'll just speak to them all together."

"Are you sure?" Elijah asked, stepping closer to her, "We don't have to if you don't want to."

"It's alright," Florence assured him, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it, "We'll be fine."

"Drawing room?" Margaret smiled.

"Yes," Elijah did his best to be overly polite in an effort to keep his mother sweet, "Could you ask Father and George to join us?"

"Of course," Margaret nodded before heading back to the breakfast room.

"Florence," Imelda whispered as she approached her daughter, "Is everything alright?"

"It will be," Florence sighed, "Come on."

Out of fear for the conversation that was due to happen Florence kept close to Elijah, knowing that if anything went wrong she could retreat to him.

Elijah led them into the drawing room, where two sofas were arranged opposite each other beside the fireplace. Much like most of the rooms in the house, large family portraits covered each of the walls.

"Right," Mr Harrington's voice rang through the room as Elijah and Florence took a seat on one of the sofas, Imelda taking a seat opposite them as Margaret joined her, "What's this all about? Your mother tells us you want to talk."

Elijah glanced at Florence as she sat beside him, "Do you want me to tell them?"

"Yes please," Florence nodded as Richard and George stood behind the two mothers, all four of them staring at the pair cluelessly. George was as dumbfounded as the rest, Florence was his best friend, and he had no idea why she was sitting on the sofa in his home.

"Right," Elijah smiled, taking Florence's hand in his, "We've bought you all here to tell you that Florence and I are getting married."

"Excuse me?" Margaret laughed in shock, "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"When did this happen?" George asked, unable to read the energy between his brother and best friend.

"We got engaged yesterday," Elijah proceeded to explain as the lies began to take shape, "And we would like to book the wedding for a month from today."

"Oh God," Margaret gasped, knowing there was only one reason they'd request a wedding so soon, "Please don't tell me that you're-"

"We're having a baby," Elijah interjected with conviction, it was as though he himself believed the statement.

"A baby?" Imelda smiled, her eyes lingering on her daughter's face.

"You can't," Margaret interrupted as she stood up from the sofa, turning to her husband, "Tell them, Richard."

"I think the deed is already done, darling," Richard sighed as he observed the way his son sat beside Florence, as though he was protective of her.

"There are ways of dealing with this," Margaret continued as Imelda scoffed in disgust, "No one will have to know."

"Excuse me?" Elijah stood up, "What do you mean by that?"

"You know what I mean, Elijah," Margaret sighed, "You can't have a child with someone who-"

"Who what?" Elijah retorted, folding his arms across his chest.

"Who..." Margaret's gaze lingered on Florence as she prepared to deliver the fatal blow, "Who doesn't even know who her father is."

Although she knew it was the truth, the words were like a punch to Florence's gut, she was simply living out the nightmare that she hoped that she would be able to protect her unborn child from.

"Watch your mouth, Mother," Elijah warned.

"Elijah, I suggest you watch how you speak to your mother," Richard quipped as George and Imelda watched the conversation in disbelief while Florence yearned to escape the suffocating room. Even though it wasn't real and it was ultimately a web of lies aimed at protecting her, Margaret's choice of words made it feel painfully real. 

"And I suggest you both start treating my fiancée with the same respect you show Diana," Elijah continued, "We didn't come here to ask for your blessing, we came here to tell you that we are getting married and that we're having a baby."

"We all know how bad it'll look if you exile Eli from the family," George spoke up in defence of his brother, catching his parents' attention, "If you're truly so concerned about the reputation of our family then you can treat their union with the same grace as you have mine and Diana's."

"And if you continue to speak about Florence in this way then you won't see me or your grandchild ever again," Elijah warned both his parents.

"You wouldn't," Margaret scoffed.

"You want to bet on it?" Elijah replied, "We can ask the Shelby brothers to provide the odds, they'd probably also have a few words to say about the way you've treated Florence."

"Enough," Richard exclaimed, startling everyone in the room, "We will bless this marriage, but you'll have to understand that your wedding will be far smaller than George's."

"We appreciate that," Elijah smiled, holding his hand out to Florence and intertwining his hand with hers, reminded that they needed to keep the lie believable, "And neither of us feel the need for anything particularly lavish."

"Very well," Richard replied with a smile, "We'll have a small affair here at Harrington House, it'll be nice and intimate."

What Richard actually meant was that it would be kept away from public speculation. George and Diana's wedding was booked for the grandest church in Warwickshire. Neither Elijah or Florence were particularly bothered, they both knew that they were never going to be favoured by the family, especially given Florence's background.

"I think congratulations are in order," George grinned, approaching his brother and Florence, "To Elijah, Florence and the new baby."

"Thank you, George," Florence smiled, standing up and hugging her friend, grateful to have both brothers in her corner.

"Maybe don't tell my parents how many Peaky Blinders you plan to invite just yet," He whispered before letting go of the girl.

"Ma," Florence approached her mother as she stood up to embrace her.

"I hope you know what you're letting yourself in for," Imelda whispered to her daughter, "This place is a lion's den."

"I'll be fine," Florence assured her, "As will you, Grandma."

"Less of that," Imelda laughed, internally stifling her delight at the news of a new baby, "I'm not even forty, my sweet girl."

"You're aware this means that I'll be leaving Small Heath soon, aren't you?" Florence sighed, clinging onto her mother.

"I always knew you'd grow out of our little town, my darling," Imelda smiled, letting go of her daughter, "Polly will be delighted, I'm not sure about Tommy."

"That's on him," Florence sighed before returning her attention to Elijah.

Florence's emotional distance from Tommy played on Imelda's mind as she watched her daughter return to her new fiancé's side. Florence had always adored Tommy, since they were children she idolised him, so her change in attitude was incredibly out of character. She sensed that there was more to it, but she thought better than to ask her about it in front of the Harrington family.

"Well," Imelda sighed, "I've got a list of jobs as long as my arm that needs tackling, I can get the bus back."

"Why don't I drive you and Flo back?" Elijah suggested, "It'll give us a chance to tell the Shelbys together."

"That sounds like a brilliant idea," Imelda replied, watching her daughter's face drop, "Don't you think, Florence?"

"Sure," Florence nodded, her hands clamming up at the thought of having to lie to the Shelby family, never mind having to put on the facade in front of Tommy.

"I'll have Geoffrey prepare you a car," Richard announced before leaving the room.

"We're really doing this," Elijah smiled at Florence, wrapping an arm around her and pulling him into his side, aware that there was a need to maintain the facade.

"We are."

☆ ☆ ☆

The drive back to Small Heath was uncomfortable to say the least. Naturally, Imelda had questions for her daughter and her future son-in-law, meaning that the pair had to scramble to think up answers. They seamlessly declared that they had been romantically involved since Elijah returned from the war, which Florence hoped would be enough to diffuse her mother's queries about Tommy.

Imelda knew that her daughter was in safe hands with Elijah, it was the rest of his family that concerned her. She knew how calculated Margaret and Richard Harrington could be, and she knew that there was every chance that they would attempt to erase Florence's past just to have her blend into the family.

"Do you want me to wait outside, Mr Harrington?" Geoffrey asked as the car pulled up outside the Shelby establishment.

"Head round to the Garrison," Elijah told him, handing him some money, "Get yourself a drink and I'll meet you there later."

"Very good, Mr Harrington," Geoffrey nodded as Elijah climbed out of the car, strolling around to Florence's side of the car, opening the door for her and offering her his hand as she stepped onto the street.

"Are you alright?" Elijah asked as Imelda joined them.

"I'm fine," Florence assured him with a grin, "As soon as I'm not, you'll be the first to know."

"Good," Elijah nodded as Florence held onto his arm, "You don't think they'll be at the pub do you?"

"No," Florence shook her head, pulling Elijah's pocket watch from his pocket, "Twenty minutes until the race, see."

"I see," Elijah smiled, "Come on, let's go and tell them the good news."

Elijah and the two Dawson women made their way into the Shelby betting shop, which was as busy as expected of a race day. There were many faces that Florence recognised, but they were only customers, she needed to find the Shelby boys, Polly and Ada before she could get out of there.

"Check the offices," Imelda told the girl, "I'll see if Pol's in the kitchen, Elijah why don't you see if any of them are smoking outside?"

The three dispersed and Florence made her way towards the offices which belonged to each of the Shelby brothers. John and Arthur's were empty, but of course the man she was unsure she was ready to face was sitting at his desk with a head in a newspaper.

Without any clue of what to say or do Florence knocked on the open door, watching as Tommy looked up from the paper with a straight face as though nothing had happened between them the night before, "There's an excellent write up on that horse of yours in today's paper."

"Good," Florence sighed as she entered the room, closing the door behind her, "I assume you made a pretty penny from her win."

"You could say that," Tommy nodded, folding the paper and placing it on his desk, "Is it done?"

"It's done," Florence answered, aware of what he was referring to, "But not in the way that you told me to."

"How so?" Tommy cocked his head to the side in intrigue.

"Believe it or not, good men do exist in Birmingham," Florence told him, "I told him everything, and he offered to marry me, we'll just pretend the child is his."

"Of course he did," Tommy scoffed, Elijah's actions almost confirming his suspicions.

"What do you mean by that?" Florence asked, folding her arms across her chest in defence.

"I won't be the one to tell you, you're a smart girl," Tommy smirked, lighting a cigarette, "You'll work it out."

"I forgot how unfamiliar you are with the concept of sharing the truth," Florence muttered, keeping her eyes on Tommy.

"Does he know that it's mine?" Tommy asked, looking her up and down, "Of course he doesn't, he wouldn't be marrying you if he knew that baby was part Shelby."

"You wouldn't be breathing if he knew." Florence answered firmly.

"I think you overestimate your fiancé's strength." Tommy grinned, believing he could overpower Elijah with or without ammunition.

"And I think you underestimate just how much that man cares about me." Florence replied coyly.

A knock on the door interrupted them both before it opened to reveal Arthur with an awkward smile, "Tom, you've been summoned, and your mother's looking for you too, Flo, says you've got something to tell us."

"She's right," Florence told him, "Come on."

Florence led the way through the now empty betting shop, which she assumed Polly must've cleared once she read the look on Imelda's face. The Shelby woman was smart, and she could often read anyone's face, but she could always read Imelda's, she knew that what was coming was a sensitive matter.

"Everything alright?" Elijah whispered as she approached him, Imelda and Polly already sitting at the table, Ada nowhere to be seen.

"It will be," Florence nodded, "Where's Ada?"

"God only knows," Polly sighed, "Whatever this is, I'll be sure to pass it on to her, alright?"

"Okay," Florence smiled as she took a seat at the table, Elijah standing behind her as Tommy stood across from her, John and Arthur at opposite corners of the room, "There's something that I, well, we need to share with you."

"We?" Polly frowned, glancing between the Dawson girl and Elijah.

"Elijah and I," Florence paused, exhaling as her eyes lingered on Tommy for just a moment too long, "We're getting married."

"Good for you, darling," Arthur grinned, oblivious to his brother's connection to the girl, "Marrying well above our station."

"I'd say I'm surprised, but that'd be a lie," John muttered, having noticed the way Elijah admired Florence from since before the war.

"When will the wedding be?" Polly asked, intrigued by the fact that this budding romance had appeared from nowhere.

"Next month," Florence answered, feeling Elijah resting his hands on her shoulders in reassurance.

"That's rather soon, isn't it?" Polly muttered with a subtle smile as she promptly put the pieces together, "My God, you're not?"

"We are." Florence nodded as Polly leant towards her and wrapped her in a tight embrace.

"We are, what?" Arthur looked at his brothers in confusion.

"I'm as lost as you, brother," John added before glancing at Tommy who seemed withdrawn from the room, "Do you have a clue what they're talking about?"

"Women's business," Tommy muttered, "How should I know?"

"They're having a baby, you fools," Polly smiled.

"Oh, Floss, that's fucking fantastic, come here!" Arthur grinned as he approached the girl, wrapping her in a quick hug before glancing at Elijah, "You better take good care of her."

"It goes without saying," Elijah smiled. 

"Flossie," John grinned as he walked towards her, wrapping her in a quick embrace, "You'll be a bloody fantastic mother."

"Thank you, John, Thank you, Arthur," She smiled.

"Thomas?" Polly raised her eyebrows at her nephew.

"Congratulations," He muttered, lacking emotion, "To you both."

"How's about a toast to the soon to be newlyweds?" Polly suggested, sensing tension threatening to enter the room, "Tommy, is there any of the good stuff in the cupboard?"

"I don't know," He sighed, "I can't stay for a drink anyway, I've got work to do."

As Tommy left the room without another word he felt a pang of hurt in his chest, pain that was of his own doing. He knew that he could have prevented this, he could've been the man that Florence deserved. He could've done the good and honourable thing and married Florence, they could have started the little family that girl had always dreamt of. But despite being fearless in battle, there was one thing that frightened Tommy Shelby. Love.

author's note: I actually think Elijah is my favourite character I've ever written. Hope
you enjoyed this chapter, next week...wedding bells.

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