𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤
-𝟎𝟏𝟑-

Valerie slowly walked down the stairs and tucked her dark hair behind her ears. She could hear light laughing coming from the living room which made her frown. When she had awoken, Tommy wasn't beside her in bed. She hadn't slept much but couldn't recall him getting into bed that night.

"Come 'ere then, Frances." She heard John chuckle. She stopped at the doorway and looked at John who was holding Francesca beside the window. He was speaking to her and laughing. "Look.." He pressed a finger to the window. "There's your smelly uncle Arthur."

Light giggles escaped the young girl's mouth and she looked up at John.

"Morning.." Valerie made herself known. John spun on his heels and nodded to her. "Tell your mum where you've been, Frances." John told the girl.

Frances. He was the only one who ever called her that.

"The horses!" Francesca exclaimed excitedly. Valerie raised her eyebrows. "Have you now? Who took you there, your father?" She asked the girl. Francesca bit down on her lip and shook her head which made Valerie frown. The small girl pressed a finger to John's chest.

"You took her to see the horses?"

John nodded and placed Francesca on the floor to play before walking through to the kitchen. Valerie followed him. "She had said that Tommy promised to take her to the stables but was yet to do so. So.. I took her myself." He said.

"That's kind of you, John." Valerie said honestly and took a seat at the kitchen table.

John shrugged. "It's the least I could do." He said as he leaned against the counter. John subtly looked Valerie up and down whilst she played with her fingers. "How're you and Esme?" She asked. Partially to start a conversation and partially because she was curious.

John took a deep breath. "Honestly?" He paused. "Not too good."

Valerie looked up.

He could've lied and told her they were the happiest married couple ever but that would be a lie. He found it hard to love Esme properly which put a wedge between the two. She couldn't understand what was so difficult for them to work. She understood that neither of them wanted to marry each other. And in front of people, they put up a front but the moment they got home... they didn't utter a single word to each other. Esme hated the way he talked and the way he always had his peaky cap on his head. John hated the way she wasn't Valerie.

"I'm sorry to hear that." She said politely. John shook his head. "It'd be stupid if I hadn't expected it. I never wanted to marry her in the first place."

Valerie chuckled lightly. She almost said the same thing but about Tommy before realising nobody but Ada and Polly and Robert were aware of the reason behind Tommy and Valerie's marriage.

"I met your dad." John stood straight. "He's a good man. I like him."

"I'm glad to have him back." Valerie nodded. "Do you know where Thomas is?" She asked. John shook his head. They both knew where he was. They just didn't want to say. After Valerie had left the party early, he found himself in a bed with a whore.

The door opened and in came Arthur who was quickly greeted by Francesca and her contagious smile. "Ello, you." He smiled back and ruffled her hair.

"Shouldn't you be in the shop?" Arthur asked John as he passed the kitchen. John shook his head. "Isiah's in there today." He said. Arthur nodded in understanding and went through the green double doors.

John looked at Francesca for a moment and the doubt crossed his mind like it had in the past. He almost asked Valerie if Tommy was her father but something stopped him. He was scared of finding out the truth.

"Francesca adores you.." Valerie said quietly. John glanced at her and cleared his throat. "Listen— er.. me and Artha have to go down to the Garrison with Tom. Something about recruiting new lads to work for us. But later on i'll take Francesca to the markets.. maybe get her some sweets." He stifled a laugh.

Valerie nodded and smiled. "She'd like that, John, thank you."

-

"What worries your head, my girl?" Robert asked as he wrote on the chalkboard. Tommy had been kind enough to give Robert a job in the betting den. Valerie tapped her fingers onto the table. "John.." she said lowly.

"How so?"

"He and Francesca— he deserves to know, dad." Valerie adjusted herself in her chair. Robert sighed and pursed his lips together. "He's so careful with her."

"He knows." Robert said. "Deep down he will know the truth— he just won't ask questions." He explained. "But the day will come where it is the right time to tell him. I can assure you that. But do not worry yourself with this just yet."

"I just wish things would have gone differently, y'know?" She looked up at him.

Robert nodded. "That makes two of us. But maybe this has all happened for a reason, Valerie." He offered the idea. She thought for a moment. "Possibly." She frowned.

Suddenly they heard the door burst open followed by heavy footsteps.

"Get out of town, kid— or I will shoot your fuckin' head off!" John roared. "Times up!" Arthur screamed. Concerned, Valerie pushed away from the table and walked through the house, scooping Francesca up from the floor as she did so.

"You're dead— go down." Arthur instructed. John had an awkward look on his face and Valerie bit back a laugh. "Oh dear.." she whispered. Arthur peered over his shoulder at Polly and the young boy beside her. "Alright then Polly.. who's this.." he and John sniggered lightly.

"Gentlemen, this is your cousin. Polly's son, Micheal." Tommy told them

Micheal stepped forward to shake their hands. "Please to meet you." He said. He smiled at Valerie. "I'm Arthur, you've already met me. I used to throw you out the window so John could catch you." He grumbled.

"Yeah— I used to put you in a shoebox and kick you down Watery Lane." John added.

"Bet you're glad to be back." Tommy said sarcastically.

Micheal laughed softly. "I don't remember any of it. All I remember is the day they took me away." He said. Polly stepped to him and hugged him with a sigh.

"Bastard!" Francesca blurted out. Valerie's eyes grew wide and she gasped. There was a slight silence before John and Arthur burst into laughter. "Francesca Shelby do not say such a thing!" She scolded.

John covered his mouth and Francesca had a devious grin on her face.

"Where have you heard such things?" Valerie asked. The young girl pointed to Arthur and John punched his arm. "Uncle Arthur.." she grinned. Valerie shook her head and John reached for the girl, taking her from Valerie's arms. "That's naughty, Artha. Tell him, Frances. Say Uncle Artha that's naughty." He held her hand and playfully wagged a finger at his brother.

Francesca just giggled and buried her head in John's shoulder as her face grew red from embarrassment.

"Alright that's enough." Tommy sighed. "Come on boys." He dismissed them and John carried Francesca back into the living room. "Naughty Artha." Francesca repeated, copying John's accent.

"Yeah that's right." John grinned.

Arthur shook his head with a smile and shoved his peaky cap onto Francesca's head. "Shut up, John boy." He said.

"Shut up— shut up! Shut up!" Francesca repeated.

"Enough of that, eh, Betts." Tommy scolded calmly. Francesca rolled her eyes playfully and Tommy tutted. "Enough you—" he said. Valerie felt a strange sadness come over her during all of this and slipped into the office.

She could hear the muffled laughs and chatter from the other room and just sat down for a moment. Valerie let out a sigh and closed her eyes.

She missed Maria. She missed her laugh and the way she would talk. Valerie remembered how she would force Valerie up to go drinking after having a bad day at work. The way she cared for everybody but herself. Maria Woods was the most selfless person you would ever meet.

She just wanted her best friend back.

-

Valerie looked up when Polly walked through the den. "This better be good enough to interrupt my holiday." She said with a bored tone.

Valerie put her pencil down.

"Where's the boy?" Arthur mumbled. "In the back room.. I only brought him because afterwards we're going to the museum." Polly sighed. "He wanted to come in and say hello." John said. "Shut up, John." Polly snapped.

Valerie offered John a sympathetic look.

"There is nothing of interest to Micheal in this room." She added. He raised his eyebrows and blinked a few times. "Tommy get on with it." Polly urged. He put out his cigarette.

"Last night, one of our men had his throat cut in Winston Green. This morning, I had a telegram saying it was Sabini who ordered it." He said. "Says here that Tommy Shelby is next." Arthur ripped a piece of paper.

Valerie frowned and sat up.

"If our men think we can't look after them in prison, they'll not work for us. Sabini knows that. So we need the get the Greens sorted out. Scudboat, you and one of the boys break a couple of windows and get yourself arrested. One of our coppers will get you into the Green and you find the bastards who did it."

"Instead of breaking a window can we pinch a car?" Scudboat asked seriously.

A few of the men sniggered and Valerie shook her head before crossing her arms.

"What? Everybody else is getting a bloody car.. i'm still stuck on a donkey." He said. Polly tilted her head back. "Alright, just get yourselves fucking arrested it doesn't matter how. Before you all laugh, a boy is dead. He was just a kid. We will start a fund for his family, Pol." He said.

She agreed. "So, is that it? Can I go now?"

"As company treasurer, I need your permission to spend a thousand guineas." Tommy avoided her eyes. "In what?" Polly asked cautiously. "A horse." He said plainly, staring forward.

"A thousand guineas on a horse?"

"That's right." He nodded. Polly looked around. "When was this decided?" She asked. "You've been busy with Micheal." Tommy stared. Valerie put her head in her hands, sighing. "Oh my god." Polly groaned. "So in the absence of common sense you boys have had an idea?"

"Polly. It's a thorough bread, quarter Arab filly up for auction at the Doncaster Bloodstock."

"What do we want with a thousand guinea horse?"

"When we make our move on Sabini's racing pitches, any men that we get into the betting enclosure will be lifted by Sabini's police.. a good race horse is a passport to the owners enclosure."

"We'll be with all the toffs." Arthur added. "Coppers won't know where to look."

"At the Epsom Derby Pol. We'll be drinking with the bloody king." John spoke up. Valerie's eyes darted across the room as she listened. "Who the fuck is Sabini?" She asked cluelessly. Tommy stared at her and she scoffed, leaning back in her chair. "Great— my bloody husband doesn't tell me a fucking thing." She whispered.

"The Derby?" Polly squealed. "Did he say the Derby?"

"That's right." Tommy cleared his throat. "For the past ten years, Sabini has made it his race.. we're gonna take him down. Might as well make it there as a symbol."

"Did you come up with this idea at the pub by any chance?" She asked in disbelief. "When i'm not around I expect you to run ideas past Valerie."

"A good race horse is an investment. Like property. And we need to diversify the portfolio."

"Jesus christ.." Valerie said.

"So when is this sale?" She asked. "Tomorrow." He said. The door creaked open and Valerie snapped her head toward it to see Micheal peering inside.

"Tommy's had a threat so we will have to go with him for protection."

"So you're going to close up the shop to go out on a piss up and blow a thousand guineas on a horse that's not even whole Arab?" Polly argued. "Quarter Arab is b-better.." Curly said. "Quarter Arab—"

"Curly shut up." Polly hissed.

Micheal entered fully and Polly's eyes widened. "I thought I told you to lock that door—" She scolded John. Valerie locked eyes John in confusion. "He did. I used the key on the nail. Look, I want to go with them."

"You see!" Polly shouted.

"I love horses. I could even help." Micheal pleaded. "Over my dead body." Polly said. "It'll be alright, mum. I've been to loads of horse auctions before with my uncle. They're very respectable. People bring their butlers."

"And their posh wives."

"And their mistresses."

"Let him come, Polly. We will go there, buy a horse, come back."

"I've been before with my dad, Polly. He will be fine." Valerie defended. "We will have him back at the house in Sutton before dark." John nodded.

"No." Polly shook her head. "Fucking no."

Micheal turned and walked away, slamming the door behind him. Valerie winced and bit down on her tongue.

Tommy ordered everyone back to work and she quickly stood to follow after him. Valerie grabbed his arm. "What the fuck was all that about?" She asked. "Why have you not told me a thing?" She hissed.

Tommy clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth and looked up.

"Jesus christ, look at me!" She pushed his shoulder back angrily. "Why do you keep things from me? Who is Sabini and why are you so eager to get a fucking horse?!" She shouted.

John had heard the disruption from across the room and watched.

"Because it isn't women's business."

She scoffed and stepped back. "Not women's business." She mocked and crossed her arms. "But it's my fucking business when you go and almost get yourself killed, no? It's my fucking business when you need a second opinion. You can't keep doing this to me. It's 1921– let go of this sexist attitude."

Tommy huffed and shook his head.

"And change your fucking shirt. I can smell that cheap perfume from the whore you slept with last night." She pointed a finger at him and stormed off.

©-shelbysecret-
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Authors Note:

- Sorry that this chapter is a bit boring i lost motivation half way through and just wanted to get the chapter out.

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