𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃
chapter 16
(2 years later)

Florence watched as Micheal hung Karl over the edge, smiling as laughs fell from the young boy's mouth. Today was the day that Tommy and Grace, a barmaid who years prior had betrayed him, were supposed to get married. She didn't really know the woman so frankly didn't care:

"Look at the faces on them bastards." she pointed, snorting slightly. John laughed, looking over at the Cavalry men.

He grinned, shaking his head.

"Here come the fucking cavalry, late as usual." John scoffed, staring over at the door once the music began playing. That's when Grace turned up with an untraditional purple dress on and a soft smile present on her lips.

"Very traditional." Florence mocked. Grace was accompanied by a cavalry man.
"I don't like it." Isiah referred to the dress and Florence hit him on the arm lightly. "Don't be rude." She warned. He just huffed and leaned back into his chair.

Tommy turned his attention to the blonde and lifted the purple veil from her face before they both turned to Isiah's father, Jeremiah.

"Dearly beloved," he began, "we are gathered here today to join together in holy matrimony, Thomas Micheal Shelby and Grace Helen Burgess. Do you, Thomas Micheal Shelby take Grace Helen Burgess to be your lawful wedded wife?" he asked.

"I do." Tommy said.

"Do you, Grace Helen Burgess, solemnly swear to love, honour and obey till death do you apart?"

"I do"

"I now pronounce you husband and wife." Jeremiah finished.

"Go on Tom!" John exclaimed when Tommy leaned in to kiss the woman. Everyone began clapping and cheering happily at the sight before them.

Soon enough, everybody emptied out of the church and crowded around one another. "Go on, take the photograph!" Arthur shouted.

Once the photograph was taken, Tommy and Grace walked forward to get into the car. He draped his jacket over her shoulders and helped her up before whispering to Arthur. "Arthur, get the bastards in the house."

"I will, i will. John! John boy. Get em in the house, all of em." he shouted, turning away.

"Tired already?" Isaiah teased, the girl who was yawning. "Yeah these fucking cavalry are boring me." She snarled the lot of them.

-

Florence walked alongside Micheal who was lighting a cigarette.

"All right, Pol, tell all the Lee girls i've counted all the paintings. And, Pol, some people here are not on the list." he whispered. "Curly, Charlie, kitchen." Arthur pushed through the crowd. "Time?" Charlie asked, "five minutes."

"Actually we were told on the train there'd be cocaine." A posh girl spoke. He ignored her and continued. "Jeremiah, John boy, Isiah, kitchen." He walked through.

"What?" Florence asked, frowning when Arthur ignored her. Isiah shrugged and sighed. "Hold on." He said with slight annoyance and followed after the men.

"I swear to God them fucking Calvary boys are asking for it." John shook his head as he walked away. .

Florence scoffed and walked around to find someplace to stand. There weren't many familiar faces of course. The only people she had came to know during her two years of being in Birmingham were the Shelby family and the Peaky Blinders. Most of which she chose to stay away from because they were all friends with Isiah and Micheal.

She was slightly annoyed that she hadn't been involved in whatever it was that Tommy was rounding all the men up for but shrugged it off.

She could see Polly stood beside the drinks and Grace trying to entertain a group of people by herself. It didn't seem to be going too well for her. Florence played with her hands and just stayed off to the side, unsure what to do without anybody else with her. She knew nobody and it made her slightly uncomfortable.

Her eyes landed on an unoccupied drink that sat on a table and she raised an eyebrow, stepping forward and swiping it before turning away to slip out into the hall to drink it.

She did it quickly and left the glass on another table as she walked through the big rooms.