𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃
chapter 70

"Siah?" Florence shouted, quickly walking through the house with her purse in hand. "Yeah" he shouted back, appearing at the top of the stairs with Toby. "I'm leaving for the meeting now" she said, placing her earrings in her ears.

He walked down the stairs, placing Toby down.

Isiah carefully cupped her face, placing a quick kiss on her lips. "When will you be home?" he asked. "No later than midnight tonight" she nodded, wiping the lipstick that had appeared on his lips. His thumb ran over her shoulder. "I'll wait up" he said.

She smiled slightly, leaning down to hug her son. "Goodnight, be good for your dad, yeah?" she whispered.

The boy nodded quickly, watching as she walked out of the door.

-

"No, Gina's running wild, you see" Jack spoke. "Harrods, dope, amphetamines, lords and ladies, you know the whole English aristocracy thing"

He looked at the butler who tried pouring him a glass. "Fuck wine, whiskey" he demanded.

Florence licked her bottom lip, growing annoyed at him.

"Shelby you having whiskey?" he asked. "I'll stay on wine" Tommy said. "Fuck wine, more whiskey i'm celebrating, celebration, you know? Getting off this fucking island."

"I'll have whiskey," Florence nodded, "to celebrate you getting off the fucking island" she smiled sarcastically.

Jack scowled at her.

"You see, the thing with England, the currency here it's not money. Nah, you got bored of money a long time ago. Cause you know anyone can have money. You can fucking..you can fucking find money in the mud, you can forge money. Mr Shelby you can steal money, am i right?"

Lizzie let out a breath, staring at the table.

"The currency here it's blood. And Mr Shelby knows that better than all of them. Blood here is like wine, like vintage wine in that bottle. It's the label. It's the terroir, the grape that makes the wine. Who ducking cares about the glass around it? And you my friend, you're an American. You fucking smash the glass, you spill the blood and you spend their currency to get what you want. Am i right?"

Tommy glared at him.

"When you come to America, i will show you things."

"You're going to America?" Lizzie asked. "To Canada, Lizzie, to collect payment for the shipment. I need to do it myself."

"And who will be going with you?"

"Micheal will be there to watch his back." Jack said. Lizzie leaned in. "Another journey, Tommy?"

"Five million dollars, Mrs Shelby. Worth a little cruise don't you think?" he tormented.

"You know whiskey does talk, Mr Nelson, and sometimes whiskey is very eloquent. But five million dollars, Mr Nelson..now that is a legacy. And when i come back, i will know everything."

"I see myself so clearly in you, Thomas Shelby. You are a lab with a bright and glittering future."

The door opened, Frances appeared. "Mr Shelby there's a car coming up the drive, a Rolls Royce. Were you expecting more guests?" she asked.

He shook his head slightly. "No"

Tommy put out his cigarette and excused himself.

The door opened and Diana and Oswald walked in. "We were on our way to my constituency in Smethwick and i heard our American friend was in Birmingham and he was coming here. So we came to say one last farewell" he stood in front of Tommy. "Champagne, we have much to celebrate."

Diana and Oswald entered the room and sat down.

"It's not that i thought Mr Shelby wouldn't give you an excellent send off. I just felt, since telegrams and wires and letters can so easily be intercepted, we might confirm all that we've achieved during your visit over champagne."

"It is remarkable how quickly our relationships have developed" Diana smiled. Florence tilted her head. "So many triangles in this room," she continued. "Everyone except Mr Nelson and Florence is the point of a triangle."

Lizzie scoffed. "How am i part of a triangle?"

"Mr Nelson, you have all that you came for?" Oswald asked.

"I have confirmation that the future of Europe is in the hands of men like yourselves."

"And that urgent conversations between Washington, Rome and of course Berlin can now begin. A two week visit may have changed the course of history." Oswald said.

Jack nodded. "We all got what we wanted."

"Yes," Diana said, looking at Tommy. "And i got what i wanted from the moment i set eyes on it." Tommy stated down at the table as both Lizzie and Florence looked at him coldly.

"Elizabeth, you are a very lucky woman. To have each day what i have only sampled once."

Florence sat back, watching as Lizzie left the room.

"Really gone and done it haven't you Thomas," Florence said, lighting a cigarette and shaking her head. As Oswald began talking about power and talking shit about how Lizzie's past makes her unsuitable, Florence followed after her.

"Lizzie?" she called out. She gently pushed open the door to the drawing room where she said, angrily pacing the room. "Lizzie," she repeated. "Come on, come here" she whispered, embracing the upset woman in her arms. Lizzie practically collapsed, angry sobs left her mouth.

-

A/N

So close to finishing. Made me sad icl