𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐒
𝐃𝐨𝐞 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬

Fawn Harrington found herself sat alone on a train as she watched the sun begin shining onto the miserable city she knew all too well. A strange excitement bubbled in her stomach whilst they approached the station — her navy blue dress sitting over her knees and Fawn's pale hands resting on the fabric.

The train came to a halt and a sharp exhale escaped the brunette's lips. She took her bag from beneath the seat and managed to step off the carriage before a crowd could form and delay her.

The familiar scent of smoke filled her nostrils and she began guiding her way throughout the busy stations "Excuse me— sorry.." she offered an older woman a smile as she tried to avoid bumping into her. Fawn successfully made it outside and noticed the lack of change since she had left.

After spending a few years in Italy, she was home. And Fawn was yet to find out if that would be a good thing.

Nobody was aware of her return as she had not told anybody. Not a single person.

Her feet dragged her through the busy city, swerving the children that ran circles around her. It all, strangely, brought a smile to her face. Anybody who would have seen her must have deemed her mad for being able to find joy in the god forsaken place.

She ended up stood in the middle of Watery Lane, her heart starting to race slightly. Choosing to return to her old home first, she placed her things down and was relieved to see that everything was how she had left it.

The pictures were still hung on the wall and her knitted blanket remained neatly folded on the edge of the couch opposite the fireplace.

Fawn didn't hesitate before stepping back outside and approaching the house directly opposite. There had been people walking in and out, some with money in hand and some with nothing.

She took a deep breath and went through the door that people had been going through. Fawn was met with the busy betting shop she once knew and looked around. She earned a few funny looks from the men stood around her but she took no notice.

Her eyes landed on the one face she had hoped to see. She weaved her way through the groups and got to the end of the room, standing before the few steps that led to the large chalk board.

"I don't suppose that you could help me.." she began. The man lowered his hand and furrowed his brows.

John Shelby turned and he looked at the same doe eyed girl he had not seen in so long. "Fawn?" He asked, dropping the chalk to the floor and practically jumping down the steps to get to her. She let out a loud laugh when he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her from the floor. "Oh Fawnie— is that really you?" John asked, pulling away to examine her face.

She laughed again. "It's really me." She confirmed, placing her hands on his shoulders as he held her.

John let out a breath and shook his head before placing her to her feet. "Ay, Artha! Arthur look who's here!" He placed a hand on her back and guided her toward Arthur who looked up from what he was doing. "Is that who I bloody think it is?" He asked.

Fawn departed from John's side to hug the older Shelby man, a smile taking over her features at the fact they remembered who she was. "You've grown." Arthur observed jokingly, patting her back.

"Not as much as you though, hm Arthur?" Fawn teased him.

He scoffed and just smiled, gently shoving her away.

John was quick to throw an arm over her shoulders again. "What brought you back? I didn't think i'd see your face again." He told her. She shrugged and breathed. "I felt my time in Italy was done. It was time to come home."

He nodded, his eyes exploring her features. So little had changed — she had somehow grown more beautiful than she was. "Well.. tonight, come to the Garrison with us all." He offered. She pursed her lips together and tilted her head. "Oh come on, Fawnie. It's a celebration."

"A celebration of what exactly?" She raised her brows.

"You coming back." He said honestly, his same old cheeky grin decorating his lips. She smirked and shook her head. "God— you haven't changed have you? Always finding a way to celebrate something." She sighed. He winked at her and hummed. "I wouldn't have it any other way." He said.

—

Fawn had been sitting on the couch in the living room when Polly Gray walked in, a shopping bag in hand and the youngest of the Shelby's at her side, a foul expression of boredom on his face.

"Lord have mercy is that Fawn Harrington?" Polly gasped, placing the bag on the kitchen table and reaching her hands out for the girl. Fawn laughed and stood. "Hello, Polly." She greeted, smiling at the woman. "Oh, I could've had a heart attack just seeing your face. How are you love?"

Finn stared at her which earned a laugh out of the pair of the women.

"Finn, for gods sake, say hello." Polly scolded. Finn's face reddened and he cleared his throat. "Hi Fawn." He managed. She smiled and nodded. "Hello Finnie." She said to him.

Finn awkwardly escaped up the stairs and Polly took a deep breath. "When did you get back?"

"This afternoon." Fawn told her, following the older woman into the kitchen. Polly began taking out the shopping and putting it away. "Why did you come back?" Polly questioned further, a suspicious glint in her eye.

Fawn shrugged. "There's only so long one can stay away from home."

"You were in Italy for crying out loud, Fawn. And you chose to come back to this place? There is something seriously up with you." Polly joked. Fawn sat down. "I couldn't help myself, Pol. I missed home— or rather the people here."

"John?" Polly suggested.

"He was one of the people I missed, yes." Confirmed Fawn without hesitation. Polly nodded and closed the cupboard. "Does he know you're back?" Polly asked. Fawn leaned on her fist and nodded. "Yes— he wouldn't bloody let go of me for the first half hour I was here. It took Arthur's reminder that he was working to get him off me."

Polly tutted. "He's been in love with you since you were both five years old."

Fawn bit down on her tongue.

"And I know you'll never believe me but he still is. It's evident in his eyes when he speaks of you." She explained.

"He speaks about me?" asked Fawn.

"Almost everyday when you were away." Polly nodded once. Fawn hummed and tucked her brown hair behind her ears. "Did I miss much whilst I was away.." Fawn wondered.

Polly sighed. "Where should I start," she rolled her eyes, "Thomas tried to marry John off to the daughter in the Lee family but.. that didn't go too well. Oh, Ada had a baby— he's called Karl. Her husband died at the start of the month."

"Oh, poor Ada." Fawn gasped, cringing slightly.

"We got done over by Billy Kimber because Thomas' barmaid girlfriend let slip to the police. Turns out she'd been working for the police the whole time. He's still hung up on her— not sure why.. she wasn't the prettiest." Polly whispered which caused Fawn to let out a soft laugh.

"So, I didn't miss too much then?" She joked.

Polly winked and shook her head. "Enough about us, how was Italy?"

"It was good— i'm glad I went. The weather was nice and so were the people for the most part. I spent the summer with Alexander and his wife." She referred to her older brother, "their kids are beautiful." She complimented.

"How is he doing nowadays? Is he still wild like he was as a child?"

"He hasn't changed one bit. He still treats me like a child, though." Fawn complained.

"All older brothers do— their little sisters are like their first children." Polly explained, "it's like the boys with Ada. When she got pregnant, Tommy was ready to murder Freddie Thorne."

Fawn recognised the name and couldn't quite believe that he was the man who had gotten Ada Shelby pregnant. But she didn't mention it.

There was a loud whistle as John walked through with two others. Neither of which she could recognise. "Fawnie, you coming to the Garrison?" John asked, leaning on the doorframe. "It's the re-opening tonight ain't it Pol." He said.

Polly nodded.

"The re-opening? Oh.. I can't go like this." She grew flustered, looking down at her dress.

"Nonsense you look beautiful." Polly fussed.

"Yeah, you look pretty Fawnie." John teased. She glared at him and stood, smoothing her dress over. "Fine—" she rolled her eyes and took her coat from the chair, "let's go." She said.

She stopped before the two boys who had been stood with John and they didn't move.

"Oh— this is Stevie and Isiah." John introduced. Fawn nodded. "I'm Fawn." She told them. Isiah tutted and gave her a once over, earning a sharp glare from John. John placed his arm over Fawns shoulders and cleared his throat. "Keep moving, Isiah."

—

Fawn's eyes explored the new, golden and red interior of the once dull Garrison where she spent almost every Friday with her brother before he had left to travel. It all felt the same, strangely enough.

Though she felt out of place in some way. Whether it be her clothes or loss of familiarity with the place, she did not know.

"Have my eyes deceived me?" A voice spoke from behind Fawn. She turned and was met with the face of Ada Shelby. "My, it's so good to see your face again Fawnie." Ada breathed, pulling her old friend into a tight hug.

"Ada—" was all Fawn managed to let slip from her lips.

"You haven't changed one bit have you?" Ada examined, "you always have been the prettiest girl at the party." She complimented genuinely.

Fawn tutted. "Well, I wouldn't say the prettiest, Ada. You certainly have scrubbed up a lot better than I." She laughed it off, feeling out of place and insecure in her not-so-fancy dress.

Ada shook her head. "Nonsense. Who needs to scrub up well when you have a face like yours— eyes like yours, hm?" Ada assured her.

Fawn thanked her with a smile. "I knew something was going on when I saw our John wearing such a wide smile tonight.. now it makes sense." Ada tormented gently, watching Fawn's cheeks burn pink like they would all those years ago. "Oh come, you must see Karl." She suddenly said, assuming the girl already knew of her son, which she did.

Fawn didn't hesitate to follow the Shelby woman through the pub to where the rest of the family sat.

Ada took her young boy from Arthur's shoulders to show Fawn — she held him like he was her most prized possession, like a medal or a trophy.

"Oh, he looks just like you." Fawn fussed, gently reaching for the boys hand to which he wrapped his fingers around one of her own. "Isn't he just the sweetest thing.." Fawn whispered, still unable to get over the fact that Ada had a child.

"He's a nuisance but we love him, we do." She laughed, touching Karl's cheeks.

The night consisted of laughing and many drinks being exchanged over the furnished bar. Fawn watched the men and their poor attempts to peruse the woman around them. She slowly began feeling more at home — the atmosphere was the same as it had always been except this time she felt more.. free.

Fawn had spotted Thomas Shelby from across the bar and he seemed to be staring into space, his eyes somewhat empty, not as welcoming as she remembered them.

With a deep breath, Fawn approached him with slight caution and stood before him. "Thomas," she breathed. His eyes shifted to her and he stood straight. "Fawnie Harrington." He spoke, "I never thought that i'd see the day you'd be back in this place." He said.

She nodded slowly. "I did." She opposed.

"The fashion design plan didn't work out then?" Tommy asked her.

She scowled at him — even when pulling such a face, her eyes remained innocent and captivating. "Quite the opposite i'll have you know." Fawn corrected. "There was a lady who was quite fond of my work and my designs were made a reality. They now sit in a shop window in Italy." She said with genuine pride.

Tommy hummed and sipped his drink. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't proud of you, Fawn." He looked her dead in the eye.

Thomas Shelby — the man who was there before John Shelby. The one who knew her brother. There were times that Tommy would take Fawn places with him, much to his younger brother's dismay. The one who ended up stood opposite the headteacher when there had been a mishap with Fawn, nothing bad on her end of course.

He was her brother. Not by blood but by every other possible way.

"So you are proud of me?" She asked, a hopeful glisten in her eyes.

Tommy looked down briefly before nodded. "Immensely." described Tommy. "I knew that if anybody would make success from leaving this place it'd be you." He finished off his drink.

Fawn bit back her wide grin and played with the hem of her sleeve. "I've never had somebody tell me that." She cleared her throat.

Tommy's expression faltered slightly. He struggled to believe that statement — Fawn Harrington was the prized possession of both the Harrington's and the Shelby's in the same way that Karl was Ada's prized possession. She was the first to make her older brother smile after they had returned from war.

She was the first to make any of them smile.

She was an excellent example of what it was to hold the characteristics of a deer — and it wasn't just her eyes. It was her sense of protection and survival. And her sensitivity. She could read whoever she pleased like a book.

She was any parent's ideal child.

Yet she had never heard words of proudness come from anybody.

Not a single one.

Tommy cleared his throat when realising he had been deep in thought. "Well I suppose you'll be making your dress to the next horse race, eh?" He suggested, blinking hard.

"If you'll invite me, yes." She said. "Though i'll need a warning if i'm to make my own dress." She found herself smiling.

Her smile was contagious and Tommy too found himself smiling. "Of course." He pointed his glass to her. "One day it'll be your name in the papers, Fawn Harrington."

© gracessecretshelby