enchanted
chapter 25, cavalry pricks.

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Rory put Henry and Florence to bed sitting with them until they fell asleep while the other kids were around downstairs most likely causing chaos and the Shelby men plus Isaiah were in a meeting of sorts. As she finished reading them a book there was a knock at the door and the door opened. "What?" she asked quietly not to wake her brother and sister up.

"Thought I'd come see you and get away from Linda," Ada replied walking into the room, smiling softly at the sight of her eldest niece with her youngest niece laid on her and her youngest nephew on the other side.

"Oh, is she being annoying again?" Rory asked rolling her eyes and Ada nodded.

"When isn't she? Esme's been avoiding her like the plague I'm sure she's been forcing James and George to dance with her and they weren't happy about it," she informed her and Rory chucked.

"They hate dancing unless it's with me."

She then slowly got up and walked out the door. "Better go save them," she said, walking down the stairs.

Rory stopped and looked at her aunt after a few moments. "Ada? Why is Lilian really back?" she asked and Ada stopped in her tracks.

"Who?" Ada asked, her face paling visibly.

"Don't play stupid. Lilian, my birth mum, lives in London."

"Why do you think I know?" Ada asked.

"Because I know she used to live near you in London and is now popping up every two bastard seconds after she promised me she's stay away," Rory replied, her tone harsh.

"Wait, you've met her?"

"Yeah, took Isaiah with me," Rory nodded. "Then realised it was a waste of my time and realised Esme was more my mum than she is."

"Does your dad know?"

"Yep, grounded me," she told her. "Now tell me if you still speak to her or not." Ada didn't reply. "I'm taking your silence as a yes."

"I-"

"I don't want to know her like she doesn't want to know me. Leave me alone, I don't want to speak to you today," she told her and walked away from her leaving Ada on the steps with her jaw open and tears welling in her eyes.

On her way to finding Tommy, she bumped into someone's shoulder. "Sorry," she apologised without looking up.

"It's alr- Rory? What's happened?" Isaiah asked looking down at the girl concerned and confused as to why she was crying.

"Nothing it doesn't matter, where's Tommy? I need to speak to him actually no it can wait until tomorrow," Rory replied looking up at him and attempting to walk away.

Isaiah put his hands on her shoulder, "You're not leaving my sight until you tell me what's got you so upset, I've only ever seen you cry twice in the 5 years I've known you."

"I just had an argument with Ada, I'll be fine when I've calmed down I promise I just need to find my mum," Rory replied looking at Isaiah with pleading eyes, silently begging him to let her go and after a few seconds of contemplating it he let go. "Come find me in a bit, okay?"

"Okay," she nodded.

She first looked for any sight of George or James and after a few moments of scanning the room James appeared smiling at Esme so she ran over, weaving her way through the people and crashed into Esme. Esme took in the sight of Rory, her eyes slightly puffy and red, her nose and cheeks red from crying and tear tracks down her face, without a word she took Rory outside where it was quiet.

"What happened?" Esme asked concerned.

"Had an argument with Ada."

"About what?"

"Lilian, she's back," she told her. "But you can't tell my dad, he doesn't know."

"I won't but you need to tell him before he finds out himself, the longer you leave it the angrier he'll get and the more he'll kick off."

"I know."

"Come on let's go back inside dinner should be starting soon," Esme said pulling Rory into her side, resting her head on top of Rory's.

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The dinner itself didn't start for a while, because Tommy and Grace were suspiciously absent from the table, which left Rory and Ada in an awkward silence since they were sat together then they heard John's voice and Rory mentally face palmed rolling her eyes, resting her head on Robert's shoulder. 

"Hey, Vincent," he called. "What do you call an animal with a prick halfway up its back?" A pause. "A cavalry horse."

Rory rolled her eyes at John's laughter and looked over to him, "That was a terrible joke."

"Think you could do better?" John asked.

"Probably but they don't need me to make jokes about them. They're already a joke, those cavalry boys it's embarrassing," Rory replied making him laugh.

"Always knew you had a sense of humour somewhere anyway we were told there'd be no bloody uniforms."

"Well, I think they look stupid," Rory shrugged. "I much prefer what the Blinders are wearing."

"One blinder in particular," Esme muttered.

"Imagine looking like you've got a stick wedged halfway up your arse. God, if it doesn't make me hate Grace even more, she brought half the bloody British army here," Rory replied and John laughed.

Michael rolled his eyes at Rory's word, "Do you ever stop complaining?" 

"Do you ever stop acting like one of those stuck up pricks? You're a Shelby now Michael act like it otherwise you'll find yourself at the receiving end of my complaints," Rory told him and Finn laughed.

"Leave him be," Eve kicked her leg from beside Finn.

"Oh so you're on his side now?" Rory asked. "Traitor."

"No. I'm just saying, leave him be," the brunette shrugged.

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes.

"Ro, enough," Freya shook her head at the blonde.