XXXV. English tea.

When the time came, and they got the call from Finn, Tommy, Arthur, Henry and Maude drove down to the gatehouse to meet Moss and the Duchess. Maude was vigilant as she stepped out of the car with her husband's helping hand. She eyed Moss for a second before her eyes searched for the Duchess, not finding her.

"Tommy, Arthur, Henry, Maude," Moss called out in greeting to the four, his lips in a tight smile as he lowered his head. "May I introduce you to the Grand Duchess Tatiana Petrovna," he said and his car door opened, the Duchess stepping out and approaching them with a smug smile on her face. "From Tbilisi, Georgia." He introduced before turning to the woman. "Grand Duchess, may I introduce you to the Shelby brothers and the Felton siblings. Small Heath, Birmingham." He called out before turning towards Tommy and leaning into his side. "And, uh, good luck with this one, Tom." He said softly before stepping away.

Tommy stared at Tatiana, his jaw clenched in irritation, angry that his and Maude's wedding day was partially ruined because of these Russians. "Give me the money," he demanded.

"I was told to give it to Mr. Kaledin." She replied as she stared at Tommy, her hands clasped together in front of her.

"Whoever it is up there, he gave the wrong name." He informed her. "We asked him the name and he gave the wrong one," he explained like he didn't trust the Grand Duchess intelligence to understand him the first time.

"What name did he give?" She asked as she raised her eyebrows.

"No," Tommy muttered as he immediately shook his head. "I don't trust any of you." He informed her and she looked taken aback by his blunt honesty. "Now you give me the money." He demanded.

"I know Mr. Kaledin by sight from Tbilisi." She informed Tommy before she raised her eyebrows again. " Is his hair dark?" She questioned.

"The instructions I was given was anyone using the wrong code name was an infiltrator for the Soviet Embassy." He informed her, his cold glare settled harshly on her.

The grand Duchess stared at him for a second before tilting her head to the side. "Just let me go to the house." She insisted.

"I do not want this shit anywhere near my fucking house." Tommy snapped at her, his voice raising with irritation. "All I know is no variations. That's from Churchill himself." He informed her. Whoever it is up at the house, he gave the wrong fucking name." he said before going silent for a second, his glare on the Duchess growing stronger. "And you do this to me on my fucking wedding day." He spat and Maude glanced over at him with pursed lips.

Tatiana stared back at Tommy, still slightly taken aback by his blunt honesty and rudeness. "The money is in the car, Mr. Shelby." She informed him. "Fetch it out and count it." She insisted.

"Good," Tommy muttered before glancing at Maude's brother. "Henry." He muttered as he pulled out his cigarettes, handing his wife one before taking one for himself, lighting both as Henry counted the money inside a brown briefcase he found in the car.

"We're good," Henry called out after he was done, handing the briefcase to Finn to put inside Tommy's car.

"You can go," Tommy informed the Duchess before turning towards the copper who had brought her. "Moss..." he called out to the man who stood a few feet away from them.

"Can you do it? Can you kill?" The Duchess asked Tommy as she raised her eyebrows.

Tommy looked over at her with furrowed eyebrows as Moss approached him, and Tommy completely ignored her and her question. "Moss, you take the Duchess back to Birmingham," Tommy demanded before turning around, leading his wife to the car, and offering her hand to help her climb in before getting in after her with his brother and Henry.

After receiving the money, Maude returned back to the house with Henry. She sat by the bar, smoking a cigarette and drinking a glass of wine. She sat alone as she watched her guests. Daniel spotted her admits the crowd and approached her with a beaming smile. "Sister, how about a dance?" He asked.

Maude turned to her drunk brother, chuckling softly as she nodded her head. "I'd never say no." She said as she stumped her cigarette in the ashtray on the bar top, before hooking her arm with her brother's.

"I've not yet told you, but you look lovely." He informed her, patting the arm hooked in with his as he smiled down at her. "Mum and dad would be proud to see you now." He insisted as he lead her through the crowd.

"Don't make me tear up." She spoke softly as she looked up at her brother, a sad smile tugging at her lips as she thought of her parents, and how much she wished for them to see her now. "They'd be proud of all of us...of how far we've come." She insisted as she patted Daniel on the chest.

The two danced together for a few songs before Maude returned to her husband's side where she stayed for the remained of the night. After most of the guests left, and those staying for the night turned to their rooms, Maude and Tommy returned to their own room.

Maude was in the bathroom, getting ready for bed. When she returned to the bedroom, her husband was nowhere to be found. She wrapped her silky white robe tightly around her body as she walked out of the room, her bare feet patting against the wood floor as she made her way to her son's room.

She found Tommy standing over Charlie's crib, running a hand over his son's soft dark hair. "Thought I'd find you in here," Maude spoke up softly as she approached Tommy, her chest pressed to his back as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Just wanted to make sure he's okay," Tommy explained softly as he took hold of one of her hands, holding it against his bare chest.

"He's okay, Tommy." She assured softly as she looked over her sleeping son, resting her head against Tommy's back. "Today was a good day, even with the fucking Russians." She said softly.

"Our honeymoon will be even better." He assured her, giving her hand a squeeze. "No Russians, no business, and no drunk family members." He insisted with a shake of his head.

Maude chuckled softly as she lifted her head and raised her eyebrows. "Does such a miracle even exist?" She asked softly.

"It does sweetheart." He replied with a nod of his head as he turned around to face her. "It will only be me, you, Charlie, and snowy mountains." He insisted as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her flush against his body.

"That sounds perfect to me." She whispered with a big smile as she stared up at Tommy, her hands placed against his chest.

After returning from their honeymoon, the fire to Angel Changretta's restaurant caught up to them. Angel's father, Vincent had requested a meeting with the Peaky Blinders. Tommy was busy, meeting with father Hughes and the Odd Fellows. So Maude was put in charge for the day and went with Arthur and John to speak with the Italians in Charlie Strong's yard.

Finn and Isaiah searched the Itailains, two men accompanying Vincent, before leading them inside the yard, where Maude and the two Shelby brothers, as well as Henry, Daniel, Charlie, and Curly waited by a table, set out nicely with tea, upon John's persistence.

Maude and John sat side by side by the table, while Arthur stood next to Maude, leaving her in the middle. Charlie and Curly watched from a few feet away, and when the Italians arrived, Isaiah and Finn took a stance behind Maude and the Shelby brothers.

"You asked for a meeting out in the open," Arthur called out as he looked at the old man, his hands clasped together in front of him. "Fresh air and the fine aroma of shit." He muttered and John let out a chuckle. "Neutral ground, you said."

"This is hardly neutral ground." the old man muttered as his eyes roamed over Charlie's yard.

"Well, it's what you've got," Arthur replied as he took a seat next to Maude, pointing at the chair behind the old man. "So, por favivo, sit down." He insisted, saying his words mockingly at the old man.

"Where is Thomas?" the old man asked as his eyes scanned over the three sitting in front of him.

"He got called away," John replied as he stared up at the man.

"He'd said he'd be here." Vincent insisted with a soft huff, eyebrows furrowing furiously as he continued to look between the three sitting in front of him, still standing and refusing to take a seat.

"Yeah, he is busy," Arthur informed the old man before pointing toward Maude. "But his wife is here today, Maude." He introduced before giving the old man a tight-lipped smile. "So you'll deal with her." He insisted.

Maude inhaled sharply as she stared up at the old man, tilting her head to the side. "What is it you want, Mr. Changretta?"She asked him as she quirked an eyebrow, her eyes squinting.

"There has been a peace between the Peaky Blinders and the Changretta family for two years now..." Vincent Changretta spoke as he stared at Maude, his hand waving around in the air to emphasize his words.

John sniffed before cutting the old man off. "Do you want some tea or not?" he questioned as he raised his eyebrows and Maude's gaze slowly drifted towards John, her jaw clenched. "Here, Finn, pour the Italians some English tea." He ordered his little brother as he stared at the old man with a smug look on his face.

Vincent stared at Finn as he grabbed one of the cups on the table, ready to pour the tea. "We don't want fucking tea." He snapped and Finn shot him a cold look as he put the cup down before stepping back again. "We want an explanation." The old man demanded as his gaze settled on Maude.

"Well, I'll have fucking tea." Arthur interrupted as he pointed towards himself before sitting forward, pouring himself a cup of tea.

Maude looked at the old man, raising her eyebrows. "Explanation for what?" She questioned, clasping her hands together on top of the table.

"The Little Venice Restaurant on Forge Street was burnt down." He informed her, rather having to only deal with her than the two disrespectful Shelby brothers.

"No. No." John called out as he scratched inside his ear, dismissively shaking his head at the old man. "Couldn't have been us, we was at a wedding." He insisted.

Maude hummed as she nodded her head. "Yes, my and Thomas's wedding." She informed the old man before giving him a tight-lipped smile. "I apologize for not getting you an invitation, list was already fill when we got to your name." She muttered with a shrug of her shoulders.

His gaze settled on her again, her comment and fake smile, having him take back his desire to only deal with her, she wasn't that different from the Shelby's. "You burnt it down to stop my son being at your wedding." He spat.

"He wasn't missed," Arthur muttered as he sipped on his tea and John began chuckling, sharing an amused look with his brother.

Vincent forced out a bitter chuckle as he looked between the two brothers. "You are such big boys now." He told them. "But once you borrowed clothes from us to look like men." He taunted.

John stared at the old man before looking at his brother. "How's the tea, Arthur?" He questioned as he raised his eyebrows. " Is it..."

Arthur cut his brother off by throwing the tea in his cup out onto the ground, his gaze turning towards the Italians. "It's cold." He muttered before shrugging his shoulders.

The old man inhaled sharply, irritated with the fact that neither of the three seemed to take him seriously. His gaze settled on Maude once again, his jaw clenching. "Please tell Tommy that we pay him whatever he asks us to pay. We stay out of the city and off the tracks." He demanded "But you tell him from me that my son will walk with any woman in this city. Any woman he chooses. Even if that woman works for the emperor, Thomas Shelby." He insisted before his gaze shot towards Henry who stood with his jaw tightly clenched. "Or used to love a-"He began spitting before Maude cut him off sharply.

"Careful now," Maude warned as she stared at the old man with a cold glare.

He pursed his lips as she stared down at her, silent for a second before he continued. "My son is in love..." He began speaking again before John cut him off this time.

John snorted, trying to contain his laughter as he lowered his head. "Sorry. Do excuse me." He muttered as a soft chuckle slipped from his lips. "Carry on." He urged the old man, an amused smile on his face.

The old man glared at John for a second before turning back to Maude. "And if he wishes, he will walk with the woman he loves." He demanded.

"OK," Maude muttered as she inhaled sharply, nodding her head up at the old man.

John hummed, nodding his head as well as he sat forward, pouring himself a cup of tea. "You know...It would be hard for your son to walk anywhere with a bullet in each knee, wouldn't it?" John threatened.

Maude's face fell, and she shared a look with Arthur before she sighed softly, her gaze drifting towards John, sending him a pointed look as her jaw clenched.

The old man stared at John, who sipped on his tea, unbothered by what he had just said. "Too much. You said too much, my friend." He spat as he pointed a finger at John. "Sabini says, Suck and swallow. But no. Too much. I spit." He snapped before turning to his men, muttering something in Italian before walking away.

One of the men picked up the chair for Sabini, smashing it to pieces on the ground. Aga Maude inhaled sharply as she shared another look with Arthur, knowing John's comment had screwed the over.
"Oh. OK. A bit strong." John commented as he stared at the Italian smashing the chair until it was only broken pieces left.

"Fucking hell." Maude sighed softly as the Italians stormed off. She shot another pointed look at John who sipped on his tea. She got up to her feet, turning to one of their Junior Peaky boys. " Isiah. Put two extra men on our pubs in Nechells." She demanded.

John's eyebrows furrowed as he looked at Arthur before his gaze shot toward Maude. "What are you talking about, Maude?" He questioned as he stared at her. "We're not scared of fucking Eyeties anymore." He insisted.

"Don't tell Tommy about the chair and clean this fucking shit up." She snapped at the men as she pointed towards the broken chair on the ground, before turning around and walking off to the car that waited for her.

"We're not scared of fucking wops!" John called out after her as Arthur got up to his feet, walking after Maude.

"All right, John." She called back as she waved a dismissive hand in the air.

"Maude!" John called out again, but she only ignored him as she kept walking.

Arthur caught up to her, falling in step with her as he shoved his hands into his trouser pockets. "What do we do now?" He asked as he looked down at her with raised eyebrows.

"I told Tommy not to let John come with." She huffed as she shook her head. "He always has too fucking much to say." She snapped as she glanced at John over her shoulder, her eyebrows deeply furrowed.

"What do we do?" Arthur asked again as they stopped in front of the car, opening the passenger side door for her.

"We don't tell Tommy and fucking pray Changretta doesn't feel vengeful." She muttered as she sighed heavily, sharing a look with Arthur before getting into the car and he closed the door behind her as the driver started up the engine.

She arrived home only an hour before her husband, and when he asked, she only gave him vague details of the meeting, letting him know if something happens, it's because his younger brother ran his mouth. But Tommy brushed it off, thinking nothing would come of whatever was said at the meetings because the Italians were supposed to know better.