XVIII. Expansion into London.

A family meeting was called in the betting shop, and everyone from the Shelby family as well as the Felton family gathered in the shop, all waiting on Tommy who was usually always the last to show up, millions of other things having his attention as well.

Maude stood by the door leading into the kitchen, staring out the back window as she smoked her cigarette. John approached her and she already sighed, knowing what he was going to ask her. "Where the bloody hell is Tommy?" He asked as he pulled out his pocket watch and looked down at the time.

"He's on his way." She repeated the answer she has given him every time he has come to ask her for the past twenty minutes. She looked him at him with furrowed eyebrows before joining the rest of the family by one of the tables, sitting down next to Polly.

"All right then, while we're waiting patiently..." Arthur spoke up as he got up from his chair, picking up a crate of the Garrison's stock and placing it on the table. "Whisky." He said and both Polly and Maude turned to look at Henry who effectively avoided them as he looked the other way. "Left over from the explosion. It's good stuff, as well." Arthur informed them as he poured everyone a glass.

John shared a look with Esme who sat on the stairs with a book, taking a glass of whiskey offered to him, finishing it before he cleared his throat and spoke up. "Right." He said as he clasped his hands together behind his back. "Before Tommy gets here, I think there's a few things we need to get straight between the rest of us."

Polly raised her eyebrows as she looked at John. "You think?" She asked.

He silently stared at her for a second. "Yeah." He replied with a nod of his head. "Yeah, I do. I want to know...When did we all take a vote on this expansion south?" he asked as he looked around at everyone.

"You have anything to say, you wait for Thomas." Polly insisted, a tone of warning in her voice as she gave him a pointed look.

"Polly's fucking right." Arthur agreed with a nod of his head as he stared at his brother.

"I see all the books. Legal and off track. Sort of stuff you don't see." John informed them, eyes lingering on Maude because he knew she saw all the books as well. "And in the past year, the Shelby Company Limited has been making £150 a day." He continued on and Maude bit back a sigh as she glanced at Polly who knew more or less as well what was in the books. But it was Tommy's business, not theirs and not John's. "Right? A fucking day! Sometimes more. So what I want to know is why are we changing things?" He asked as he raised his eyebrows before his gaze landed on his aunt. "Polly, look what's happened already. We haven't even set foot in London yet and they've already blown up our fucking pub."

"Who said anything about cockneys?" Arthur asked as he stared at his brother.

"Who else?" Esme asked as she glanced over at the group with raised eyebrows.

Polly's gaze sharply turned towards Esme. "Do you know who did it, do you?" Polly asked her as she raised her eyebrows.

John glanced between his aunt and wife before shaking his head. "No, she doesn't know who did it." He snapped at Polly.

"I'm told only family are allowed to speak," Esme muttered as her attention turned back to her book and Maude quirked an eyebrow at the girl.

Tommy stepped into the kitchen, glancing between everyone who sat around the table before his gaze turned to Esme. "Everyone's allowed to speak." He informed her and Esme's eyes widened as her head snapped towards Tommy. "On your feet, Esme, let's hear what you have to say." He demanded.

John cleared his throat as he stood a little taller while looking at his brother. "I speak for our household." He insisted.

"She spoke for herself just a second ago," Maude muttered as she glanced at Esme before turning towards John and Polly hummed in agreement as her gaze turned towards John as well.

"John, this company is a modern enterprise and believes in equal rights for women." Tommy reminded his brother before turning back towards the woman sitting on the stairs. "On your feet, Esme." He demanded.

Esme looked at Tommy before glancing back at John. After a second, she set her book aside and slowly got up to her feet. "I'm not a blood member of this family but perhaps, indeed, because I'm not a member I can see things in a different light. So I'll get to my point." She began.

"That would be nice." Polly interrupted her, pursing her lips as she lit herself a cigarette and took a long drag, blowing a puff of smoke out as she turned to Esme with a pointed look, urging the girl to get on with it.

"As my husband said, Shelby Company Limited is now very successful. But London." She spoke as her gaze settled on Tommy who leaned against the kitchen door, lighting himself a cigarette as well. "I have kin in Shepherd's Bush and Portobello. It's more like wars between armies down there. And the coppers fight side-by-side with them. And there are foreigners of every description and the use of bombs is the least of it." She spoke, and Maude bit down on her bottom lip, knowing London has been dangerous for a long time, and through the years it had only gotten worse. But she knew Esme was wasting her time as she already tried the conversation with Tommy. "I have a child, blessed with the Shelby family good looks. I want John to see him grow up. I want us to someday live somewhere with fresh air and trees and keep chickens or something." She continued on. "But London is just smoke and trouble, Thomas."

Polly was taken aback, eyebrows raised in surprise at the girl. "Thomas?" She repeated, used to anyone only ever calling him that being her and Maude when they are upset with him.

"That's all I have to say," Esme said as she sat back down on the stairs.

"That was a lot of words, a lot of words," Arthur muttered with a nod of his head as he glanced at Esme before grabbing a glass of whiskey and handing it to Tommy. "Wash them down with a nice drink."

"Thank you, Esme," Tommy said to her, finishing his whiskey and approaching the table, setting his empty glass down before he continued speaking. "Firstly, the bang in the pub had nothing to do with London. Understood? The bang is something I'm dealing with on my own." He informed them. "Secondly, we've nothing to fear from the proposed business expansion so long as we stick together. And after the first few weeks, nine-tenths of what we do in London will be legal. The other tenth is in good hands." He explained to them before looking down at his brother. "Isn't that right, Arthur?"

"That's right." Arthur agreed with a nod of his head.

"Now, some of you in this room have expressed your reservations. Fair enough. Any of you who want no part in the future of this company, walk out the door...Right now. Go raise your chickens." Tommy ordered them, his gaze flicking between John and Esme as the only two spoke out on the expantion, but everyone remained where they were. "For those of you with ambition the expansion process begins tomorrow." He said before leaving again, effectively ending the family meeting.

Early the next morning the men were off to London. Only the Shelby and Felton brothers went to stake their claim and leave their message. Again Maude was sent to the betting shop to keep an eye on things for Tommy.

The second Maude stepped foot into Tommy's office, Esme was on her, arms crossed firmly across her chest. "You're against this the same as me, aren't you?" She asked as she looked at Maude with raised eyebrows.

"Look out for anyone putting big money on Divine Star in the 3:30 at Newmarket." She informed Esme as she picked up the legal document Tommy had left on his desk for her to sign. "She's one of ours. Anything over a pound, tell me or Polly." She instructed as she sat down at Tommy's desk.

"You always agree with everything Tommy says, but I know you think this is a dangerous plan." Esme insisted as she approached the desk, standing on the opposite side of Maude, placing her hands firmly on the table as she stared at the dark-haired woman.

"Every plan he has, is dangerous, Esme," Maude muttered with a sigh as she looked up from the documents, pursing her lips as she slowly shook her head. "They're their own men, they make their own decision. John didn't have to go to London." She muttered before her gaze turned back to the documents, indicating the conversation was over.

Esme sighed in defeat as she stared at Maude. Polly and Anna entering the betting shop and making their way into the kitchen caught Esme's attention and she stared at them for a second before turning back to Maude. "There is something I want to tell you." She said softly as she sat down by the desk.

Maude looked back at Esme, her eyebrows furrowing. "What is it, Esme?" She asked softly as she put her work aside, her full attention on the woman in front of her.

"I only want to tell you, because you and Polly are close and maybe if you talk to her, she'll listen," Esme explained, resting her hands on her lap as she picked at her fingers.

Worry filled Maude at the mention of Polly and she sat back in her chair. "Esme." She urged the woman to speak as her eyebrows furrowed even further, her arms crossing over her chest.

"Polly went to see a woman last night, in the patch," Esme informed her, her voice soft and hushed. "The woman is a trickster who claims she can talk with the dead." She continued, glancing at the door to make sure no one else was around before she went on. "Her sister was in the wash house this morning, saying Mrs. Price boosted about having a Shelby at her table." She explained as she pursed her lips.

Maude's lips parted as she took in the information. With a soft sigh, she pointed a finger at the woman. "Esme, you tell no one of this, or Polly will have your head." She warned in a hushed voice.

"I understand," Esme replied with a nod of her head as she got up to her feet and left the office to return to her work.

Maude sighed as she ran a hand over her face, weighing her options and thinking of the possible outcomes if she did decide to talk with Polly. The older woman was dear to Maude, and she'd hate for Polly to feel like she couldn't talk to anyone if something was upsetting her. Maude also didn't want things to spiral out of control with Mrs. Price if Polly continued to go to her, unaware of her tricks.

With another sigh, she got up to her feet and left the office, standing in the kitchen doorway as she looked between Polly and Anna who sat by the kitchen table, drinking their morning tea. "Anna, can you give us a second?" Maude asked as she looked over at the younger girl.

Anna looked between Polly and Maude before slowly nodding her head. "Of course." She agreed as she got up from her seat, taking her teacup with her as she left the kitchen.

"Polly, we should talk about something," Maude muttered softly as she closed the doors that separated the kitchen from the betting shop.

"Talk about what?" Polly asked as she stared at Maude over the rim of her teacup, her eyebrows furrowed.

Maude stood near the door for a second, inhaling sharply before she took a seat opposite Polly by the table. "Esme tells me you went to see a woman in the patch last night." She informed her cautiously, and Polly's gaze immediately turned murderous. "She says she heard it in a washhouse," Maude explained. "The woman is a trickster, Pol." She said.

Polly gulped at the lump forming in the back of her throat as she set her teacup down."Do you know why I went to see this woman?" She asked softly.

"No, I don't think Esme knows either." She replied with a shake of her head before she reached out and placed a hand on top of Polly's. "But you can't trust these people, Pol." She insisted as she shook her head again.

"Have I ever told you of my children?" Polly asked softly as she looked at Maude who shook her head in response. "You see, my son and my daughter were taken from me when they were very small." She softly informed her, tears pooling in her eyes. "Taken by the parish authorities and I never knew what happened to them." She said and Maude gave her hand a soft squeeze as she listened. "But lately I've had a feeling. Like, a feeling." She whispered as she took a shaky breath while shaking her head. "I can't put it into words." She muttered. "And I keep having a dream. I see a pretty girl, about 18 years old. She's standing across the street and she tells me she's passed over." She said as the first tear slipped down her cheeks and Maude gave her hand another squeeze.

"Now, my daughter would have been 18 this year. On May 15th." Polly continued as she send a quick glance at Maude before her gaze diverted down to the floor beneath her feet. "And this girl has dark eyes like mine. And she shouts and shouts. And she tells me she wants to talk to me because I'm her mother." She whispered as more tears rolled down her cheeks. "Now, I don't even know what name they gave her after they stole her from me. But if she does want to say goodbye, I thought that would be the place to go." She explained.

Maude was silent for a second, her heart aching for Polly. She took Polly's hand into both of hers. "Pol...if you tell Tommy, he can find out." She said softly.

Polly immediately shook her head as she looked at Maude. "No, you cannot tell Thomas of this." She demanded.

"Alright, alright," Maude whispered as she nodded her head in understanding. "I won't." She assured softly as she gave Polly's hand a squeeze.

Maude left the kitchen soon after, closing the door behind her to give Polly a second to gather herself in privacy. Anna looked up from her work, her eyes finding Maude's. "Is everything alright?" She asked.

"Yes, everything is alright," Maude assured as she forced a smile. "Everyone's just been a little stressed between the expantion and the Garrison." She explained as she crossed her arms over her chest, sighing softly.

Anna pursed her lips as she stared at Maude. "I have to admit...I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this expantion." She said softly as she fiddled with her pen between her fingers.

"Doesn't matter how we feel, Anna," Maude muttered as she shook her head, another sigh slipping from her lips. "Only matters what Tommy says." She said as her gaze diverted towards Tommy's empty office. "That's the way of this business, you'll learn that soon enough." She said as she looked over at Anna before turning to Tommy's office to finish her work.