CHAPTER SIX - freddie

'I'm not afraid of Tommy Shelby, or Charlotte Williams.'

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EARLY ON IN THE MORNING, Thomas dragged Charlotte along to a meeting with the inspector that had been causing the Blinders so much trouble. In all honesty, Charlie sat there bored for the majority of the conversation, every now and again stepping in to add a few points Tommy had missed. Then, as soon as the pair stepped out of the fancy building, Charlotte rushed off the Garrison for her shift.

She spent hours behind the bar, having chats with each customer to pass the time and wiping down sticky tables whenever one was left empty. Harry noticed her boredom and offered to her that Grace could step in so she could go home, but she passed up on it. Her brother, Joshua, seemed to prefer it when Polly or Ada looked after him, so Charlotte saw no point in trying to force him to spend time with her if all he was going to do was whine. Sure, she could've left and spent time with Tommy instead, but after hearing word through the pub, she deemed him to be too busy, that was before he stepped through the door.

Charlotte had just closed up the pub and was doing the last bits and pieces to set up tomorrow with a cigarette between her lips when the drenched man trudges in, a sorry look on his face. Grace was shuffling behind the bar, sorting out the remaining beers and stacking glasses and she stood up almost immediately at the noise of the door creaking open.

"Tommy," Charlotte sighs, taking the cig from her lips and squashing it against a table, "Sit—"

"We're closed, Mr Shelby," Grace speaks up.

His jaw sets and his gaze snaps over to her in annoyance while he removes his hat from his head, "Go home, Grace. I want to talk to Charlotte alone."

"But, we're closed, and I need—"

Charlotte rolls her jaw, "Grace, go home."

After licking her lips and pulling her coat tightly around her body, Grace finally left, sending the two best friends one last glare before running through the rain. When the door slams shut behind her, Thomas quietly makes his way over to the bar.

"I'll just have a thing of rum, Char." Thomas says while Charlotte trudges to behind the bar, her eyebrows furrowed.

She hums, grabbing the neck of a rum bottle and selecting a clean glass from the selection before sliding them both across to Tommy, who nods in thanks and grabs them, swinging his whole body around before sliding down into a seat with a grunt.

"What's got you all sad?" She questions, leaning on the bar and staring at the back of his head while he pours himself a drink.

He motions to the empty seat opposite him, "Come sit down, Charlie," He grumbles, "I came here for company, not another enquiry."

"Sorry, sorry," She purses her lips, slipping down into the wood chair he invited her to sit in, "Is it your horse? The lads today were talking about how one of them seemed ill. I guessed it was yours as seen as they didn't dare say your name."

He swallows thickly, downing the whole of his drink before leaning back in his chair, "I just put a bullet in his head."

Charlotte's face immediately drops, and she feels as if she should throw her arms around him and hug him, but knowing that would get him nowhere, she stays seating, "Shit, Tommy. I'm so sorry." She wants to ask further questions, but her lips close.

He glances away from her face, his eyes trailing all over the room, "I've told you a lot about France, but I don't think I've ever told you this," He sighs, meeting her eyes again, "I got used to seeing men die. I never got used to seeing horses die. They die badly."

Charlotte tilts her head, her soft eyes staring into his darkened ones. She stuffs her hand into her dress pocket, digging out her cigarette box out and offering it to him. He nods, slipping one out and with her other hand she gives him her lighter.

"Grace has been telling me that she's dug a dress out for your little. . . date at the races," She leans forward slightly, allowing him to light her cigarette and then his, "She seems excited. I told her that the King would be there and nearly had a heart attack. She thought I meant King George."

Thomas chuckles, "She's a posh one, I ain't surprised."

"Thomas Shelby, you are lucky that you have me," She points a finger in his direction, "I thought you would've told her about how you would give her three pound for wandering around, following your orders, but you hadn't even mentioned it to her. Why would you not tell her she was there to look pretty and not for actual date?" She rolls her eyes while he smirks, "And she claims she going to sing, just like she did in Dublin. Lord, that will be a sight."

He shakes his head, "I spoke to her earlier. She never worked in Dublin. She lied. I have friends over there, and not a single soul has heard of her. And that so called pub she worked in, doesn't exist."

Charlotte's mouth falls open, "Oh. And then let me guess, you predicted her past and she fell even more in love with you."

Thomas glares at her in annoyance, "Bugger me if she's in love with me," He chuckles to himself, "To be honest, immediately after she did sing me a song, it was definitely an experience."

Throwing her head back, Charlotte laughs. Thomas chuckles even more at the sound of her laugh. It's a noise he's heard a million times since they've been friends, but every time he loves even more. It's true music to his ears and showed something that Grace's songs never could.

"I heard that Ada and Polly are going to the train station tomorrow to get Ada the first train out of 'ere," Charlie says.

Tommy nods, "I wanted to speak to you about that actually. Go with them."

Her eyebrows raise, "Any particular reason?"

"No," He shakes his head, "No reason."

❦

Charlotte stares at Freddie Thorne with an open mouth and Ada's hand slips out of hers.

Her and Polly had agreed to wave Ada off at the train station as she left Birmingham, neither of the women expected the father of her daughter to suddenly appear with a smug smirk on his face.

"You've gotta be having a laugh," Charlotte scoffs, grimacing as Ada wraps her arms around Freddie in a tight hold, "Thought I'd seen the last of him."

"You and me both," Polly mumbles.

Ada pulls away, her hand beginning to fiddle with her long necklace, "You came back."

He nods, smiling brightly, "I got a tip-off."

"Freddie," Polly calls, "Tommy will kill you."

"And if it doesn't, then I bloody will," Charlotte snaps, taking a step closer to him, but he remains still, the bright smile spread across his cheeks not depleting.

"It was Tommy who tipped me off," He raises his eyebrows, "Maybe he's got half a heart after all. Tommy got a message to me. It said 'Get out of town and take her with you.' So. . ." He begins to shuffle his body and lower it down until he's on one knee, pulling a box out of his pocket, "Ada Shelby, will you marry me?"

Charlotte's mouth falls open in disgust, and the only thing preventing her from getting angry is the happy expression on Ada's face; it's been a long time since Ada has been so happy.

"Yes," She giggles, nodding enthusiastically while he stands up, slipping the ring onto their finger, "Yes."

Ada turns to Polly and Charlotte, who both step forward and pull the excited woman into a big warm hug, laughing gently.

"Right, get on that bloody train and get out of here," Polly takes her arm and begins to walk her over to the train that leave any moments.

Charlotte stays stood behind a still Freddie, her eyes assessing his form carefully. He isn't moving, he isn't following his fiancé to the train. Realisation hits her, he's not going.

"Freddie," She snaps, smacking her plan against his shoulder, sending him to take a step forward, "Get on the fucking train with her."

He shrugs her off, "We're not going anywhere, Ada." He moves forward, grabbing his hand as the train leaves the station, "We're going to stay here and we're going to marry here. I'm not afraid of Tommy Shelby," He grumbles, looking over his shoulder at the blonde woman scowling at him, "Or Charlotte Williams."

The pair connect their hands, leaving speechless Ada and Charlotte staring at each other in shock. Ada shakes her head, while Charlie groans loudly.

"Nothing good is gonna come out of this," She mumbles, turning to leave while Ada links their arms, "Fucking nothing."

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