Chapter Text
My name is Thomas Shelby, and today, I'm going to kill a man.
Today is Derby Day. The murder will take place this afternoon, at the Epsom races. It may be that I am able to escape after the killing. The odds are not good, which is why I am writing this letter. I've been forced by agents of the Crown to carry out this murder. In the event of my own death, I want the following facts to be known.
My family are innocent of any involvement. And while some of them may be guilty of other things, I've not shared details of this mission with any of them, and no company assets were used. Agents of the Crown joined forces with pro-treaty Fenians to arrange this murder. I believe the governments intend to falsely blame the anti-treaty IRA. Therefore, the bullet I fire this afternoon will be the starting gun for civil war in Ireland.
The man I have been instructed to kill is Field Marshal Russell. Formerly a Black and Tan commander who committed many atrocities in the county of Cork. There is no remorse in my heart at the prospect of his death. However, the conspiracy behind the killing is cause for international concern. Such is the gravity of my secret mission, that after I have served my purpose, I believe they intend to kill me.
I therefore want to name a particular individual in this letter. The agent who has initiated and orchestrated this crime is Major Chester Campbell of the British Secret Intelligence Service. He chose me for this dirty business as an act of vengeance, prompted by hatred of long standing. In the event of my death, it is imperative he be brought to justice.
If you are reading this, then I am dead already. I hope that, living as you do in a truly free country, you will be able to make the above facts known to the world.
Yours sincerely, Thomas Shelby.
“Did you one anyway,” Ada said loudly, drawing his attention away from his letter. “you ignorant git.”
“Ada, sit down here for a minute.” She sighs and moves to sit down reluctantly. Ada, like all the members of his family, have no clue what he’s going to do. He folds the letter and tucks it into an envelope. “Ada, if anything happens to me today,” he pauses long enough to lick the envelope so it can be sealed. “I need you to post this letter. The stamp's already on.” he lifts his cigarette to his lips. “Don't ask any questions, it's to do with insurance.”
He can tell from the look on Ada’s face that she doesn’t believe him. “Look, Tommy, whatever it is you're involved in, just tell us.” he can’t. he couldn’t even tell Kate. Kate, she was the only thing that was giving him the will to survive. If he was going to survive, it was going to be because of her. “God, you never let anybody in.” that wasn’t true. He let Kate in, but she didn’t push her way in. she just knew. It was as if she could f**king sense what was going on in his head and she just knew. “We love you, Tom.”
He glanced at Ada. He knew that they loved him. they were his family and he loved them, he just, wasn’t good at telling them as much. They saw him differently, they remembered the man he used to be and mourned the death of that man. Kate, she didn’t know who he was before. She saw him as he was know and still loved him.
He exhaled and reached into his coat. “Speaking of love…if something happens,” he hands Ada two letters. The one without a name on it belonged to Kate. “I need to make sure that these letters get to Violet Carter.” Kate’s grandmother was the only person that he trusted to make sure that she’d get the letter. If something happened to him, her grandmother would be the best person to comfort her. “She’ll know who to give the other one to.”
Ada frowns. “Why are you involving her in this?”
He doesn’t answer. He glances at his watch. It’s ten minutes to 6, James should be down soon. Suddenly, there’s the sound of someone running, a door opening and vomiting. He frowned as he looked at Ada. “What’s that?”
“Oh, It’s Kate.” He pauses. “You remember, my neighbor.”
He fought to keep his face impassive. That made no sense, Kate was supposed to call him tomorrow. What was she doing back from Scotland a week early? And furthermore, why hadn’t she told him that she was back. “Thought you said she was in Scotland for two months.”
“She’s not. She came back early.” Ada exhaled. “She’s in a bit of trouble and she may need your help.”
He frowned. “How so?”
Ada sighed and rolled her eyes. “She broke her engagement with Alfie Solomons and he showed up here yesterday, looking for her.”
his heart started to pound in his chest. “She alright?”
“Yes, but the problem is that she’s pregnant and…
his whole world stopped at those words. Kate was pregnant? And Solomons had come after her! he didn’t hear anything Ada said after that. he heard the toilet flush and Kate opened the bathroom door, letting out a quiet moan of misery. He didn’t hesitate. He left the papers on the desk and went straight down the hall towards the woman that was pregnant with his child.
“Tom?” Ada called. “What is it?”
he ignored her. Kate came out of the bathroom, her face pale and a hand on her stomach. She made a face of disgust. He called to her. “Kate?”
she whirled around and stared at him, her face pale, her green eyes wide and she’d never looked more f**king beautiful in her life. “Tommy!” he stepped towards her, grabbed her shoulders and pulled her towards him. she let out sound as he exhaled. “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same f**king thing, Kate.” he exhaled roughly, his heart pounding in his chest. “You didn’t tell me you were coming back early.”
She nods. “I was going to call you later today. I-I wasn’t feeling well when I got back yesterday.”
“I know.” She went still, glancing up at him in concern. He nodded, placing his hand on her stomach as he said. “Ada says…that my kid's been giving you a tough time.”
she stared up at him, surprise in her eyes. “You know?”
“Yeah.”
“Tommy,” Ada came storming towards them cutting Kate off. “you have no right---
“It’s alright Ada.” He states without looking away from Kate. “I’m the father.”
Ada stares at him. “What?”
He holds Kate’s gaze. “It’s my kid she’s carrying.”
She inhales as she nods. “Yes.”
Ada stared before shouting. “WHAT THE F**K!?” Karl started crying and Ada shook her head. “F**k you! you’re such a f**king idiot, Tom!”
Ada headed upstairs towards her wailing son. Thomas noticed that his hand shook slightly as he placed his hand on her stomach. “F**k.”
She inhaled as she placed her hand over his. “I’m sorry.”
He exhaled. “Don’t be.”
“It’s the wrong time.” She said softly. “It’s too soon for a baby.”
He exhaled deeply as he placed a hand on her neck. it was the wrong timing, but, he was going to marry this woman, raise a whole house of snotty-nosed kids. There was no reason not to start that part of the dream, especially after she’d been left unsatisfied and neglected by alive Solomons for years. Yeah, it was the wrong moment, but it had been long overdue to her.
“No.” He assures her. “You’ve waited a long time for this, to be a mother. Now, you f**king are.”
She inhaled and looked up at him. “And you, Tommy? are you happy?”
He didn’t even hesitate. “Yeah.” He couldn’t help but add. “Why do you think I put the f**king pillows under you last time we were together, eh?” she frowned as he confessed. “Heard it helps the woman get pregnant faster.”
Kate gasped and stared at him. “Tommy!”
He can’t stop from grinning. “Come on Kate, we’ve been talking about getting married, having kids…why the f**k wouldn’t I be trying to knock you up?”
She blushed as she stammered. “Well…you did!”
“I know!” He cupped her face in his hands. “F**king hell, Kate.”
“I was pregnant, before that night.” she said as she wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’m almost three months.”
he nods, yeah, it’s all moving fast, but it’s good. she’s waited long enough as has he. “You better had bought that wedding dress, you’re going to f**king need it.”
“Tommy!” She inhaled. “So, you’re really happy about this?”
he nods. “Yeah.”
She exhaled in relief. “Oh, thank God!”
“What?” he frowns.
“Nothing,” she wraps her arms around his waist and closes her eyes. she lets out a sigh and he can feel the tension fleeing her body. “I’ve just been in my head a bit. I’m alright now though. It’s been…a long two months and a stressful time.”
“No more of that Katie.” He exhaled as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the simple engagement ring that had been burning a hole in there for nearly a month. “Kate…as you know, I bought this for you.”
She looked at the ring and went still. “Are you serious?”
“Been serious from the moment I saw you.” he inhaled before asking. “Will you marry me Kate?”
she nodded. “Yes.” he didn’t hesitate, he kissed her deeply. it had been two months apart, but the spark was still there, if anything, it had grown more. After he broke the kiss, she let out a soft sigh. “I would love to marry you.”
“Good.” he took her hand and slid the ring on her finger. It was a perfect fit. It didn’t escape his notice his she still wore the bracelet. She smiled at him and gave him a peck on the lips. He exhaled. “Today’s Tuesday, we marry next Sunday.”
“Tommy,” she exhaled. “Alfie was here yesterday. He proposed to me.”
he nods. “That’s all fine Kate.” she frowns, clearly confused. “Do you have your wedding dress?”
“Yes, but, Tommy, we talked and he did realize that I love you and only you. he doesn’t know that it’s you, but,” she exhaled. “he said that he’d try not to kill you. I think, if we wait a little longer---
“No.” he said firmly. “Not with my kid in you. I’ll talk to him.” her eyes widened and she immediately started shaking his head. “I know Solomons. He’ll blow off steam, but he’ll let you go without a thought.”
“How can you know this?” She states. “I can see that I hurt him Tommy and I know him too, Tommy. He is not going to accept it being you, especially after what I did.”
“I just know it Kate, it’s something we men know.” he exhaled as he glanced at his watch. “I have to go. I have a job.” She nods in understanding. “I’ve made arrangements for Alfie, his parents, you and your parents to meet at 4:00. I already talked to Harry, he’ll be there 30 minutes later.”
Her eyes bulged in shock. “You’re talking to harry!?”
“Yes. You were gone for two months, I had time to sort this thing out.” he shakes his head. “Take Ada with you so you’re not alone. During that time, you will collect the rest of your things and have them sent over to my house. I’m going to come over there and we’re going to settle this.”
“Tommy!” she shakes his head. “I just got back yesterday!”
“I told you,” he reminds her. “when you got back, we’re starting a life together. you’re going to marry me and I’m going to give that kid my name. they need to know the whole story and everyone can let it go.” She looks beyond confused. “Kate, I need you to trust me.”
she inhaled deeply and nodded. “I’m trying, it’s just hard when I don’t know what’s going on.”
“What the bloody hell's going on?” Ada said loudly from the stairs. “James, what's going on?”
He exhaled and said softly to Kate. “I have to go.”
She nodded. “Alright.”
As he kissed Kate on the lips, Ada was still protesting in the background. “Don't listen to him, James. He'll get you killed.”
Kate had a slight frown on her face as he broke the kiss. He smirked at her as he headed back to the parlor to get his jacket and suitcase. “Just an errand, Ada.”
“What errand?” Ada demands.
“For the cause, Ada.” James says with a smile on his face as he moves to the front door. “The good old cause.”
He pulls his coat on and moves to the door. Kate follows, her hand on her stomach. He exhales deeply, just when he thought he’d be leaving her for the last time, he was leaving her once again and this time, he might not be able to come back to her. he exhales. “Ada, the blank envelope, it goes to Kate if something happens to me.”
Ada shakes her head. “Her and you! how long has this been going on!?”
Kate ignores her as she reaches for him, her hands softly gripping his coat as she kisses him lightly on the lips. He can tell that she’s worried, but staying strong. She exhaled and breathed against his lips. “You be careful and come back to me, alright?”
He nods. “I’ll be back for both of you. alright?” she nodded. He kissed her on the forehead. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
With that, he turned and headed towards a very uneasy day. He now had something to fight for. He had her and she was having his kid. He could survive today. Besides, he’d already done the impossible. Found the woman that Alfie was really in love with and it sure as hell wasn’t his Kate. Solomons would forget about his Kate in a heartbeat.