Arabella || Peaky Blinders [Michael Gray]

nine

Chapter Nine
"No fucking fighting!"

TWO YEARS LATER

Arabella's expensive black heels, bought all the way from Paris, clicked loudly against the ground as she strode up the gravel path to Tommy Shelby's mansion.

"Bloody hell, Tommy," she mumbled to herself, gazing up at the size of his home with wide eyes. Arabella had left Small Heath to take part in business in America just over a year after she joined the company, so was only now seeing the spectacular, and absolutely enormous, house that Tommy had splashed his cash out on for him, Grace and little Charlie.

To say Arabella was surprised when Tommy told her he planned to marry Grace, was an understatement. Arabella had heard stories of the Irish woman, and stories of how she broke Tommy's heart. Most of all, like most of the family, Arabella wasn't even aware Grace had come back into Tommy's life, not to mention he'd knocked her up.

She knocked her fist against the front door a few times, though she wasn't sure what use it would do since everybody was likely caught up in the party. The door swung open after a few moments, revealing Tommy, who was dressed smartly in a navy blue suit, a pretty white flower placed neatly on his left jacket lapel.

He removed the cigarette from his mouth, leaning against the doorway. "Get here when you can."

"Sorry, had delays," Arabella apologised, patting a hand on his shoulder as she stepped inside. "Nice wedding?"

"Wonderful."

"Good," she smiled as he closed the door behind her, placing the cigarette back in his mouth. Arabella was slightly disappointed that she'd missed the actual wedding, though she did find them very tedious sometimes – the after party was definitely where she thrived. "The driver is bringing my bags round the back."

"I'll get someone to take them to your room," he said, falling into step beside her as they headed through the hallway. Arabella turned her head to take in her surroundings, glancing briefly at the expensive paintings hung up on the walls.

"Thanks for letting me stay the night, I appreciate it," she told him. And from what she'd seen of the house so far, she was excited to stay somewhere so huge and expensive. It was a long stretch from her little place in America, and an even bigger stretch from her modest house in Birmingham.

"Bloody hell!" John Shelby exclaimed the moment she stepped into the room. "Look what the cat dragged in!"

Arabella rolled her eyes, unable to help but match John's grin as he pulled her into a hug. "Lovely to see you too."

He pulled back, his eyes drifting over her. She looked slightly different since he'd last seen her, now almost a year ago. Her wavy brown hair was much shorter now, framing her face in a way that made her look older than the teenager that had left Small Heath.

Arabella smoothed down her pink dress, glancing past John to scan the room for the rest of the Shelby clan, when suddenly a pair of hands were placed on her shoulders, spinning her around.

"Right, let's 'ave a look at you then!" Arabella smiled as she faced Arthur Shelby, who stopped short when he got a proper look at the now grown up young woman, a long way from the girl he remembered. "Bloody hell, look at you! Our Finn's gonna have a heart attack."

Arabella chuckled, hugging Arthur tightly, eyes instantly being drawn to the wedding band on his finger. "You got married?" She asked in surprise, drawing back slightly.

Arthur instinctively glanced at the ring, looking up at her sheepishly. "Yeah."

She smacked his arm, smiling good-naturedly to show she was only teasing. "Why the hell wasn't I invited?!"