Arabella || Peaky Blinders [Michael Gray]

thirty

Chapter Thirty
"He deserved better than you."

John's funeral was held the next afternoon in an open field. Most of his belongings had been gathered up; medals, army uniform, his cap, a framed photograph of him, and had all been placed in the wagon around his body.

Arabella had added his ring to the chain around her neck, wearing it close to her heart.  She stood closely beside Mallory, gripping tightly onto her best friend's hand as she watched everybody approach the wagon with flowers. Arabella hadn't brought flowers, instead she'd lay a picture of her John and Mason together when they were younger.

"This is how John wanted to go," Tommy began, facing the group of family and friends surrounding him. "On the smoke. But the truth is, we died together once before. Arthur, me Danny Whizz-Bang, Freddie Thorne, Jeremiah, Mason Newell and John."

Arabella's head shot lifted at the unexpected mention of her brother's name, and Mallory squeezed her hand, looking up to see Arabella's, surprisingly, firm eyes become overcast with emotion for the first time that day.

"We were cut off from the retreat," Tommy continued on. "No bullets left, waiting for the Prussian cavalry to come, and to finish us off. And while we waited Jeremiah said we should sing In The Bleak Midwinter. But we were spared- the enemy never came. And we all agreed That everything after that was extra, and when our time came, we would all remember."

"You remember that God spared you," Polly spoke up. "But what did you do with the extra time that he gave you, eh, Thomas?"

Arabella suppressed a sigh in response to her interjection, but couldn't help but completely understand her bitterness towards her nephew. Tommy did not look at Polly, instead turning his attention to Arthur as he struck a match, throwing it into the wood surrounding the wagon. Within seconds, flames had engulfed the entire caravan, the heat from the blaze bringing warmth to Arabella's skin. With her free hand, she pulled the necklace out from behind her black dress, clutching it tightly in her hand. She closed her eyes as tears began to brim, picturing John and Mason at a much happier time, hoping that they were finally together once more, having fun, just like they used to.

A gunshot rang out abruptly, the sound startling Arabella so much that her heart went completely soaring in panic. Almost everybody had ducked to the ground in instinct, Arabella one of the last, Isaiah's hands firmly pushing down on her shoulders to get her down on the ground.

Adrenaline coursed through her entire body, sweat beginning to accumulate on her skin as flashes of Christmas Day appeared in her mind. Arabella's throat felt tight, chest seizing as she began to replay every single detail.

"At ease. At ease. Do not return fire!" Tommy shouted, holding out a hand to wave any weapons away. "I repeat, do not return fire! Stand down."

Isaiah slowly began to lower his gun, along with the other men who had drawn their weapons. The hand he held out in warning for Arabella and Mallory to stay on the ground lowered, and he glanced down at both girls, nodding in assurance.

Mallory shifted to her feet, taking Isaiah's hand as she pulled herself up from the ground. Shakily, Arabella began to stand, her hand inching towards the concealed weapon she had on her, not fully feeling safe out in the open.

"The men doing the firing are on our side," Tommy reassured as another gunshot rang out, the sound making Arabella flinch again. Immediately, her mind was cast back to Christmas morning once more, replaying the moment bullets pelted into John and Michael. She shook her head, ridding the images of the blood, the bodies, from her mind. "I took the trouble of getting an invitation to Aberama Gold," Tommy informed.