Truly Mrs Shelby [T. Shelby || Peaky Blinders || Shelby's Girl Book 3]

- 7 -

Tommy was sitting on the grass on the land of Arrow House, as a fire burned in front of him, he sat in silence before he got up. He walked over to the black horse and mounted it before he rode back to Arrow House.

Inside Arrow House, Ada, Natasha, Polly and Michael were gathered in his office, Natasha and Ada were watching from the window, "He's back," Ada said.

"Was he out there all night?" Michael asked.

"Every night since she refuses to see him," Ada looked at him and everyone looked at her, "Comes back in the morning to see the boys and feed the horses, and when it gets dark, he goes off again," Ada told them.

"He used to sleep out when he was a kid. Curly would find him in the pasture. How're the boys?" Polly said.

"They ask for their mum at night, Angela helps but they need to see her. She won't let them," Natasha sighed and walked over to a desk, "Tommy made a list," She picked it up, "He wants to see you two first," Natasha said.

"What about John and Arthur?" Polly asked and the door opened, they looked up to see Tommy walking in, he walked across the room and then out of the room.

"He rarely speaks now," Natasha looked at Polly, "Oh, and you're requested at the hospital later," Natasha said and Polly nodded.

Polly and Michael sat opposite Tommy's desk as he wrote something on his desk, "How are the books?" Tommy asked.

Polly hesitated, "Unaffected," Polly said.

"Up slightly," Tommy stopped writing, "There's also been a threefold increase in donations to the Shelby Foundation charity. The councillor suggested naming the new school to 'The Astella Shelby Institute'," Tommy stubbed out his cigarette a few times, "I ran it by Astella," Tommy glanced at him, "In the brief one-minute slot I was granted by her and she said whatever Tommy wants," Michael said.

"Tell the councillor the name 'The Astella Shelby Institute' is acceptable to us," Tommy sniffed and folded a piece of paper as Michael and Polly glanced at each other and then looked at Tommy who had put the paper in an envelope, "This is a list on the other things I want doing," Tommy held it out to Polly who took it, "That's all," Tommy said.

Michael cleared his throat and stood up as Polly watched him, she stood up and stepped up to the desk, "Tommy," Polly said.

"That's all, Pol," Tommy continued to look through his desk of many papers, Polly rolled her eyes and walked over to Michael and the door, before looking back at him as Tommy shoved some papers off the desk, "Well done, both of you," Tommy said.

Michael looked at Tommy, "She's getting better Tommy, it's not just you, she's refusing to see,"  Tommy looked at him, "When I went she had me thrown out... Something happened to her that night, she needs time and she will return home... To you of her own accord," Michael said and he and Polly walked out of the office.