𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙮, John Shelby

- 09

- CHAPTER NINE -

- IN WHICH A MARRIAGE OCCURS

. . .

THE FOLLOWING MORNING started rather early with Tommy pounding on Rory's door at half-past-seven in the morning. At first she'd been rather confused, work wasn't going ahead that day but she was still needed for a reason that he wouldn't tell her.

All the Miller girl knew was that she was to meet him outside the Betting Den at ten o'clock, dressing as smartly as she could.

And thus, after getting back into bed for another half an hour, Rory was climbing into a steaming hot bath, using her favourite bar of soap with a collection of candles lit just near by and a cup of tea just beside it.

It was fair to say Billy and Thomas's way of working were completely different. Of course that was expected when one was considered the king in the case of Horse Racing and the other was a standard bookmaker from Small Heath.

But whilst Billy would've told Rory about a week ahead in advance that something important was going to take place, Thomas told her the day that it was happening, three hours before whatever it was would take its course.

After about half an hour, she slipped back out of the bath now smelling of vanilla and rose. And then slid on a red dress that stopped half way between her knees and ankles. She pulled on a pair of socks and loafers before sitting down at her mirror and applied a light layer of makeup.

With a few minutes left to spare, Rory clasped an apple and then began for the attic door, quickly descending down the staircase and waving quickly to Harry and Grace before she rushed out onto the lane.

She quickly made her way through the backstreets towards Tommy's house, ending up at it fairly speedily with only a few seconds to spare.

"Good. You're here." Tommy's voice sounded as the front door opened and he, Arthur and John came out dressed in similar suits and ties. She twisted round with a start, her heart pounding.

"You scared me." She mumbled as the man walked past her, Arthur patting her shoulder as she followed them towards the car that she and John had recently cleaned. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

A sigh escaped Rory's lips, but nonetheless, she climbed into the back of the car with John and allowed Tommy to drive them to wherever it was they were going.

The drive didn't take too long, Arthur and John making jokes between them as they went from Small Heath to where the beginning of the countryside was and then drew up at the bottom of the longest driveway Rory had ever seen.

Another car was parked up opposite them, Curly and Charlie sat in the front with another group of many more men in the back. Tommy and Arthur got out, instantly beginning to walk up and leaving Rory and John sat together in the back.

"You might want this." John reached into his pocket and pulled out a singular fake rose, the stem cut rather short.

"Oh... thank you?" She took the rose from him holding it one hand whilst she used the other to push the car door open and climb out. Then she used the front window to tuck the rose into her hair - since it was usually used to put on a suit jacket but she didn't have that.