Elizabeth looked around the building, walking with Tommy around it. Her husband had watched her wander around, his eyes lighting up when he saw the look of glee on her face. She was in the school deciding on where things should go when the renovation was finished. The decorators had left for the day and Tommy had left Charlotte with James. She had become quite taken with the young boy and Elizabeth had been too.

"This is looking amazing," Elizabeth said to Tommy.

He removed his cap from his head and stuffed it into his coat pocket. Elizabeth had her hands in her coat pockets and she whirled around, her hair flowing behind her and her coat around her as she looked in the building. She smiled, beaming widely at her husband.

"If I went to school here then I would be happy," she said to him. "This building is stunning. I think it is almost as grand as our own home."

Tommy chuckled at that.

"I tried to find somewhere nice enough," Tommy informed his wife and she moved to one of the long paned windows. She peered out of it, looking at the lawn that would make a good play area. She perched down on the windowsill and Tommy went over to stand by her side. He leant against the wall behind her, his hand going to her shoulder. She moved her own hand to rest on top of his, tuning her head up to look at him.

"Thank you," she said.

"For what?" Tommy asked her.

"For all of this," she said, looking around the room.

The walls were painted white and the floor was wooden. There were ladders stood in the middle of the room as work on the ceiling was still being carried out and white sheets were dotted around, covering fireplaces and some of the existing furniture.

"I didn't do anythin', Liz. This is all you."

"Yes, but we would never have had this building without you."

Tommy shrugged and Elizabeth went back to look outside of the window. "I'd 'ave just done the buildin' up and sold it on anyway. It would 'ave made a good addition to the property portfolio…fetched a tidy profit."

"But doesn't it feel more rewarding to do something good with it?" Elizabeth asked.

Tommy shrugged. He didn't know. He didn't know if he felt any better for it. He sometimes wondered if all of the good things he did could outweigh the bad things he had done. He sometimes wondered if he did good things, they could erase the bad from his ledger. He had always thought that Elizabeth was his redemption. He always came home to his sweet, innocent wife and knew that she was the only good thing he had. The business Tommy had gotten involved with had been, predominately, through his own choice. He had made decisions to do bad things, but war had changed him.

The war had made him a different man. He saw things differently and he didn't think that he would ever be able to explain that to Elizabeth. He knew that she tried to understand, but she often struggled. The fact that she had left him attested to that. But, despite everything, she was still with him. She still loved him. He didn't deserve her. He knew that. But he never wanted to let her go.

"Yeah," he finally answered. "I guess."

She rolled her eyes, still smiling as she jumped down from the windowsill and took Tommy's hand. Walking backwards, she pulled her husband to follow her, her eyes remaining on his. "You guess?" she responded. "Tommy, you're allowed to do good things too and feel good about it. You don't need to be so brooding all of the time."

"Didn't yer fall in love with me because of my broodin'?" he wondered from her.

"No," she responded, standing still while Tommy moved towards her, closing the space in between them. He reached a hand out to her cheek, tracing the curve of her cheekbone and then letting his hand rest in her hair. "There were a lot of other reasons why I fell in love with you."

"But what were they?" Tommy wondered and Elizabeth arched her brows. Tommy shrugged at her. "I'm serious, Liz. What was it about me that yer fell in love with? I still don't get it…I doubt I ever 'ad."

"I don't think there is one single reason why I fell in love with you," Elizabeth admitted to him, hands running up and down his forearms. "It was when I got to know you…when you opened up to me and told me things you said you had never told anyone else. I mean, there are so many reasons why I fell in love with you. You were kind to me. You looked out for me like no one ever had done. You were funny…you made me laugh…you still do occasionally, believe it or not," she said, trying to raise a smile from him. It worked, but the smile was only fleeting. "I just felt like I could open up to you too. You looked at me as though I was just me, not like anyone else had done."

Tommy nodded and Elizabeth studied him. She squeezed his arms as he took hold of her waist. "What has brought this on?" she asked from him.

Tommy shrugged. "I think about it often," he admitted to her. "I see yer with Charlotte and James…everythin' else that yer do and yer just kind…loving…I just wonder what yer can even see me. I fought to keep yer and yer still love me."

"Because you are a good man too," Elizabeth said, trying to make him see that. He did this sometimes. He dwelled on the bad things he had done. She knew why he did that. He found it easier in his mind to think of that instead of the good things. The dark thoughts came to him when he started to think by himself. "Have you seen how you are with Charlotte? Tommy, our daughter has you wrapped around her little finger. You dote on her more than any father I have seen dote on his daughter."

He said nothing.

Elizabeth's hands went to his cheeks. She took hold of them, cupping them softly in her palms. Looking to him, she managed to stand on her tip toes, leaning into him and brushing her forehead against his.

"Don't go to that place," she urged from him. "You do this when you think I'm not watching. I know you. I know what you think, Tommy. You let your thoughts consume you and they don't need to."

"Easier said than done, Liz," Tommy responded.

"I know," she said, "but you have a family who love you. You could give the business up tomorrow, stop this vendetta against Michael…Mosley…and you would still have us. We would still be with you."

"My mind won't let me," Tommy said to her. "I can't rest. Yer have seen me try to rest."

"I know," Elizabeth said, "but one day, you will have to rest. You will have to."

"One day," he agreed, "but not for a while. Come on, I need to show yer the other wing."

Elizabeth was about to protest when Tommy took hold of her hand, but she didn't. She just watched him and hoped that he would be able to overcome whatever was going on inside of his head.

…

"Yer daughter is really clever," James said as he stood in the doorway of the study. Charlotte had gone off to school and James was in the house. Elizabeth had asked Frances to go shopping with the young boy and she had bought him new clothes. He had a smart looking grey suit with a white shirt. He had cleaned up and looked quite well. He was still thin, but Elizabeth was feeding him more often.

She looked up from her work and smiled over to James. "I do not where she gets the brains from," Elizabeth admitted, placing her pen down. "But she said that you played with her last night. She seems to enjoy your games."

James looked slightly embarrassed about that. "I know that boys aren't supposed to play tea parties-"

"-You can do whatever you want," Elizabeth interrupted him, smiling warmly over to him. "Besides, it makes Charlotte happy and you seem to enjoy spending time with her."

"She is a nice girl," James nodded. "But I know that when I go back to the orphanage then I won't be able to see 'er."

"Why would you think that?"

James shrugged. "Because she is rich and I'm not."

"James, that does not matter," Elizabeth said. "Besides, I have been thinking."

James looked intrigued then and Elizabeth urged for him to take a seat. He went to sit across from her at her desk. She folded one leg over the other and rested her arms on her desk. She folded them on the surface. She only hoped her husband would be fine with what she was about to do. She suspected that Tommy would not mind. In fact, he might even have suggested it eventually.

"I know that Tommy had done things to help change the orphanage," she said. She didn't want to know what he had specifically done, but she knew it had something to do with warning nuns. She didn't know if that was particularly holy, but when nuns abused children, she failed to care. "And I know that you are supposed to go back next week…but…well…I was wondering if you wanted to stay here instead? You could go to the school that Charlotte attends. I could enrol you-"

"-Yes!" James interrupted, his voice on the verge of hysteria. He tried to restrain himself, coughing and clearing his throat. "I mean…I do not want to put yer out, Mrs Shelby. Yer 'ave been so good to me-"

"-You are not putting me out," Elizabeth interrupted him, shaking her head. "I think that it might be a good thing for you to stay. Besides, Charlotte would never forgive us if we sent you away. You don't have to stay forever. If you ever want to go then you are more than welcome."

"I…I like it here," he said to her in a whisper. "I like being here, but I don't want yer to think I am using yer…"

"I do not think that," Elizabeth promised him, smiling warmly at him. "I-"

"-Mrs Shelby, you have a visitor."

Frances poked her head around the door before Elizabeth could finish. She suspected it would be Andrew.

"Tell Andrew to come in."

"It is not Andrew, Mrs Shelby," Frances said to her. "It is Oswald Mosley."

Elizabeth felt her blood run cold at that. Why was he here? She had not invited him. She didn't want him in her house. She looked to Frances and the maid seemed to pick up on her response. Standing up, Elizabeth straightened out the skirt to her dress and urged James to stand up. She placed her hands onto his shoulders.

"We can talk later, yes?" she checked with him.

"Of course," he responded and she guided him towards the door of the study.

Looking to Frances, she whispered in a low voice. "Call Tommy and tell him to come home," she urged from the maid.

"Yes, Mrs Shelby."

Elizabeth guided James into the hallway where Mosley was waiting. He was wearing a navy suit with white shirt, a red tie hanging down his front. His hair was neatly coiffed as usual and his moustache primed. He looked on over Elizabeth as she gave the small boy's shoulders a squeeze.

"You head on to the kitchen and see if Frances can fix you some lunch," she urged from him.

He rushed off and Elizabeth turned her attention to Mosley. She fixed a smile onto her face. "Mr Mosley," she said, her tone neutral. "I did not expect to find you here."

"I thought that I would drop in," he said, rocking back and forth on his heels. "Any chance of a drink, Mrs Shelby? Your hospitality is usually quite good."

"Of course," Elizabeth said, turning on her heel and heading towards the living room. "What can I get you?"

"Whiskey would be good," he said.

She went to pour him a glass from the drink's cart. Handing it to him as he sat down in a chair, she perched on the sofa across from him, draping her arms over her lap.

"I had heard rumours that you had taken in a stray," he said and Elizabeth did her best not to let her blood boil at hearing him speak in such a manner. "I assume your husband has checked his background? I have to say, it is quite unheard of for families to take in children from the street."

"His name is James," Elizabeth said to him, doing her best not to snap at him. She didn't know what Mosley was capable of. Her husband was weary of him and so Elizabeth was not going to get on his bad side. But she was not going to sit and let him talk about James in that manner. "Both of his parents died and he is only a child. I do not see what is wrong with looking after a child in those circumstances."

"Most people would have shipped him off to an orphanage," Mosley said, leaning back and folding one leg over the other, swilling the liquid in his glass. "Of course, perhaps you have more of an affection for children…considering you cannot have anymore of your own."

Elizabeth moved a hand to her stomach out of instinct, trying not to let his words bother her. "How do you…" she trailed off.

"Mrs Shelby, I make it my business to know who I am working with," Mosley said. "Two miscarriages took their toll on your relationship with your husband. Is the new child simply trying to fill a void?"

"No one can replace the children we lost," Elizabeth responded. "Now forgive me for being blunt, Mr Mosley, but can I ask why you are here? I have business to get on with."

"Yes," Mosley said, knowing that he had hit a nerve as she slowly removed her hand from her stomach and rested it on top of her other hand. "I am actually here about your business, Mrs Shelby. I would like to donate to your school, but your husband said you did not need more donations. I was unaware that charitable institutions turned down donations."

"It is something to do with tax and legal purposes," Elizabeth lied, hoping that he would buy it. "My business partner, Andrew, explained it to me."

Mosley chuckled at that. "Business partner?" he echoed back to her. "I do hope that this venture of yours will not reflect negatively on your husband when our party becomes big. I have to say, it might be easier if you simply sit by his side…act like the doting wife…it would help his image considerably, seeing that he has a wife who is smiling and hanging off of his arm."

"So you think it would be best for me to act like a brain dead housewife?" she enquired from him.

"Yes," he responded, "but we both know that will never happen and so I want to keep an eye on your business and make sure everything is above board. Your husband will be subject to the same scrutiny."

"Excuse me?"

"My own accountants will check that your books are in order-"

"-We have our own accountants," Elizabeth interrupted him.

"But mine work for me," Mosley said, sipping on his whiskey. "And what you do reflects on the party. I need to be sure everything is in order."

"Have you asked Tommy this?"

"I have not told him, no," he said, emphasising the word 'told'. Elizabeth chewed down on the inside of her cheek. She did her best not to snap at him, but the urge was becoming overwhelming. She hated him. She detested him. "But I thought that I would start with you, Mrs Shelby, considering your husband said you were in charge of your business and, well, you are not exactly accustomed to the business world."

"I am sure that I will grow accustomed to it," she responded.

"Excellent," Mosley said, downing the liquid and then placing the glass on the table. He went to stand up. "I should get going. I will send you a cheque for the school. I hope to see that you take it to the bank as soon as you can."

Elizabeth said nothing. She merely faked a smile and stood up, walking with him to the door. She watched him get into his car and drive off, just as Tommy was approaching. He parked the car and climbed out, looking as Mosley drove off. He took a deep breath and rushed up to his wife. His coat flew behind him and he had left his cap behind.

"What did he want?" Tommy asked her. "I left as soon as Frances told me."

"He wants to have his accountant involved in our businesses to check everything is above board considering you are going into business with him."

"What did yer tell 'im?"

"I told him nothing," she responded. "But he is not getting involved in anything we do, Tommy. I mean it."

"I know," Tommy agreed with her. "What else did he say?"

"You might want a whiskey."

"That bad, huh?"

"He knew about my operation," she said. "He knew that we had had two miscarriages and that I couldn't have anymore children. He asked if that was why we had taken James in…to fill a void…he suggested that it might be best for me not to get involved in business and act like a good little housewife. It would help your image in the party."

Tommy rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I don't want a good little housewife," he said to her.

"Good, because that is not what I am," she responded to him.

"Don't I know it," Tommy muttered back to her. He held her shoulders, sensing that she was tense. He gave them a squeeze. "Listen to me, he isn't goin' to get involved in anythin' we do. I'll make sure of it."

"We'll make sure of it," Elizabeth clarified for him. "He just makes me so angry, Tommy. I think he knows exactly what buttons to press."

"Don't let 'im," Tommy urged from his wife, bending down and kissing her chastely. "He isn't worth yer time."

"I know," she agreed, taking a deep breath as they remained stood on the doorstep. "I was having a good day before he showed up, but there is something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" Tommy wondered.

"I told James that he could stay with us," she said. "I know we hadn't discussed it, but he was talking to me about leaving and not being a burden. I couldn't let him think like that. I told him that he was welcome to stay with us and his fact lit up, Tommy. It has been good having him around and he adores Charlotte and she likes him."

"Yer don't need to justify it to me," Tommy said to his wife. "But are yer sure?"

"I just can't imagine sending him back," she said. "But I know that this is your house as much as mine."

"He's a good lad," Tommy nodded his head. He hadn't gotten to know him very well, but from what he had seen, the boy was good. He was kind and he made his wife and daughter laugh. "I don't mind, Liz. He can stay."

"Thank you," Elizabeth said, kissing him once again and wrapping her arms around his neck. Tommy leaned back down and kissed her, knowing that he was unable to deny her anything.

….

A/N: Do let me know what you think!