5 months later…

Relations between the Rileys and the Shelbys only seemed to blossom throughout the first half of the new year. Diana and Elisabete frequented Birmingham as the Shelbys upgraded their living arrangements. Catia and Clarissa maintained their societal profile - staying at their estate when their sisters were also there, but also staying with Kate or traveling to London for extended periods of time.

The Shelby Company Limited also turned in some high profits and the business with the Riley's spare parts added handsomely to each side. It was as if, for once, life was becoming easier - at least for the Shelby's. Tommy took this break wholeheartedly but he knew things could only be so good for so long.

In less than 24 hours, his horse was to race the Epsom Derby. All week his nerves and anxiety have been at an all time how and everyone else felt it too. Diana had been with Zenyatta the past three weeks tending to her previous horse and finalizing more training.

Like clockwork, Tommy called Diana every night desperate to know the conditions of his horse. She answered him as best she could and said the same thing nearly every time.

"She's a beast, Tommy... she's champion born."

Diana felt the same nerves as Tommy. She devoted all her time at the stables - from sunrise to sunset. She knew this race was not just about Zenyatta winning. The victory or loss would make or break the Shelby name.

June 2, 1920

En route to Epsom Downs

Today is the day – today, Zenyatta races.

Diana's knee bounced feverishly as she waited for her morning tea to cool. Her sisters were taking their time getting ready, but she had been up for two hours already due to restless anxiety. All she could think about was that afternoon at 4:30pm when the champion race began.

Naomi bit her lips in anticipation of Tommy's arrival. She played with the hem of her yellow dress and thought of how the day might go. Tommy and the rest of his family would be arriving at their estate soon. They still had to transport Zenyatta to the Epsom racecourse about an hour and a half away.

The sound of footsteps entering the tearoom alerted her and drew her from her scattered thoughts. Elisabete entered the room in a pale green dress with a matching oversized coat.

"You're up early." Elisabete said as she sat across from Diana and poured herself tea from the hot pot.

"Been up for a while." Diana murmured. She returned her gaze to her teacup and watched the steam rise.

Elisabete blew on her tea and peered at Diana over the brim of the ceramic cup. She noticed her sister looked tired. Lately, that was the norm for Diana. Elisabete knew the race was taking a toll on her sister and she hoped it would go away after today. The familiar dark bags under her eyes and pale complexion were evident and reminded her of how Diana was when she returned home from the war. How she was all but just some many months ago - prior to meeting the Shelbys. Aside from the physically-evident exhaustion, her yellow dress still complimented her well and Diana's hair was smoothed with rich, chocolate curls.

Elisabete suddenly stood and left the room. Diana watched her fast retreating body as long as she could. A short moment later, Elisabete returned with a fresh bottle of champagne and two glasses.

"Come on," She began as she resumed her seat. "It's derby day. We got to start drinking to take the edge off."

She gave Diana a suggestive look and poured the first glass. A faint small grew on Diana's soft face and she willfully took the glass.

"Derby day." The two sisters said in unison as they clinked glasses.

Diana observed the bubbly drink after she took a sip. She wasn't the biggest fan of champagne, but she did appreciate it as a celebratory drink. She also didn't mind the bubbly type of drunk she'd get from the beverage.

"What time is the race?" Elisabete asked.

"Ours is at 4:30. Others start at 2 and the last one is at 5:30."

Elisabete slowly nodded. She cocked her head and smiled at Diana.

"There's nothing you can do right now. You've trained her to your best ability and she's going to perform at her best ability. I know you feel the pressure, but Tommy and Arthur are feeling it even more."

Diana nodded in agreement. Elisabete was right. At least, she only had the horse on the line. The Shelby's had so much more at stake. They didn't tell the girls everything they were doing, but they knew of most. The Shelby's had to maintain their rank in their world.

"Very true." Diana added with a smile. She downed the rest of her champagne and refilled it.

Diana and Elisabete stayed downstairs for another half hour finishing their bottle of champagne and simply just hanging out. Alfred brought them breakfast and left out pastries for the younger Riley's and soon the Shelby's.

Time seemed to speed up once Clarissa and Catia joined them downstairs and their budding excitement enhanced Diana's mood.

The four daughters looked their absolute best sitting across from one another. The derby was an occasion that allowed them to wear their most colorful dresses that matched everything. Each girl was embellished in a different color; Catia in purple and Clarissa in blue.

Diana looked hard at their first empty bottle of champagne and their nearly empty second one. She was feeling the effects of the champagne, and drinking so much so early in the morning only exemplified her morning buzz. She made sure to eat enough to counteract the booze.

A sudden announcement disturbed the girls.

"Ladies, the Shelby's have arrived." Alfred announced from the doorway. He turned on his heel and seemingly walked to greet the familiar guests.

The mention of the Shelby's arrival made Diana's stomach churn. Her sisters had brought on a healthy and welcomed distraction from the race, but now that it was time to go, all of her nerves came rushing back.

"We best finish up." Elisabete said mainly to Catia and Clarissa. She glanced at Diana and pushed her drink towards her.

"Let's finish these and get going, eh?" She sounded positive and confident. It was an earnest way to ease Diana's obvious uneasiness.

Diana cleared her throat while lifting her glass to match Elisabete's.

"Aye. Let's get the day started."

On cue, the men entered the tearoom and made their proper greetings.

"Good morning, ladies." Tommy greeted with a pleasant nod to each woman.

"Good morning, Tommy." Catia and Clarissa returned simultaneously.

Diana pushed her chair back some and turned to face Tommy as he approached. She smiled as she looked over his appearance. Although his attire seemed to always be the same style of coat, he always looked fresh and stylish.

"Morning." Diana said as he placed a kiss on her cheek. He rubbed her shoulder and scanned over her plate.

"There's breakfast if you're hungry. You all should eat." Diana said. She emphasized the latter to Arthur and John.

"Aye, that's alright. The only appetite I've got is for the taste of victory." Arthur finished with a round of cheeky laughter. Elisabete's cheeks grew red as she patted his arm.

Tommy pulled a spare chair to sit next to Diana. He sat and looked her over.

"You look beautiful… and you look stressed." He reached his bare hand to softly cup her left cheek. His thumb traced the faint outline of her tired eyes. She looked up at him and noticed the same exhaustion in his own face.

"I know." She huffed. "I can say the same for you."

Tommy scoffed and took a deep breath.

"Well, it's out of our hands now, eh? We have seven hours until we need to be worried about our horse. In the meantime, let's have some fun."

A couple hours later, the familiar sight of the Epsom Downs came into view and Diana peeked her head out the window to get a better look of the scenic view.

"At the end of the day, we'll be leaving with a champion horse." Tommy said in a confident and proud voice.

Diana turned to him and smiled. She grabbed his free hand and squeezed it.

"I know, I know. I hope so."

Tommy pulled his vehicle into the long carline of other guests arriving. Johnny Dogs, Curly, and some of Tommy's other men drove Zenyatta separately to the horse stables while Tommy and Diana drove by themselves to the main entrance of the function. Arthur and Elisabete drove behind them and John, Michael, and the twins in the final car behind them.

It was a three-car line of Shelby's and Riley's and as expected, they made quite an entrance. Among the other luxury cars, their matching vehicles stood out and caught the eye of other arriving guests.

Tommy put his car in park and left the vehicle as a valet man came around to Diana's side and opened the door for her. Tommy quickly took to her side and offered his assistance.

Diana immediately noticed the amount of people watching her and Tommy and the rest of their family. They all exited the cars in near perfect unison and from an outsider, it all looked planned. The debonair of the men accompanied by the royal women was an attraction.

Tommy pulled her closer into him and wrapped his arm through hers.

"Shall we?" He asked in a low voice. He glanced down at her and caught her eye under her yellow cloche hat.

Diana took a deep breath and nodded.

"We shall."

They stepped towards the entrance and soon joined a large group with the rest of their respected families. Diana and Tommy led the way through the bustling crowd of derby attendees until they reached a betting lounge. For now, they had time to relax and enjoy the event; however, the Shelby's would have to leave the girls to fulfill their duties around the racetrack.

After many rounds of drinks and socializing, the champion race was fast approaching. Their time so far at Epsom had been fun and distracting from the primary race.

Diana followed her sisters to the upstairs tables and lounge area of the racecourse. She just left the stables and said her final goodbye to Zenyatta. The next time she'd see her was on the track in just a short amount of time. Tommy stayed behind to speak with the jockey and they both said their wishes and prayers to the powerful horse.

Elisabete placed her hand over Diana's bouncing knee. She knew it was her nervous tick and she couldn't help but feel some of the same anxiety Diana was two of them had taken seats that were closest to the track while Clarissa and Catia went to the bar of the lounge for more food and drinks.

"Don't worry, she's going to do great. You're going to have a champion horse." Elisabete reassured. She tightened her grip on Diana's knee to emphasize her statement.

Diana nodded and scanned the racecourse. It was a big event, and the seats below them were packed. Even the lounge was beginning to fill with people. The Shelby's were around. Diana had no doubt that Tommy had at least one person keeping an eye on her and her sisters, but the rest were God knows where. It wasn't hard to make up a valid excuse to Clarissa and Catia on why the men were gone. They still had no idea who the Shelby's really were and what they stood for, and everybody was determined to keep it that way.

A server came to Elisabete and Diana, and they both greedily ordered a drink.

"Ugh, I'm nervous, Elisabete." Diana randomly blurted out. She looked to her sister with complete worry. She couldn't hold it in any longer and she did feel some relief saying it aloud.

"Don't be! It'll be starting soon so you can't do anything anymore. You trained her well and to your best ability. How was she when you left her?" Elisabete asked in an attempt to keep her sister talking.

"Good. Very good. I took her around the track this morning and she was in perfect condition."

"See, listen to what you just said. She's in perfect condition. She's going to do perfect, Diana."

Diana studied what Elisabete said and agreed with her. Zenyatta was in better condition than she could even hope for. This morning's training went like a breeze and Zenyatta was more than ready to run some laps.

Elisabete and Diana stayed in their seats as it came closer and closer to race time. The deck of the lounge became overcrowded. Clarissa and Catia were socializing with a new crowd. They didn't share the same interest as their older sisters did on the race. They didn't know what was at stake.

The infamous horn suddenly blared signifying the start of the next race. This was it. This is what they've been waiting for. Diana couldn't help but clench the armrest of her seat as she watched the horses line up in their stalls. For a brief moment, she wondered where Tommy was and if he was as nervous as she.

Elisabete grabbed Diana's free hand and gave a soft smile to her sister when she glanced her way. Their tightness of hands intensified every second as they both knew at any moment the gun would go off and the horses would be on their way.

"God, my heart can't take this." Diana briefly muttered to Elisabete with a ridiculous smile. She shook her head at her then focused on the horses.

She could see Zenyatta clearly and could even spot her restless hooves pounding against the bright green grass. The crowd grew softer as every spectator and gambler could sense that the main race was about to begin.

With her breath held, the official gunshot echoed around the racecourse and the horses flooded out of their gates.

"Go Zenyatta! Go!" The sisters exclaimed as they jumped out of their seats and leaned against the metal railing.

The entire racecourse erupted in inaudible chants and calls as the horses sped down the track. Elisabete and Diana hopped up and down as they repeated their chants. Zenyatta stayed in the top three horses as they soon began to develop a decent lead.

The horses began the first and only sharp curve. Diana trained Zenyatta specifically on this challenging sweeping left curve and she became overjoyed as Zenyatta passed third and began to catch up to the leading horse. At the end of the curve, was the straight descent to the finish line. This would be a test of pure speed and Diana prayed Zenyatta's legs were up to the challenge. The leading horse was fast, but she knew Zenyatta was fast as hell, too.

"Oh my God, Diana! She's taking that corner!" Elisabete shouted. She shook Diana's hand to get her attention and she could only laugh in return.

"I know... I fucking know." Diana replied with exasperation.

Diana watched with wonder as she couldn't keep her eyes off Zenyatta. The leading horses hit the straight line and Diana again screamed words of encouragement as if her horse could hear her among the boisterous crowd. Then suddenly, Zenyatta seemed to accelerate.

"She's in the lead." Elisabete murmured over and over. "She's in the lead."

Diana let go of Elisabete and grasped the railing in front of her with both hands. She watched as Zenyatta began to get an even better lead over the other horse as she came closer to the finish. Within a few more seconds, she crossed the finish line with a good couple meters between her and second.

Diana turned to Elisabete with an exhilarating smile and they embraced each other with a joyous hug. They jumped up and down in celebration.

"She fucking won!"

"She fucking won. That damn horse fucking won."

A wide, toothy smile was stamped on the girl's faces. They pushed through the commotion of the lounge and didn't care who was around them when they shouted about their win. They ordered a celebratory drink and stood around a nearby bar table.

"My God, I can't believe it." Diana voiced her thoughts. She shook her head in disbelief as she sipped her champagne.

"Believe it, you've got a champion horse under your belt!" The sudden deep voice surprised Diana and Elisabete. They turned and found Arthur approaching them.

Elisabete jumped to give him an excited hug.

"We've got a champion!" She giggled with a fist high in the air. A hearty laugh came from him as he draped his arm around her shoulder.

"Aye, I got to get a drink." Arthur said with a look to the busy bar.

"Tom said he'd be up in a minute, so sit tight, eh."

Diana nodded at his instruction and smiled as they left her to get him a well-deserved drink. She moved to face the track and watched workers set up for the next race.

Diana was bursting with happiness inside. She was still in shock, but she replayed the race over and over in her head and was still amazed at Zenyatta's agility and speed on an advanced track. She had been training for this for so long, and the overwhelming feeling of bliss and content was more than welcomed.

"Excuse me," A faint voice said.

"Excuse me." It was repeated again. This time only louder and more direct.

Diana turned to see if the voice was meant for her and she was surprised to see that it was.

A pretty blonde with coiled curls stared back at her. She looked at Diana with wide eyes. She looked timid but also intrigued.

"Yes?" Diana asked. She patiently waited as the stranger took her time to respond.

"Are you Diana Riley?"

"Ye-"

"You know Thomas Shelby?" She asked again before Diana could even answer.

The mention of Tommy turned Diana hard and made her suspicious of the lady. Diana discreetly sized her up and checked her appearance. She seemed a normal woman of the upper class. Why was a dainty, pale Irishwoman questioning her of Tommy?

"Who are you?" Diana asked with firmness in her voice. She turned to face her full on.

"Grace Burgess." She hesitantly answered.

Diana stared at her and waited if the other woman had anything else to say. She didn't recognize the name and wondered if she was of any importance.

"What do you want? Why do you ask me about Tommy?"

Grace held her purse tighter and Diana picked up on her slight wave of nervousness. She stared at Diana in both acceptance and question. This was the woman Tommy was with. The rumors she heard were true. What she saw was true.

"So, you do know Tommy." She said with a slight tinge of humor. She nodded absentmindedly.

"I saw you together when you arrived. I had to see for myself." She continued.

"See what?" Diana immediately countered. She was over the stranger's ambiguousness and her cryptic language.

"I had to know if the rumors were true. You see, I knew Tommy. A long time ago."

Then – it dawned on her. This was the barmaid. Diana's realization hit her like a brick. This was the woman she briefly read about upon her initial inspection of Tommy. Heated emotion began to fill Diana, but she couldn't place what it was. Was it anger? Jealousy? It felt like both and everything in-between mixed together.

"I was wondering what was distracting him from returning any of my calls. I never would have imagined he'd find royalty." Grace added with a slight arrogant smile. She spoke slowly and Diana despised it.

"Far from a barmaid, eh?" Diana quipped. She leaned against the table onto her forearm and gave one last obvious look of Grace's full appearance.

"I was more than just a barmaid." She touched the brim of her hat and released a light, sarcastic chuckle.

"So, what is it you want? You've seen me in the flesh." Diana paused.

"If you want to make sure the rumors are true, I'll tell you firsthand. Thomas Shelby is courting me, Diana Riley." Diana informed, she tried to keep her voice as calm and as unbothered as possible.

Grace's face stiffened slightly at Diana's words. Her lips lowered into a slight scowl. Diana felt good by her reaction, but still couldn't take the emotions bubbling within her. She had so many questions about this Grace Burgess.

"What are you doing?"

Both girls jumped at the sudden deep, angry voice that belonged to no other than the man who gained their affections. Diana sat still, not waived by his sudden appearance. Grace on the other hand, looked like she saw a ghost.

"Tommy." She gasped and her eyes widened as he looked to her with furious eyes. Diana could see the emotion behind Grace's exterior, and she knew the woman still felt something for Tommy. As if that wasn't obvious enough.

Tommy looked to Diana and his face contorted slightly into one without anger. He tried to convey an apologetic look, but he was still so outraged at the sight of Grace speaking to Diana.

Tommy had entered the lounge in high spirits, but those feelings immediately vanished when he spotted the two talking. At first, he thought Grace was Elisabete from the back of her head but immediately felt a sense of dread when he passed the bar and saw Elisabete with Arthur and behind them were Clarissa and Catia.

"What are you doing here, Grace?" He snapped his head to her. His voice was harsh. Diana had never heard him speak like this and at that moment, she hoped she'd never be on the receiving end.

Grace stuttered as Tommy moved to stand closer to Diana. She wasn't prepared to see both of them, let alone speak to them. She initially came to see Tommy and just him, but at the sight of him arriving with Diana on his arm, it nearly broke her heart. She knew things were different by his sudden lack of responses to her calls and letters. She had heard of his new relation with a royal heir but part of her thought it was rubbish. She thought things would change if she came to see him.

"I came to see you." She simply replied. It was all she could say at the moment.

Diana watched Grace's once arrogant and cocky impression crumble and for a moment, she felt bad for the woman.

"You've seen me." Tommy said. His brows were raised, and his jaw was tight.

"I wanted to talk."

Diana watched Tommy's jaw lock and unlock as he decided what to do. He let out a loud breath and turned to Diana. He held onto her sides and lowered his head to match her eye level.

"Will you stay here or go to the bar with your sister? Don't leave the lounge." He asked. His bright eyes all but begged her as he searched hers.

Diana nodded and looked past him.

"A pleasure to meet you, Grace." She politely said before removing herself from Tommy's hands and walking towards her sisters.

Diana's mind was buzzing as she took to Elisabete's side.

"Can you get me whatever you're drinking?" She lamely asked Elisabete. Her older sister turned and didn't hide her surprise at Diana's odd demeanor.

"Yes. What's wrong? Where's Tommy?" She observed Diana's stoic face before looking at where she left her sister.

"Who's that woman?" Elisabete asked with confusion and annoyance. Arthur followed her sight and his face fell.

"Oh, shit." He mumbled. Arthur scratched his head and focused on Diana. He handed her his drink.

"Take it, chug it, do whatever you want." He urged. He came around and rubbed Diana's shoulder. A sad laugh came from Diana as she accepted the beverage and began drinking.

"What's going on?" Elisabete asked. She gave a pestered look to Arthur, but he was watching his brother talk to Grace. He knew Tommy was boiling over at Grace's unexpected. He couldn't wait to hear what his brother was going to say.

"That woman is Grace Burgess. The barmaid." Diana finished the latter with a pointed look to her sister. Elisabete immediately remembered the reference and watched the two talk.

"Well, whatever they're talking about doesn't look to be going well."

Diana didn't dare look at Tommy speaking with Grace. That was the last thing she wanted to see. Instead, she focused on finishing Arthur's drink and hoped their conversation would soon be over.

"What'd she say to you?" Elisabete asked with a softer voice.

"She wanted to see if the rumors were true. She apparently has been calling him, but he hasn't been answering."

Elisabete glanced to Arthur at the latter statement but he kept his mouth shut and pretended he didn't hear.

"Well, I'm sure it's nothing. He's coming over now."

Elisabete and Arthur made room for Tommy as he came over to them. Elisabete carefully watched his expression but he only seemed determined to speak to Diana as he made a straight beeline to her.

Diana leaned against the bar top to order another drink and felt a hand press against her back.

"Make that two." Tommy said from behind her after she ordered a whiskey.

She stood tall and looked at Tommy. He tried to read her face, but it was passive, and he could only sense that she was annoyed.

"I'm sorry." He began. "I didn't know she was here. I didn't know she would ever be here or that she would ever try to talk to you."

Diana watched him speak to her and she read his face well. He was being honest, was the least she could tell.

"It's okay." She breathed. Diana pursed her lips. Her stomach still felt uneasy.

"I have questions." She added. Tommy nodded as he reached around her to grab their drinks. He tossed the man a large bill before returning his attention to her.

"And I have answers. But I came up here, to see you and to congratulate you on your training." He said as he handed Diana her drink. His tone changed as he tried to change the topic and lighten the mood.

"You trained a champion horse. I own a champion horse. Therefore, we are champions." He said with a sly smile as he lowered his head to hers. Diana clinked their glasses as a smile began to form on her face.

"Champions." She repeated before she took a sip. Tommy followed her lead and smiled.

"Fucking champions of the Epsom Derby." He held out his arms in a grand manner and boasted. Diana couldn't help the giggle escape from her at his actions.

She wouldn't let the appearance of an ex-lover ruin her day. They just won the fucking Epsom Derby. No one was going to take that away.

For those saying the relations between the sisters and the Shelby's are too perfect... The story is really just now beginning.