BELA HAD BEEN TO RACES BEFORE, OF COURSE, WORKING FOR A BETTING COMPANY GUARANTEED IT. But she realized this time it would be different, they would be going up against Billy Kimber, and although she wasn't in the slightest afraid of a sly man like Kimber, she knew what she and the Shelby's was dangerous.

Another meeting was to happen at the Garrison, Tommy, of course, was already there waiting, whilst Bela had decided to walk down with Arthur and John. "You ready for a good time at the races, Bee? I'm sure Tommy is," Arthur laughed, as John joined in. Bela furrowed her eyebrows, looking at the boys questioningly.

John just shrugged, "cause he's taking that new barmaid to the races with him." He told her, thinking that she already knew, but Bela didn't. She stopped him her tracks when almost coming up to the Garrison. "He's doing what?"

The two men turned to her, "you didn't know?" Arthur asked as Bela shook her head. "But I do now," she told then as she stormed past them into the Garrison, where Tommy stood in the booth's window, talking to the blonde barmaid. The two carried on their conversation, not realizing that the other three had walked in.

"So you want me to look like a flower girl?" Grace asked, handing Tommy a bottle of whiskey and four glasses. Tommy shrugged, picking up the glasses, "what I want makes no difference. It's not me you're dressing up for." He told her, upon seeing Bela and the boys walk in, he closed the window to the booth.

Bela stared at Grace when walking in, still suspicious of the girl, and now she was going to the races with Tommy. What sort of game was Tommy playing? Or was it Grace that was playing the game with Tommy? Bela couldn't tell, but she couldn't understand why Tommy had asked Grace to the races when she had nothing to do with the business.

Walking into the booth first, Bela sat opposite Tommy, folding her arms. "So you're taking Grace to the races?" She asked him as he lit his cigarette, not understanding why she was asking the question.

"Yes, so?" He asked, taking a drag. Bela leaned forward, "Thomas, this is the race where Billy Kimber will be watching our every move, and you think it's a good idea to take a barmaid on a day out to the races?"

Tommy shook his head, "she's just a distraction for Kimber," he then leaned forward to her, both Arthur and John watching quietly, not wanting to intervein in the conversation the pair were having. "So you don't have to be," he told her as Bela looked down quietly, not knowing whether this was Tommy showing affection to her, or whether he was doing this to get closer to Grace, who everyone could tell he had growing affection for, just by the way he looked at her.

The meeting went on, Tommy explained what was to happen, when and why. But Bela already knew all this, she knew what they had to do. But it came to a point where she had to leave, someone was waiting for her.

She downed the rest of her drink standing up, "right boys, I've got to head off." She told them, putting on her coat.

John raised an eyebrow, "And where would you be heading off to without us, we haven't heard any reason to leave?" He asked, chuckling slightly, as Bela rolled her eyes. "I do have a life outside of the Shelby's you know," she told them as the boys laughed, including Tommy.

"I wouldn't say much of one Bee," Arthur chuckled, carrying on, "you going to meet a fella?" He asked questioningly. When it came to men, Bela would never say she was experienced like the boys were with their women. The boys wanted the women for one thing; pleasure, but not Bela, she wanted something much more deeper. She wanted someone to want her for her, not for her name, her body, or anything else, just the person she was.

In the past, Bela hasn't had the greatest track record with men, and sworn off men altogether. Many men, who saw themselves as proud and brave men, approached Bela in hopes to court her, but of course, surrounded by the Shelby men, meant that they wouldn't stick around for long. Not that Bela minded, none of the men she had ever been with could handle her fiery, hard attitude that people knew her for.

But Bela's main hope in life wasn't to be like other women and be married and have children, she believed when she found the one she was looking for, life would plan itself out. Bela didn't put herself out there to men anymore, instead, her attention had been turned somewhere else.

But she was convinced that the attention, would not be returned.

"I'm just going out, okay?" She said to Arthur and John, sending a glare. But she looked in the corner of her eye, to see that Tommy looking at her suspiciously, not knowing what exactly was going through his mind. She turned walking out the door, closing it, shaking her head.

Leaving the booth, Grace was stood at the bar, looking at Bela as she closed the door. "Leaving so soon?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Bela just rolled her eyes, not wanting to be in the woman's presence. "Well, you know, duty calls." She told her, walking towards the door.

"I suppose I'll see you at the races?" Bela could hear the smirk in the girl's voice, she simply ignored her, walking outside the pub and into the street.

"I fucking hope not."

++

Bela had to go back to her house, someone was waiting for her.

And that person was Ada Shelby, who since leaving the train station with Freddie Thorne had contacted Bela, asking her for help. Her question was something she couldn't deny.

Opening her door, Ada stood there in front of her, leaving Bela breathless with tears forming in her eyes. The girl that she had looked after her whole like, the one she had tried to help raise when her mother had passed, and the girl she had tried since she met her to be a role model for, stood in front of her in a white dress, ready to get married.

Bela couldn't help but try to hold back a sob and throw her arms around the girl in front of her. Ada was one of the few people that Bela could take down her guard for and show her how she was feeling, and to see Ada like this allowed Bela to pour out her emotion towards her.

She placed her hands either side of Ada's face, looking her in the eyes. "You look so beautiful Ada, i'm so happy for you." Ada gave her a watery smile and grabbed her hands, holding them tightly in an affectionate way.

She then laughed, wiping her eyes. "C'mon, let's stop fucking crying, it's my wedding day for Christ's sake." Bela joined in laughing, knowing that the pair couldn't stay too serious for long.

"I think it's time to go, you wouldn't want to keep your groom waiting," Bela told Ada, who, to hide that she was wearing a wedding dress put a long black coat over her clothes. Grabbing her hand, Bela put her head around the door to check the streets were quiet before pulling Ada, walking her down to the bridge before the river, where Freddie would be waiting for her.

Running down to the bridge, Ada approached Freddie, whose eyes widened when he saw Bela behind the girl. "Ada, I thought you said you weren't going to tell them?" He questioned, as Bela just waved him off dismissively.

"The boys nor nobody else knows anything about it, Freddie, your secrets safe with me. I just want you both to be happy." She told him, as he gave her a thankful nod and smile in reply.

Freddie grabbed Ada arm, "come on, princess the vicar's waiting." He told her, as he turned to walk off.

"Wait," Ada told him, "how do I look?" She asked him, as he stared at her.

"Like an angel,"

It was then Bela could see the love that Freddie had for Ada, proving everything Tommy had told her wrong. Ada breathed heavily, before turning to Bela and hugging her. She pressed the side of her face to the other girls, turning to whisper in her ear.

"Thank you, for everything you've ever done for me." Bela pulled back, swallowing the lump that had caught in her throat before smiling at the girl softly.

She waved the two off, "go on, you don't want to keep the vicar waiting." She told them as Ada grabbed Freddie's hand, turning before waving to Bela, walking off in the direction of the church.

Bela sighed contently, watching them arm in arm, thanking God that at least one of the Shelby's were happy and could hopefully one day live their life together in peace. But that was never the way the Shelby's did things.