| Birmingham, 1919.

Thomas Shelby was sitting at one of the tables at the back of the Garrison with Arthur and John. Cigarette smoke filled the air, whilst the clink of glasses and the murmur of conversation mingled with the sound of rain gently pattering down on the dark streets of Small Heath.

Thomas held a glass of whisky between his fingers, staring at it silently before taking a small sip. Arthur was talking far too loudly about a betting dispute, whilst John laughed, leaning back in his chair. Tommy barely joined in; he seemed lost in his own thoughts.

Then the door of the Garrison opened.

The noise in the bar died down for just a moment as a woman entered. Rainwater trickled down her coat as she made her way calmly between the tables. Some men looked at her out of simple curiosity, but Thomas slowly looked up and fixed his blue eyes on her.

His expression didn’t change, though his attention was completely fixed on her.

"Do you know her?" John murmured, noticing his brother’s gaze.

Thomas took another sip before replying.

"No."

But he kept watching her.

The woman walked up to the bar, calm, as if she didn’t care about the sort of men who filled the place. That made Arthur let out a short laugh.

"She’s got guts coming in here on your own."

Thomas set his glass down gently on the table. There was something strange about her; she didn’t seem nervous, and in Birmingham almost everyone had a reason to fear the Shelbys.

The barman approached to serve her, but before he could speak, Thomas stood up slowly. The sound of the chair scraping across the floor made Arthur raise an eyebrow.

Tommy smoothed his dark coat and walked towards the bar with that heavy calm he always carried about him. When he reached her side, he took out a cigarette and spoke in a low, steady voice.

"It’s not often you see new faces at the Garrison at this hour."

His eyes locked with hers, assesing and calculating, as he lit the cigarette. The smoke soon sorrounded his features as he exhaled it.

"And even less so women who walk in without fear."