December 7th, 1922 — Arrow House, Warwickshire

It was a workday. Thomas had left home very early, as he usually did. He walked out at exactly seven in the morning, leaving you still in bed and the children asleep in their rooms.

Amy, eleven, and Damian, six, felt their parents’ absence throughout the long days, but they had no other choice. Their parents were leaders of the Peaky Blinders and members of the House of Commons in London, which meant constant traveling back and forth between Birmingham, Small Heath, and London.

That night, when Thomas arrived, he entered the mansion quietly. After being greeted by the housekeeper and leaving his things in his private study, he took off his jacket and walked through the lobby.

As he stepped into the corridor, he saw Amy waiting for him—she must have seen his car pull in. “Hello, princess,” Thomas said as he approached her. “How are you, eh? Is your mother home yet?”