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She had agreed to go with him, but it was more to get out of the house than it was to be with him. She vibrated in her seat, internally screaming that she was sitting still. She wanted to move. She wanted to feel something. She wanted to be free.
Society was suffocating when everyone knew who you were, specifically when they knew who your father was, and she couldn't handle the expectations tonight, so she let him take her to Small Heath.
“It's a dirty place, a small nothing, no one will recognize us,” he said as he laced his fingers through hers, lifted her hand to his lips, and he drove.
Her skin crawled, but she let him.
“I think my older brother went with a girl from there before,” she said, earning a scoff.
They stopped the car and he opened her door to usher her into a small bar called The Garrison.
“How original,” she muttered. “Did any of the men leave the war where it belonged?”
He ignored her, taking her into the busy bar and pushing her to a table. Always pushing.
“I don't want to sit,” she pouted. “No music? At least sit at the bar to watch the people.”
“A table is better,” he said as he rolled his eyes.
She huffed as she plopped in the chair and he left to get their drinks. He came back shortly, nothing in hand.
“I've seemed to, uh, come up short,” he said as he leaned in to yell in her ear over the noisy crowd.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” She said as she reared back to look him in the eye. He gave a sheepish grin.
“Thank you for bringing me here,” she yelled crossly as she stood up. “But I'll find my own way home. You're dismissed.”
She stomped to the bar top before he could stop her. She waved her hand to the bar man and threw money onto the counter.
“Whiskey, please,” she shouted to the older man and he nodded as he turned to fill her order.
He came back with the drink as her date arrived beside her.
“Let me take you home,” he said as his hand grabbed her shoulder. “I can't possibly leave you here. Your father–”
“Isn't going to hear about tonight because he doesn't need to know how stupid I am,” she said as she shrugged his hand off. “Get lost.”
“But we're pretty far from home–”
“The lady said go,” said the man to her right, cap low as he sipped his drink.
Her date went pale before he grabbed her shoulder again, trying to pull her from the bar.
“Get off me!” She said as she tried to roll his hand off her.
“Ma'am,” the stranger said as he turned his blue eyes to her. “Can I hit him?”
“Can you-”
The man nodded before his lip turned up into a smirk.
“Hit ‘em?” He answered shortly. “I'll take care of it.”
“Be my guest,” she half laughed, incredulously.
The bar man was in front of you, eyeing the entire thing.
“Sorry, Harry,” was all the blue eyed man said before the bar man sighed.
The blue eyed man nodded to her as he put his drink down. He turned, grabbed her date's shirt and hit him square in the jaw.
Her date crumpled immediately. The man hit him once more for good measure before he began to drag him out of the bar. The people closest to the scene watched, but no one said anything, and most of the crowd moved out of the way as her date was dragged out. This was a normal occurrence, apparently.
When blue eyes returned, he patted his suit, inspecting it for blood or debris before he sat back down to his newly refilled glass.
“You're free to stay as long as you like, ma'am,” he said, sipping his drink.
“And you are?” She asked, picking her drink up for the first time and taking a sip, wincing at the burn.
He smiled briefly, looking at her closely for the first time. Dark hair cascading down. Flashy dress, clean cut. Not an ounce of uncertainty or hesitation.
“Not from here, are you?” He chuckled, flicking his cap. “Name is John.”
“Lived here as a young girl,” she gave a short smile, “but my family moved years ago. Audrey.”
John made a face, Audrey giggled.
“Don't start,” she said. “Family name. I know it's a bit out of date for the modern girl.”
“You're not some older gal that just had me knock out her husband, are ye?” John joked as he nudged her and winked.
Audrey laughed.
“No,” she said. “Not married. Luckily my parents have their eyes on my older brothers first. He was just,” she shrugged, looking at the door, “a way out for the night.”
“Ah,” John said knowingly. “Good Birmingham girl looking for a night of debauchery, eh?”
Audrey's finger circled the rim of her drinking glass as she bit her lip.
“And you,” she said, leaning closer to him, smelling the cigar smoke and wood on his clothes, “are you the kind that can offer such a night, John?”
“I am a man that will take you wherever you want to go,” John said as he finished his glass of whiskey. “The world is yours, doll.”
“I want to dance,” Audrey said, finishing her own drink. “I want to dance and not have to worry about anyone sending me home.”
John smirked.
“Can I trust you?” She asked suddenly, her demeanor melting into someone much younger than she was moments before. “Can you be a good man while taking a girl to dark places?”
John's smirk softened and he ran his left hand over his mouth. The gleam of his gold wedding band made her catch her breath.
“I think I can do that,” he said with a nod. “A night of dancing in the moonlight it is.”
He held his hand out and she took it. Whatever was happening, she was in it now.
John gently led her outside, allowing the crowd to part for him. He took her down the road to a dark stable, slipping through the doors quietly as he looked through the stalls until he found what he was looking for.
“Why don't we drive?” She whispered as he opened the stall to a beautiful black horse, immediately hushing it and putting it to ease in a way Audrey had never seen before.
She watched as he petted the horse's nose, taking his hat off to place his forehead to it. He patted the horse's neck before he led it out of the stable and motioned for her to come close.
“There's no road where we're going,” he murmured. “Come're, I'll lift you to our new friend.”
“John, my dress–”
“I'll keep my eyes averted,” he smirked. “Come on, doll, you asked for this.”
Audrey hesitated, but took a step forward to his open arms. He lifted her onto the horse's back, both of her legs dangling off the same side. He slipped her heels off.
“Grip his mane, doll,” he said as he tossed her heels in the corner. “No need to kick ‘m with those. Leg over, that's it.”
Audrey bit her lip as her beaded shift dress hiked to her hips, her toes dangling in the air. She played with the mane as John grunted, lifting himself to sit behind her.
“No saddle, so hold on,” he whispered into her ear, both hands wrapping around her as he grabbed the horse’s mane.
John gently squeezed the horse with his legs as he made a clicking noise, and the horse began to move. Audrey jumped a little at the motion, but John's warm chest steadied her and his arms kept her upright.
“Not a horse girl, eh?” He chuckled into her hair. “Isa'right, I'll keep you safe.”
They trotted down the road, the hooves clicking on the stone until they reached the edge of town and into the countryside. The full moon was the only light.
“Ready for freedom, doll?” John said.
Before Audrey could respond, John kicked the horse hard and braced against her as the horse took off into a field. She squealed as the cold air hit her face and they raced into the dark. Her heart beat fast as she scrambled to hold on, bouncing between the horse and John's strong chest.
John chuckled behind her, letting go of the horse's mane to lean back for a moment as his hands left her sides to go wide in the air as he let out a whoop into the bright stars. Audrey scrambled to stay on as they bounced, and John let out an “Oh shit” as he crashed back into her, his arms grabbing back at the mane to enclose her before she fell off.
“Sorry, doll,” he said sheepishly. “Got caught up. Breathe. I've got you.”
They darted into a wooded area and John slowed them down, winding through countless trees until an orange glow began to appear in the horizon. John made a noise similar to a bird as they got closer, stopping the animal at the small break in the trees as wagons cast shadows, concealing the group dancing along the fire.
“A Gold girl fell pregnant,” John whispered into her ear. “They're celebrating the new soul from the marriage last spring.”
“You're a gypsy?” Audrey asked, turning to look at John behind her.
“Among other things,” John smirked, looking down at her. “That a problem, doll?”
She shook her head no, looking into his blue eyes before wandering her attention to his lips. John cleared his throat and slid off the horse, raising his arms for her to follow his lead. Her feet touched the soft grass as a man broke off from the fire yelling “Oy!”
“Is that our John boy with his dark haired beauty?” A man yelled with his arms wide as he walked up. His smile was large, a thin sheen of sweat on his face. His smile faltered as he looked at Audrey.
“John,” the man said, feigning the same cheer as before. “Who's your friend? Not quite the dark haired beauty I expected. Is it wise, John? Chickens cluck.”
“Let em, Johnny,” John said roughly. “Nothing to cluck. The lady was with a right cunt at the bar and requested a night of dancing. The best dancing is by moonlight.”
“Damn right it is, John boy!” Johnny said as he slapped John's arm. “Well, welcome. I'll have my boy tie up the horse. If the lady allows it, I'd like a first dance.”
Johnny grabbed Audrey's hand and spun her round and round before he led her to the fire as John laughed behind them.
“Johnny'll steal your wallet as quick as your heart,” he called after them. “Watch ‘em!”
Johnny danced her around the fire as John settled near an edge, nodding to others as he passed. He hadn't had time to visit another celebration since his own wedding, but being out brought him more peace than he liked to admit. He watched the dark haired girl relax in Johnny's arms as he twirled her in front of the group of gypsy's doing the same. They had missed the ceremony that the elder woman would have done for the Gold girl, so all that was left was celebration. Bonnie brushed by, nodding to John. He noticed a few stray whispers, but most had not noticed that he was Audrey's escort just yet.”
“The girl?” Bonnie said politely, nodding to Audrey in Johnny's arms.
“Pretty thing, eh?” John smiled. “Likely your age. Didn't ask.”
Bonnie nodded before walking away. Johnny twirled Audrey back to John, her grin wide.
“Thank you, Johnny,” she giggled. “You're too fun.”
“Me wife says the same,” he chuckled. “Not in such a pleasant tone, sad enough.”
He turned to John.
“She's returned happy and whole,” he said as he patted John's shoulder. “Keep an eye on her. Pretty thing will be penniless and married off by morning otherwise. Gypsies are charming dogs.”
Audrey giggled, eyeing the men.
“So I'm finding out.”
John smiled, taking her hand and twirling her.
“Already had one ask, doll,” he pot his other hand on her waist and began to dance her closer to the fire. “Let's give the lady what she asked for.”
They danced for hours until the fire died down and the crowds disappeared until their wagons for the night. Bonnie danced with Audrey a few times, trading between Johnny and John as she spun her night away. The full moon shone down and pulled them all to the dark of the dying embers. Finally, Johnny left to sleep next to his wife and Bonnie reluctantly retired to his own bed.
John pulled a bucket from beside one of the wagons and threw it's contents into the fire. It crackled and smoked, dying fast.
“Right,” John said, grabbing her hand to lead her away. “Time to get you home.”
He led Audrey back to their horse.
“John, I lied earlier,” she murmured, wetting her lips. “I had an idea who you might be. What you might be part of.”
He stiffened a little, giving her a weary glance over his shoulder as he prepared the horse.
“You see,” she rambled, running a finger along her lip, worrying it. “You never asked my last name. Not something a Shelby cares about normally, is it? A silly girl at the bar, she's a nobody. Even if she's privileged, her father can't touch you.”
“Audrey, I don't quite understand,” John said as his brows bunched together, his eyes growing stormy.
“You see,” she sighed. “You know my family. You burned my brother's shop down over a girl.”
“Me mum always used to say,” she pointed at him and made a face, mocking stern brows, “Il diavolo non è così nero come lo si dipinge, the devils aren't as bad as they're painted, but don't trust those blue eyes, Audrey!”
John leaned back, swearing under his breath as he ran a hand over his face and looked out over the empty pasture.
“You're a fucking Changretta, aren't you?” John said, looking Audrey in the eye.
“Fuck.”