"The Widow" Bertha

His son was in the hands of the enemy, and Lambert felt his legs trembling.

"You... Mrs. Thames, if you have something to say, please say it," he said with the last distraction, "Whitechapel has its rules, you and I are not unruly people, you and I have not reached the point of life and death , Hurting such a small child will also damage your reputation!"

Bertha: "..."

So what kind of image is she in other people's minds! ?The cosplay Virgin Mary can't be saved before, can it?

Bertha rolled her eyes indecently, and handed Ned the baby in her arms.

This startled the little accountant, where has he ever hugged a child?He hurriedly lifted the eight-month-old boy into his mother's arms.

"I'm not going to take an eight-month-old baby," Bertha said angrily, "but you, Lambert, give the baby to a woman after it is born, and go to a brothel to have a good time by yourself, and neither is Mrs. Raton. How can a beautiful middle-aged lady be more attractive than the woman who gave birth to you?"

Lambert: What is this? Are you here to teach me how to treat my wife!

It has to be said that there is an insurmountable ideological gap between Bertha and normal men in the nineteenth century.From Bertha's point of view, it is strange for such a person to let his family members go to sleep in other people's brothels; but Lambert felt that when Mrs. Thames came to his house, she was worried about how other people would manage his wife. If it's a woman, there will be more troubles.

But Mrs Thames' boys each carry a gun, and Lambert is not easy to get angry.

and……

That being said, is there a turning point?

He cautiously said: "Madam's lesson is that I have indeed neglected my wife... You see, we don't have any major conflicts..."

In the middle of speaking, Bertha laughed very unceremoniously.

She narrowed her eyebrows and eyes slightly, and then said with a smile: "No conflict? You don't tell me the news after inquiring, and you plan to attack me after you have agreed to cooperate. You are always thinking of getting a profit from me, Lambert." Ter Burne, isn't it a contradiction if you don't have a pit achievement?"

Lambert was choked up.

Bertha: "Go ahead, thank God. It's a good thing that your little idea didn't come true, so I don't intend to argue with you."

Lambert: "Then... how much do you want?"

He's sure of this loss, who said that Lambert Byrne looked down on people first?Gang disputes have always had the meaning of the rules of the jungle: whoever has a hard fist has the final say.

However, Lambert Byrne's concession was exchanged for Mrs. Thames' nonchalant laughter.

"Wait a minute, Lambert," she said with the corners of her mouth curled up, "look where I am talking to you, you don't think you have room to bargain with me, do you?"

"you--"

At this point, the leader of the White Pigeon Gang finally understood the meaning of the alien girl in front of him.

The five big and three rough thugs stared wide-eyed like copper bells, and he said in disbelief: "You want to swallow it all?"

Bertha tilted her head indifferently.

"You have a big appetite, Thames!"

Lambert also didn't care about being controlled by others, and said in shock: "You have only established a firm foothold in Whitechapel for a long time, and you want to swallow all the territory in your stomach. Are you not afraid that other forces will regard you as a thorn in your side by acting so high-profile?! Even if it is Don't be so impatient if you eat black and eat black!"

"Black eats black?"

Hearing Lambert's words, Bertha put on a slightly confused expression on purpose.

"I don't understand what you're talking about at all, Mr. Byrne," she even put on a bit of politeness. "Ned, where's the contract?"

"here."

Hearing the order, the little accountant took out a black and white contract from his pocket, and called for tables and chairs to be brought in.

Ned Morrison put the contract on the table, and waited until Lambert walked up to him, before explaining politely: "This is a transfer of the family business, Mr. Byrne."

"I'm doing a legitimate business, sir," Bertha said with a smile on her face, "of course I have to go through legal procedures."

"..."

It's really uncertain who is planning who.

Lambert Byrne's face suddenly became ugly: After all, he underestimated Mrs. Thames because of her gender. He felt that she was kind of a woman, but he didn't expect that even the contract was ready.

What do gangsters dream about?In fact, they are similar to prostitutes, they just go ashore for nothing.

It's just that people who wandered the streets each bear their lives and charges, and few people can wash away the sins on their hands and get rid of the traces of gray areas.Lambert has done no less wicked things than old Jesse, and it is precisely because of these things that he has no legitimate heart, but he has never been able to do it.

And Lady Thames...

Less than a year after coming to the Whitechapel district, such a contract has already been presented.

This made Lambert couldn't help feeling that the woman in front of her probably thought of this step when she first stepped into the slum.

This woman... might really be as rumored, with someone behind her.

"Contract," he said gruffly, "what contract?"

"Mr. Bourne can watch by himself," Ned replied calmly.

Lambert really saw it.

In fact, as far as the content of the contract is concerned, Mrs. Thames did not intend to exploit Lambert in any way. The terms are clear and unambiguous. Recommend a suitable private bank as an investment consultant to manage the property.

No matter how you look at it, this contract cannot be called an overlord clause, and it can even be said that the asking price is high.

only……

Lambert Byrne was a big man, and he had never been so angry with a woman as long as he could remember.

"how?"

The key is that Bertha still looks calm and composed: "I claim to be generous, Mr. Bourne."

Lambert drooped his face, and said in a rough voice: "Five thousand pounds, what a big deal, Mrs. Thames."

Bertha: "That's what acceptance means."

Lambert: "You come here first and sign your name, and I will sign it."

Bertha raised an eyebrow.

She stood there and looked at Lambert for a moment, as if she had noticed something, but she didn't point it out in the end.Mrs. Thames strode happily to the table.

"Where's the pen?" asked Bertha.

"Here you are, ma'am."

Ned pulled out the pen from his pocket, and the moment Bertha turned to accept the pen, Lambert suddenly raised an eyebrow.

——It’s not as good as others, fighting and raiding, the leader of the White Pigeon Gang is of a certain standard.

Almost as soon as he raised his hands, he overturned the table in front of him. Taking advantage of the momentary turmoil, the thug took a big step forward and grabbed Mrs. Thames by the lapel.

Lambert Byrne's purpose is simple: hold Mrs. Thames hostage, so there will be more negotiations.

The man grabbed Mrs. Thames by the collar with one hand and dragged her towards him, and the other hand touched his waist, just when his right hand touched his holster——

The next moment, the cold light came out of its sheath.

The Utz steel scimitar blade is covered with natural but strange lines, these lines flashed cold traces under the light, just before Lambert Byrne wanted to pull the pistol from the holster, Bertha's blade was already It stopped at the man's wrist.

The blade scratched the skin, and blood oozed out.

Looking up to meet the eyes that were suddenly drawn closer, Bertha smiled coldly: "It's best to think carefully before doing it."

To be honest, if there are any useful self-preservation skills brought to Bertha by her past career as a reporter, one is that she has seen slums and knows how poor people behave; the other is that she has not learned to fight, but she has learned how to avoid being beaten.

Bertha, who had developed fairly quick reflexes, couldn't beat Lambert, at least prevent him from pulling out his gun.

The posture of Lambert holding Bertha was still maintained between the two, but then the man didn't dare to move anymore.

Because the moment the opportunity was lost, all the youths in the room wearing red scarves and red gloves pulled out their guns.

"Think carefully, Mr. Byrne."

After Lambert let go of Bertha, she slowly adjusted the neckline of her dress, and said in a hoarse voice: "I have given you enough dignity, and I have given you enough money to support your wife and children. I am as benevolent as I can be. Gangsters After all your life, don't you want a stable life and a decent funeral?"

To be honest, Chambersa didn't want to pay this sum.

She also doesn't have the money to throw money when she sees someone, but such a transfer contract is a pass to face Scotland Yard, face ordinary people, and even get involved in other industries in the future—see, we are legal of.

What's more, the White Pigeon Gang can be regarded as a family gang.

Although Lambert Byrne, the "Godfather", is not very good, the organizational form of the White Pigeon Gang is closer to the model in gangster movies: a family business, and the backbone members are connected by blood.

This also means that Bertha can't kill old Jesse and then completely annex it like he did with the Jesse Gang.

Not only did she want a peaceful settlement, but she also wanted to drive out all the members who were related to Bourne, and... this territory, at least for a few years, could not be named Thames.

thus……

"Let him sign." Bertha looked at Lambert, who was being pointed at by numerous guns, "We'll talk about the rest."

***

When I returned to the office with the contract, it was almost dawn.

Thomas Thames, who took people to the west block, came back early and waited in the office area on the first floor.As soon as Bertha came back, Thomas immediately greeted her: "Ma'am! How is the situation?"

Before Bertha could speak, Ned waved the contract with his signature and handprint rather triumphantly.

Thomas laughed out loud, and he punched Ned lightly: "What are you showing off, put it away!"

After the joke, Ned put away the contract and smiled: "The contract belongs to the contract, ma'am, what are you going to do with it, so that the other forces in the Whitechapel District believe that you will not threaten them?"

"There are a lot of people in the Bourne family, right?" Bertha asked without answering.

"... Quite a few, counting Lambert's collateral relatives, there are about a hundred people."

That's quite a lot, no wonder he's not very good at thinking, but he can still sit firmly as the leader, it turns out he's a big "family".

"A hundred or so," said Bertha, nodding, "there's always a suitable one. I'll leave that up to you, Ned. Find a girl from Bourne's relations young enough not to be afraid of ignorance and courage, It’s good to have a bright head. If it’s really not good, you can find an honest man with a daughter.”

Ned immediately understood Bertha's thoughts: "You want to get married, ma'am?!"

Bertha curled her lips: "What? The new leader of the White Pigeon Gang wants to resolve the dispute peacefully, so there is no reason for him to refuse? There is nothing else in our firm. There are so many bachelors. Let me see who is currently lacking a wife—— "

When her words fell to the ground, everyone present looked at Thomas Thames.

Thomas: "..."

Bertha: "..."

Well, she seems to be a matchmaker.

"You guys," Thomas couldn't laugh or cry, "this is a good thing! What do you mean by all the excuses?"

"It's not an excuse."

Ned adjusted the frame of the mirror, and said yin and yang, "The second in command of the firm is still single, how dare we compete for this position? And you are Mrs. Thames' younger brother."

Thomas is also surnamed Thames, and when Thames and Bourne get married, this marriage has enough weight-putting aside feelings and only reasoning, that's it.

But things like marriage must not just be reasonable.

Bertha did not hesitate to feign death to get away in exchange for her freedom. She stepped out of the grave of marriage with her front foot, and there was no possibility of kicking the people around her into it with her back foot.So she smiled viciously: "There was Katie before, and there was marriage later, Tommy, Tommy, you can't escape!"

Thomas: "Ma'am!"

Bertha: "Marriage is important, but you can't marry blindly. I signed the transfer contract this time, so I should celebrate it."

After she finished speaking, she thought about it.

"Let's hold the celebration banquet at the bar on South Bank Street! You will all be there when the time comes," Bertha immediately made a decision, "If a candidate is selected, then invite the girls from the Bourne family. Who will she fancy when the time comes? If anyone of you takes a fancy to her, I will personally be the introducer."

Arranged marriages are not advisable, but a blind date meeting is still possible!

After making a decision, Bertha gave Ned a few more instructions, and then turned to leave the office.

"Ma'am," Thomas chased her out before she got into the carriage, "the sign of the bar on South Bank Street..."

"It's okay."

Bertha naturally understood what he was worried about. The girl in the riding outfit stopped and turned around: "I know who drew that symbol, don't worry."

Thomas froze on the spot: "What?"

It was Bertha's bright smile that answered him.

She raised her hand to straighten the scarf for her unrelated younger brother: "When the time comes, you will be responsible for dressing yourself up beautifully. In case the girl from the Bourne family is a beauty, you really have to think about it."