Emma

Chapter Seventeen.

"I don't think it is a good idea Ma'am"

Ann helps me put on my coat while Ackley continues to ramble about Mr Shelby.

"I asked around about the Shelby family, and a lot of people told me-"

"I don't wanna know," I say, interrupting Ackley.

"But Ma'am-"

I raise my hand to make him understand that I do not want to hear another word on the Shelbys. Ackley may have heard many things on them, but it is my choice to ignore it. If Thomas wants me to know something about his family, he would've told me himself.

Then, Alice enters my apartment to tell me that John has arrived and he will be the one driving me to the train station. While I walk down the stairs in my long blue coat and velvet gloves, Ackley is the one in charge of taking my luggage to the car.

"Please Ma'am, be careful," he says when we arrive in the hall.

I lay my eyes on him and smile. "You are very important to me Ackley, but you should know by now that I am able to protect myself"

He nods and when I turn around, I see John smoking a cigarette standing next to his car. When we walk up to him, he quickly throws his cigarette on the ground and takes off his hat. "Hello," John says.

I smile and reach out to hug him. At first, he is surprised, but he finally hugs me back. "What a pleasure to see you, John"

"Same here," he replies.

Then, Ackley and John shake hands before my driver put the luggage in the car.

"Um, Tommy's waiting at the train station," announces John.

"Well, let's not make your brother wait"

While John goes to open the car door for me, I turn around to Ackley.

"Again Ma'am, be careful," he murmurs.

"I will be"

"And send my salutation to Mr Selfridge"

"I will Ackley"

I am about to sit in the car when my driver calls my name. I turn around to look at him. "One last thing Ma'am"

I frown, waiting for him to tell me. His gaze meets John's who is standing next to me, still holding the car door open, before looking back at me. "Il ne faut jamais faire confiance à un homme, n'oubliez pas"

Ackley only speaks french when he thinks that his words could be harmful to me if other people heard them. But why speaking Moliere's language in front of John? He is no harm to me, nor anyone else.

But I nod and sit in the car. When John drives away, he finally asks what Ackley told me. "Nothing important," I reply. Even though I think Ackley is wrong about being suspicious of Thomas' family, I do not want to cause any problem between them.

"So, London uh?"

I lay my eyes on John and smile. "Yes. It is a shame you are not coming with us"

"Yeah well, Thomas prefers travelling alone"

"But, he is not alone," I retort.

John glances at me for what feels like an eternity, but it really just is a few seconds. And his lips stretch in a small, but a happy smile. "Yeah," he says. "Thomas is not alone"

***

As we enter the suites, the butler begins to explain all the equipment and how the rooms are dispatched.