Emma

Chapter Forty-One.

"Ma'am, it is Mr Churchill on the line," says Ackley as he enters my office.

I stand up from my chair and follow him into the drawing-room. I grab the phone and thank my driver. "Winston"

"Emma, I called you as soon as I got your letter"

"I assume you know about the situation of the Shelby family"

"Indeed. The private secretary of the king received a letter from Thomas Shelby"

"What does it say?" I ask.

"Mr Shelby proposed that if his family is set free, all incriminating documents against the government will be burned, provided Thomas would receive an OBE"

I sigh. "And what did the secretary say?"

"He refused. Emma, killing the Peaky Blinders is too good for us to pardon them"

"Well, I am going to need you to do it"

"I am not in power to do this," replies Winston. "I should not even know about this offer"

"Then how do you know?"

"The private secretary is a friend of mine"

Alright. If Winston cannot do this, I assume someone else can. "Who is in power to accept the offer?"

"It isn't about accepting the offer. It is who made it"

"What do you mean? Thomas has incriminating documents"

"He does. But the king does not care. He is the king of the United Kingdom. You think he is going to be scared of a man like Thomas?"

Winston is right. The king won't be scared of Thomas, he can only be scared of his equal.

"Ackley, prepare a car. We are going to London right away"

"Yes Ma'am"

"What are you doing Emma?"

"I want you to call the private secretary right now, and tell him that Emma Langdon is coming to see the king. She is not asking for an audience, she is simply coming"

***

"Ms Langdon, Your Majesty"

I follow the guard into the drawing-room in which the king is standing. I walk up to him and nod to salute him. I immediately notice he is surprised by me not curtsying.

"Ms Langdon, what a pleasure to meet you"

"Pleasure is all mine, Your Majesty"

"Please, take a seat," says the king while pointing at a chair behind me.

I do not wait for him to sit that I take place on the chair. Once the king is also seated, I smile politely.

"You have requested an audience-"

"I have ordered one," I correct, interrupting him.

The king's eyes widen as his surprise of my nerves to interrupt him grows. "What for?" Asks the king.

I don't wish for this meeting to last any longer than needed, I want to be back in Birmingham before dusk. And to be able to do that, I take off my coat to let the king's eyes fall on the piece of jewellery around my neck. His gaze goes from surprise to shock in just a second.

"Oh God," he sighs.

"I assume you know what this necklace means"

"Forgive me, Ms Langdon. I had no idea"