Emma

Chapter Twenty-Seven.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you," says Sir McFew.

I shake his hand and thank him for his cooperation. Ackley gathers all the paperwork together and hands Sir McFew and I the last paper to sign. Once this is done, the director of the Midlands Hotel congratulates me on my last acquisition. The hotel. He offers me a cup of tea, which I accept, and we chat for a good hour. Once it's time to leave, Ackley leaves a few minutes before me to bring the car around.

While Sir McFew and I walk to the exit, he gives me a bit of last-minute advice.

"You should be careful with certain customers"

"Like who?" I ask, even though I know exactly who he is referring to.

"I think you know perfectly who"

I nod. "I do. I have no worry concerning the Shelby family"

"You should. They usually come around for some parties and the hotel is left... Well, in need of payment," explains the former director.

"There is no need to worry. This is not the first hotel I bought and it will certainly not be the last"

"Where did you make other acquisitions?" Asks Sir McFew.

We arrive at the exit and when I see Ackley opening the car door for me, a few memories of New York, Paris, Chicago and Moscow comes rushing back to me. I quickly make them disappear to focus back on the present.

"Everywhere," I reply vaguely.

The former director nods and thanks me again for my purchase. He waits for me to be seated in the car to go back into the hotel. When Ackley starts to drive away, he decides to share a few information.

"There's been a gossiping going around Ma'am"

"Like what?" I ask, looking out the window.

"People know that you bought half the estates in Aston and that you were considering buying the Midlands hotel. Also, the rumours of you making a deal with the government to own the railway is growing"

"It is not a rumour"

"But the world doesn't need to know that," retorts Ackley. And he is very much right.

"What do you advise?" I ask.

"Don't react to the rumours. Never. If you ever are confronted by someone who claims he knows the truth, always remember that you are the only one who does"

I nod. "And when you say someone, you mean the Shelby family"

My gaze meets Ackley's through the rearview mirror. "I mean, someone, Ma'am," he replies.

***

Before heading to the market, Ackley and I stops at a restaurant for lunch. Ackley asks for a privatized floor as we need to discuss certain private matters, and the owner does not object. Once we are halfway through our meal, we bring up the meeting I had with the Prime Minister when I was in London, two weeks ago. I tell him exactly what was said and Ackley cannot stop laughing at some words the Prime Minister said.

"I wish I was there to attend such a humorous meeting," he says.

"Believe me, I had much more serious meetings with men who were half smart as he claims he to be"

"I believe you. Mr Selfridge is already much more intelligent than our Prime Minister"

"Well, that isn't too hard to be," I retort.

And as I'm discussing the plan for the railway with Ackley, the double doors of the floor flies open. Ackley turns his head to look at who dared to break our privacy, but I just keep on drinking my water; perfectly knowing who dared.