Ada & The French (The Woodhouse Series #2)

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

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*Belgravia, London/Dover, Kent*

"Please?" I was begging Emerson as we descended the stairs.

"It is not dignified to beg!" Emerson scowled, but I continued to beg as we reached the living room.

"I will never ask for anything ever again!" I replied as Emerson groaned.

Before he took a seat on the armchair, he handed me some money. "£20. No more or less, understand?"

I nodded, putting the money into my pocket as Theodore entered the room, rolling up his sleeves, followed by Florence who was holding some papers. He stopped a few feet before us, looking at Emerson and me in turn.

He wasn't a famous investigator for nothing.

"How much did you give her?" Theodore asked, looking at Emerson who was drinking tea.

"20 pounds. And she won't get any more from me..." Emerson explained and Theodore sighed.

"Really? Because I also gave her 20 pounds this morning..."

They both turned to me in anger and I shrugged my shoulders. "Neither of you would've given me 40 pounds so I had to compromise."

Florence burst out laughing as Theodore rolled his eyes. "You are getting no more money than that..." He warned as Emerson added.

"And you buy yourself something useful. Not emptying out the shelves of the bookshops!"

I pouted. "You're all leaving me alone in Paris so it's the least you all can do!"

Theodore pointed to Florence. "She is going to be in Paris with you."

Florence winced. "Actually...I'm meeting some old-school friends while we are there." She showed us the papers in her hands.

I waved at Florence, glaring at my brothers. "See? The Woodhouse family holiday features only Adelaide Woodhouse! What kind of family holiday is this?" I crossed my arms, sulking on the sofa as Florence came over to me.

"Look...Theodore and I will still be in Paris so you need not worry about spending any time on your own. I will not be visiting until the end of the trip when Theodore will be back..." Florence explained. "I promise we can do everything you want to do."

"But the whole idea of a Woodhouse family vacation is for the Woodhouses to be together. We're going to be there for a month! I don't want to be in a strange city on my own for that long..." I grumbled as Charlotte entered the room with letters in her hands.

"It didn't stop you from gallivanting across the country last summer..." Emerson remarked as I glared at him. 

And the immaturity began.

Everyone in this room was older than me but they still managed to behave like schoolchildren. "I'm sure a certain Earl will keep you occupied,'' Charlotte teased as she handed the letters to Emerson.

"Absolutely not!" Emerson looked at Florence and Theodore in turn. "She is not to be left alone with the Earl, are we clear?" Theodore nodded in agreement.

Charlotte came to me and handed me a letter. "For you..." She playfully raised her eyebrows as I looked at the handwriting on the front and the postmark.