The Shadow of Great Britain

186: Chapter 131 Expansion of Intelligence Channels 186: Chapter 131 Expansion of Intelligence Channels In the Marylebone district of London, the Coddington residence shone brightly tonight.

After enjoying the physics experiment brought by Arthur, the gentlemen and ladies returned to the main drawing room, which had been transformed into a ballroom.

The ballroom’s arrangement strictly followed the usual practices of the social circle: the doors were wide open, the cashmere carpets removed, the mahogany floors polished, and as many crystal chandeliers as possible employed for decoration and illumination on the ceiling.

Below the windows, three long birch tables were set up, heaped with various kinds of food and tableware, surrounded by colorful and bright flowers.

Standing by the tables, the guests could not only enjoy the enticing aroma of food but also the rich fragrance of the flowers.

In the eastern part of the ballroom, there was a temporary stage set against a backdrop of rose-colored curtains, filled with all sorts of musical instruments—undoubtedly prepared by Mrs.

Coddington for the upcoming orchestra.

Having completed the scientific presentation, Arthur finally had a moment to breathe.

Mrs.

Coddington was clearly very satisfied with his first showcase today, although she only had a vague understanding of the importance of the theory of charged atoms.

In Mrs.

Coddington’s view, any accomplishment that could excite Lady Mary Somerville, the leading female scientist of the Bluestocking Society, to the point of incoherence must be of considerable significance.

For this reason, the busy hostess made a special effort to offer thanks to Arthur together with her husband during a break.

After all, the fact that such an important scientific discovery was not first announced at the Royal Society but at the Coddington residence was a tremendous honor.

If word of this got out, it would definitely become an admirable tale, which would be extremely beneficial for improving the tarnished social reputation of General Coddington after his ‘Ottoman debacle.’

Mrs.

Coddington could already imagine the hot topics of conversation when the ladies of the London social circle would gather—the scientifically enthusiastic Coddington couple, the family that always stood at the forefront of the era, and the dear friends of the up-and-coming electromagnetic scientist Mr.

Arthur Hastings.

For Mrs.

Coddington, who was dedicated to helping her husband clear his name, nothing could be better!

Although taking over as the commander of the Portsmouth Naval Base was a decent retirement job, Mrs.

Coddington still preferred her husband to be directly transferred to the Naval Headquarters in London.

As previously discussed by Cochrane and General Smith, it was after being called back to the Naval Headquarters for desk duty that an average naval commander like Gambier rapidly advanced in rank, being promoted from Rear Admiral to Admiral in just ten years, and even becoming the Royal Navy’s Marshal this year.

In Mrs.

Coddington’s opinion, aside from lacking some hair on his head, her husband General Edward Codrington was superior to Marshal Gambier in every aspect—handsome, victorious in battle, and well-versed in science, literature, and art.

If General Codrington could be assigned to the Naval Headquarters, not only would he have a greater chance of being promoted to Admiral, but he could also exert more direct influence on the Naval Headquarters and support his two beloved sons in the Royal Navy, William Codrington and Henry Codrington.

Ever since their youngest son had drowned at sea, Mrs.

Coddington had been determined to bring her remaining sons back to shore, and she believed that with General Codrington’s straightforward temperament, it was a lost cause without her intervention.

That’s why she had gone to such great lengths and expense to host this lavish dinner party.

The lady understood all too well that some things needed her touch; scientists and ladies mingling in high society could sometimes gain the attention of Cabinet members even more effectively.

The thought alone kindled in Mrs.

Coddington an irresistible impulse to sponsor Arthur; although she wasn’t involved in scientific research, gaining some fame as a patron seemed quite appealing.

But she didn’t have the time to ponder on this matter for now, as the unexpected arrival of the prominent London figure, Mrs.

Cowper, took her by surprise.

Mrs.

Cowper, sister to Viscount Melbourne, the former Secretary of State for Ireland, and wife to the fifth Earl Cowper, heir to the founding influence of the Whig Party’s Cowper family, naturally wielded considerable influence over Britain’s political circles.

This influence wasn’t solely attributed to her family background but seemed like a strange power that ran through her family’s legacy.

After all, Mrs.

Cowper’s mother, Lady Elizabeth Lamb, the first Viscountess Melbourne, had been a pivotal figure in London’s social circles, capable of dramatically affecting their dynamics.

Why her mother had such enormous power was simple—because she maintained a semi-public intimate relationship with the recently deceased King George IV for many years.

In some ways, Lady Elizabeth Lamb was one of the reasons for the scandalous divorce between King George IV and Queen Caroline.

Mrs.

Cowper and her mother were both formidable, but even more impressive was that her sister-in-law, Caroline Ponsonby, the second Viscountess Melbourne, also displayed such tendencies, outdoing them both.