The Shadow of Great Britain

217: Chapter 147: Platonic Love?

217: Chapter 147: Platonic Love?

Arthur, deliberately or not, described to Mrs.

Copper the departmental differences within the Home Office, interspersing his explanations with a few embellished yet legendary detective stories.

The tales were marked by dramatic developments and bizarre snippets of chemical knowledge, with just enough plausible but not excessive embellishment.

The various gruesome detective stories became keys to unlocking new worlds of perception for Mrs.

Copper.

As she listened to Arthur’s stories, with each twist and turn the plot took, the London lady couldn’t help but tighten her grip on the handkerchief she held.

“Good God!

So it was the innkeeper who was behind it all?

He assisted the killer as an accomplice and did away with those two prostitutes?”

“Laughing gas really is a dreadful thing, and what’s worse is that these days, young people often treat it as a trendy amusement.

Who would have thought that it could also be used as a means to kill?”

“No wonder you have such a profound hatred for body snatchers.

It’s all because of that poor little girl.

Sigh…

Perhaps it’s time the responsible politicians in Britain seriously consider the Anatomy Act, even if the bishops oppose it.

I admit it’s hardly fair to the impoverished dead of the poorhouse.

But something must be done; the living must be considered…”

“Oh!

My word!

So it was you who personally killed that Fred?

Mr.

Hastings, perhaps you might consider turning this pursuit at sea into a novel and publishing it.

It’s bound to be popular.”

In the midst of Mrs.

Copper’s exclamations, the time passed by, minute by minute.

Perhaps it was her enthrallment with Arthur’s detective stories, but she seemed to have forgotten the phonograph she had been so eagerly anticipating.

It wasn’t until Arthur had drained the last drop of water from the teapot that Mrs.

Copper, still not having had her fill, sighed, “I never imagined that someone as young as twenty could have had so many incredible personal experiences.

I thought your demonstration of the Faraday cage and phonograph was already miraculous, but now I see that they pale in comparison to your experiences at Scotland Yard.

The praise you receive from the newspapers isn’t overstated at all – you are truly a legend of Scotland Yard, a living legend.”

Arthur heard Mrs.

Copper’s lavish praise, but he still didn’t dare to let his guard down.

He responded modestly, “You flatter me too much.

I’m merely doing my duty.

Just as John Locke put it: ‘The sole legitimate purpose of government is to protect the people’s life, property, and liberty, and to provide welfare guarantees.’

What I’ve done is none other than Scotland Yard’s responsibility.

The thanks you’ve given me are included in the parish security tax.

You pay, I work; it’s only natural.

Moreover, I’ve been rewarded with a promotion for my service, as you can see – I’m now an inspector.

With such generous praise, how could I ask for more recognition from you?”

Upon hearing these words, Mrs.

Copper found the young man even more agreeable: “Mr.

Hastings, you must be the most gentlemanly twenty-year-old I have ever met.”

Arthur looked out the window at the sky and got to his feet to take his leave: “Madam, perhaps this is a good place to stop for today?

I would like to continue our conversation, but there is a great deal of work at Scotland Yard, and my leave is only until this afternoon.

It must be nearly the end of the lunch hour; I must hurry back to work.”

Mrs.

Copper, having heard this, was inclined to ask him to stay, but remembering what Arthur had said about the tiresome regulations at Scotland Yard, she ultimately decided to let him go.

“I’m sorry to hear that, but I understand, young man.

I may be out of place in saying this, but I sincerely hope you can be transferred to a department with shorter working hours soon.

The detective stories from Scotland Yard are certainly splendid, but from the perspective of someone who has been there and as a woman, I believe staying there for too long could be detrimental to finding a happy marriage.”

Arthur simply smiled and nodded: “Thank you for your well wishes, Madam.

Until next time.”

The valet, seeing Arthur rise, quickly fetched his coat and hat from the rack.

Once properly attired, Arthur was courteously escorted out of the Copper mansion by the elderly butler.

He took a deep breath, his tense nerves relaxing, perhaps because it had rained in London that day.

The air was unusually fresh, free of dust, untainted by any toxic industrial dust or the smell of excrement.

Breathing such quality air, Arthur’s mood improved considerably.

A carriage rumbled slowly to a stop in front of him, and the footman sitting next to the coachman jumped down and opened the door.

A yawning, middle-aged man with graying temples stepped out.

The man seemed very sensitive to the cold, for he was dressed exceptionally warmly.

He wore a silver-grey fur-trimmed overcoat with a frock coat underneath, inside of which was a sleeveless wine-red vest.

Even through his tightly wrapped dark blue scarf, you could see the stiff collar of his white shirt.

The man caught sight of Arthur as he emerged from the Copper residence, initially raising his eyebrows in curiosity.

But he quickly seemed to remember something, suppressing his inquisitiveness, and his face fell back into that lackluster expression borne of too much sleep.

Just as he was about to enter the mansion, he found Arthur standing by the roadside, smiling at him.

Out of politeness, the man could only respond with a nod and a smile.

In such a weird atmosphere, the two passed by each other, with Arthur returning to Scotland Yard, while Lady Copper was greeted by her own brother—Viscount Melbourne, William Lamb.

Upon seeing him arrive, they greeted each other with a simple cheek-to-cheek.

Then Lady Copper couldn’t help complaining, “William, didn’t you promise to bring your nephews and nieces for lunch today?

Why have you come so late?”

Viscount Melbourne said helplessly, “I didn’t expect it to drag on till now.

The Prime Minister’s Question Time was supposed to finish at half-past twelve.

But today was different, both sides were arguing fiercely over parliamentary reform, and even the Duke of Wellington, who usually hesitates to speak, put in full effort.

Emily, I swear, I’ve never seen His Grace talk so much in one breath in my life.”

Lady Copper detected an implication in her brother’s words, “This…

Henry mentioned this matter to me not long ago.

He said the Whig Party would completely crush the Tory Party during the Prime Minister’s Question Time.

It seems you’ve succeeded?”

Viscount Melbourne tilted his head and scratched his ear, “It should be more or less.

I fell asleep in my seat after hearing Henry talk about introducing a motion of no confidence against the Wellington Cabinet, and probably there was some more arguing about it afterward.

But none of that matters now.

The ‘Catholic Emancipation Act’ and the opposition to parliamentary reform has offended too many people, making the end of the Tory era inevitable.”

“If that’s the case…” Lady Copper’s eyes narrowed happily into crescents, “It seems that you and Henry will soon play a major role in the Cabinet, won’t you?

Henry as Foreign Secretary and you as Home Secretary?”

Viscount Melbourne looked at his sister in slight surprise, “You are quite well-informed about the party’s internal matters.”

“Of course, don’t forget what Almack’s Club is for.” Lady Copper laughed, “News spreads faster through the ladies’ mouths than within your party.

If I wanted to, I could even find out how the Tory Party plans to strike back at you.”

Viscount Melbourne replied, “That won’t be necessary, my dear sister.

The Tory Party should be worrying not about striking back but about how to minimize their seat losses in the coming election.

Frankly, they will definitely lose all the religious and university constituencies next time, and even the Archbishops in the House of Lords might lean towards us.”

Hearing this, Lady Copper only shook her head, “William, I don’t want to worry about the election.

But you must promise me to find a good position in the Home Office for your nephew, something that offers good training, pays well, and is not too exhausting.

Scotland Yard is out of the question; it’s good training, sure, but it’s just too tiring.”

Viscount Melbourne asked in confusion, “I will certainly arrange for Mike, but why do you suddenly bring up Scotland Yard?”

Lady Copper said, “Didn’t you run into him?”

“Who?”

“The young man who just left, he’s Officer Arthur Hastings from Scotland Yard.

You must have heard his name, right?

He’s been in the newspapers several times this year.”

“That…” Upon hearing this, Viscount Melbourne’s face turned a bit strange.

He looked around, then lowered his voice, “Although I shouldn’t pry into these matters…

may I confirm your relationship with him?”

Lady Copper, feeling indignant at the question, replied unhappily, “William!

My interaction with Mr.

Hastings is one of mutual respect, nothing like my relationship with Henry.

Can’t you see how young he is?

I could be his mother!”

“Ah…” Listening to this, Viscount Melbourne touched his forehead and let out a resigned chuckle, “Sorry, perhaps I’m a bit overly sensitive.”

Lady Copper, seeing him admit his mistake so quickly, decided not to make a fuss about it.

On the contrary, she felt a twinge of sympathy for her brother’s misfortunes over the years.

“William, although I should not be the one to mention this, let the past be past.

The Ponsonby woman is dead, and while alive, she never fulfilled her duties as a wife, but at least she had the title of Lady Melbourne.

Now, you may not be young anymore, but you’re far from old!

There is still a long life ahead of you, and you should consider remarrying, you can’t let Ponsonby ruin you.

The Melbourne lineage still relies on you!”

Viscount Melbourne felt a mixed sensation in his heart, “Emily, you don’t understand my feelings.

Marriage, for me now, seems more like a burden, and being unmarried isn’t so bad.

If two people can’t support and understand each other, why bother getting married?”

Listening to her brother, Lady Copper thought of her marriage to the Earl Copper.

After a brief silence, she sighed, “Maybe you’re right, but you could find a woman who understands you now.”

“Hmm…” Viscount Melbourne mused for a while, and under his sister’s kind words, eventually, he couldn’t help but smile.

He revealed his deepest secret of late, “Actually, I already have a lady friend with whom I can share my thoughts, but our relationship isn’t what you imagine…”

Upon these words from Melbourne, the Red Devil lying on the fireplace, who had not departed with Arthur, nodded repeatedly.

The Red Devil adjusted his glasses and murmured to himself, “Right, right!

I believe you, there exists a Platonic love between men and women that involves no physical contact.

Psht, that kind of nonsense can only be told to a devil like me…”