The Shadow of Great Britain

251: Chapter 169 LPS’s New Army (5K) _2 251: Chapter 169 LPS’s New Army (5K) _2 Arthur spoke up, “Actually, it’s not entirely about making money, have you forgotten the matter about Lady Liv’s agents seeking me out to reserve concert tickets?

The ladies hold prestigious positions, and to keep dragging this not only lacks gentlemanly decorum but also goes against basic social etiquette.

So, I plan to take advantage of this period to fulfill the phonograph and concert ticket obligations for them.”

“Lady Liv?” Upon hearing this, Eld could not help but recall the painful memories of that banquet, “Damn it, Arthur, you always end up in the thick of things.

Lady Liv, that’s Lady Liv indeed!”

Arthur, sensing Eld’s repeated emphasis, immediately smelled a whiff of intelligence.

It seemed Eld might know something.

He feigned ignorance and inquired, “What about Lady Liv?

She’s just the wife of the Russian ambassador, Count Liv, and one of the patrons of Almack’s Club.

Lady Copper isn’t far behind her, you’ve already peed in Lady Copper’s lap, so just forget about Lady Liv’s affairs.”

Eld clenched his fists and sighed, “Arthur, it’s different.

Lady Liv’s various tabloid stories far outnumber Lady Copper’s.

The rumors of dignitaries and businessmen involved with Lady Liv are endless.

If you haven’t had any gossips with Lady Liv, it only means you’re nobody in Europe.”

Arthur asked, “So who counts as a big shot in Europe then?”

Eld counted on his fingers, “People like Metternich, the Prime Minister of the Austrian Empire, our new Foreign Secretary Viscount Palmeston, and of course, our former Prime Minister, Duke Wellington…”

“Duke Wellington?” Arthur couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, muttering, “Sleeping next to Lady Liv’s pillow and yet unable to dig out any news, and His Grace still has the nerve to send me to pry?’

Eld asked, “Arthur, what are you talking about?”

Arthur evaded, “Nothing, I mean, is there anything involving Sir Peel in this?”

“Sir Peel?” Eld shook his head, “Sir Peel is quite honorable in this regard.

He and Lady Peel are very much in love, and everyone regards them as a model couple.”

Arthur nodded slightly, “Indeed, it’s quite a challenge.

After all, people like Viscount Melbourne who managed a twenty-year marriage with Baroness Ponsonby are now looking at other flowers.

To not mess around with romantic relationships in the political circle is indeed a significant challenge.”

When Eld heard Arthur mention Viscount Melbourne, he couldn’t help but probe with raised eyebrows and a wink, “Speaking of which, have you found out about the relationship between Lady Norton and Viscount Melbourne?

Between them, isn’t there something, somewhat indecent, to the point where it’s difficult to mention in public…

?”

Deciding to satisfy Eld’s curiosity, Arthur began, “Based on the information I currently have, although Lady Norton and Mr.

Norton haven’t divorced, they have indeed been living separately.

Moreover, Lady Norton frequently visits the home of the Home Secretary, and they’ve recently attended a banquet at Almack’s Club together, but I haven’t acquired any critical evidence suggesting they’ve become intimately close.

Therefore, with the current evidence, I am inclined to believe that they are still innocent.”

“Innocent?

That’s impossible!” Eld grinned, elbowing Arthur, “You think, the two of them, could they possibly be…

at the Home Secretary’s residence?”

Arthur firmly denied his friend’s baseless suspicions, “Eld, the Home Office isn’t the Royal Navy, we can’t just close the door of a cabin and get away with things here.

Viscount Melbourne’s office is bustling every day.

I don’t think they could find gaps between the ongoing movements of the Civil Servants to discuss the origin of species.”

“Why not?

Think about it…” Eld was about to argue with Arthur, but before he could finish speaking, there was a knocking at the door.

Disraeli, who was the newly-appointed editor-in-chief and was eager, rushed to the door with a broad smile, opening it while saying, “Is it Alfred or Charles coming to submit their articles?”

To his surprise, standing outside the door were two faces he did not recognize: one was a weary-looking police officer, Tom, and the other was a displeased young lad from Scotland Yard, Alan Pinkerton.

Seeing them, Arthur couldn’t help but exclaim, “Tom, didn’t I tell you to take him back to his father in Glasgow?

Why did you bring him back?”

With a sad sigh, Tom looked at Arthur, patted the back of Pinkerton’s head, and said, “Regrettably, I took him to the Glasgow Police Station, but the officers there told me the boy’s father passed away last year.

His mother remarried at the beginning of the year, and I followed the officers’ lead to find her.

However, the lady didn’t seem very keen on seeing her son; she merely intimated that Alan was old enough to support himself as an apprentice.

Moreover, this lad had apparently been working as a barrel-making apprentice at a distant relative’s before coming to London.

I was going to send him back to that barrel workshop, but the lad told me that if I did, it wouldn’t be long before he’d run away again.

He doesn’t mind barrel-making, but he dislikes staying at the workshop.

If he stayed there, he wouldn’t get to eat unless he completed his tasks every day…”