The Shadow of Great Britain

He said, her mind was full of rubbish, and her love for dolls and theater was utterly foolish. Obviously, she lacked the ability to rule this country on her own, and furthermore, she owed it to him. After all, no matter what, Victoria had to think of him and her mother, and how much they had done for her over the years.

Initially, the Duchess of Kent would assist Conroy in persuading Victoria. But after Arthur broke into Albion Villa, whether it was due to guilty conscience or realizing she’d gone too far, the Duchess of Kent would actively avoid the situation, knowing she couldn’t change anything.

Victoria, facing the pressure from her mother and Conroy, was able to withstand it. So when facing Conroy alone, she naturally became even more resolute.

Moreover, shortly afterward, she received a letter from her uncle Leopold from Belgium — the Irishman thought he could bind you in some way, but I am here at your side, at your command, thus it’s an impossible, unbelievable crazy notion.

Of course, what comforted Victoria the most was that in the Albion Hotel, just across the street from Albion Villa, her teacher, Sir Arthur Hastings, was residing.

During the time she was bedridden, Arthur, except for a trip back to Windsor Castle to report to King William IV, had not left Ramsgate again.

And under him, the officers, whether it was Thomas Plunkett, or Hamilton and Wayne, all reported to Scotland Yard and requested extended leave.

What moved Victoria more was that Scotland Yard not only agreed to the recuperation leave for several officers but, even with the strain on police forces, promptly approved additional leave requests for dozens of officers.

Because of this, at that time, Ramsgate unexpectedly became the region of Britain with the richest security forces.

When Victoria had just recovered and was able to get out of bed, whether it was morning or evening, she could always see a few familiar faces in wide-brimmed hats near the gas lamp post by the window. When they occasionally spotted Victoria by the window, they would grin, take off their hats, and wave to her.

Conroy, of course, was infuriated by this. He repeatedly questioned Sheriff Murphy why such suspicious characters were allowed to loiter around Albion Villa, making Kensington Palace seem like a military camp. But despite his complaints and curses, Conroy understood that if these people indeed wanted to guard the door, he couldn’t stop them.

Because it wasn’t just Sheriff Murphy; even the attendants and ladies of Kensington Palace began to turn a blind eye to the outside situation.

Like the attendant military officer of the Duchess of Kent, Colonel Francis Venables-Vernon-Harcourt, the younger son of the Archbishop of York, Conroy discovered that this fellow was secretly sneaking out in the evenings to drink with Arthur. More astonishingly, Miss Catherine Jenkinson, the eldest daughter of the Earl of Liverpool, took Arthur Hastings’ side to defend Colonel Harcourt.

But this wasn’t even the most annoying part. The most annoying thing was that Colonel Harcourt and Miss Jenkinson ended up using the incident to express their feelings to each other, bringing this hitherto-secret palace romance into the open.

Their fathers, the Archbishop of York and the Earl of Liverpool, were both very pleased with the marriage after learning the news, so the two old men quickly finalized the marriage after their children returned from Ramsgate.

This newlywed couple had just finished their wedding last month, and Sir Arthur Hastings, being a mutual friend of both the bride and groom, was naturally invited to attend.

However, regretfully, Conroy, as the Grand Steward of Kensington Palace and the superior of the two newlyweds’ daily work, did not receive a wedding invitation.

Whenever Conroy thought of that wedding, his heart felt as if it was being weighed down by a stone.

Almost the entire social circle in London was talking about the perfect match between Colonel Harcourt and Miss Jenkinson, yet he hadn’t even seen an invitation.

What infuriated him more was that Arthur Hastings not only attended but was reveling in drinks with the bride and groom, and was even specifically thanked after the toast from the Earl of Liverpool and the Archbishop of York.

”That despicable fellow.”

Conroy gritted his teeth in his mind.

He couldn’t understand how someone from a humble background, only knighted halfway through, could sit shoulder to shoulder with an Archbishop and an Earl, and so brazenly accept salutations at a wedding?

For a status he had fought for all his life, it seemed Arthur Hastings gained it effortlessly.

Yet, at this moment, here he stood face to face with Arthur.

The room suddenly quieted down, and Lord Chamberlain, watching them discreetly, seemed to await someone to speak first.

Conroy eventually suppressed his anger, fully aware that he could not lose his composure in such a setting.

He put his hands behind his back, deliberately slowed his voice: ”Although it is the King’s will for the letter to be delivered to Her Majesty the Princess, Sir Arthur, isn’t there a difference if you hand the letter to me... no, to the Duchess, and to Her Majesty the Princess? Given your current stature, shouldn’t you be above such trivialities? I’ve heard you were quite the highlight at a certain wedding last month!”

Arthur couldn’t care less about Conroy’s provocation: ”Sir John, the seal on this isn’t mine, nor is it the Duchess’s, but His Majesty the King’s. If His Majesty asks, how am I supposed to answer? Say because I had a good time at some wedding, I casually handed the letter to someone else?”

Lord Chamberlain nearly laughed at this remark, suppressing a cough to cover up.

Conroy’s smile froze momentarily before he forced it back. He wanted to raise his voice in rebuttal but feared truly arguing with Arthur in front of everyone would make him lose all dignity.

He could only snort coldly: ”Sir, your eloquence is exceptional, no wonder even the young lady of the Earl of Liverpool treats you as a distinguished guest.”

Arthur seemed not to hear the sarcasm, remaining as calm as ever: ”Sir, you flatter me. Whether I’m a guest or not, that’s up to the newlyweds. As for this letter, it is His Majesty the King’s will. Compared, the importance of one over the other, you should know better than I. Can you handle all 117 counties of the British Isles?”

Conroy, under Arthur’s gaze, felt a shiver down his spine, reminiscent again of that night in Ramsgate.

More humiliating still, he could feel Lord Chamberlain’s eyes vaguely observing him, seemingly ready to take this private confrontation back to St. James’s Palace as entertainment.

The room’s atmosphere reached a deadlock, until suddenly, light footsteps echoed from outside.

The door to Rose Hall was opened from the inside, accompanied by the sound of pages being closed.

Victoria appeared at the door.

She wore a simple morning dress, her face still looking somewhat pale, and the hair that had thinned out from last year’s illness was now much fuller once again.

She looked directly into the room, a trace of eagerness flickering in her eyes as they fell upon the envelope in Arthur’s hand, though she quickly suppressed it.

Victoria, having been outside the door, had already heard most of what transpired, yet had to feign ignorance at this moment: ”Sir Arthur? Is there something I can do?”

Before Victoria could finish, the Duchess of Kent had already frowned: ”Delina! You should be in class at this time, how can you just walk out?!”

Victoria paused, her lips pressed tightly. Instinctively wanting to lower her head, but her gaze involuntarily drifted to the envelope in Arthur’s hand.

Lord Chamberlain’s eyes flickered, and he immediately stood up, speaking with full respect: ”Your Highness, if I may be so bold, Her Majesty Victoria appearing here is well-timed. His Majesty the King instructed us that the letter must be handed to Her Majesty the Princess personally by Sir Arthur and me, ensuring she reviews it herself.”

This statement effectively quelled the Duchess’s reprimand in public.

The Duchess’s expression froze, her face flushed red.

She opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to retort, but was stifled by the phrase ”His Majesty the King,” forced to clutch her silk-gloved fingers tightly, her chest heaving without saying another word for quite a while.

Conroy attempted to lighten the mood: ”Your Excellency, after all, it’s still class time. Besides, Her Majesty the Princess is young, inexperienced in handling matters, and might not respond adequately...”

”On the contrary,” Arthur suddenly interjected: ”She is no longer a little girl. In a few days, she’ll be eighteen, becoming a monarch successor capable of pledging on her own. If she cannot independently receive a personal letter from the King, how will she ever take over the Kingdom?”