The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1757: Chapter 82: Reign, Britannia! (Part 3)

”Delina, how about this Friday?”

The Duchess of Kent had somehow appeared behind her, accompanied by Conroy, Lady Leisen, and several high-ranking government officials.

Victoria was startled and turned to look at her mother. The Duchess of Kent was nodding warmly at Arthur, saying, ”Sir Arthur, we owe today to you.”

After speaking, she turned to her daughter: ”This Friday happens to be the middle of the month. Your uncle plans to go to Windsor these days and then visit Kensington Palace on Saturday. It just so happens that the heroes of the Beagle can enter the palace the day before. They can share their sea experiences and anecdotes with the other guests at the banquet.”

”Yes, Mother,” she replied softly, raising her head again, her gaze sweeping over the eyes still fixed on her on the deck.

Victoria collected her scattered emotions, with a feeling of admiration for the sailors and a smile of determination she had practiced in private. She stepped forward and bent down to extend her hand to the young sailor, Eld Carter, who had first knelt.

”Sir,” she began, recalling the sincere tone she had practiced in Arthur’s class, ”this bouquet was originally for my uncle, but now it seems it truly belongs to you all.”

Victoria bent down to pick up the bouquet, intending to hand it to Eld, but Eld seemed startled and forgot to reach out and take it, possibly still shaken from earlier. This top student from the University of London stood motionless.

”Take it,” Victoria gently urged. ”If I may ask, could you tell me your name?”

Eld snapped back to reality and hurriedly took the bouquet: ”Eld, Eld Carter pays you his respects, Your Highness.”

Laughter erupted from the deck, with sailors nudging each other in whispers, the atmosphere had softened considerably.

”Eld Carter?” Victoria was surprised: ”You wouldn’t happen to be little Walter Scott, would you?”

Eld was taken aback that the Princess knew his name, and in that moment, his sharp wit returned.

He raised his hand in salute: ”No, Your Highness, I am not little Walter Scott, but rather Eld Carter. I’m honored that you like my work.”

Victoria’s smile grew even brighter upon hearing this: ”Sir Arthur Hastings mentioned you to me, you two are good friends, aren’t you?”

”Of course, friends do almost everything together,” Eld replied, puzzled as to how Arthur had connections to the Princess, and from their conversation, it seemed their relationship was quite close. ”If I may be so bold, Your Highness, you and Arthur...”

Before Victoria could respond, Arthur, who had come over, lightly coughed and spoke in a half-serious, half-warning tone: ”Mr. Carter, for your own sake, I suggest you use ’almost everything’ with caution.”

”Unclear?” Eld widened his eyes, ”Do you really want me to elaborate?”

He suddenly remembered the Princess was right in front of him and hastily waved his hands, speaking awkwardly and nervously: ”Of course, I...I mean we do legitimate things! Charts, reports, voyage logs, and occasionally writing poems... Arthur, that year in Gottingen when you helped me translate the German navigation manual, did you finish it?”

Arthur quickly interrupted with a cough: ”It’ll soon be yours; it’s all locked in that trunk you left at my place.”

Listening to these two men banter, Victoria couldn’t grasp all the meanings, but it did not dampen the lightheartedness of her smile. Consequently, her impression of Eld improved significantly.

She did not pursue the matter further, only requesting: ”Then I look forward to you and Sir Arthur bringing the trunk this Friday. It sounds like it contains many secrets of your voyage.”

”Uh...” Eld was standing straight, his throat feeling like it had a fishbone caught: ”Of course, Your Highness, if you’re interested... I assure you, when we enter the palace, I will recount the most thrilling parts for you.”

Victoria nodded gently: ”Kensington looks forward to your and the other sailors’ arrival.”

At this moment, the Duchess of Kent stepped forward, first offering her condolences to the crew of the Beagle.

She then bent down and whispered in Victoria’s ear: ”Delina, your uncle’s ship is about to dock. The sailors of the Beagle have worked hard for so long; they deserve a good rest.”

Nearby, a Navy Department official assured Victoria: ”Your Highness, leave the rest to us. We assure you we will take care of them properly.”

The officer from the Navy Department, a middle-aged man with golden olive leaves sewn onto his cuffs, saluted both Victoria and the Duchess of Kent, then pressed his hand to his chest, loudly addressing the crew of the Beagle: ”On behalf of the Navy Department, I express my sincerest respect. You have completed an unprecedented mission, not only expanding the Empire’s naval charts but also making the name of the Britannia’s Navy heard worldwide. Welcome home!”

The crew responded with thunderous applause. Eld, who had been nervously holding the bouquet, blushed and grinned sheepishly under everyone’s gaze.

The Navy Department officer gestured to the rear, and a team of aides in dark blue uniforms with shining gold badges stepped forward swiftly, leading the crew of the Beagle toward a reception tent arranged on the other side of the port, equipped with hot tea, clean uniforms, and a banner that read ”The Royal Navy Welcomes You Home.”

As the crowd dispersed, Victoria, accompanied by her mother and many officials, walked back slowly to the protocol stage, while Arthur quietly saluted her, waved goodbye with a smile, and made his way through the gathering toward a corner of the pier.

In the corner, Eld was carefully tucking the flowers into his luggage as he blew his nose. He didn’t forget to boast to Darwin: ”Charles, I told you my face is audience-friendly. Look, even the Princess knows me! And look at you, you were too nervous to even cluck.”

Darwin, just recovering, sneered at Eld’s self-praise: ”Nervous? I wonder who was crying like a baby just now.”

”You little...”

Eld was about to argue loudly, but suddenly felt a tightening around his neck, as a hefty arm appeared from nowhere, wrapping around him.

”Welcome home, Eld! I came in a rush today and forgot to prepare an authentic French dish for you, so for now, let me offer you my elbow.”