The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1848: Chapter 121: The King Avenges His Great Enmity

King William IV did not often summon officials at St. James’s Palace, especially at the break of dawn. Most days, this Sailor King had not yet sobered up by this time. However, today was different. Perhaps at this moment, the newspaper boys on the streets of London had just started selling The Times, but King William IV had already been waiting in his office for quite some time.

Arthur followed the solemn-looking chief attendant to the door. Just as he was about to reach out and knock, the door opened from within.

Visible from inside the door was the King’s private secretary, Sir Herbert Taylor.

”Come in, Sir Arthur.”

Taylor’s voice sounded somewhat fatigued, as if he had been busy all night or was burdened with some weighty concern.

Yet King William IV, warming himself by the fireplace, was the exact opposite of his old secretary. The ruler of Britain still wore his characteristic ruddy wine-flushed face, but today he looked quite spirited, even exuberant.

”Your Majesty.” Arthur respectfully bowed, humbly and appropriately: ”You summoned me?”

”Summoned?” King William IV snorted lightly, tossing the piece of letter in his hand onto the table: ”I wish this were a summons rather than an interrogation.”

Arthur glanced down at the letter on the table and happened to glimpse a few fragmented and glaring words: secret meeting at Kensington Palace, Lord Elphinstone and the young Princess...

”Sir Arthur, I hope you understand your duty.” King William IV frowned, reprimanding with his usual frank tone: ”With such a major issue, why didn’t you report it in time?”

”To be honest, Your Majesty, I only found out about this news yesterday morning.” Arthur responded steadily: ”Although I thought it was just some baseless rumors, considering the gravity of the matter, I nonetheless spent a day verifying it.”

Saying this, he drew a document from his coat and placed it on the table: ”This is the testimony of two Scotland Yard officers from the scene and the relevant clues. I spent a whole night sorting out the intelligence, barely reconstructing the truth of the incident.”

”Oh...” Seeing the report Arthur presented, the anger that had just been brewing in King William IV instantly dissipated: ”If that’s the case, that’s a different story, a different story... Sorry, Sir Arthur, you know I’m impulsive.”

Arthur respectfully lowered his head, understandingly forgiving: ”I completely understand, Your Majesty, after all, it concerns the Princess’s honor; concern leads to confusion, your worries are understandable.”

King William IV approached the table and somewhat rudely picked up the file, flipping through it quickly.

His brows occasionally furrowed and relaxed as a few murmurs of apparent satisfaction, or dissatisfaction, were emitted from his throat.

”Elphinstone, that guy, I really didn’t expect... For someone I know, he doesn’t seem like the type to do such a stupid thing. But then again, men, when faced with a young and beautiful girl, anything is possible...”

King William IV muttered to himself, pacing the room: ”Ha, who would have thought Kensington Palace would have its day too, what goes around comes around...”

Arthur originally thought that upon learning the heir was meeting with a non-royal noble, King William IV would certainly be furious, and would casually deal with Elphinstone.

But unexpectedly, listening to King William IV’s tone, how did it seem like he was actually somewhat pleased?

But before he could figure it out, he heard Sir Herbert Taylor beside him cough lightly: ”Sir Arthur, His Majesty the King has one more matter to confirm with you today.”

”Please speak.”

Taylor first exchanged a glance with King William IV, and after receiving confirmation, slowly began to speak: ”Yesterday we received different news from various sources, but a significant portion of it suggests that the Princess’s relationship with Lord Elphinstone is deeper than just private meetings, there are even rumors that the Princess might be pregnant, this...”

Even though Arthur had done his homework before coming to St. James’s Palace today, he did not anticipate the palace gossip could spread so wildly in just a day. If anything, these high-ranking people’s imagination is not much inferior to third-rate tabloid reporters on the street.

It’s one thing to say Victoria consorted with Elphinstone, but to concoct a pregnancy?

Arthur couldn’t help but want to scratch his head upon hearing this.

Of course, he knew this was impossible, after all, Victoria had been frequently disappearing briefly lately, but each disappearance only lasted three to five minutes.

If she and Elphinstone could get things done in that short time, then Lord Elphinstone would undoubtedly become yet another London quick draw after Bernie Harrison.

Of course, this is all a joke, even if Elphinstone is a quick draw, Victoria’s three to five-minute disappearances would give them barely enough time to chat and hold hands, considering this short time also includes Victoria going to and returning from the meeting.

Nonetheless, King William IV’s concern about whether his niece is pregnant revealed to Arthur the Sailor King’s true intent.

From Arthur’s observations during this period, King William IV held no ill will toward his niece. Judging by his enthusiastic demeanor every time he met Victoria, he even seemed to adore the dear niece. At the very least, he wasn’t as cold to Victoria as he was to his brother, the Duke of Cumberland.