The Shadow of Great Britain

But now, everyone obviously doesn’t have to worry about so much anymore.

As one of Arthur’s old subordinates, the newly appointed Acting Director of the Police Intelligence Department, Chief Inspector Charles Field, naturally also needs to use personnel appointments to demonstrate to the officers of the Police Intelligence Department his ”legitimacy” as the heir to Sir Arthur Hastings and the leader of the Hastings faction at Scotland Yard.

Therefore, it became a reasonable choice for him to transfer Chief Inspector Brayden Jones, who has a strong Hastings affiliation, into the Police Intelligence Department and make good use of him.

As for why Rowan would tacitly allow this group of Arthur’s cronies to openly band together under his nose, it is naturally because he feels the pressure from the Home Office.

To put it bluntly, he’s quite dissatisfied with the Home Office’s behavior of arbitrarily inserting people into Scotland Yard, but he feels helpless about the arrangements made by the higher departments.

So, since he couldn’t block the influx of personnel from the Home Office, he might as well revive the small group Arthur organized back then to serve as a buffer.

If in the future the parachuted personnel from the Home Office have differing opinions and conflicts with Scotland Yard, it would surely start with the Police Intelligence Department, as it is the most unrestrained, reckless, and brazen faction among Scotland Yard’s divisions.

And by that time, Rowan could jump out and act as the mediator, pretending to be fair and just, meting out equal punishment to both sides.

Of course, considering Rowan’s relationship with Arthur, his punishment for the Police Intelligence Department might not be so severe, perhaps just making a show of it. But it’s conceivable that his punishment for the parachuted personnel from the Home Office won’t be so gentle.

Both sides might be demoted, but some could be promoted back, while others might continue to slide down.

Both sides might undergo internal investigations, but some might continue to receive their pay, while others might be suspended without pay.

When it comes to scheming against people, Rowan, this retired army officer, might not fall short of the bureaucrats at White Hall.

Previously, he didn’t act this way simply because he didn’t want to openly confront the Home Office. But if pushed to the brink, though he can’t confront them outright, he has plenty of ways to trip up the Home Office behind the scenes.

After all, Rowan long ago stopped thinking about further promotions, only wanting to take care of his patch at Scotland Yard.

It’s really quite difficult for the Home Office to control such a man without desires or ambitions.

Even if they go through all the trouble to remove Rowan from his post, the new Minister who takes over might not be able to manage the officers at Scotland Yard. And if there is a new Minister who can manage the Scotland Yard officers, there’s a high probability that he would be even more difficult to deal with than Rowan.

Plunkett poured Arthur a glass of wine and continued, ”And as for Section Six, they’ve been getting quite close with the Foreign Office recently, acting very mysteriously these past few months. I heard they’re planning to assemble a new team, composed entirely of gentlemen who can speak more than three languages, and the requirement is that handsome ones are given priority.”

”The Foreign Office?” Arthur casually asked, ”Who’s leading it?”

”Not sure.” Plunkett recalled, ”but the fellow in the Foreign Office responsible for liaising with Section Six seems to be called... called... Hutter, yes, Mr. Richard Hutter.”

”Hutter?” As soon as Arthur heard this name, he more or less understood, ”If it’s him, then it should be Assistant Secretary Auguste Schneider heading it up. Probably because the number of foreigners residing in London has been increasing in recent years, and the Foreign Office can no longer handle it, so they’re planning to have Section Six help with some of the workload.”

As soon as Arthur finished speaking, he suddenly heard a gentle yet loud female voice coming from outside the window, the tail note slightly drawn out with a hint of playful teasing: ”You, with that mouth of yours, ought to be writing love poems, yet you always practice on me. Earlier, you said my smile would make even the sunshine feel ashamed, oh, Diz, you...”

”I told you, Henrietta, the moment you appear, even the sun has to veil itself with a mask to avoid shining on your face, for fear it might seem coarse by comparison.”

Inside the cabin, Plunkett frowned as he listened, unable to resist taking a gulp of brandy: ”In broad daylight, today’s young people... really have no shame. A man, if he truly loves a woman, should speak fewer sweet words and do more real deeds. Look at them, just embroidered pillows and gilded paper horses. They talk up a storm, but when it comes to shouldering responsibility, they’re nowhere to be found.”

Arthur remained indifferent to Plunkett’s comments, merely walking to the window to glance out before calmly saying, ”What a coincidence.”

Although he hadn’t invited Disraeli on this trip, it didn’t prevent him from having plans with Mrs. Sikes to self-surrender and go on vacation to the Southeast Beach.

Truth be told, since last year Arthur had suspected that Disraeli’s romance might soon end, because ever since Mrs. Sikes’s husband, Sir Francis Sikes, went to Venice to recuperate, Disraeli and Mrs. Sikes had been practically inseparable every day.

Based on Arthur’s understanding of human nature, a relationship as intense as this one often comes and goes quickly; once the novelty wears off, both parties will seek new thrills.

But now Arthur had to admit, Disraeli’s affection for older women might have already overridden certain aspects of human nature, while Mrs. Sikes seemed addicted to the thrill of having an affair behind her husband’s back.

So far, their relationship still appeared rather stable.

However, Arthur was quite uninterested in meddling in Disraeli’s affairs.

He had just turned back, intending to continue the previous conversation with Plunkett, when suddenly he heard another familiar voice from outside the window.

”Benjamin? What are you doing here, and who’s this beside you... ah...”

Arthur instantly realized who had stumbled upon Disraeli and Mrs. Sikes’s tryst the moment he heard the slightly shocked exclamation.

Unhurriedly, he closed the window, turned, and walked back to his seat.

Seeing his half-smiling expression, Plunkett couldn’t help but ask, ”Do you know that couple outside?”

”I’d rather not know them,” Arthur replied plainly, ”Thomas, like Minister Rowan, in this matter, I don’t want to take any responsibility.”

Plunkett laughed with a peculiar expression, ”You’re quite the reliable friend then.”

Knock knock knock!

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

Following that, with a creak, the door was gently pushed open, revealing an officer’s face: ”Um... Sir, Mr. Eld Carter says he wants to see you.”

Arthur shrugged, ”Tell him I know what he wants to talk about, and have him wait for me in the dining room.”

Unexpectedly, just as Arthur finished speaking, Eld squeezed in through the door gap.

”Arthur!” The visitor was none other than Eld, who almost yelled, ”Do you know what I just saw on deck?”

”Dolphins?”

”I saw Benjamin kissing a woman!” Eld slammed a hand on the door frame, ”In broad daylight, under the sun, right in front of me! Do you know who she is?”

”I don’t know, but I do know that if your voice gets any louder, soon Benjamin and the woman he’s kissing will hear you.”

Hearing this, Eld realized that he might be losing his gentlemanly demeanor: ”Uh... I... I didn’t mean it like that, oh, never mind, I’m no priest, Charles is the priest.”

Before Eld could finish speaking, a rush of footsteps sounded outside the door.

No sooner had they realized it than the door was banged open.

”Eld, Mr. Carter! You stay right there...” Disraeli burst in through the door, ”I think we might need to have a serious talk... uh... Arthur, you’re here too?”