The Shadow of Great Britain

The Duchess’s knuckles slowly turned white, the snuff bottle quietly slipped from her palm, crashing onto the carpet with a thud.

”I know this is difficult for you, but it’s not a matter of emotion,” Conroy stepped forward, standing in front of her, and gently caressed her cheek with compassion, ”This is about order. You are not just her mother; you are the Duchess of Kent and the guardian of the British Crown Prince. You are an indispensable symbol in the succession plan. If you show weakness today, tomorrow she will cast you out of her life herself, just like she did to me today.”

”She... she’s still just a child...”

”She’s no longer a child; she’s eighteen,” Conroy sighed, ”She’s an adult now, she knows how to control others, how to set up scenarios to have the Earl of Liverpool speak on her behalf, how to package refusal as a stance, how to beautify humiliation as integrity. She is far more mature and dangerous than we imagined.”

These words finally made the Duchess lift her head, a hint of uneasy fear in her eyes, as if for the first time she genuinely realized she was no longer the center of her daughter’s world.

”Are you saying... she no longer needs me?”

”Precisely because she no longer needs you, you should seize this last opportunity to make her understand: she still cannot do without you.”

Conroy spoke slowly and assuredly, ”We won’t imprison her, won’t insult her, and certainly won’t harm her. We simply want her to know that her world is still under her mother’s arrangement. Her bedroom door closes at nine every night, Leisen must request permission to visit, letters must be reviewed by you, she is not allowed to go out privately or meet any visitors except those approved by you. Your Highness, trust me, I’m not asking you to punish her but to give her a chance to turn back.”

Conroy gently held the Duchess’s hand, ”If you don’t do this, she’ll only stray further. You know in your heart that if she truly assumes the throne, the first thing she’ll do is cast me out of London and kick both you and me out of her life.”

The Duchess of Kent fell silent.

Conroy saw her wavering and took advantage, ”Aren’t you afraid? Who are the people around her? Either small-minded men like Arthur Hastings or gossipers like Leisen. What kind of queen will they make her? Do you really think the nation will allow her to govern this country guided only by her whims because she’s cute and capricious?”

This time, the Duchess of Kent argued no more.

She sat quietly, seemingly still digesting Conroy’s carefully prepared argument.

Conroy didn’t push her but slowly knelt, ”Your Highness, I seek no position, no reward, I only hope you can retain your identity as her mother. I will arrange everything carefully. Her bedroom door, I will have someone quietly change the lock, indistinguishable from the old one. As for Leisen, we won’t expel her directly, just dispatch other maids to keep an eye on her all day. The correspondence will be under your control; all decisions remain yours to make.”

The Duchess stared at him, and after a long while, gently nodded, ”Until she calms down.”

Conroy stood up, his face finally showing satisfaction, as he kissed the back of the Duchess’s hand, ”You made the right decision, Your Highness. Starting tomorrow morning, the east wing corridor will no longer be open. As you said, her head is too hot right now.”