The Shadow of Great Britain

Arthur looked at her, his gaze quiet, as if he was pondering, yet also as if he was just waiting for her to finish speaking.

Only when Victoria mentioned ”nor did Uncle Leopold say so” did he gently raise an eyebrow.

”Hmm... yes.” Arthur’s tone was gentle, as if agreeing, yet also as if deliberating: ”But His Majesty Leopold is a King, Viscount Palmerston is a seasoned politician, and you, perhaps in the eyes of most people, are just an eighteen-year-old girl.”

Arthur glanced at her again and smiled: ”They say you shouldn’t act as if seeking revenge because they think you are not yet a mature political figure. If you were a mature Queen, then even if you spoke as frankly as His Majesty William, no one would dare to say otherwise.”

Victoria snorted, nodding empathetically: ”And they have never been as wronged as I have.”

”That’s true.” Arthur nodded: ”They were born with the right to make mistakes, and you have only now gained a bit of freedom without interference.”

In Victoria’s view, Sir Arthur Hastings always spoke like this, unhurriedly, not aggressive, nor accommodating, instead, like cautiously shining a light from a corner to reveal the little flame in her heart.

No matter what she was thinking, Sir Arthur always seemed to know right away.

But, so what?

Although Victoria disliked Baron Stockma’s suggestion, she understood that in dealing with the Conroy issue, Baron Stockma’s suggestion was right, and even Uncle Leopold expressed support in his letter.

If it were just Stockma saying so, Victoria might dismiss it, but if even her dearest uncle stood on that side, she had to take it seriously. After all, from childhood until now, her uncle had never wronged her in anything.

Victoria didn’t speak, only tugged at the hem of her dress.

Arthur, however, seemed to suddenly change the subject: ”Speaking of which...”

He spoke offhandedly: ”Has Sir John Conroy ever mentioned what reward he desires most?”

Victoria looked up, warily glancing at him: ”You aren’t trying to speak for him, are you?”

Arthur laughed, not too seriously: ”I wouldn’t dare. Just curious.”

He paused, his voice a bit lower, as if speaking just for Victoria’s ears: ”If I remember correctly, in his letter to Viscount Melbourne yesterday, he requested this: a reasonable noble title, a red ribbon Bath Medal, 3,000 pounds in retirement annuity... And, a dignified status befitting his years of loyal service...”

”He actually...” Victoria widened her eyes in anger, ”Why didn’t Viscount Melbourne tell me about this?”

She was genuinely displeased, her tone even carrying a slight quiver of thinly-veiled anger.

Arthur stood there unmoved, not offering words of comfort, only silently calculating whether this anger, without some fuel, might not ignite sufficiently.

Unexpectedly, even before Arthur could fan the flames, Lady Leisen, standing beside Victoria, had already spoken up.

”Because Viscount Melbourne always likes to decide on his own.” Lady Leisen said: ”And he probably thought such matters shouldn’t ’bother’ Her Majesty the Queen. Doesn’t this sound just like Sir John Conroy’s style?”

If it weren’t for Lady Leisen speaking up at this moment, Arthur might have almost forgotten about her.

Ultimately, among those wanting Conroy dead, Arthur Hastings was not high on the list.

When it came to years of entanglements with Conroy, whether Victoria or Lady Leisen, they stood ahead of him.

After all, for Arthur, Conroy was at most disrespectful, but for Victoria and Lady Leisen, it was almost a matter of life and death due to Conroy’s arrangements, or years of being sidelined by him.

Victoria was clearly provoked, but she didn’t explode immediately, instead planning to hear what Arthur would say.

Understanding her intention, Arthur spoke to fill the conversation gap: ”Actually, Sir John’s list... or more precisely, his petition, has one last sentence that’s quite interesting.”

Victoria, sitting sullenly on the bench, asked coldly: ”What did he say?”

Arthur spread his hands, as if talking about an inconsequential joke: ”He said, if Your Majesty is unwilling to let him retire so early, he is also willing to fully retreat into the background, quietly awaiting orders as Your Majesty’s private advisor.”

”Private advisor?” Victoria’s expression instantly changed, the position like a fine needle piercing precisely into the darkest corner of her memory.

Victoria could no longer contain herself; she looked both angry and terrified: ”Impossible, that’s impossible. But, it’s also impossible for me to ennoble him.”

Arthur smiled slightly, as if he had anticipated Victoria would say this.

For genuine White Hall bureaucrats, whenever faced with such thorny issues, it was an opportunity to display their ”wit and wisdom”.

At present, only two options lay before Victoria.

Either accept Conroy’s terms in full, which Victoria naturally could not accept.

Or, reject Conroy’s request, severing ties, but in doing so Conroy would definitely collude with the Duchess of Kent to create a stir, potentially endangering the good image Victoria had painstakingly built.