Chapter 2408 - 319: Victoria’s Resolve (Part 2)

He did not know what she had done, did not know what she had helped her mother to conceal, did not know whose child she carried in her womb.

Yet he still resigned for her, went to Scotland, and abandoned everything.

Victoria was not surprised by Arthur’s conduct; she had long foreseen it, for she knew that if he did not act thus, then he would not be Arthur Hastings.

Arthur Hastings—this name itself was the very synonym of Knightly Spirit.

Humility, honor, sacrifice, valor, mercy, honesty, piety, justice—he upheld these eight virtues at every moment.

At times, Victoria even wished Arthur might show a touch of selfishness, not that she needed him to cast aside all restraint in greed, only that... if only he could think of himself a little, even just once.

Victoria turned away from the window and began to pace slowly about the room; the morning light cast a long shadow behind her, swaying with her steps.

"You may not know that I have once waited for dawn in the coldest of coffins, and seen the sky clear again amid the thickest smoke and deepest night."

"The light in that instant seemed more precious than any affair; to walk from darkness and suffering into the light—that is the most beautiful thing of all."

"By my honor I swear, the illness upon you will one day recede, the predicaments you face will one day be untangled, and those petty men who seek to exploit your will shall be swept away without a single one left."

"When that time comes, you will rise in a manner that belongs to you alone, stand upright before the whole Kingdom, and receive the cheers of twenty?three million Britons."

"Your Highness, that moment will come to you—I guarantee, that moment will come to you."

Words from the past echoed in Victoria’s ears; when she finally came back to herself, her eyes were already brimming with hot tears.

Promises must be kept, deeds must bear fruit; Sir Arthur had already fulfilled every vow he had made to her—yet... what of after?

Victoria walked back to the writing desk and lowered her gaze to the letter of resignation she had never opened.

Her fingertips lightly brushed the sealing wax, feeling the raised pattern upon it.

She thought of the day of the coronation, of the twenty?one guns that shook the whole of London, of herself seated in the golden carriage, searching everywhere through the window, yet never once catching sight of him.

Where had he been, then?

In Kensington?

In Paddington?

He had gone to see Flora Hastings off, sending her back to Scotland to "recover from illness."

Victoria did not believe that, with Sir Arthur’s extraordinary wisdom and piercing eyes, he could have failed to see through Flora’s clumsy performance and false concealment.

He had merely felt compassion once more, his great charity was once more at work; he had merely been willing to turn a blind eye to the sordid affairs of a woman of his own people.

Victoria had wanted, countless times, to summon Arthur to her presence and pour out to him the suspicions and conjectures in her heart.

Yet she truly found it hard to speak of them, for they involved her mother, the Duchess of Kent, and such filthy truth seemed ill?suited to pass her own lips.

As Chief Lady-in-waiting to the Duchess of Kent, if Conroy and the Duchess had indeed overstepped all bounds, it was impossible that Flora did not know; and with her traditional temperament, it was equally impossible that she should keep silent on such a matter. Therefore, if Conroy wished to make Flora hold her tongue, the best way would be to...

Drag her into the water with him...

To be sure, when Victoria first heard such an argument from Leisen’s mouth, she too thought it utterly absurd.

However, when the evidence of Flora’s pregnancy lay before her eyes, even Viscount Melbourne could no longer deny that Leisen’s suspicion was rather reasonable.

She did not hate Arthur for leaving without a word; she could not even force herself to despise the fearless charge of this York Knight.

She was merely angry at his foolishness.

He clearly knew nothing at all; he had merely seen a woman who needed protection, a woman hemmed in by slander, a woman driven out of London.

His Knightly Spirit forbade him to stand idly by; his compassion compelled him to step forward.

His kindness had made him the greatest fool in all this world!

He was always thus trusting of others, just as he had trusted that his mother had truly repented.

Conroy was still stubbornly kept at her mother’s side, and when Victoria sought to repay her late father’s debts, her mother shuffled evasively about her own financial affairs; she could not—or at least would not—make clear how much debt she truly bore.

Anyone could see that she was covering up Conroy’s embezzlement of her property.

Not long ago, Conroy had even brought a suit against The Times, because The Times had carried a report exposing an estate and mansion he had purchased in Wales.

An estate and mansion—how could a mere private secretary possess such a sum?

It was evident that this Irishman must have been embezzling the Duchess’s fortune!

Needless to say, the rumors within and without the court about Arthur and Flora’s illicit affair were, for the most part, deliberately spread by this Irish demon, both in revenge upon Arthur and to serve as his own camouflage.

Conroy hated Arthur and had done so for many years; from that night in Ramsgate onward, his hatred had been gnashing and bitter.

Now that he had his chance, how could he possibly let it slip?

As for Flora Hastings—a woman in her thirties, without dowry, without property, without prospects—she had served as a Lady at Kensington Palace for thirteen years, and now, with age upon her, she was to be driven from the court and vanish without a sound into some countryside in Scotland.

She was unwilling to accept this; she longed to rise again, to grasp something, to find someone she could rely upon.

And Arthur Hastings had reputation, position, and prospects.

He was the Permanent Under? Secretary at the Home Office, a trusted intimate of Buckingham Palace, the living emblem of the entire police system of Britain.

He was upright, kind, brave, and loyal; he was one of those rare men in all the world.

If he were willing to marry Flora, then she would have no more worries at all.

She falsely claimed that she was merely ill, and "aggrieved" she told Arthur that the whole of London was wronging her; she even shamelessly made Arthur give up all his offices for her, thinking that in this way she could escape the constraints of moral norms.

A toad lusting after swan’s flesh!

She was using him—using his kindness, using his compassion, using that damned Knightly Spirit of his.

She wanted him—wanted his reputation, his position, his prospects, wanted a ladder by which she might climb out of the mire.

Victoria’s hand clenched suddenly around that letter of resignation.

She could not allow Flora to succeed, could not allow her to ruin Arthur.

Victoria laid the resignation back upon the desk, raised her head, and shook the bell: "Leisen."

The door opened.

Lady Leisen entered and bowed slightly. "Your Majesty."

"Go and ask Dr. Clark to come."

Lady Leisen paused for a moment. "Now, Your Majesty?"

"Now."

Lady Leisen’s gaze lingered on the letter of resignation for a heartbeat, then shifted away. She asked no questions, merely bowed again and withdrew.

The door closed softly behind her.

Before long, footsteps sounded in the corridor.

Thud, thud, thud!

"Your Majesty, Dr. Clark has arrived."

"Let him come in."

Lady Leisen pushed the door open and stepped aside to admit Dr. Clark; she herself remained outside, gently pulling the door to.

Dr. Clark inclined his head. "Your Majesty."

Victoria did not turn around. "You told me last time that Miss Flora Hastings had come to see you?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"What did she say?"

"She said there was some discomfort in her abdomen."

Victoria was silent for a moment. "In your opinion, is she with child?"

Dr. Clark froze.

This was a question he dared not answer.

"Your Majesty..." Clark chose his words with care. "I... I merely prescribed some medicine to ease the symptoms. As to whether she is pregnant, while I personally incline toward that conclusion, since I have not carried out further examination, I do not yet dare to pronounce judgment."

At last Victoria turned around. She fixed her gaze upon Dr. Clark and said calmly, "And if you were to be allowed to conduct further examination?"

"Ah?" Clark was taken aback; a fine sheen of sweat appeared upon his brow. "Your Majesty means..."