The Shadow of Great Britain-Chapter 1689 - 56: The King’s Responsibility (Part 3)

At last, the "truth" has been revealed to the world.

All the various signs seemed to substantiate what Scotland Yard claimed, which made even the Duchess of Kent privately alarmed.

Losing the writing box was troublesome, yet in the eyes of the Duchess of Kent, it merely provided King William IV a reason to berate her.

However, if the criminal could steal from Kensington Palace, then he could also attack Victoria.

The safety of her daughter was always a lingering worry for the Duchess of Kent; this overly anxious mother constantly feared someone would harm her daughter.

The most unsettling for her was the Duke of Cumberland, who was second in line to the throne after Victoria.

Although many believed, given the Duke of Cumberland’s terrible social reputation, he could never threaten Victoria’s succession to the throne, the Duchess of Kent was not assured. She always suspected this sinister uncle might poison her daughter.

To that end, she did not allow Victoria to eat anything outside, even during travels, forbidding her from sampling local specialties. Even meals provided by Kensington Palace had to be tested for poison before being served.

Her paranoia had escalated to this degree, and regardless of what Rowan said, she was determined to overhaul Kensington Palace’s lax security efforts.

"Your concerns are not unfounded," she spoke softly. "These years, although Kensington Palace isn’t as crucial as Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle, it is still the Crown prince’s residence. If even Kensington Palace cannot ensure Delina’s safety, what will become of the Royal Family?"

Rowan replied in a deep voice, "Precisely because of this, considering the personal safety of the Princess, I recommend you be particularly vigilant going forward. Of course, the best solution is to allow Scotland Yard to deploy several seasoned plainclothes officers to permanently station around the palace. If possible, we hope to regularly communicate with you or Sir John Conroy regarding security matters."

Rowan’s suggestions hit the mark, and indeed, the Duchess of Kent hoped for more.

As per her inquiry to Conroy yesterday, Scotland Yard should ideally arrange a patrol team around Kensington Palace to regularly inspect the surrounding neighborhoods.

"Couldn’t a patrol team be arranged?"

Rowan, involuntarily, replied tactfully, "Your Highness, within my jurisdiction, arranging plainclothes officers is likely the limit. Publicly deploying a special patrol team... as you know, without White Hall’s support, it’s difficult to allocate police resources and funding. According to the relevant regulations, even though Kensington is the Crown prince’s residence, the vicinity of Kensington Palace is no different from other Scotland Yard official premises. If we rashly mobilize personnel, it could easily lead to legal disputes."

If it were someone else speaking this way, the Duchess of Kent might not be inclined to offer a friendly response.

Because, from the perspective of this German-born mother to the Crown prince, what official business in London could be more important than the future Queen’s safety?

Yet, informed by these past few days of London papers, she inherently understood Rowan’s unspoken implication, acknowledging Scotland Yard’s predicament.

They suffered tremendous injustice during the Cold Bath incident yet swallowed their grievances.

Had it not been for the Golden Cross Station operations revealing Chief Cali’s unseen contributions, perhaps he and his family might still be unable to clear their names.

Rather than imposing on the obedient minister, she might as well confront the Home Office directly.

But the issue was, she did not yet know who the next Home Secretary would be!

That damn old sailor dissolved Parliament, leading to the fall of the Melbourne Cabinet. Before the new Cabinet took office, she could only persuade King William IV to agree to strengthen Kensington Palace’s security.

But it’s common knowledge that would be unlikely.

Setting aside King William IV’s willingness, the Duchess of Kent herself was initially reluctant to bow to that foul-mouthed old sailor.

She refused to visit Windsor Castle to beg King William IV for assistance, for Kensington couldn’t bear such disgrace!

However, venting internally doesn’t mean it manifests outwardly. The Duchess of Kent elegantly expressed her sentiment: "Indeed, I don’t wish for anyone to claim that Kensington Palace is appropriating national resources for itself, even if this is for Victoria’s safety. However, if this matter is unresolved..."

The atmosphere grew slightly tense.

Minister Rowan contemplated for a moment before finally speaking up: "I understand the Duke’s and Colonel Conroy’s concerns. But please allow me to boldly propose a compromise solution..."

The Duchess of Kent was unexpected to learn Rowan had a solution. She eagerly encouraged, "Please, go ahead."

"Scotland Yard plans to hold a commemorative event soon for Chief Cali, who died in the Cold Bath incident. This is also part of the donation campaign Mr. Disraeli from the Lower House is organizing for the Cali family." Rowan spoke with a slowed tone though his expression remained very serious: "Chief Cali devoted himself to the London populace and suffered too many false accusations after his death. If the Princess could attend, even send a written condolence, a symbolic gesture, it would signal to society that the Crown prince is not indifferent to us humble guardians of the city. In doing so, many officers would voluntarily protect the Crown prince’s safety near Kensington Palace during their days off."

"Do you mean..." The Duchess raised her eyebrows slightly.

She understood Rowan’s meaning.

The King, the Government, and Parliament could govern the officers during work hours, but what they choose to do post-shift is their freedom.

Moreover, this way, not only does it bypass White Hall and avoid using the national budget, but it also wouldn’t attract public criticism. On the contrary, it may evoke public sympathy and respect. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Inspector Gordon also stepped forward: "I swear by the honor of the 89th regiment before God, if the Princess stands with Scotland Yard, then Scotland Yard will surely return full support."

Rowan added: "Furthermore, for the Princess, this is also about consciously assuming the responsibilities of a future Monarch."

This speaker from Scotland Yard spoke almost with a pleading posture, as he saluted, saying: "Your Highness, you needn’t even attend in person. I assure you, a simple gesture will suffice."

The words fell, and Rose Hall was silent for a moment.

Then Victoria turned her head and softly asked her mother, "Mom, can I go?"

The Duchess of Kent saw the dejection in the eyes of these burly officers, and a trace of compassion emerged in her heart. Moreover, Minister Rowan’s words truly touched her.

She took a deep breath, stroking Victoria’s head: "Delina, it’s not whether you can go, but that you must go. Just as the officers said, it’s your duty as a Monarch."