After that thrilling street incident, Victoria realized that her life had become even more oppressive and suffocating than before.
Her mother, the Duchess of Kent, imposed the strictest prohibitions under the pretext of "safety." She was forbidden to leave Kensington Palace, and even when walking in the garden, she had to be accompanied by more than four guards. All her letters had to be examined by her mother and Sir Conroy, and anyone wishing to see her would be turned away for various reasons.
It was like a canary trapped in a gilded cage, with the most luxurious home and the finest food, yet deprived of her most precious freedom.
This was the "Kensington System," an impenetrable cage constructed jointly by her mother and Sir Conroy. From a young age, they isolated her from the outside world, not allowing her to play with other aristocratic children her age, not letting her have friends, and not even letting her descend the stairs alone. They instilled the idea that the world was full of dangers and conspiracies and that only they were people she could truly trust and rely on.
In the past, young Victoria had felt pain and dissatisfaction, but most of the time, she chose to endure it in silence.
But now everything was different.
The appearance of that young man was like a stone thrown into a stagnant pond, creating countless ripples in her heart and awakening her deep desire for freedom.
At that moment, she was sitting by her room window, holding a book of Goethe's poetry, but she couldn't read a single word. Her thoughts had already flown out the window, toward that realm of freedom she could not yet reach.
In her mind, the scene of that day repeated endlessly.
The heroic figure of the young man, his composed eyes, and the mysterious way he turned away to leave.
Who exactly was he?
Captain Cornwall had not yet sent any news, as if the person had simply vanished into the vast sea of people in London. This gave Victoria a strange sense of loss and anxiety.
She even began secretly sketching his face on a piece of paper. Although they had met only once, his profile was vividly etched in her memory: blonde hair, blue eyes, a very handsome face, a tall, slender figure. Her drawings were rough, but with each stroke, her heart raced involuntarily.
"Your Royal Highness."
Frances Bunsen, her lady-in-waiting, interrupted her thoughts.
Victoria hurriedly tucked the sketch into her book, looked at Frances, and tried to appear calm: "What is it?"
Frances entered, carrying a tray of exquisite scones and black tea, with a worried expression: "You haven't eaten all afternoon. The Duchess of Kent instructed me to make sure you have something to drink."
Again, orders from her mother.
A flash of irritation crossed Victoria's eyes as she shook her head: "I have no appetite; take it away."
Frances placed the tea and pastries on the table, hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "Your Royal Highness, Captain Cornwall… seems to have encountered some problems."
Victoria's eyes lit up instantly. She rose from the windowsill and hurried to Frances, asking anxiously: "What problems? Has he been found?"
Frances shook her head, speaking even more softly: "No, the problem is precisely that he cannot be found. Sir Conroy is very upset about this. He believes that the young man is a pawn deliberately placed by someone and has already ordered a citywide search. I heard… Sir Conroy said that if he is captured, unpleasant methods will be used to interrogate him."
"What?!" Victoria's face paled instantly. "How dare he! That man is my savior!"
She knew all too well how ruthless Conroy's methods were. If that young man really fell into his hands, the consequences would be unimaginable! A wave of anger and worry poured into her heart, making her small body tremble slightly.
No! This absolutely cannot happen!
"Frances," Victoria grasped her lady's hand, her clear blue eyes full of pleading and determination, "there must be a way, right? There must be a way to contact people outside the palace to help me find him! We have to find him and protect him before Sir Conroy does!"
It was the first time Victoria had so clearly wanted to defy her mother's and Conroy's will.
Frances observed the unprecedented determination in the princess's eyes, deeply moved. She had served the princess for many years and knew her inner pain well. Between loyalty to the Duchess of Kent and fidelity to the future Queen, the balance in her heart had already quietly shifted.
She reflected for a moment, then nodded solemnly and said, "Your Highness, rest assured. I will find a way. My family has a nephew who works at Scotland Yard; perhaps… perhaps he can help us."
"That's wonderful!" Victoria let out a sigh of relief, holding Frances's hand tightly. "I'm counting on you, Frances! This matter… this matter is very important to me!"
Watching the princess's expression—a mixture of concern and anticipation—Frances sighed inwardly. She knew that this young Royal Princess was probably not acting solely out of gratitude; in those beautiful blue eyes, there was clearly a glimmer of the first stirrings of love in a young girl.
That mysterious young man had unknowingly entered the future Queen's heart.
While mistress and servant discussed secretly, Arthur, the subject of their conversation, was in his small attic, occupied with organizing his life and planning for the future.
On the table in front of him were papers, calculations, and notes about trade, capital to raise, and skills to acquire. He was studying how to launch his future business, determining which contacts to seek, which markets to explore, and how to build a solid reputation.
Arthur was not hiding completely, but acted prudently, creating a network of connections and tools that would allow him to emerge as a young entrepreneur, without resorting to theft or deception.
Arthur decided that his future identity had to convey authority, charm, and economic competence. Tall, blonde, blue-eyed, and handsome, his physical presence was already magnetic, but what would truly make him powerful was his talent for building a commercial empire and earning respect as an equal from both nobles and the future Queen.
Arthur sighed, studying his notes: "Every step must be calculated. This time, I won't just be a mysterious savior… I will become someone indispensable, someone who can truly stand alongside Victoria on a level of strength and mutual respect."
And with that determination, he began moving the first pieces of his plan: creating alliances, studying the market, investing wisely, learning languages and business codes, slowly building his future identity as a mysterious and influential entrepreneur.