She said this as she reached out to lift the curtain of the carriage window, and the light from the gas lamp imdiately spilled into the carriage, illuminating her sweat-dampened forehead and tightly pressed lips.
Lady Leisen was clearly hesitant: "Your Highness, it’s not appropriate to get off the carriage now..."
"Just to catch a breath, rest for a few minutes," Victoria weakly pleaded, "You don’t have to get off. I’ll be right by the carriage, not going far."
As she said this, she had already reached out to push open the carriage door.
Seeing this, Lady Leisen could only sigh softly, pulling down the window to instruct the attendant, "Go see if there’s a café or the like nearby that’s open. Her Highness is unwell and needs a mont’s rest."
Taking advantage of Lady Leisen turning her head, Victoria quickly stepped onto the carriage’s side step and landed on the ground.
She did not imdiately walk towards the blacksmith but turned around, pretending to stretch as she glanced at the side alley squeezed between two old buildings.
He was there indeed.
Elphinstone was standing at the alley entrance, wearing a dark green coat today, holding a felt hat in his hand, leaning against the wall, smiling as he watched her.
In an instant, Victoria felt her cheeks burn as if seared by a hot iron clamp, her ankles trembled slightly, and she even forgot which foot to step forward with first.
Seeing this, Elphinstone did not speak. He rely hurried a few steps forward and took Victoria’s hand in his. Victoria was stunned for a mont, almost afraid to look up at him.
"Quick," Elphinstone said in a low voice, almost whispering in her ear, "If the light wavers again, they will discover us."
He spoke swiftly, yet showed no signs of panic. He gave a gentle tug, pulling her into the narrow alley.
Victoria felt her body lighten as he gently embraced her into the darkness.
The lamp at the alley entrance was conveniently obscured by a passing carriage, with footsteps, horse hooves, and the hiss of gas lamps intertwining, blending into Victoria’s ears, as if it were a scene from a Shakespearean play.
She was Juliet, and Lord Elphinstone was her Roo.
She was lightly sheltered in the corner by Elphinstone, the dark green coat half-covering her cloak, the two almost pressed together, able to hear each other’s breathing.
"Are you... alright?" Elphinstone asked softly, yet did not dare to release his grip.
Victoria opened her mouth; she wanted to say "You scared to death", but ultimately could not bring herself to scold this young nobleman from Scotland: "John, you..."
Clang!!!
Before Victoria could finish her sentence, an unexpected sound was heard.
The sound wasn’t loud, yet incredibly crisp, much like the crack of the teaching cane Sir Arthur Hastings frequently used on the blackboard.
The next mont, Lord Elphinstone’s eyes seed to lose focus, his whole body swayed slightly, and then like a clay statue in a storm, he rolled his eyes and collapsed straight into the alley.
"John..." Victoria called out softly, reaching out as if to catch him, but Elphinstone had already fallen heavily to the ground, the felt hat rolling to the side, the hem of the dark green coat lifted by the wind, covering half his face.
"God bless!" an excited voice emanated from the darkness, "Another great achievent this ti! Damn it, Hutter, didn’t I say this kid was up to no good!"
Victoria turned her head in shock, only to see two n cloaked in coarse wool coats, their hat brims pressed low, standing at the alley entrance, one brandishing the dripping Civilization Cane that had just "committed the act", while the other had not yet wiped the excitent and victorious glee from his face.
"Your Highness, don’t be afraid. Do you rember us? We are undercover police from Scotland Yard. This cunning villain attempting to abduct you away from the convoy has now been subdued by us on the spot!"
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