Chapter 14: “Rumors About Her That She Doesn’t Know”:
“Why are you smiling like that?”
Rufus asked his master, holding his glasses up to the sunlight for a closer look.
“Did something good happen?”
When his master smiled so calmly, Rufus felt a strange mix of emotions.
“It’s the Prime Minister’s hearing.”
“Even though I heard Phil Gordon prepared something, you seem so pleased… now I’m curious too.”
Unlike his master, Rufus was extremely tense. Christopher, belonging to the House of Lords, could only attend the Prime Minister’s hearing in the Commoners’ House as a witness.
Rufus had to make some sort of “excuse” regarding the relationship between the Prime Minister and Belmore on Christopher’s behalf.
Having eaten nothing all day, Rufus was nearly on the brink of a nervous breakdown.
Yet his master was calmly smiling. Lately, Rufus had begun to notice that Christopher often appeared in good spirits. He observed his master with a curious glance—something was different.
“Sir, what’s this on your sleeve?”
Rufus pointed at Christopher’s sleeve.
“A clip? Why are you carrying something like that?”
Unlike Rufus, who had no idea why the clip was there, Christopher remained nonchalant.
Even as Rufus held out his hand to take it, Christopher casually pocketed the clip.
The hearing in Parliament proceeded with the usual format: raising allegations against the Prime Minister and then answering them. After dull exchanges, Representative Phil Gordon finally gained the floor and began speaking.
“What on earth has he brought?”
Rufus whispered into Christopher’s ear. Christopher alternated his gaze between the Prime Minister’s face and the confident Phil Gordon.
“Honorable members, you must know the vile acts committed by the newly established hotel in Londinium.”
Rufus whispered again.
“What a long-winded introduction.”
Christopher lightly touched his onyx cuff and nodded.
“Lord Belmore persuaded and even threatened various patrons to ruin the convent.”
Though the stiff-lipped, solemn-faced, powdered-wig-wearing assembly all turned their eyes sharply toward Christopher, he remained unfazed.
“The Prime Minister and his associates invested in the hotel. But it didn’t go as planned because a nun opposed it. That opposing nun ‘accidentally’ died in a carriage accident in front of the hotel.”
Murmurs spread instantly.
“Wait a minute, Representative Phil Gordon! That statement is highly inappropriate.”
Rufus finally could not hold back and interrupted Gordon.
“Order! Keep order! Speak only when you have the floor!”
The chamber erupted into noise, like a bustling marketplace.
Someone gestured aggressively beyond a red line drawn on the floor. The Speaker tried to restore order with a wooden gavel, but it was futile.
“Honorable members! I am Rufus Ollivander, counsel for Lord Belmore, who appears as a witness. Representative Gordon is telling blatant lies!”
Rufus flushed with indignation as if personally insulted.
“Don’t deny it by claiming lack of evidence! Circumstantially, who would benefit from a nun’s death? Belmore and his gang, of course!”
“Spreading baseless rumors from Hybrom in Parliament… I am deeply disappointed, Representative.”
Gordon smirked.
“Honorable members! Speaking of Hybrom… after the convent disappeared, one orphan was sold to a Hybrom tavern.”
That statement was a death blow. The Queen despised nothing more than seeing her vulnerable subjects fall into prostitution or vagrancy. She blamed such tragedies on her own failure to govern, often fuming over them.
At the same time, with unusually high unemployment and growing social unrest, tensions were palpable throughout society. Things were not looking good.
“Representative Gordon, are you saying that because of Lord Belmore, the nuns died, and the orphan there became a street girl?”
The Speaker asked, and Gordon nodded confidently.
Christopher, who had remained silent until now, quietly raised his hand. He said nothing, only lifted it, and suddenly all eyes shifted from Gordon to him.
Dirty scandals and conspiracies… such stories could not make tomorrow’s newspaper headlines. Even the Speaker nodded.
“Representative Gordon has failed to produce the orphan said to be in Hybrom.”
“It’s a vile place, she may already have contracted syphilis and half her face could be ruined! But we have the tavern owner’s testimony.”
Christopher sneered at that. Gordon did not know the girl.
If he saw her in person, rumors of syphilis or her being vulgar, ignorant, or clumsy would evaporate.
She was, in fact, a remarkably clever girl, making one wonder why she had not been adopted.
“Even if you paid the Hybrom tavern owner to testify, it would be inadmissible. Moreover, the only young lady who left that convent is working at my hotel. That is an indisputable fact requiring no threats or payment.”
A heavy silence fell. Only Prime Minister Hobert nodded in satisfaction.
“If a woman who lived in the convent has entered Belmore Hotel without a recommendation and is working, whose influence is that?”
I brought her here.
There was no stronger rebuttal. Gordon’s face turned dark.
“I won’t believe it until I see her! Lord Belmore, I won’t believe it until she’s standing in front of me!”
“So you couldn’t find that orphan in Hybrom, after all.”
Christopher’s remark punctuated Gordon’s defeat.
“The story Representative Gordon speculated on was entertaining enough. But it’s the kind of mystery novel sold at Mudis Bookstore.”
Some members laughed at the comparison to a cheap three-part novel.
Overall, the mood wasn’t perfect, but the absurd scandal had been quashed.
The rest of the hearing dragged on with dull questions about allied political instability, mad murderers, cholera outbreaks, and exhibition costs. Finally, the hearing ended, and members began to leave the chamber.
Then Gordon blocked Christopher’s way. Peering down at the small man barely at his shoulder height, he frowned.
“I know your bloodline is tainted.”
“I hope you’ve said that in front of my grandfather as well.”
Christopher lightly pushed him aside and headed for the door.
“Well said. Have you considered how much blood your grandfather has on his hands? You might even miss your incompetent father—”
Before he could finish, Christopher twisted, grabbed Gordon’s shoulder with one hand, and squeezed. Gordon groaned under the strength.
Christopher’s face contorted. At least Gordon had touched something of his.
“Your grandfather spared your life because he wanted to give the grandson a chance.”
“What? Dare to threaten me with such filth?”
“Next time, bring a more interesting novel. Not about prostitutes or murderers—something elegant.”
He released his grip.
Gordon, who had braced himself, staggered.
Christopher even dusted off Gordon’s shoulder as if it had gotten dirty.
Despite the intimidation, Gordon managed one last comment.
“Cecil Hobert would be pleased to see this. John Hobert may even sell his own daughter, but he wouldn’t notice.”
Gordon only fought losing battles.
He hadn’t realized that Cecil Hobert meant nothing to Christopher. Christopher chuckled. Why were people so predictably foolish?
“Miss Hobert is soon hosting a party, and you’ll attend too. Now that the hearing is over, you must campaign against her.”
“I look forward to seeing how long you can remain this arrogant, Belmore. Remember, your name was built with blood.”
“I wonder how long you’ll continue twisting facts like this, Representative.”
He finished calmly and turned away.
When Elizabeth Gardner, fleeing like a hunted deer in Hybrom, had leapt before him, he never imagined such a confrontation.
“I should have brought her to the hearing.”
Today, he had protected her more than necessary. Rufus also pointed this out precisely.
It seemed Christopher preferred the difficult path to the easy one. Some in the Commons may have resented a noble’s interference.
“It’s true she spent a day in Hybrom. If we harp on that, it puts us at a disadvantage.”
“People might think the House of Lords interfered in the Commons.”
“Being a witness at the hearing is enough. If you were worried, you shouldn’t have gotten excited.”
The hearing was barbaric. Watching scavengers sink their teeth into what you own is unpleasant.
“You leave me with nothing to say.”
“There’s nothing to gain from presenting her. That’s all I’m saying.”
“You have no other motives, right?”
Christopher did not respond to Rufus.
