The sky over Kensington Palace was cloaked in a thin veil of mist, and, as usual, Arthur arrived promptly at the Rose Hall.
He removed his gloves and coat, handing them over along with his silver-adorned cane to the Kensington Palace attendant responsible for collecting guests' clothing.
He was just about to retrieve the teaching materials from his calfskin bag, but soon noticed that the atmosphere at Kensington Palace felt different from usual today.
The two young maids, who always giggled at the staircase corner, were uncharacteristically silent today. The three ladies walked by without uttering a word, the maids averted their gazes, and even the usually cheerful, plump cook responsible for serving tea seemed a bit less amiable.
The entire palace was infused with a chill, and a whiff of the air revealed an overwhelming sense of tension and awkwardness.
