Arthur's wine glass paused in mid-air, and his smile contained a subtle touch of awkwardness.
Noticing his momentary embarrassed expression, even the Duchess couldn't help but lower her head and stifle a laugh, causing the silver fork to clink lightly against the plate.
As for Victoria, she never believed that the considerate Sir Arthur Hastings would take money to do something that tarnishes another's reputation.
Arthur coughed once and quickly engaged his mind to steer the topic back: "Let me guess, wasn't that article written by Alfred Tennyson? Alfred is indeed very averse to the inventions and creations of industrial society. He is a typical poet who opposes anything that might disrupt the tranquil pastoral life."
