Chapter 2373 - 305: First Meeting? Final Farewell? (Part 2)

"Greetings, Sir Arthur," said the officer, having to hold his hat with one hand and keep a firm grip on his waist with the Civilization Cane to prevent a thief hidden among the crowd from making off with his equipment: "Do you need help?"

Although the three officers looked rather disheveled, they stood in front of Arthur with their eyes shining with undisguised surprise and joy.

"Is it you?" Arthur looked at them, lifting his riding crop to tip his hat: "Brown, Walsh from the Paddington Division, and... Mr. Harrison? Did I get that right?"

The patrolmen exchanged glances, their expressions shifting instantly from surprise to excitement, as if they had heard something unbelievably magical.

Brown and Walsh instinctively tidied their uniforms, while Harrison stood straight and saluted: "Sir, how... how did you know our names?"

Arthur smiled lightly, his eyes never leaving the chaotic crowd ahead: "I remember the names of every officer currently serving at Scotland Yard, perhaps including those who retired from service. So, it’s not surprising. Speaking of which, today’s situation doesn’t look too good. How are things around the station?"

"Everything’s normal, sir!"

"Though it’s a bit crowded, nothing serious has happened."

"But there are many people today, so we still plan to be careful while on duty."

"Hmm." Arthur nodded slightly: "In situations like today, a minor issue could easily lead to a chain reaction."

His gaze swept the surroundings, lingering on the hurried pedestrians and skittish horses: "At least you have to separate the pedestrian traffic from the vehicle traffic. Can you clear a path?"

Brown and Walsh nodded without hesitation: "Certainly, sir!"

Harrison then raised his voice, commanding the nearby officers: "Everyone get moving! Disperse the crowd and first clear a road for vehicles!"

Harrison’s loud orders quickly caught the attention of other officers who originally planned to scold Harrison for overstepping his authority. But when they saw Sir Arthur Hastings riding a black horse behind Harrison, everyone immediately fell silent.

The patrolmen swiftly got into action, weaving through the crowd, guiding the separation of carriages and pedestrians.

Though it took quite an effort, they managed to open a path wide enough for three horses to walk side by side in the shortest time possible.

"Much appreciated." Arthur raised his hat and gently lowered it again: "Brown, Walsh, and Mr. Harrison."

"Our pleasure, sir!"

The patrolmen were panting heavily but continued to beam with smiles, after all, this was their first time personally conversing and serving the legendary figure from Scotland Yard.

Arthur smiled slightly, then flicked his riding crop, and the horse moved steadily forward, passing through the bustling crowds and traffic.

Arthur lightly pulled the reins, and the horse came to a stable stop.

Arthur leaped off the horse, removed his riding gloves, and nodded slightly to the passing patrolmen beside him.

Inside the station was a hubbub of activity, with nearly all waiting seats taken by the crowd. The people on the platforms hurriedly sought their trains, while Arthur’s gaze fixed on the large blackboard hanging from the second-floor window, densely marked with today’s train schedule.

He took out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket, carefully comparing the information on the schedule.

"Seven-thirty..." Arthur muttered to himself, confirming the train departure time.

He then flipped open the cover of his pocket watch, which showed the time as seven-fifteen.

Arthur slightly exhaled.

Wooo!!!

White steam poured out, the thick and hurried train whistle resonating throughout the waiting hall.

Arthur jerked his head up, looking in the direction of the whistle; instinctively wanting to move forward, yet before he could take any steps, he felt a pat on the shoulder.

He turned around to find Blackwell standing behind him, smiling at him.

"Here to see Miss Hastings off?" Blackwell asked with a smile: "Didn’t you say you were unable to make it?"

Arthur was stunned for a moment, then calmly said: "Indeed, I was unable to free myself initially, but as I was inspecting key areas, it happened to be near Paddington, so I came by to take a look."

Blackwell raised his eyebrows slightly, seeming somewhat surprised: "If only you had come five minutes earlier."

Arthur paused: "Why? Did something happen?"

"Because..." Blackwell explained with some helplessness: "Because that train left five minutes ago."

"Wasn’t it supposed to leave at seven-thirty?" Arthur questioned: "In Britain, it’s good enough if a train isn’t late, how come it’s departing early?"

Blackwell saw Arthur’s anger and quickly explained: "Well... under normal circumstances, trains being ten minutes to half an hour late are indeed common. But these days, as you know, due to the coronation event, a lot of travelers have been coming to town, and very few are leaving London. Plus, with the ticket prices soaring for city trips... the recent London departures are all leaving as early as they can. If not for my prior arrangements with them to wait a bit longer for Miss Hastings, that train would have departed at seven already."

"You..." Arthur pointed at Blackwell but couldn’t speak for quite a while.

Blackwell shivered slightly, defending himself: "Sir, this isn’t my fault. If you insist on accountability, the Great Western Railway Company’s station office is right next to the newsstand."

Arthur realized his lapse and slowly let go of his hand, saying: "Henry, you handled this well, organizing everything so thoroughly, you’ve indeed put a lot of effort in."