Eld, full of enthusiasm, stood with his chest out, waving his hat vigorously towards the crowd on the shore: "Who cares, even if the First Sea Lord himself comes to greet us, it's only right. We've suffered so much on the ship, so what's wrong with a grand welcoming ceremony? Look, there's even a little girl holding a bouquet over there; I wonder which noble family she belongs to. Ha, there's even a flower-giving segment; the Navy Department really put some thought into this."
Just as Eld was smugly waving his hat, intending to make eye contact with the 'noble young lady,' there was a clunk as the gangway was secured onto the ship.
Victoria stood in the shadow of a parasol, her expression uncertain. Her eyes were fixed on the mast and the ensign of the Beagle, and for some reason, a subtle unease stirred in her heart.
