"Hmm..." Arthur pinched his chin: "It seems General Napier has been quite successful recently! Although a Portuguese Earl is not as valuable as a British one, he is now practically the leading figure in the Portuguese Navy, which is much better than enduring grievances at the Navy Department."
"Who wouldn't agree?" Blackwell said with a smile: "If I were him, I wouldn't come back. Everyone knows His Majesty the King doesn't favor him, while Emperor Pedro of Brazil now practically treats him as his most relied-upon minister. The young queen is not yet of age, so everything is controlled by her father. If General Napier continues to stay in Portugal, it's not only possible for him to become an Earl, but he might even be ennobled as a Duke and appointed Prime Minister."
