As a battle-hardened former senior officer of Scotland Yard, Arthur was well-versed in the political schemes of framing and false accusations, and he had utilized these tactics against his shortsighted opponents more than once.
However, it was evident that Lord Elphinstone was a completely different kind of opponent than those he had faced before.
Before Elphinstone, Arthur's approach to handling enemies was always to frame them without worrying about the aftermath.
But for such a formidable adversary, deeply favored by King William IV, backed by a rich family background, and notable in his own right, those less-than-honorable tactics couldn't be employed openly. Otherwise, in future investigations, if Arthur went eager to be the forerunner, he would likely be the first to be sacrificed, to make an account to the public.
In other words, even if one were to act against Elphinstone, it must be from a perspective understandable to the public.
