As mentioned in the post, Candy’s letter after the shock, in Candy Candy Final Story (CCFS), soon after Albert revealed his last secret that he was actually Candy’s prince, George unexpectedly appeared to pick him up due to some urgent business.
So Albert didn’t come alone, and it’s very likely that George had driven his young boss all the way from Chicago to Pony’s Home. 😛
Perhaps George had been told to come back some time later. Albert said to Candy in his letter that “I intended to take my time to talk with you on the hill.” I figure Albert planned to explain to Candy why he had stumbled upon Pony’s Hill that many years ago, wearing kilt and carrying a bagpipe with him, but vanished moments later.
Yet, rather than dawdling the hours away, George, being a responsible assistant, possibly tried to touch base with someone back in the head office via telegram. That’s probably why he found out about something that required Albert’s immediate attention. Guess what? I can’t shake off the feeling that it had been an impulsive decision by Albert early that morning to go to Pony’s Home (because of the perfect weather?), and that was why George had to contact the head office, just in case. Of course, this is purely my imagination. 😉
Anyway, Albert had to leave Candy behind, which was against his wish, and yet she couldn’t say goodbye to her prince just like that. Based on the CCFS spoilers, he wrote the following to her,
Georges always gets in my way at the right moment.
I didn’t vanish. You followed me to the car, didn’t you?
Candy and Prince on the Hill
Note that she wasn’t that little girl anymore, so it wasn’t like she wouldn’t see her prince again or didn’t know how to contact him. Nonetheless, when he had to leave her, she followed him to the car as though she wanted to be by his side for as long as possible. It’s clear she wished he could stay. I’m sure she had many, many questions for him.
It means that George would see Candy in a very emotional state, with tear stains on her cheeks and possibly red, puffy eyes too. If Albert hadn’t related to George that he had run into a six-year-old Candy by chance the day he had successfully escaped from home as a teenager back then, Albert probably would give an account of his brief encounter with the orphan girl to George on their way back to Chicago.
So why didn’t Albert drive? If George hadn’t left Chicago and come to Pony’s Home with his boss, George might be able to handle the urgent matter on Albert’s behalf. If Albert had come by himself, he could have spent hours with Candy without anyone’s interruption.
After all, Albert was depicted as a highly independent guy in Candy Candy, and he liked traveling alone. Do you think he had too much on his mind to focus and drive long distance? Perhaps he was jittery or antsy? 😆
In CCFS, Albert told Candy in person that George had always been his reliable friend. “… When he told me this story, I saw his eyes moist with emotion. Georges has been always by my side since I was a child… I could talk everything over with him, he has been the most reliable friend…”
In fact, George’s funny remark regarding Candy’s lousy drawing of Albert implies that George knew everything, including how Albert had come and gone in Candy’s life again and again, why Albert had decided to stay living with Candy even after his recovery from amnesia, and Candy’s desperate attempt to look for Albert after his disappearance. Remember back when Candy had been forced to marry Neil, George could have informed his boss himself using telegram, and I’m certain Albert could have solved the problem without showing his face. However, George had chosen to disobey Sir William and deliberately instructed Candy to meet her adoptive father in Lakewood. In the manga, Albert actually thanked George for doing that, and Candy also thanked George herself (in her letter to George in CCFS).
Thus, I suppose George was fully aware that Albert was planning to make an important confession to Candy on Pony’s Hill that day, and this loyal assistant possibly offered to give his young boss a ride or keep him company as a supporting friend.
Albert said so himself (from spoilers):
“It was highly regrettable for me as well that I had to leave immediately, even though I made such an important confession.”
I will talk more about the significance of this confession to both Albert and Candy. Please stay tuned. 🙂
Note: The above picture was downloaded from Candy & Albert World.