The Frost Fair

    'May I offer you some refreshment?' asked Christopher.

    'No, no. This is only a brief visit.'

    'At least, remove your coat.'

    'There is no point,' said Sir Julius. 'The first thing that I must do, Mr Redmayne, is to thank you. Susan has told me what transpired at the frost fair. In keeping her away from the horror that you uncovered, you acted like a true gentleman.'

    "There was no need for her to view such a hideous sight.'

    'Susan has always been far too curious.'

    'Yes,' said Christopher with a fond smile. 'Your daughter was determined to see the body for herself. I had some difficulty persuading her that it would be unwise for her to do so. Most young women would be too squeamish even to make the request. That was not the case with her.'

    'She has a headstrong streak, I fear,' said her father, 'though I cannot imagine from whom she got it. Her mother was a docile woman and I am known for my gift of restraint.' He gave a chuckle. 'Except on a battlefield, that is.'

    Christopher had never met anyone less restrained than Sir Julius but he made no comment. As he looked into the face of his visitor with its surging brow, its rubicund cheeks, its wild eyes and its square chin, he could see that Susan's beauty had certainly not come from her father. His features were arresting but hardly prepossessing. What she had inherited from him was an iron determination and a sense of independence.

    'My real concern was for Richard,' he said. 'Jonathan Bale's younger son. He actually chanced upon the body. It will give him nightmares for a long time to come.'

    'Mr Bale is a good man. He fought with us at Worcester.'

    "That will not advantage his son.'

    'It will,' insisted Sir Julius. "The boy has his father's blood in his veins. He'll be able to look on death without turning a hair.'

    'The poor lad was crying like a baby. It was a dreadful shock for him.'

    'He'll soon get over it.'

    'I beg leave to doubt that.'

    'Be that as it may,' said the other irritably. 'I did not come here to talk about a small boy who stumbled upon a corpse. I simply wanted to thank you for the way you behaved towards Susan and to acquaint you with the fact that, as soon as the roads are passable, I will be quitting London.'

    Christopher was upset. 'For how long, Sir Julius?'

    'Until the King sees fit to recall Parliament.'

    'But that may be months away.'

    'I do have an estate in Northamptonshire to run.'

    'Naturally,' said Christopher, trying to conceal his fear that he and Susan might be parted for a considerable time. 'But I hope that you'll not neglect the many friends you have here in the capital.'

    'I entered Parliament to clean up this city, not to sink into its corruption myself.'

    'Do not judge the whole of London society by its more wayward members.'

    'Prejudice has not made me that blind, sir.'

    'I trust that you'll be able to dine here before you depart,' said Christopher, anxious to arrange at least one more meeting with Susan. 'It may be a week or so before the ice has completely thawed.'

    Sir Julius rose to his feet. 'It's a tempting invitation,' he said, 'but I'll have no time to take advantage of it. There's too much work to do before I leave. I've letters to write, reports to deliver and committee meetings to attend. Because I consider you one of the few decent men in this cesspool of a city, I felt that I owed you the courtesy of telling in person about my decision.'

    'I appreciate that, Sir Julius.'

    'One day, perhaps, we can lure you back to Northamptonshire.'

    'This commission will keep me in London for the time being.' said Christopher, indicating his drawing, 'but the situation may ease in the springtime. I'd be happy to come then.'

    'Our door is always open to you.'

    'I'm flattered.'

    'A word of advice, Mr Redmayne,' said Sir Julius, tossing a disapproving glance at the table. 'Reject this approach from Lady Whitcombe. You are far too talented an architect to be short of work. Choose clients whom you can respect, not those who bear the names of confounded Royalists.'

    'I make no distinctions.'

    'You should, man.'

    'I disagree.'

    'What scoundrel introduced you to this particular lady?'

    'You did, Sir Julius.'

    'Me?' protested the other. 'But I've never even met the woman.'

    'It makes no difference,' said Christopher, amused at his reaction. 'Indirectly, you were responsible for my coming to Lady Whitcombe's attention. When she was driven through Westminster, she was so impressed with the town house I built for you that she demanded the name of the architect. I was promptly engaged to design something similar, though on a larger scale, for her.'

    'Do you mean that she's copying my house?' demanded Sir Julius. 'I'll not allow it, do you hear? Is the lady incapable of having ideas of her own?'

    Christopher smiled ruefully. 'Far from it. Lady Whitcombe invents new refinements every time we meet. Her house will be no slavish copy of yours. The façade has a superficial resemblance to your own,' he continued, looking down at the drawing, 'but there are features that set the two properties far apart. Between the two interiors, there will be little comparison.'

    'I still feel that you should refuse her tainted money.'

    'Architects do not make moral judgements about their clients.' "They ought to.'

    'Then our commissions would be few and far between.'

    'But you'd have the reward of a clear conscience.'

    'My creditors prefer to be paid in coin.'

    'I took you for a man of principle.'

    'Then you were right to do so, Sir Julius,' said Christopher. 'Nobody adheres so closely to the principles of architecture as I do. The first principle is that an architect must have food, drink and a roof over his head in order to pursue his profession. I'm grateful to anyone who makes that possible.'

    'So be it,' said the visitor, putting his hat on. 'I'll waste no more breath on you.'

    'I wish you a safe journey.'

    'And I wish you a better class of client.'

    Turning on his heel, Sir Julius made his way to the front door. Christopher did not want them to part on such a sour note. When his guest tried to open the door, he put a restraining hand on it.

    'How shall I know when you leave London?' he asked.

    Sir Julius snorted. 'The city will sink back into a morass of depravity.'

    'I'd like to be there to see you off, Sir Julius.'

    'There's no need for that.'

    'I could wish you both God-speed.'

    'I abhor the sight of well-wishers,' said Sir Julius, opening the door, 'however well-meaning they may be. Besides, I'll simply go when the moment is right. There'll be no time to advertise my departure.'

    'I see.'

    'Good day to you, sir.'

    'Thank you again for taking the trouble to call.'

    'I had to,' said Sir Julius, walking to his coach. He paused at the door held open by his coachman. 'Dear me!' he added with a wry grin. 'I all but forgot the main reason that brought me here. While I will be shaking the dust of London from my feet, Susan will not. She's decided to stay with her sister at Richmond.'

    Christopher's spirits were lifted. 'This is excellent news!'

    'I thought it might be.'