The King's Evil

Penelope Northcott knew that he would try again. George Strype was far too conceited a man to accept rejection lightly. The social consequences would be extremely painful to him. Stung by her rebuff, he would do everything in his power to make her reverse her decision before it became public knowledge. To keep him at bay, she gave instructions that he was not to be admitted to the Westminster house on any pretext. In the event, he did not even turn up and she began to feel even safer.

Penelope felt able one day to venture into the city. She was taken completely by surprise when she left Mr Creech's office and found her discarded fiancée waiting for her outside in Lombard Street.

'George!' she exclaimed.

'You still deign to talk to me?' he said with a tentative smile.

'Only to wish you well.'

'Do I deserve no more from you than that?'

'I am busy,' she said. 'You will have to excuse me.'

He was insistent. 'Listen to me, Penelope. I followed you here and I waited for an hour in the street for you to come out. I am not to be shaken off now.' He indicated her coach. 'Why do we not continue this conversation in some privacy?'

'No, George.'

'Are we to stand out here like haggling tradesmen?'

'You may but I will not,' she said. 'Goodbye.'

'Wait!'

'We have said all that we need to say to each other.'

'Will you not at least let me apologise properly to you?' he pleaded. 'I spoke out of turn at your house. It was ungentlemanly. Your censure was justly deserved and I make no complaint about it. But,' he said earnestly, 'was my behaviour really so bad as to justify a complete rift? I love you, Penelope. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Think of all those plans we made together, all those ambitions we had. What a terrible waste for you to throw it all away now.'

'I am not the person who threw it away, George.'

'All I ask for is a second chance.'

'It is too late,' she said, opening the door of her coach. He touched her arm. 'Please take your hand off me.'

'Not until you hear me out.'

'Supposing I refuse?'

'Penelope!'

'What will you do - set those ruffians on to me as well?'

'So that lies behind all this, does it?' he sneered, releasing her arm and stepping back. 'Redmayne has been telling tales. Well, let me tell you something about him. Did you know that he has been here to this office to pester the clerk for details of your father's transactions? He had no right to do that. It is intolerable. Do you want Sir Ambrose's private affairs to be scrutinised by an interfering architect?'

'I have every faith in Mr Redmayne.' 'Is that what you told him when you saw him?'

'He knew it already,' she said, getting into the coach.

'Next time you meet him, give him a message from me.'

'I am not your courier, George.'

'Warn him, Penelope!' he snarled. 'And take a last look at that pretty face of his before I redesign his features.'

'How many bullies will you pay this time?'

'One person will be enough. Me.'

The coach rolled off and left him smouldering with rage.