Free The Repentant Rake by Edward Marston Page B

that Christopher had
designed, he had criticised the architect at every stage and made the project
an unnecessarily difficult one. It was a relief to know that this time he could
engage a builder who would work with him rather than against him. The choice,
in fact, had already made itself. Having found a congenial partner during the
construction of Elijah Pembridge's new bookshop, Christopher sought out the
same man in the hope that he would be available for hire again. Like most
reputable builders, Sidney Popejoy was extremely busy, but his admiration for
the architect was such that he promised to recruit additional men in order to
take on the project.
        They
adjourned to the site itself to take stock of any potential hazards.
        'A
tidy piece of land' observed Popejoy. 'At a tidy price, I dare say.'
        'Sir
Julius is a wealthy man.'
        'He must
be if he can afford to build a house that he'll rarely use.'
        'Except
when Parliament sits,' said Christopher.
        Popejoy
grinned. 'Sits and sleeps, from what I hear.'
        'Not
while Sir Julius Cheever is around. His voice would wake the dead.'
        'What
sort of client will he be, Mr Redmayne?'
        'One
that expects to get exactly what he pays for.'
        'As
long as he's not looking over our shoulder every hour of the day.'
        'No
danger of that, Mr Popejoy,' said Christopher. 'Once my drawings have met with
his approval, he'll leave us alone to get on with our work. Sir Julius hates
London. It's taking a huge effort of will on his part to move here.'
        'But
he's not really in London,' noted Popejoy. 'Westminster is a city in
itself.'
        'It's
all one to him. An object of scorn and derision. He wanted a house built here
so that it was convenient for his visits to Parliament. Our job is to answer
his needs.'
        Popejoy
gave a shrug. 'I foresee no problems there.'
        The
two men were standing in a tree-lined road that ran north from Tuthill Street.
A number of properties had already been built there but the new house would
still allow Sir Julius an uninterrupted view of St James's Park. It was a bonus
for a man accustomed to look out on appealing landscapes. Popejoy strode slowly
around the site, measuring it out and kneeling down to take a closer look at
the ground on which he was to build. He was a short, thickset man with black
hair and bushy eyebrows that arched so expressively above his bulbous eyes that
he seemed to be in a continual state of surprise. Christopher had the highest
respect for him. He had seen how Popejoy could bring the best out of his men.
When the builder rejoined him, he nodded towards the park.
        'Sir
Julius will be able to see the King taking his morning walk.'
        'That's
the last thing he wishes to do, Mr Popejoy,' said Christopher with a smile.
'Left to him, there would be no King.
        Unless
he went by the name of Oliver Cromwell.'
        'What
a sour-faced ruler he turned out to be!'
        'Not
in the opinion of our client. He more or less worshipped the man. Whatever else
you do,' he cautioned, 'make no comment about politics to Sir Julius or it will
set him off. He's fanatical in his beliefs. Disparage the Lord Protector and
he's likely to tear up your contract to build his house.'
        Popejoy
nodded. 'I know when to keep my mouth shut, Mr Redmayne. I've been employed by
men of every political persuasion and I made sure that I never spoke a word out
of place to any of them. I prefer to sweeten a client. They pay better that
way.'
        'I
agree,' said Christopher. 'Well, have you seen enough, Mr Popejoy?'
        'I
think so.'
        'Do
you have any questions?'
        'Only
one of significance. When do we start?'
        'As
soon as Sir Julius is satisfied with my design. He plans to be in London very
soon and will call on me at the earliest opportunity. It is simply a case of
standing by.'
        'I'm
not one to stand by, Mr