Atonement, For Your Cruelty — Chapter 24

YOUR EXCELLENCY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR AGREEING TO THIS CONTRACT.

I SHALL NEVER FORGET YOUR GRACE.

GRACE, MY FOOT.

AREN'T WE JUST DOING THIS FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT?

HE CERTAINLY SEEMS

TO BE IN AN UNUSUALLY FOUL MOOD ALL DAY

OR RATHER, HE LOOKS STRANGELY UNSETTLED, IF YOU WILL.

I SHOULD WRAP THIS MEETING UP QUICKLY.

WELL, LET'S SEE.

YOU CAN COME IN NOW.

THIS IS A SMALL TOKEN OF MY SINCERITY.

I TOLD HIM WE SHOULD KEEP IT STRICTLY BUSINESS.

BUT HE'S EYEING THAT PERSON OVER THERE.

QUITE UNEXPECTED, ISN'T IT? I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT HE PREFERRED FLASHY BEAUTIES.

I WILL HANDLE THIS, YOUR EXCELLENCY.

FORGET IT, SIMON.

I SUPPOSE IT'S ABOUT TIME I LET LOOSE PROPERLY ANYWAY.

WAIT OUTSIDE.

WHY ARE YOU JUST STANDING THERE? YOU HAVE A JOB TO DO, DON'T YOU?

AH, YES.

GOOD GRIEF, HE'S STRIKING.

THEN....

I'LL TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF YOU.

RIGHT.

IT WOULD ONLY MAKE SENSE FOR THE ALCOHOL TO STOKE HIS LUST EVEN FURTHER.

AND YET...

...WHY.

WHAT IS IT HE WANTS TO SEE?

?

YOUR EXCELLENCY?

JUST TAKE THE MONEY AND LEAVE.

YOUR EXCELLENCY... DID I MAKE SOME KIND OF MISTAKE...?

MY STOMACH IS JUST A BIT WEAK.

WHY IS IT OVER ALREADY..?

TODAY IS A FESTIVAL DAY, SO THE CROWDS ARE INDESCRIBABLE.

I HAVE ARRANGED A DETOUR ROUTE FOR YOU, SO RIGHT THIS WAY.

LET'S JUST WALK FOR A BIT.

IT'S NOT FAR ANYWAY.

NOT HERE, YOU CAN SEE BETTER THAT WAY!

IT'S STARTING SOON. HURRY, HURRY!

THINGS LIKE THIS AREN'T EVEN A BOTHER.

THEY JUST PASS BY, AND ONCE YOU SWEEP THEM ASIDE, THAT'S THAT.

YOU'RE WEARING THE SAME PERFUME USED BY THE MARCHIONESS REINHARDT, MY LADY.

IT CAME BACK IN STOCK RECENTLY, SO I BOUGHT IT RIGHT AWAY.

EVEN THE HEAVY SCENTS OF THEIRS SCATTERED EVERYWHERE IN THE CROWD

CAN BE CLEARED AWAY WITH JUST A PUFF OF CIGARETTE SMOKE,

YET IT FEELS LIKE A SMALL THORN STUCK IN MY THROAT—

THIS INEXPLICABLE DISPLEASURE.

WHERE IT'S STUCK,

AND WHY IT'S STUCK THERE.

NO, IS SOMETHING EVEN STUCK THERE TO BEGIN WITH?

WHY IS IT SO ANNOYING?

!

YOUR EXCELLENCY!