He was not going to give her any more than that; it was in the stiff set of his shoulders.
‘But surely the man should just hand it over to you,’ she said. ‘He is a member of the Dark Days Club.’
Pike’s wintry smile appeared again. ‘Mr Lowry’s sense of duty towards the Dark Days Club and, indeed mankind, extends only to offering us the journal first, before he puts it on the open market. Now that Benchley is dead, Lowry’s powers will diminish; in less than six months he will be a normal man again. Perhaps even less than he was before.’ Pike looked down at his own hand, closing his fingers into a fist. ‘He is taking the opportunity to make his fortune while he still has the alchemical strength to bargain with Reclaimers or Deceivers.’
‘Still, a Terrene cannot overcome two or more Reclaimers,’ Mr Hammond said. ‘Why not just take it from him? He has betrayed us, after all.’
‘Why use an axe when a scalpel will do the job?’ Pike said. ‘Lowry has already offered the journal to us. We will buy it. The fact of his betrayal will be dealt with later.’
Mr Hammond crossed his arms. ‘No, there is something else that is stopping you from forcing him to hand over the journal.’ He contemplated Pike, the quick turn of his mind mirrored in the tap of his fingers on his arm. ‘You want to keep this quiet. An old fox like Benchley wouldn’t just make notes about the Deceivers, would he? I’ll wager that journal has information about the other Reclaimers as well, particularly Lord Carlston — he was Benchley’s protégé. You don’t want to send any of the other Reclaimers because they will get their hands on the information first. You certainly wouldn’t want to lose that advantage.’
Pike stared at him.
‘Is Mr Hammond correct?’ Helen asked.
Pike turned and walked to the window, the silence making his answer.
‘What is it supposed to contain?’ Helen demanded, forcing back a flare of pique. Pike clearly did not care that she would see the journal; he must think her a malleable nonentity, no threat to himself or his plans. She clasped her hands in her lap. Perhaps he was right. What would she do with such information?
Pike’s eyes were fixed on the street below. ‘According to Lowry, Benchley knew what really happened to Lord Carlston’s wife — the man would hint at it when he was in his cups — and also about his lordship’s activities on the Continent. All of this, by Lowry’s account, is detailed in the journal, along with information about a number of Deceivers that Benchley had unearthed. He also made a dossier on each of his fellow Reclaimers, including you, Lady Helen.’ He turned to face them at last, his expression forbidding. ‘The Home Office does not want that information in anyone’s hands other than our own.’
Helen shook her head. ‘I think you just want to incriminate Lord Carlston.’
‘You seem to think this is entirely about Carlston,’ Pike said. ‘I assure you it is not. Lord Sidmouth wants to make sure the Dark Days Club is not compromised. It is just as feasible that the journal exonerates Lord Carlston.’ He narrowed his eyes. ‘You do believe in his innocence, don’t you, Lady Helen?’
‘Of course I do,’ Helen said stoutly, ignoring the flutter of doubt that always accompanied her thoughts about his lordship’s past.
‘Then you have every reason to believe that Benchley’s journal will be to his benefit. It may be to your benefit too. Lowry claims there is information about your parents’ death in it.’
Helen felt her body lock. ‘But my parents drowned. It was an accident. Are you saying it was not?’
‘Perhaps. We will not know until we have the journal in hand, will we?’
Hammond made a soft sound of disgust. ‘Do not believe him, Lady Helen. He has just thrown that in to season the pot.’
‘No,’ Pike said. ‘I am merely reporting what Lowry’s letter claimed.’
Helen stared unseeingly at the carpet, trying to comprehend the possibility that her parents had been murdered. By whom? Benchley? Perhaps Mr Hammond was right and it was just a lie to give her more incentive to retrieve the journal. If it was, it was a cruel invention.
‘Lady Helen, you are not listening.’
She jerked her head up to meet Pike’s rebuke. ‘I beg your pardon. What did you say?’
‘I said Lowry has made it clear that he will deal only with you.’
It was a startling caveat. ‘Why me?’
‘No doubt he thinks that your sex and inexperience will give him an advantage.’
Helen frowned. ‘Is that what you think?’
He paused. Plainly, he did. ‘This is a simple agreement of terms and exchange of goods, Lady Helen. A fool could do it. Mr Hammond will be there to assist you. Since he shares the man’s perversions, he will help you navigate the Lewes stews where we believe Lowry is taking refuge.’
‘God’s blood, Pike, I have nothing in common with that man,’ Mr Hammond said, his face bright with anger again. ‘He finds his pleasure in others’ pain, especially young women who do not consent to such treatment.’
Helen sat back in her chair. ‘That is monstrous.’
‘It is,’ Mr Hammond said. ‘And it is nothing to do with me.’
Pike shrugged. ‘Nevertheless, your assignment is to help Lady Helen meet Lowry so that she can secure the journal.’ He turned to Helen. ‘We expect him to demand somewhere between five and ten thousand pounds for it.’
Helen drew in a surprised breath: a small fortune. Yet it was clear that Lowry was an opportunistic man. ‘What if he asks for more than that?’
‘You have the authority to offer up to fifteen thousand pounds in gold. If he pushes for more, make it clear to him that it is our final offer before the scalpel turns into an axe.’
Mr Hammond sat forward. ‘Fifteen thousand in gold! There must be something highly incriminating in the journal to warrant such an amount. What are you not telling us?’
Pike’s brows lifted. ‘Obviously the government would prefer not to pay that much, but it may come to it. We must have that journal.’ He walked to the table and picked up the wrapped Bible and the writing box. ‘You are both bound by oath to the Dark Days Club. You are also bound by the express written order from His Royal Highness the Prince Regent to obey my instructions. You now have those instructions, and I leave you with one more. This assignment must not be discussed with anyone else. That includes your sister, Mr Hammond. Am I clear?’
Mr Hammond nodded, his hands clenched on his thighs.
‘Say it,’ Pike ordered.
‘Yes, it is clear,’ Mr Hammond said, each word viciously distinct.