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‘I found out as much as I can,’ Pitt replied. His face was utterly without the light of humour. ‘He appears to be a man who keeps his promises when it suits him, but always keeps his threats. But if you were asking, did I find a weapon against him, no I didn’t. I didn’t even find the one you did! Have you proof?’ It was asked softly, not even a shred of implied criticism.
Daniel wondered why. Was Pitt too gentle with him because he was his father? Did Daniel not have to meet the same standard as anyone else?
‘I’ve got Kitteridge looking,’ he replied, trying to keep the emotion out of his tone. ‘All we know about her is her name, Winifred Carter, and that she married Graves well over twenty years ago. And I suppose, less than forty. That’s a very wide window. That much is proved, and we shouldn’t take anything for granted, and certainly not trust Graves over anything. What I was going to say was, have you any information in your secret papers – Narraway’s secret papers – that can help?’ He felt himself blush that he could say such a thing. A week ago, he wouldn’t even have imagined it. Perhaps his integrity was perfect, only so long as he didn’t have to use it?
‘I don’t believe Narraway ever used his knowledge to save himself. And whether he did or not is irrelevant to whether I would. What do you suggest? That I threaten to ruin people if they don’t help me suppress the book?’
Daniel was hurt. ‘No! Of course not. But some of them might be in it. If they knew, they might have the power to suppress the book for their own sakes. Graves must make specific charges, or it will be too vague to be worth anything as an exposé. He’ll ruin specific people for specific . . . weaknesses, failings, even crimes not prosecuted, ones on which the statute of limitations has not run out. Things that are not crimes, just scandals or tragedies. They’ll have to pay for old griefs all over again, innocent or guilty. He’s . . .’ Daniel would not use the word he was thinking of in front of his father.
Now, Pitt smiled twistedly, but there was humour in it. ‘I agree,’ he said quietly. ‘And in a way, he would be fulfilling exactly what he says of us.’
‘So, we do nothing!’ Daniel could not keep his anger hidden.
‘No. You have only a few days left. You must use them well—’
‘Aren’t you going to do anything?’ Daniel cut across him.
‘When you give me the facts, I will, if there’s anything I can do.’
‘They were your friends! I can remember them sitting in the kitchen at home, half the night—’
‘You were in bed.’
Daniel was unabashed. ‘I wasn’t! You thought I was, and Jemima, but we sat on the stairs and listened.’
‘Did you, indeed?’
‘Yes, we did. But that isn’t the point. You worked the cases together, you and Mama and Narraway and Aunt Vespasia. Gracie was there for the early ones, too. You fought the same battles, and even if you thought were going to lose, you never gave up. That’s what friendship is about – winning or losing together because you believe in the same causes. You can’t sit back now and let them be ruined by this . . . this . . . this guttersnipe! You—’
‘I won’t,’ Pitt interrupted him. ‘But if I let Graves drive me to use the very weapon he is accusing Narraway of using, then he has won.’
‘And Aunt Vespasia? Are you going to let him call her no better than a whore?’ Daniel demanded.
A faint blush stained Pitt’s cheeks. ‘And if I react with anger like yours, what do you suppose he will think, and no doubt will say?’
For a moment, Daniel did not understand, then it came in a flood, and he, too, felt the blood in his cheeks. ‘That you, too . . .’ He could not bring himself to say the words, not of his own father. Thoughts were one thing, words another. He swallowed hard, almost a gulp. ‘Then we must find someone who really did use such a weapon, and is not ashamed of it. Someone powerful, who would crucify Graves for making it public,’ he began.
‘Not quite,’ Pitt argued.
‘Why not? If you don’t, then I
will!’
‘Not crucify Graves. With any luck, you will send him to prison for bigamy. It will be far more effective to crucify the publisher.’
Daniel shut his eyes. ‘Of course! How could I have been so . . . stupid?’
‘You’re a beginner at this,’ Pitt said gently. ‘Find the people who cared about Vespasia, or who could not afford to have their parents’ frailties exposed. And find all the people whom he said Narraway blackmailed, and we’ll see which charges are the most useful to us. Preferably, those that are false: the possibility of law suits may make the publishers change their mind very quickly.’
‘Wouldn’t they check anyway?’ Daniel said reasonably. ‘I imagine they would have to look true, or be half true, for Graves to get away with it. Many famous people have weaknesses. He wouldn’t put in those he knew who could prove themselves innocent.’
‘Some of the charges may be true,’ Pitt agreed. ‘You need a few that are untrue, or which may spread further and wider than the intended target, and the publishers will thank you. They have interests, too. Read the manuscript, and tell me. We haven’t long. So, move quickly, but carefully. We cannot afford mistakes.’
Daniel stood up slowly. He was relieved, he was determined, but most of all he was filled with respect for his father, even admiration. It was like sweet wine, almost a little heady. ‘Yes, Father – I will!’
Chapter Nineteen
Daniel went back to his lodgings and asked Mrs Portiscale if he could have sandwiches and a pot of tea in his room. He assured her that he was perfectly well, just had a mountain of work to get through.
