He knew it well enough from the outside but he had never been inside before, and he wondered now what horrors he might find in there. That morning he had received a note from Mr. Edwards to come to the Hellfire Club meeting building at midday. It was just that now, and James knocked on the door. For a while no one answered and then he repeated his knock. Still nothing; he listened at the wood and he heard the sound of footsteps approaching and then the door was unlocked from within by Edwards himself. “Sorry, Alderman but our doormen are under orders only to answer to a secret knock that changes every day.” James stepped inside shaking Edwards hand and waving off his worries about being left outside with the other hand. On first inspection, it was not as he had expected. There were no lewd paintings or craven images anywhere to be seen and the sculptures on display were of more Greek inspiration than Satanic. Instead, this place was fitted out like the best of the Gentlemen’s clubs and taverns in the city.
