James is not surprised Hickey might be thrilled with this information, because of course he would be; back home this sort of thing would be immense leverage, and he has no doubt Hickey would have no qualms about using it. But James is relying on there being very little power in this information here, the only possible way to use it against him being to tell the others, and James truly only cares for the opinions of Francis, Goodsir, and the lieutenants. Of them Francis already knows, and although it might be something of a surprise to the others, he wants to believe that it would be considered ultimately unimportant in the face of everything they'd gone through.

But that doesn't mean he likes that look Hickey is giving him. James likes attention to be on him, but only when it's the image he created, not when it feels like someone is seeing through him.

The question, at least, provides a distraction, even if James turns to begin looking for the newly opened passageway. "Of everything, that is most interesting to you?" His tone is dry, because perhaps somewhere there's some sort of inherent humor in Hickey focusing on what James considers the least important or potentially distressing part of all of this. But as it is the least important, he doesn't resist answering. "I paid a bribe to ensure that a situation he'd found himself in would be resolved smoothly." Ultimately very standard high-society corruption, not anything all that noteworthy if it weren't also tied to his promotion.