Childermass rolls his eyes slightly. The book, the damned book. He's lucky he didn't lose it in the fight, or worse. Lucky that the lager had been spilled on him and not on the book itself. Best not tell Norrell about that part. He takes another calming breath -- he feels as though he will be doing a great many of these to come, both now and on the ride home -- before he speaks up to continue.

"It was safe in the packaging, last I left it. Same as it was when I retrieved it for you. Unless they needed to check it for contraband, I doubt that they've done anything to it at all. And we shall get it back soon. As you shall see." The last was said a bit more forceful than the rest of his placatory words, but Childermass really is intending to calm the other man down, not stir him up further.