'Och, not extortionate at all. Most reasonable, to be sure. Sit down, sir, whilst I explain.'
'Explain? Explain what?'
'Sit down, sir.' Blood's tone and manner were compelling. Bewildered, Mr Court sat down.
'It's this way,' said Captain Blood, and sat down also, on the stern locker, with his back to the open window, the sunshine, the glittering sea and the hawkers' boats that with fruit and vegetables and fowls came crowding about the ship. 'It's this way: For the moment I'll trouble you to be considering yourself, in a manner of speaking, a hostage, Mr Court. A hostage for a very good friend of mine, who at this moment is a slave in the hands of your cousin, Sir James. You've told us how highly Sir James esteems and loves you; so there's no cause for uneasiness at all. In short, sir: my friend's freedom is the price I'll be asking Sir James for your passage. That's all.'
'All?' There was fury in Mr Court's tone, in his prominent eyes. 'This is an outrage!'
'I'll not be depriving you of the comfort of calling it that.'
Mr Court set an obvious restraint upon his feelings. 'And supposing that Sir James should refuse?'
'Och, why will you be vexing your soul by supposing anything so unpleasant? The one certain thing at present is that if Sir James consents you'll be landed at once on Nevis.'
'I am asking you, sir, what will happen if he doesn't.'
Captain Blood smiled amiably. 'I'm an orderly man, and so I like to take one thing at a time. Speculation's mostly a waste of thought. We'll leave that until it happens, for the excellent reason that it may never happen at all.'