Also there was the fact that Blood,
himself, had kept almost studiously from intruding upon them.
His lordship's mind went swiftly but carefully down these avenues
of thought, observing and connecting. Having exhausted them, he
decided to seek additional information from Miss Bishop. For this
he must wait until Pitt and Wolverstone should have withdrawn. He
was hardly made to wait so long, for as Pitt rose from table to
follow Wolverstone, who had already departed, Miss Bishop detained
him with a question:
"Mr. Pitt," she asked, "were you not one of those who escaped from
Barbados with Captain Blood?"
"I was. I, too, was one of your uncle's slaves."
"And you have been with Captain Blood ever since?"
"His shipmaster always, ma'am."
She nodded. She was very calm and self-contained; but his lordship
observed that she was unusually pale, though considering what she
had that day undergone this afforded no matter for wonder.
"Did you ever sail with a Frenchman named Cahusac?"
"Cahusac?" Pitt laughed. The name evoked a ridiculous memory.
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