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When they want a thing they must have it； and thenthey're sorry。
FREDA。 ＇Sullenly＇ He's not sorry。
LADY CHESHIRE。 Is his love big enough to carry you both over
everything？。。。。 You know it isn't。
FREDA。 If I were a lady； you wouldn't talk like that。
LADY CHESHIRE。 If you were a lady there'd be no trouble before
either of you。 You'll make him hate you。
FREDA。 I won't believe it。 I could make him happyout there。
LADY CHESHIRE。 I don't want to be so odious as to say all the things
you must know。 I only ask you to try and put yourself in our
position。
FREDA。 Ah； yes！
LADY CHESHIRE。 You ought to know me better than to think I'm purely
selfish。
FREDA。 Would you like to put yourself in my position？
LADY CHESHIRE。 What！
FREDA。 Yes。 Just like Rose。
LADY CHESHIRE。 ＇In a low； horror…stricken voice＇ Oh！
There is a dead silence； then going swiftly up to her； she looks
straight into FREDA's eyes。
FREDA。 ＇Meeting her gaze＇ Oh！ Yesit's the truth。 ＇Then to Bill
who has come in from the workroom； she gasps out＇ I never meant to
tell。
BILL。 Well； are you satisfied？
LADY CHESHIRE。 ＇Below her breath＇ This is terrible！
BILL。 The Governor had better know。
LADY CHESHIRE。 Oh！ no； not yet！
BILL。 Waiting won't cure it！
The door from the corridor is thrown open； CHRISTINE and DOT run
in with their copies of the play in their hands； seeing that
something is wrong； they stand still。 After a look at his
mother； BILL turns abruptly； and goes back into the workroom。
LADY CHESHIRE moves towards the window。
JOAN。 ＇Following her sisters＇ The car's round。 What's the matter？
DOT。 Shut up！
SIR WILLIAM'S voice is heard from the corridor calling
〃Dorothy！〃 As LADY CHESHIRE； passing her handkerchief over her
face； turns round； he enters。 He is in full hunting dress：
well…weathered pink； buckskins； and mahogany tops。
SIR WILLIAM。 Just off； my dear。 ＇To his daughters； genially＇
Rehearsin'？ What！ ＇He goes up to FREDA holding out his gloved right
hand＇ Button that for me； Freda； would you？ It's a bit stiff！
FREDA buttons the glove： LADY CHESHIRE arid the girls watching
in hypnotic silence。
SIR WILLIAM。 Thank you！ 〃Balmy as May〃； scent ought to be
first…rate。 ＇To LADY CHESHIRE＇ Good…bye； my dear！ Sampson's Gorse
best day of the whole year。 ＇He pats JOAN on the shoulder＇ Wish
you were cumin' out； Joan。
He goes out； leaving the door open； and as his footsteps and the
chink of his spurs die away； FREDA turns and rushes into the
workroom。
CHRISTINE。 Mother！ What？
But LADY CHESHIRE waves the question aside； passes her daughter；
and goes out into the corridor。 The sound of a motor car is
heard。
JOAN。 ＇Running to the window＇ They've started！ Chris！ What is
it？ Dot？
DOT。 Bill； and her！
JOAN。 But what？
DOT。 ＇Gloomily＇ Heaven knows！ Go away； you're not fit for this。
JOAN。 ＇Aghast＇ I am fit。
DOT。 I think not。
JOAN。 Chris？
CHRISTINE。 ＇In a hard voice＇ Mother ought to have told us。
JOAN。 It can't be very awful。 Freda's so good。
DOT。 Call yourself in love； you milk…and…water…kitten！
CHRISTINE。 It's horrible； not knowing anything！ I wish Runny hadn't
gone。
JOAN。 Shall I fetch John？
DOT。 John！
CHRISTINE。 Perhaps Harold knows。
JOAN。 He went out with Studdenham。
DOT。 It's always like this； women kept in blinkers。 Rose…leaves and
humbug！ That awful old man！
JOAN。 Dot！
CHRISTINE。 Don't talk of father like that！
DOT。 Well； he is！ And Bill will be just like him at fifty！ Heaven
help Freda； whatever she's done！ I'd sooner be a private in a German
regiment than a woman。
JOAN。 Dot； you're awful。
DOT。 You…mouse…hearted…linnet！
CHRISTINE。 Don't talk that nonsense about women！
DOT。 You're married and out of it； and Ronny's not one of these
terrific John Bulls。 ＇To JOAN who has opened the door＇ Looking for
John？ No good； my dear； lath and plaster。
JOAN。 ＇From the door； in a frightened whisper＇ Here's Mabel！
DOT。 Heavens； and the waters under the earth！
CHRISTINE。 If we only knew！
MABEL comes in； the three girls are silent； with their eyes
fixed on their books。
MABEL。 The silent company。
DOT。 ＇Looking straight at her＇ We're chucking it for to…day。
MABEL。 What's the matter？
CHRISTINE。 Oh！ nothing。
DOT。 Something's happened。
MABEL。 Really！ I am sorry。 ＇Hesitating＇ Is it bad enough for me to
go？
CHRISTINE。 Oh！ no； Mabel！
DOT。 ＇Sardonically＇ I should think very likely。
While she is looking from face to face； BILL comes in from the
workroom。 He starts to walk across the room； but stops； and
looks stolidly at the four girls。
BILL。 Exactly！ Fact of the matter is； Miss Lanfarne； I'm engaged to
my mother's maid。
No one moves or speaks。 Suddenly MABEL LANFARNE goes towards
him； holding out her hand。 BILL does not take her hand； but
bows。 Then after a swift glance at the girls' faces MABEL goes
out into the corridor； and the three girls are left staring at
their brother。
BILL。 ＇Coolly＇ Thought you might like to know。
＇He； too； goes out into the corridor。
CHRISTINE。 Great heavens！
JOAN。 How awful！
CHRISTINE。 I never thought of anything as bad as that。
JOAN。 Oh！ Chris！ Something must be done！
DOT。 ＇Suddenly to herself＇ Ha！ When Father went up to have his
glove buttoned！
There is a sound； JACKSON has came in from the corridor。
JACKSON。 ＇To Dot＇ If you please； Miss； Studdenham's brought up the
other two pups。 He's just outside。 Will you kindly take a look at
them； he says？
There is silence。
DOT。 ＇Suddenly＇ We can't。
CHRISTINE。 Not just now； Jackson。
JACKSON。 Is Studdenham and the pups to wait； Mm？
DOT shakes her head violently。 But STUDDENHAM is seen already
standing in the doorway； with a spaniel puppy in either
side…pocket。 He comes in； and JACKSON stands waiting behind
him。
STUDDENHAM。 This fellow's the best； Miss DOT。 ＇He protrudes the
right…hand pocket＇ I was keeping him for my girla； proper greedy
onetakes after his father。
The girls stare at him in silence。
DOT。 ＇Hastily＇ Thanks； Studdenham； I see。
STUDDENHAM。 I won't take 'em out in here。 They're rather bold yet。
CHRISTINE。 ＇Desperately＇ No； no； of course。
STUDDENHAM。 Then you think you'd like him； Miss DOT？ The other's got
a white chest； she's a lady。
＇He protrudes the left…hand pocket。＇
DOT。 Oh； yes！ Studdenham； thanks； thanks awfully。
STUDDENHAM。 Wonderful faithful creatures； follo