Er—good morning, Cousin Patricia. LADY PATRICIA. Good morning, Bill. CLARE. Good morning, Mr. Cosway. MICHAEL. Good morning, Clare. BILL. (_A pause. He says in a whisper to CLARE_:) I say—_you_ tell them. CLARE. (_In a whisper._) No—you. BILL. Awfully—er—jolly morning, Cousin Patricia, isn’t it. LADY PATRICIA. Yes ... very ... jolly. CLARE. I’ve been for—for a walk, Mr. Cosway. MICHAEL. Oh, yes—it’s nice weather for walking. Are you tired? CLARE. Oh, no, thank you. (_To BILL in a whisper_:) Tell them.... BILL. I say ... I say, Michael. MICHAEL. Sir? BILL. You’ll be glad—I mean you’ll be awfully surprised to hear that I—that Clare and I—that’s to say, that we’re—Clare and I, you know—— CLARE. (_In a whisper._) Oh, get it out! BILL. Well, you see—we’re engaged. LADY PATRICIA AND MICHAEL. Engaged! BILL. Yes. We hadn’t meant to be—but ... we are. CLARE. We tried awfully hard to hold out for—for the sake of others ... but—— (_She goes impulsively up to MICHAEL, puts her hand on his arm and speaks in a low voice._) I’m awfully sorry, Mike. I’m a beast, I know. But I can’t help it.... MICHAEL. (_Rigid and staring before him._) How long have you loved him? CLARE. Oh ... ages ... I ought to have told you, but—— MICHAEL. I don’t wish to hear another word. (_Bill has gone up to LADY PATRICIA, who stands motionless with a tragic face, staring before her. His appearance is that of a naughty schoolboy, hat in hand and shifting from one foot to the other._) BILL. (_To LADY PATRICIA._) I—I—I—I’m sorry—I’ve behaved rottenly—but I—I—I’m awfully fond of you.... Of course I ought—but you see—I—that’s to say—but she—she’s—you know what I mean—I’m—— LADY PATRICIA. Enough.... (_BILL goes to CLARE, who gives him her hand._) CLARE. Now for the pater.... BILL. Help!... (_They go into the house. MICHAEL and LADY PATRICIA stand motionless, with clenched hands, staring before them. A long pause. The gateway bell rings. A pause. JOHN enters from the house and opens the wicket door. BALDWIN enters._) BALDWIN. ’Scuse me, Mr. John, but I think as I lef’ my ’ymn-book and prayer-book on the lawn. JOHN. I haven’t seen ’em. BALDWIN. That’s them yonder. (_Distant sound of church bells._) Lord, if that ain’t the first bell! (_JOHN goes out._) Beg pardon, m’lady. Beg pardon, sir. I jest want my prayer-book an’ ’ymn-book. (_Picks them up._) Thank ’ee, m’lady. They was given me by Mrs. Baldwin as was me first wife. I thought as ’ow I’d lef’ them on ’er grave jest now when I went to ’ave a look at it. But—— MICHAEL. That will do, Baldwin. BALDWIN. Thank ’ee, sir.