GEORGE. I ought to tell you, Aunt Julia, that no blame attaches to Olivia over this. Of that I am perfectly satisfied. It's nobody's fault, except---- LADY MARDEN. Except Telworthy's. _He_ seems to have been rather careless. Well, what are you going to do about it? GEORGE. That's just it. It's a terrible situation (_With a gesture of despair_.) There's bound to be so much publicity. Not only all this, but-- but Telworthy's past. LADY MARDEN. I should have said that it was Telworthy's present which, was the trouble. Had he a past as well? OLIVIA. He was a fraudulent company promoter. He went to prison a good deal. (_General consternation_. BRIAN _gives a long whistle and goes up_.) LADY MARDEN. George, you never told me this! GEORGE. I--er---- OLIVIA. I don't see _why_ he should want to talk about it. DINAH (_indignantly rising and moving to L. end of settee_ L.). What's it got to do with Olivia, anyhow? It's not _her_ fault. LADY MARDEN (_sarcastically and emphatically_). Oh, no, I daresay it's mine. (_There is an uncomfortable pause_.) OLIVIA (_to_ GEORGE). You wanted to ask Aunt Julia what was the right thing to do. BRIAN (_crossing down L.C. and bursting out_). Good Heavens, what is there to do except the one and only thing? (_They all look at him and he becomes embarrassed and backs up stage a little_.) I'm sorry. You don't want _me_ to---- OLIVIA (_taking his hand across table_ L.C.). _I_ do, Brian. LADY MARDEN. Well, go on, Mr. Strange. What would _you_ do in George's position? BRIAN (_crosses down to back of table_ L.C.). Do? Say to the woman I loved, "You're _mine_ (_bangs table with his fist_), and let this other damned fellow come and take you from me if he can!" And he couldn't--how could he?--not if the woman chose _me_. (LADY MARDEN _gazes at_ BRIAN _in amazement_, GEORGE _in anger_. OLIVIA _presses his hand gratefully. He has said what she has been waiting--oh, so eagerly--for_ GEORGE _to say_. GEORGE _rises and goes angrily up to_ BRIAN, _who defies him_. GEORGE _is subdued and moves helplessly up_ C. _followed by_ BRIAN, _who is still defiant_. DINAH _rises and runs up_ L. _and round back of settee_ L. _and up to left of_ BRIAN _and takes his arm_.) DINAH (_adoringly_). Oh, Brian! (_In a loud whisper_.) It _is_ me, isn't it, and not Olivia? BRIAN. You baby, of course! LADY MARDEN. I'm afraid, Mr. Strange (DINAH _with an exclamation of annoyance comes down to_ L. _of settee_ L.), your morals are as peculiar as your views on Art. BRIAN (_down to back of table_ L.C.). This is not a question of morals or of art, it's a question of love. DINAH. Hear, hear! LADY MARDEN (_to_ GEORGE). Isn't it that girl's bed-time yet? OLIVIA (_to_ DINAH _and taking her hand_). We'll let her sit up a little longer if she's good. DINAH. I will be good, Olivia (_aggressively to_ LADY MARDEN), only I thought anybody, however important a debate was, was allowed to say "Hear, hear!"