DAN (_sobering portentously_): I forgot. (_As she shivers_) Not in a draught, are you? (_Shutting the front door and coming down to_ HUBERT) D'you remember, Mr. Laurie, me pulling your leg about you havin' done it? Funniest thing out!... Talk about laugh! MRS. BRAMSON (_fondly_): Tttt!... DAN (_a glint of mischief in his eyes_): I think I better get the tea before I get into hot water. _He goes towards the kitchen._ OLIVIA: Mrs. Terence is getting the tea. DAN (_at the door_): She don't make tea like me. I'm an old sailor, Miss Grayne. Don't you forget that. _He goes into the kitchen._ OLIVIA: I'm not interested, I'm afraid. MRS. BRAMSON (_wheeling herself to the front of the table_): Look here, Olivia, you're downright rude to that boy, and if there's one thing that never gets a woman anywhere, it's rudeness. What have you got against him? HUBERT: Surely he's got more to say for himself to-day than when I met him before? MRS. BRAMSON: Oh, he's been in rare spirits all day. HUBERT: Johnny Walker, judging by the whiff of breath I got just now. MRS. BRAMSON: Meaning whisky? HUBERT: Yes. OLIVIA: I've never heard you make a joke before, Hubert. HUBERT: Didn't realise it was one till I'd said it. Sorry. MRS. BRAMSON: It's not a joke; it's a libel. _A knock at the front door._ Come in. NURSE LIBBY _enters from the front door._ The boy's a teetotaller. HUBERT: Sorry; my mistake. NURSE: Good afternoon. Shall I wait for you in your bedroom? MRS. BRAMSON: Yes. I feel absolutely dead. NURSE (_turning at the bedroom, eagerly_): Anything new _re_ the murder? HUBERT: I believe her head was cut off at one stroke. NURSE (_brightly_): Oh, poor thing.... _She goes into the bedroom_. DAN _returns from the kitchen, carrying a tray of tea and cakes._ DAN: There you are, fresh as a daisy.--Three lumps, as per usual, and some of the cakes you like---- MRS. BRAMSON (_as he pours out her tea_): Thank you, dear.... Let me smell your breath. (_After smelling it_) Clean as a whistle. Smells of peppermints. OLIVIA: Yes. There were some in the kitchen. HUBERT: Oh. MRS. BRAMSON (_to_ HUBERT, _as_ DAN _pours out two more cups_): So you won't stay to tea, Mr.--er---- HUBERT: Er--(_rising_)--no, thank you.... _DAN sits in HUBERT's chair._ I think I'll get off before it's dark. Good-bye, Mrs. Bramson. Good-bye, Mr.--er---- DAN (_grinning and saluting_): Dan. Just Dan. _He opens the press-cutting ledger._ HUBERT (_to OLIVIA_): Good-bye. OLIVIA (_rises_): Good-bye, Hubert. I'm sorry. DAN _raises his cup as if drinking a toast to_ MRS. BRAMSON. _She follows suit._ HUBERT: Can't be helped.... It'll get dark early to-day, I think. Funny how the evenings draw in this time of year. Good night. DAN: Good night. HUBERT (_to OLIVIA_): Good-bye. OLIVIA: Good-bye. _She goes to the right window-seat._ MRS. BRAMSON: Johnny Walker, indeed! Impertinence! DAN (_drinking tea and scanning press-cuttings_): Johnny Walker?