LORETTA. Yes, of course, Billy. We were with each other so much . . . If I had only known . . . There was no one to tell me . . . I was so young . . . [Breaks down crying.] NED. [Leaping to his feet, explosively.] The scoundrel! LORETTA. [Lifting her head.] Billy is not a scoundrel . . . He . . . he . . . is a good man. NED. [Sarcastically.] I suppose you'll be telling me next that it was all your fault. [LORETTA nods.] What! LORETTA. [Steadily.] It was all my fault. I should never have let him. I was to blame. NED. [Paces up and down for a minute, stops in front of her, and speaks with resignation.] All right. I don't blame you in the least, Loretta. And you have been very honest. It is . . . er . . . commendable. But Billy is right, and you are wrong. You must get married. LORETTA. [In dim, far-away voice.] To Billy? NED. Yes, to Billy. I'll see to it. Where does he live? I'll make him. If he won't I'll . . . I'll shoot him! LORETTA. [Crying out with alarm.] Oh, Ned, you won't do that? NED. [Sternly.] I shall. LORETTA. But I don't want to marry Billy. NED. [Sternly.] You must. And Billy must. Do you understand? It is the only thing. LORETTA. That's what Billy said. NED. [Triumphantly.] You see, I am right. LORETTA. And if . . . if I don't marry him . . . there will be . . . scandal? NED. [Calmly.] Yes, there will be scandal. LORETTA. That's what Billy said. Oh, I am so unhappy! [LORETTA breaks down into violent weeping.] [NED paces grimly up and down, now and again fiercely twisting his moustache.] LORETTA. [Face buried, sobbing and crying all the time.] I don't want to leave Daisy! I don't want to leave Daisy! What shall I do? What shall I do? How was I to know? He didn't tell me. Nobody else ever kissed me. [NED stops curiously to listen. As he listens his face brightens.] I never dreamed a kiss could be so terrible . . . until . . . until he told me. He only told me this morning. NED. [Abruptly.] Is that what you are crying about? LORETTA. [Reluctantly.] N-no. NED. [In hopeless voice, the brightness gone out of his face, about to begin pacing again.] Then what are you crying about? LORETTA. Because you said I had to marry Billy. I don't want to marry Billy. I don't want to leave Daisy. I don't know what I want. I wish I were dead. NED. [Nerving himself for another effort.] Now look here, Loretta, be sensible. What is this about kisses? You haven't told me everything after all. LORETTA. I . . . I don't want to tell you everything. NED. [Imperatively.] You must. LORETTA. [Surrendering.] Well, then . . . must I? NED. You must. LORETTA. [Floundering.] He . . . I . . . we . . . I let him, and he kissed me. NED. [Desperately, controlling himself.] Go on. LORETTA. He says eight, but I can't think of more than five times. NED. Yes, go on. LORETTA. That's all. NED. [With vast incredulity.] All? LORETTA. [Puzzled.] All?