It was just a chance. He saw it advertised, came and looked at it and bought it. He’s no idea I was ever at Brendon before _(rather bitter laugh)_. None of them have. I have to pretend not to know my way about. JANET Why? MONTY It seems safer. _(Janet nods.)_ Sometimes I almost forget to keep it up. I’m such a duffer about things. But I’ve managed hitherto. And now, of course, it’s all right as I’ve been here three months. I may be supposed to know the beastly place by this time. JANET Beastly? You’re not very polite. [_Monty laughs shamefacedly_. MONTY You got my note, didn’t you? JANET What note?... Oh, eight years ago, you mean? Yes. MONTY I left it with the woman at the lodgings. As you were coming over that afternoon, I thought it safer than sending a message. And of course I daren’t telegraph. _(Janet nods.)_ I was awfully sick at having to go away like that. All in a moment. Without even saying good-bye. But I had to. JANET Of course. Was your mother badly hurt? MONTY No. Only stunned. That was such rot. If people get chucked out of a carriage they must expect to get stunned. But of course they couldn’t know. The telegram just said “Mother hurt. Carriage accident. Come at once.” It got to me at the lodgings a couple of hours before you were coming. I had just time to chuck my things into a bag and catch the train. I wanted to come back after the mater was all right again. But I couldn’t very well, could I? JANET Why not? MONTY Well, the regiment was to sail in less than three weeks and the mater would have thought it rather rough if I’d gone away again. I’d been away six weeks as it was. JANET Oh yes. Of course. MONTY _(with half a sigh)_ To think if I hadn’t happened to be riding along that road and seen you at the stile and asked my way, you and I might never have met. What a chance life is! JANET _(nods)_ Just a chance _(pause)_. MONTY Why did you go away, Janet? You weren’t going the last time I saw you. JANET Wasn’t I? MONTY No. At least you said nothing about it. JANET I didn’t know I was going then. Not for certain. MONTY Why _did_ you go? JANET _(quietly)_ I had to, Monty. MONTY _(puzzled)_ You had to? _(Janet nods.)_But why? Mother found out. MONTY About us? JANET Yes. And she told father. MONTY _(genuinely distressed)_ Oh, Janet! I’m so sorry. JANET _(shrugs)_ It couldn’t be helped, MONTY Does he know who it was? JANET Who _you_ were? No. MONTY You didn’t tell him? JANET MONTY! As if I should. MONTY I don’t know. Girls generally do. JANET _I_ didn’t. MONTY No. I suppose you wouldn’t. But you’re different from most girls. Do you know there was always something rather splendid about you, Janet? JANET (curtseys) Thank you. MONTY I wonder he didn’t _make_ you tell. JANET He did try of course. That was why I ran away. MONTY I see. Where did you go to? JANET London. MONTY