[_Quite unsuspicious of anything wrong. Merely curious._ MONTY It was some time ago. BERTHA _(surprised)_ Not at Brendon? You’ve never been at Brendon before. MONTY No. It was at Weymouth. I was there getting over typhoid years ago. BERTHA I remember, you told me. Eight or nine years ago, wasn’t it? MONTY Yes _(looks at watch)_. I say, Bertha, we must be off if we’re not to be late. BERTHA Give me two minutes to rest. The weather’s simply stifling. MONTY Rot! It’s quite cool. BERTHA Then you must have been sitting here a long time. I’ve been walking along a dusty road and I’m not going to start yet. Besides I want to know all about you two meeting. Were you staying at Weymouth, Janet? JANET Oh no. I just bicycled over. Mr. Bulstead ran into me. MONTY I like that. She ran into _me_. JANET Anyhow my front wheel buckled and he had to help me to put it right. BERTHA What gallantry! MONTY It was. The beastly thing took about half an hour. By the time it was over we seemed to have known each other for a lifetime _(looks at watch)_. Two minutes is up. Time to start, Bertha. BERTHA It isn’t. MONTY It is. You’ll be late for dressing to a certainty if you don’t go. BERTHA I like that. I can dress as quickly as you if it comes to that. MONTY Oh no. I can dress in ten minutes. I’ll give you a quarter of an hour’s start and be down in the drawing-room five minutes before you’re ready. Is it a bet? BERTHA Done. In sixpences. _(To Janet)_ I’m staying at the Park for a few days longer, Janet. Come up and see me, won’t you? JANET _(uncomfortably)_ I’m afraid I can’t promise. On account of father. BERTHA Well, after I’ve gone home then. Mother will want to see you. And so will Helen. And now I suppose I really must go. Come along, Monty. MONTY Not I. I needn’t go for a quarter of an hour. You have a quarter of an hour’s start. BERTHA All right. Good-bye, Janet _(kisses her)_. You won’t forget about coming as soon as you can? I go back home on Thursday. JANET I won’t forget. Good-bye. [_Bertha goes off through the wood. Janet watches her go and there is a pause._) Yes, she _is_ pretty, Monty. Very pretty. MONTY _(nods)_ You don’t mind? JANET Her being pretty? Of course not. It’s a justification. MONTY A justification? JANET For forgetting me MONTY _(impulsively, seizing her hands)_ Janet, I’ve never done that. You know I haven’t. JANET _(drawing back)_ No, Monty. Not again. [_Pause._ MONTY I say, I as nearly as possible called you Janet right out before Bertha. JANET So I saw. You _did_ call me Miss De Mullin, by the way,--which wasn’t very clever of you. MONTY Did I? What an ass I am! But I don’t suppose she noticed. JANET I dare say not. _(A shrill cry comes from the wood on the right. Then silence. Janet starts up.)_ What was that? MONTY I don’t know. JANET