It sounded like a child. Where did it come from? Over here, didn’t it? MONTY I think so. JANET _(alarmed)_ I hope Johnny... I must go and see... _(A moment later Johnny runs in, sobbing, followed by Mrs. De Mullin and Bertha.)_ Johnny! What is it, my sweetheart? [_Runs to him._ JOHNNY Oh, Mummie, Mummie, I was running after the rabbits and I tripped over some nettles and they stung me. MRS. DE MULLIN He put his foot in a hole, Janet. He fell just as I met Bertha _(shakes hands with Monty)_. How do you do Mr. Bulstead. JANET There! There! my pet. Did it hurt very much? Mother shall kiss it and make it well. JOHNNY (sobs) Oh-h-h--- [_Does so._ BERTHA Is he your son? JANET Yes. Don’t cry any more, dear. Brave boys don’t cry, you know. JOHNNY _(gasps)_ It h-hurts so. JANET I know. But crying won’t make it hurt less, will it? So you must dry your eyes. Come now. JOHNNY All right, Mummie. [_Stills sobs gradually._ BERTHA _(astonished)_ I’d no idea you were married, Janet. JANET Hadn’t you? BERTHA No. When was it? JANET Eight years ago. Nearly nine. To Mr. Seagrave. BERTHA Is he down here with you? JANET No. My husband died soon after our marriage. BERTHA Poor Janet. I’m so sorry _(pause)_. And it was before your marriage that Monty met you? JANET How do you know? BERTHA _(quite unsuspicious)_ He called you Miss De Mullin. JANET Of course. MRS. DE MULLIN _(pricking up her ears suspiciously at this.)_ I didn’t know you had met my daughter before, Mr. Bulstead. BERTHA Nor did I. They met down at Weymouth quite by chance eight or nine years ago. MRS. DE MULLIN _(gravely)_ Indeed? MONTY Yes... I say, Bertha, excuse my interrupting you. but we really must be off now if we’re not to be late. BERTHA You want to win that bet! MONTY The bet’s off. There’s no time to give you any start. I must come too or I shan’t be in time myself and the Governor will simply curse. BERTHA Is Mr. Bulstead _very_ fierce if people are late for dinner? MONTY Simply beastly. BERTHA How very unpleasant! I wonder if I’m wise to marry into the family? [_Shaking hands merrily with Mrs. DeMullin and Janet. Then goes off r., laughing merrily._ MONTY _(sardonically)_ I wonder _(shakes hands with Mrs. De Mullin and Janet)_. Will you give me a kiss, old chap? [_To Johnny._ JOHNNY That’s three times. [_Monty nods._ [_Monty follows Bertha off r. A long pause. Mrs. De Mullin looks fixedly at Janet. Janet looks at the ground._ MRS. DE MULLIN _(slowly)_ Mr. Montague Bulstead seems unusually fond of children, Janet. JANET Does he, mother? [_She does not look up._ MRS. DE MULLIN Yes. Johnny is rather old to be kissed by strangers. JANET I supposed he kissed him because he was brave about being stung. MRS. DE MULLIN He seems to have kissed him before. Twice. JANET I dare say. I didn’t notice. MRS. DE MULLIN