LATIMER. And so here we all are.... And what are we all going to do? My house is at your disposal for as long as you wish. The doors are open for those who wish to go.... Eustasia? EUSTASIA. My duty is to stay here—to look after my husband. LATIMER. Well, that settles Eustasia.... Anne? ANNE. Of necessity I must stay here—for the present. LATIMER. Well, that settles Anne.... Nicholas? NICHOLAS. I stay here too—(_looking at ANNE_) from choice. LATIMER. Well, that settles Nicholas.... Leonard? (_DOMINIC, followed by all the Staff, comes in, together with a collection of mustard-baths, plasters, eucalyptus, etc., etc._) LATIMER (_looking round at the interruption_). Ah!... And this will settle Leonard. (_It settles him._) ACT III _Three days later, and evening again. ANNE is busy with a pencil and paper, an A.B.C., and her purse. She is trying to work out how much it costs to go home, and subtracting three and fourpence ha’penny from it. Having done this, she puts the paper, pencil, and purse in her bag, returns the A.B.C. to its home, and goes towards the door. One gathers that she has come to a decision._ * * * * * ANNE (_calling_). Nich-o-las! NICHOLAS (_from outside_). Hallo! ANNE. Where—are—you? NICHOLAS. Coming. (_He comes._) Just went upstairs to get a pipe. (_Putting his hand to his pocket_) And now I’ve forgotten it. (_They go to the sofa together._) ANNE. Oh, Nicholas, how silly you are! (_She sits down._) NICHOLAS (_sitting close_). I don’t want to smoke, you know. ANNE. I thought men always did. NICHOLAS. Well, it depends what they’re doing. (_There is no doubt what he is doing. He is making love to ANNE, the dog, and ANNE is encouraging him._) ANNE (_looking away_). Oh! NICHOLAS. I say, it has been rather jolly here the last three days, don’t you think? ANNE. It _has_ been rather nice. NICHOLAS. We’ve sort of got so friendly. ANNE. We have, haven’t we? NICHOLAS. You’ve been awfully nice to me. ANNE. You’ve been nice to _me_. NICHOLAS. I should have gone, you know, if it hadn’t been for you. ANNE. I don’t know _what_ I should have done if you had gone. NICHOLAS. You did ask me to stay, didn’t you? ANNE. Yes, I couldn’t let you go. NICHOLAS. Do you know what you said? You said, “Please, Mr. Nicholas, I want you to stay.” I shall always remember that. (_Fatuously to himself_) “Please, Mr. Nicholas, I want you to stay.” I wonder what made you think of saying that? ANNE. I wanted us to be friends. I wanted to get to know you; to make you think of me as—as your friend. NICHOLAS. We _are_ friends, Anne, aren’t we? ANNE. I think we are now, Nicholas. NICHOLAS (_with a sentimental sigh_). Friends! (_ANNE looks at him, wondering if she shall risk it; then away again; then summons up her courage and takes the plunge._) ANNE. Nicholas! NICHOLAS. Yes? ANNE (_timidly_). I—I want you to do something for me. NICHOLAS. Anything, Anne, anything.