Chapter I: Michael

You—the woman who has tricked me—fooled me, and now threatens to leave me for another!

LADY PATRICIA.

Threatens! I don’t threaten. I mean to do it.

MICHAEL.

Very well, then. Leave _me_ to go my own way.

LADY PATRICIA.

Go to her. Go to her. And I will go to him.

(_She turns and moves towards the house. He takes a step
or two to the left, then stops with an exclamation._)

MICHAEL.

Clare!...

LADY PATRICIA.

(_She turns, looks to the left, and starts with a faint cry._) Bill!

(_They both stand irresolute and embarrassed. BILL
and CLARE enter from the left, also irresolute and
embarrassed._)

BILL.

Er—good morning, Cousin Patricia.

LADY PATRICIA.

Good morning, Bill.

CLARE.

Good morning, Mr. Cosway.

MICHAEL.

Good morning, Clare.

BILL.

(_A pause. He says in a whisper to CLARE_:) I say—_you_ tell them.

CLARE.

(_In a whisper._) No—you.

BILL.

Awfully—er—jolly morning, Cousin Patricia, isn’t it.

LADY PATRICIA.

Yes ... very ... jolly.

CLARE.

I’ve been for—for a walk, Mr. Cosway.

MICHAEL.

Oh, yes—it’s nice weather for walking. Are you tired?

CLARE.

Oh, no, thank you. (_To BILL in a whisper_:) Tell them....

BILL.

I say ... I say, Michael.

MICHAEL.

Sir?

BILL.

You’ll be glad—I mean you’ll be awfully surprised to hear that I—that Clare and I—that’s to say, that we’re—Clare and I, you know——

CLARE.

(_In a whisper._) Oh, get it out!

BILL.

Well, you see—we’re engaged.

LADY PATRICIA AND MICHAEL.

Engaged!

BILL.

Yes. We hadn’t meant to be—but ... we are.

CLARE.

We tried awfully hard to hold out for—for the sake of others ... but——

(_She goes impulsively up to MICHAEL, puts her hand on his
arm and speaks in a low voice._)

I’m awfully sorry, Mike. I’m a beast, I know. But I can’t help it....

MICHAEL.

(_Rigid and staring before him._) How long have you loved him?

CLARE.

Oh ... ages ... I ought to have told you, but——

MICHAEL.

I don’t wish to hear another word.

(_Bill has gone up to LADY PATRICIA, who stands motionless
with a tragic face, staring before her. His appearance is
that of a naughty schoolboy, hat in hand and shifting from
one foot to the other._)

BILL.

(_To LADY PATRICIA._) I—I—I—I’m sorry—I’ve behaved rottenly—but I—I—I’m awfully fond of you.... Of course I ought—but you see—I—that’s to say—but she—she’s—you know what I mean—I’m——

LADY PATRICIA.

Enough....

(_BILL goes to CLARE, who gives him her hand._)

CLARE.

Now for the pater....

BILL.

Help!...

(_They go into the house. MICHAEL and LADY PATRICIA stand
motionless, with clenched hands, staring before them. A
long pause. The gateway bell rings. A pause. JOHN enters
from the house and opens the wicket door. BALDWIN enters._)

BALDWIN.

’Scuse me, Mr. John, but I think as I lef’ my ’ymn-book and prayer-book on the lawn.

JOHN.

I haven’t seen ’em.

BALDWIN.

That’s them yonder. (_Distant sound of church bells._) Lord, if that ain’t the first bell! (_JOHN goes out._) Beg pardon, m’lady. Beg pardon, sir. I jest want my prayer-book an’ ’ymn-book. (_Picks them up._) Thank ’ee, m’lady. They was given me by Mrs. Baldwin as was me first wife. I thought as ’ow I’d lef’ them on ’er grave jest now when I went to ’ave a look at it. But——

MICHAEL.

That will do, Baldwin.

BALDWIN.

Thank ’ee, sir.

(_He is just about to go out when the house door opens
and the ringing laughter of BILL and CLARE brings him to
a standstill. They enter, followed by the voice of MRS.
O’FARREL: “Be off—both of you!” and her laugh._)

BILL.

I say, darling, weren’t they corking?

CLARE.

(_Pointing to the motionless MICHAEL and LADY PATRICIA and putting a finger to her lips._) S-sh!...

BILL.

Oh....

(_Very sedately they pass up the path to the gateway, but
just as they go out BILL passes his arm through CLARE’S
and squeezes it. They disappear. MRS. O’FARREL and the
DEAN enter from the house, followed later by JOHN and
ROBERT._)

DEAN.

(_Jovially._) So much for tact and diplomacy!

MRS. O’FARREL.

And common-sense!

DEAN.

(_Lowering his voice and indicating the rigid MICHAEL and LADY PATRICIA._) And these two?

MRS. O’FARREL.

Best leave them alone.

DEAN.

No, no!...

(_Goes up to MICHAEL and LADY PATRICIA, while MRS.
O’FARREL goes out; JOHN, standing near the door, waits for
the DEAN._)

Are you not going to join us in church? (_A pause._) My dear friends, on such a morning as this we should all sing the _Te Deum_, and forget everything but the joy of being alive....

(_He looks smilingly from one to the other, then goes
out, followed by JOHN. ROBERT waits at the door. A
pause. BALDWIN stands hesitating. LADY PATRICIA turns to
MICHAEL._)

LADY PATRICIA.

Michael!...

MICHAEL.

Yes.

LADY PATRICIA.

Under the great rose window in the south transept our pew is now full of purple and amber lights and shafts of chrysoprase. Shall we not sit there again together?

MICHAEL.

I don’t see what else there is to do.... Patricia!

LADY PATRICIA.

Michael!... Repentance is very exquisite, and how beautiful is forgiveness. Come....

(_Followed at a respectful distance by BALDWIN, they go
out together in silence side by side, and the Curtain
falls as they pass under the gateway._)

THE END.

The Gresham Press,
UNWIN BROTHERS, LIMITED,
WOKING AND LONDON