for your aged step-uncle by marriage?
CAMILLA: (clear, young voice) Of course I have! (Sound of kiss) It’s lovely to be back at Warbeck.
LORD WARBECK: Mrs Barrett, I daren’t ask you for a kiss. You keep them all for your husband, I know. What sort of a journey have you had?
MRS BARRETT: (middle-aged woman’s voice—inclined to gabble) Dreadful; dreadful! I thought we were never going to get through! And now we are here, goodness knows how we are to get out. The snow was so thick at Telegraph Hill …
(Her voice fades out. Robert and Camilla speak in low voices close to the microphone. Faint sound of voices heard behind)
CAMILLA: Well, Robert, how are you?
ROBERT: Oh, well, thank you. Are you well?
CAMILLA: Yes, thanks. (Pause) There doesn’t seem to be much else to say, does there?
ROBERT: No, there doesn’t.
CAMILLA: Look at the snow! It seems as if it would never stop. Wouldn’t it be awful if we were kept here for days and days, with nothing to say but ‘How are you?’
ROBERT: Awful …
MRS BARRETT: (Fading in) … Luckily the driver had chains or I don’t think we would have ever got here.
BRIGGS: I am bringing in tea now, my lord. I have told Sir Julius that it is ready.
JULIUS: (a self-confident, middle-aged baritone) And I’m quite ready for tea! It’s what one needs on a cold day like this.
LORD WARBECK: Ah, Julius! You have finished grinding the faces of the rich for the day, I hope. No need to introduce you to anybody here, I think.
JULIUS: I should think not! Camilla, you are looking more lovely than ever.
CAMILLA: Thank you! (Laughs) I’m glad somebody notices it!
JULIUS: And Mrs Barrett—your husband is doing a wonderful job for us in the negotiations at Washington.
MRS BARRETT: That doesn’t surprise me, Sir Julius. I know he has the best financial brain in Parliament, even if—
JULIUS: Even if I’m the Chancellor of the Exchequer and he isn’t, Mrs Barrett? Never mind, his time will come. We are all mortal, you know. Oh, Robert, I hadn’t seen you, how are you?
ROBERT: (very coldly) How do you do?
JULIUS: You’ve only just arrived?
ROBERT: Yes. I had an important meeting in London yesterday.
JULIUS: Quite. The League of Liberty and Justice, I suppose?
ROBERT: (defiantly) And suppose it was? Is that any concern of yours?
JULIUS: I think it is the concern of everybody in this country who cares for democracy.
ROBERT: You call the present regime ‘democracy’!
BRIGGS: Your tea, my lord.
LORD WARBECK: Thank you, Briggs. Put it here. No, no, man, here. Camilla, will you pour out for the rest? You have no idea how I envy people who can sit up to their meals! To have to feed lying down is the most messy, uncomfortable process I know.
CAMILLA: Let me arrange the cushions for you. That’s better, isn’t it? Does this mean that you won’t be dining with us this evening?
LORD WARBECK: It does, Camilla. I shall, I trust, be asleep long before you have seen Christmas in. Robert will be your host on my behalf. I hope you don’t mind.
CAMILLA: Not if Robert doesn’t. Do you take sugar, Mrs Barrett?
MRS BARRETT: Two lumps, please. And that reminds me, Sir Julius—the increased duties on sugar. My husband feels very strongly that it would be a great mistake—
ROBERT: (abruptly) I don’t think I want any tea. If I’m to preside at this festive affair tonight, I think I’d better have a word with Briggs about the wine.
MRS BARRETT: Well, really! As I was saying, Sir Julius, the sugar duties …
(Her voice fades. Microphone follows Robert)
ROBERT: I shall be in the smoking room if you want me, father.
(Door closes)
God! What a woman!
(He is heard to take a couple of steps)
Hullo! Who are you? Where do you come from?
ROGERS: (clipped, official voice) The name is Rogers, sir.
ROBERT: What are you doing hanging about in the passage?
ROGERS: Well, sir, hanging about is my job. My card, sir.
ROBERT: (reading) ‘Metropolitan Police. Special Branch. James Rogers holds the rank of Sergeant in the Metropolitan Police. This is his warrant and authority for executing the duties of his office.’ So that’s it! Haven’t I seen you before, at some time?
ROGERS: Yes, sir. On Sunday, September the 20th, between the hours of eight and ten p.m.
ROBERT: What?
ROGERS: Open air meeting, League of Liberty and Justice, sir. I was on duty.
ROBERT: That explains it. And now you’ve been sent down here to continue your spying, eh?
ROGERS: Oh no, sir. I’m on protection duty—looking after Sir Julius.
ROBERT: Protection! He needs it! I can tell you, when our movement comes into power, fellows like you will be out of a job.
ROGERS: Oh no, sir. That’s what Sir Julius’s crowd used to say. You’ll want protection just the same. They all do.
BRIGGS: Excuse me, sir. Mr Rogers, your tea is awaiting you in the housekeeper’s room.
ROGERS: Thank you, Mr Briggs. I’ll go now.
(He is heard to walk away)
BRIGGS: Pardon me, Mr Robert. May I have a word with you?
ROBERT: Yes, if you must, Briggs.
BRIGGS: If you wouldn’t mind stepping into the smoking-room, sir.
(Sound of steps and door closing)
ROBERT: Well?
BRIGGS: My daughter Susan, sir, is wondering—
ROBERT: Look here, Briggs, what on earth is the good of bringing up this business again now? You know what the position is as well as I do. I have promised you before and I can promise you now—
BRIGGS:
