(Quietly.) Don’t let’s go out tonight, don’t let’s go anywhere tonight, let’s stay in. I’ll cook something, you can wash your hair, you can relax, we’ll put on some records.
KATE Oh, I don’t know. We could go out
ANNA Why do you want to go out?
KATE We could walk across the park.
ANNA The park is dirty at night, all sorts of horrible people, men hiding behind trees and women with terrible voices, they scream at you as you go past, and people come out suddenly from behind trees and bushes and there are shadows everywhere and there are policemen, and you’ll have a horrible walk, and you’ll see all the traffic and the noise of the traffic and you’ll see all the hotels, and you know you hate looking through all those swing doors, you hate it, to see all that, all those people in the lights in the lobbies all talking and moving and all the chandeliers . . .
Pause
You’ll only want to come home if you go out. You’ll want to run home . . . and into your room . . .
Pause
KATE What shall we do then?
ANNA Stay in. Shall I read to you? Would you like that?
KATE I don’t know.
Pause
ANNA Are you hungry?
KATE No.
DEELEY Hungry? After that casserole?
Pause
KATE What shall I wear tomorrow? I can’t make up my mind.
ANNA Wear your green.
KATE I haven’t got the right top.
ANNA You have. You have your turquoise blouse.
KATE Do they go?
ANNA Yes, they do go. Of course they go.
KATE I’ll try it.
Pause
ANNA Would you like me to ask someone over?
KATE Who?
ANNA Charley . . . or Jake?
KATE I don’t like Jake.
ANNA Well, Charley . . . or . . .
KATE Who?
ANNA McCabe.
Pause
KATE I’ll think about it in the bath.
ANNA Shall I run your bath for you?
KATE (Standing.) No. I’ll run it myself tonight.
Kate slowly walks to the bedroom door, goes out, closes it.
Deeley stands looking at Anna.
Anna turns her head towards him.
They look at each other.
FADE
ACT TWO
The bedroom.
A long window up centre. Door to bathroom up left. Door to sitting-room up right.
Two divans. An armchair.
The divans and armchair are disposed in precisely the same relation to each other as the furniture in the first act, but in reversed positions.
Lights dim. Anna discerned sitting on divan. Faint glow from glass panel in bathroom door.
Silence.
Lights up. The other door opens. Deeley comes in with tray.
Deeley comes into the room, places the tray on a table.
DEELEY Here we are. Good and hot. Good and strong and hot. You prefer it white with sugar, I believe?
ANNA Please.
DEELEY (Pouring.) Good and strong and hot with white and sugar.
He hands her the cup.
Like the room?
ANNA Yes.
DEELEY We sleep here. These are beds. The great thing about these beds is that they are susceptible to any amount of permutation. They can be separated as they are now. Or placed at right angles, or one can bisect the other, or you can sleep feet to feet, or head to head, or side by side. It’s the castors that make all this possible.
He sits with coffee.
Yes, I remember you quite clearly from The Wayfarers.
ANNA The what?
DEELEY The Wayfarers Tavern, just off the Brompton Road.
ANNA When was that?
DEELEY Years ago.
ANNA I don’t think so.
DEELEY Oh yes, it was you, no question. I never forget a face. You sat in the corner, quite often, sometimes alone, sometimes with others. And here you are, sitting in my house in the country. The same woman. Incredible. Fellow called Luke used to go in there. You knew him.
ANNA Luke?
DEELEY Big chap. Ginger hair. Ginger beard.
ANNA I don’t honestly think so.
DEELEY Yes, a whole crowd of them, poets, stunt men, jockeys, standup comedians, that kind of setup. You used to wear a scarf, that’s right, a black scarf, and a black sweater, and a skirt.
ANNA Me?
DEELEY And black stockings. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten The Wayfarers Tavern? You might have forgotten the name but you must remember the pub. You were the darling of the saloon bar.
ANNA I wasn’t rich, you know. I didn’t have money for alcohol.
DEELEY You had escorts. You didn’t have to pay. You were looked after. I bought you a few drinks myself.
ANNA You?
DEELEY Sure.
ANNA Never.
DEELEY It’s the truth. I remember clearly.
Pause
ANNA You?
DEELEY I’ve bought you drinks.
Pause
Twenty
