WEDGECROFT.  Five minutes ... more, I suppose.

TREBELL.  Mrs. O’Connell gone?

WEDGECROFT.  To her dressmaker’s.

TREBELL.  Frances forgot she was coming and went out.

WEDGECROFT.  Pretty little fool of a woman!  D’you know her husband?

TREBELL.  No.

WEDGECROFT.  Says she’s been in Ireland with him since we met at Shapters.  He has trouble with his tenantry.

TREBELL.  Won’t he sell or won’t they purchase?

WEDGECROFT.  Curious chap.  A Don at Balliol when I first knew him.  Warped of late years ... perhaps by his marriage.

TREBELL. [Dismissing that subject.] Well ... how’s Percival?

WEDGECROFT.  Better this morning.  I told him I’d seen you ... and in a little calculated burst of confidence what I’d reason to think you were after.  He said you and he could get on though you differed on every point; but he didn’t see how you’d pull with such a blasted weak-kneed lot as the rest of the Horsham’s cabinet would be.  He’ll be up in a week or ten days.

TREBELL.  Can I see him?

WEDGECROFT.  You might.  I admire the old man ... the way he sticks to his party, though they misrepresent now most things he believes in!

TREBELL.  What a damnable state to arrive at ... doubly damned by the fact you admire it.

WEDGECROFT.  And to think that at this time of day you should need instructing in the ethics of party government.  But I’ll have to do it.

TREBELL.  Not now.  I’ve been at ethics with Cantelupe.

WEDGECROFT.  Certainly not now.  What about my man with the stomach-ache at twelve o’clock sharp!  Good-bye.

He is gone, TREBELL battles with uneasiness and at last mutters. “Oh ... why didn’t she wait?” Then the telephone bell rings.  He goes quickly as if it were an answer to his anxiety. “Yes?” Of course, it isn’t.. “Yes.” He paces the room, impatient, wondering what to do.  The Maid comes in to announce MISS DAVENPORT.  LUCY follows her.  She has gained lately perhaps a little of the joy which was lacking and at least she brings now into this room a breath of very wholesome womanhood.

LUCY.  It’s very good of you to let me come; I’m not going to keep you more than three minutes.

TREBELL.  Sit down.

      Only women unused to busy men would call him rude.

LUCY.  What I want to say is ... don’t mind my being engaged to Walter.  It shan’t interfere with his work for you.  If you want a proof that it shan’t ... it was I got Aunt Julia to ask you to take him....  Though he didn’t know ... so don’t tell him that.

TREBELL.  You weren’t engaged then.

LUCY.  I ... thought that we might be.

TREBELL. [With cynical humour.] Which I’m not to tell him either?

LUCY.  Oh, that wouldn’t matter.

TREBELL. [With decision.] I’ll make sure you don’t interfere.