JOHN. Oh--I--

[He is not deserted by MAGGIE, but she can think of no way out.]

SYBIL [prompted by the impediment, which is in hiding, quite close].
Did he ... forget?

[There is more than a touch of malice in the question. It is a
challenge, and the Wylies as a family are almost too quick to accept
a challenge.]

MAGGIE [lifting the gage of battle]. John forget? Never! It's a
pendant, father.

[The impediment bolts. JOHN rises.]

ALICK. A pendant? One of those things on a chain?

[He grins, remembering how once, about sixty years ago, he and a lady
and a pendant--but we have no time for this.]

MAGGIE. Yes.

DAVID [who has felt the note of antagonism and is troubled]. You were
slow in speaking of it, Mr. Shand.

MAGGIE [This is her fight.] He was shy, because he thought you might
blame him for extravagance.