ACT II

SCENE I

_An afternoon twelve days later. The weather is a little duller._

MRS. BRAMSON _is sitting on the right of the table in her invalid
chair, puzzling out a game of patience. She has smartened up her
appearance in the interval and is wearing purple, and earrings._
OLIVIA _is sitting opposite her, smoking a cigarette, a pencil and
pad on the table in front of her; she is pondering and writing. A
portable gramophone on a small table next the desk is playing the
H.M.V. dance record of "Dames."

A pause_. MRS. BRAMSON _coughs. She coughs again, and looks at_
OLIVIA, _waving her hand before her, clearing away billows of
imaginary smoke_.

OLIVIA: I'm sorry. Is my cigarette worrying you?

MRS. BRAMSON (_temper_): Not at all. I like it!

OLIVIA _stubs out her cigarette with a resigned look and goes on
making notes_. DAN _enters from the kitchen, keeping time to the
music, carrying a bunch of roses, wearing overalls over flannel
trousers and a brown golf jacket, and smoking. He goes to the fireplace
and clumps the roses into a vase on the mantelpiece, humming the tune.
He crosses to the gramophone, still in rhythm,_ MRS. BRAMSON