A still shot of the outside of a large, early twentieth-century London house. Camera tracks slowly in. Sound of piano tuning heard over.

INT. HOUSE. HALL AND MUSIC ROOM. NIGHT.

A spacious, completely empty hall. Walls are bare and white. Naked electric light bulbs – unshaded. No carpets on the floor. Windows are covered with newspaper. Through a door we see a large grand piano. At it is seated a Piano Tuner, a big man wearing dark glasses. Beside him is sitting a large dog. The camera tracks round until it is looking up an important staircase.

INT. UPSTAIRS CORRIDOR. NIGHT.

Camera tracks very slowly down the long corridor. The sound of voices from a room far down on the right.

BETTY   Careful!

GEORGE   That won’t work.

BETTY   My idea was better.
George and Betty emerge slowly from the room, carrying a large mirror between them. She is in her undies: he is half-dressed in evening clothes. They edge across the corridor, disappearing into the bedroom on the left.

GEORGE   I refuse to be defeated.

BETTY   We shouldn’t be having to do this at all.

GEORGE   (as they disappear into the bedroom) Over in the corner.
The corridor empty again. The piano-tuning noise continues downstairs. Sound of heavy bump.
The camera continues to track slowly down the corridor and eventually peers round the bedroom door. We see George and Betty, a middle-aged couple, getting dressed for a dinner party. The room is  bare, with two camp beds with sleeping bags on them. Open suitcases on the floor; a travelling clock. A bathroom gives off the bedroom.

INT. BEDROOM AND BATHROOM. NIGHT.

George sits on his bed, cleaning his shoes. Betty gets her dress and carries it into the bathroom. She does her make-up in a cracked mirror propped up above the basin.

GEORGE   You think we’re making the right decision?

BETTY   What?

GEORGE   You think we’re making the right decision?

BETTY   Don’t let’s start all that again.

GEORGE   I only wish Totty could be here.

BETTY   Mmmm …

GEORGE   It sounded quite serious.

BETTY   It can’t be all that serious. She was talking about Scotland.

GEORGE   It’s organic.

BETTY   Is that serious?

GEORGE   They’re called antibodies. Apparently she’s got too many. Or too few.

BETTY   (running the tap) Oh dear!

GEORGE   Poor Totty.

BETTY   (switching off the tap) What?

GEORGE   I said poor Totty.

BETTY   (switching the tap on again. More slowly) Oh, yes.

GEORGE   Is Oscar bringing that boy?

BETTY   He does have a name.

GEORGE   What is his name?

BETTY   Svend. With a ‘d’.

GEORGE   He never speaks.

BETTY   He’s Swedish. I like him.

GEORGE   He’s an improvement on the German.

BETTY   Did you call the children?

GEORGE   Yes.

BETTY   Are they coming?

GEORGE   If it’s humanly possible. I warned them to set off in good time just in case.

BETTY   They’re both very sensible.

GEORGE   No regrets?

BETTY   No regrets.