JOYCE   It’s past your bedtime.
Suddenly there is a ring at the front door.

INT. CHILVERS’ HALL. NIGHT.

Mother, standing at the top of the stairs, watches Joyce go to the door. Joyce seems unaware of Mother.

MRS TURNBULL   Mr Turnbull thought he could smell gas.

JOYCE   It’s Mother. She switched it on and never lit it. She’s getting like that.

MRS TURNBULL   So long as we know.
She is going away but turns back and tries to peer round the door.
You can’t smell something besides? I don’t know. A bit of a sickly smell.
Joyce nods, closing the door.

JOYCE   It’s Mother again. She had a bit of a do with her tummy. She keeps bringing stuff back.
Mrs Turnbull spies Mother’s feet at the top of the stairs and crouches down to see her.

MRS TURNBULL   Bless her.
Joyce closes the door, her face like an axe. Gilbert is looking through to her from the kitchen door on the far side of the sitting room.

JOYCE   Did it go off?
As if in answer the pig pokes its cheerful head round the kitchen door. Seeing Joyce, it makes towards her. Joyce violenly indicates Mother’s presence to Gilbert.
Gilbert turns the gas off, vaults the furniture and just beats the pig to the hall, shutting it in the sitting room and out of Mother’s sight. Joyce sits on the steps in despair.
Could we poison it?

GILBERT   If we poison it we can’t eat it.
In thought, Gilbert looks up. Mother hovers on the landing.

(looking down to Joyce) We’re going to have to take professional advice.

MOTHER   What about? Me? Joyce.

JOYCE   What?

MOTHER   Don’t go calling Dr Swaby. He’ll put me away.

JOYCE   We’re going to have to tell her.
Gilbert makes a gesture of despair.
Come down, Mother.

MOTHER   You just told me to go to bed.

JOYCE   Come down.

MOTHER   I can still smell that smell.

JOYCE   Never mind the smell, Mother. Sit down.

MOTHER   Are you sure it’s not me?

JOYCE   No, Mother, love, it’s not you.
Gilbert listens to the sitting-room door.
Mother. Love. I’ve got something to tell you. We’ve got a pig in the house.
Not sure her daughter isn’t being sarcastic, Mother’s gaze flickers to Gilbert. Mother says nothing.
Do you understand, Mother? A pig.
Mother looks at Gilbert again, fearfully.

MOTHER   What sort of a pig?

JOYCE   A pig, Mother. A proper pig.
Mother is silent.

MOTHER   Do you want to put me in a home?
Gilbert gestures in despair.

JOYCE   Shut Up.

GILBERT   I didn’t say anything.
Mother begins to cry.

MOTHER   Dr Swaby put Mrs Beevers away. He asked her the name of the prime minister, she didn’t know and they carted her off to Low Moor. You want my room.