ANISH No. Thank you, but it’s my father I’m thinking of. He really wouldn’t want it, not even in a footnote. So we’ll say nothing to Mr Pike.

MRS SWAN Good for you. I don’t tell Mr Pike everything either. It’s been an unusually interesting day, thanks to you, Mr Das.

ANISH Thank you for tea. The Victoria sponge was best! The raspberry jam too.

MRS SWAN I still have raspberries left to pick, and the plums to come. I always loved the fruit trees at home.

ANISH At home?

MRS SWAN Orchards of apricot—almond—plum—I never cared for the southern fruits, mango, paw-paw and such like. But up in the North West … I was quite unprepared for it when I first arrived. It was early summer. There was a wind blowing. And I have never seen such blossom, it blew everywhere. There were drifts of snow-white flowers piled up against the walls of the graveyard. I had to kneel on the ground and sweep the petals off her stone to read her name.

Anish has left. Mrs Swan remains.

NELL is bending over a gravestone … watched by ERIC.

MRS SWAN ‘Florence Edith Crewe … Born March 21st 1895 … Died June 10th 1930. Requiescat In Pace.’

ERIC I’m afraid it’s very simple. I hope that’s all right.

NELL Yes. It was good of you.

ERIC Oh no, we look after our own. Of course.

NELL I think she would have liked ‘Poet’ under her name. If I left some money here to pay for … ?

ERIC There are funds within my discretion. You may count on it, Miss Crewe. Poet. I should have thought of that. It is how we remember your sister.

NELL Really?

ERIC She read one evening. The Club has a habit of asking guests to sing for their supper and Miss Crewe read to us … from her work.

NELL Oh dear.

ERIC (Laughs gently) Yes. Well, we’re a bit behind the times, I expect. But we all liked her very much. We didn’t know what to expect because we understood she was a protegee of Mr Chamberlain who had lectured in the town some years before. Perhaps you know him.

NELL Yes. I’m not really in touch with him nowadays.

ERIC Ah. It was just about this time of year when she was here, wasn’t it? It was clear she wasn’t well—these steps we just climbed, for instance, she could hardly manage them. Even so, death in India is often more unexpected, despite being more common, if you understand me. I’m talking far too much. I’m so sorry. I’ll wait at the gate. Please stay as long as you wish, I have no one waiting for me.

NELL I won’t be a moment. Flora didn’t like mopers. (Eric leaves her.) (Quietly) Bye bye, darling … oh—damn!

… because she has burst into sobs. She weeps unrestrainedly.

ERIC (Returning) Oh … oh, I say …

NELL Oh, I’m sorry.

ERIC No—please … can I … ?