AIDAN. No. No. But actually it is, isn’t it? It isn’t and it is. A man’s hands on her body. And other men, men like you, looking at her.

BRADSHAW. The issue is that she is underage, and you published without her consent.

AIDAN. But we didn’t. We have the form. The form is signed.

BRADSHAW. Not by her.

AIDAN. But how were we to know that?

BRADSHAW. By checking, you have to check these –

AIDAN. But her lover forged the information. Her passport –

BRADSHAW. He’s not her lover.

AIDAN. And the fact remains that she allowed herself to be photographed, in this manner.

BRADSHAW. In private, she allowed it, / not –

AIDAN. Kids today, right! When I was fourteen, I was still climbing trees! Going camping with my mates, hanging round the shopping centre. Not covering myself with baby oil and reclining on a waterbed so my lover could photograph me!

BRADSHAW. Don’t use that – he’s not her – he’s taken advantage, you’ve all, taken advantage of a young, of my – it’s criminal. You should be in prison, all of you –

AIDAN. Her lover is who should be in prison. He’s the liable party here.

BRADSHAW. He is, he’s already in – he stole a car, he was drunk, he’s a fucking simpleton.

AIDAN. He’s not good enough for her.

BRADSHAW. No he’s bloody not, she’s well shot.

AIDAN. But then who would be! I know there’s not a man in the world good enough for my Isobel! A man laid a finger on her I’d, I’m talking about any sort of man here, he laid a finger on her, I’d set fire to him! You just want to wrap them in cotton wool, don’t you? Wrap them up in cotton wool and keep them safe from harm.

BRADSHAW. Yes. Yes. Exactly.

,

AIDAN. Yes. Exactly. And twenty-five thousand pounds. Buys a lot of cotton wool.

MR BRADSHAW stands.

BRADSHAW. I don’t want the money. Making me sick, going on about the bloody money! I didn’t come for that, that’s / not why I –

AIDAN. Then why did you come?

AIDAN picks up a sheet of paper from his desk, scans it.

BRADSHAW. Well, for one I came to, I came to, come here, and see, I wanted to see who, would, the face of the man who has ruined my girl’s, dragged her through the, I wanted to see his, see your face and smash it in, smash it into the –

BRADSHAW advances on AIDAN.

AIDAN. Smash it into the what, Mr Bradshaw?

BRADSHAW. Just – smash it in, smash your bloody face in.

AIDAN. You’re unemployed, is that correct?

BRADSHAW. What?

AIDAN. You’re unemployed, is that correct?

,

BRADSHAW. I’m a jobseeker.

AIDAN. Without a job, is that correct?

BRADSHAW.…