Helen But now I’m going to have to get on.

Jonathan Do you have any money?

Helen I’m sorry?

Jonathan Money. I’m rather hoping that you’re carrying cash.

Helen No.

Jonathan I really could do with an injection of capital.

Helen No chance.

Jonathan Thing is they send you out of rehab and what they don’t take into account is you need a good lump sum if your dealer’s even going to offer you some second-rate gear.

Helen I don’t give money to people with a drug problem.

Jonathan I have a cash problem. My problem is I think you’ve got some money and I don’t want to use force to get it from you.

Helen That sounds very threatening.

Jonathan I suppose it does.

Helen Maybe I’ll call security.

Jonathan How unfortunate, ‘Wannabe MP in terrace fracas’,

Helen I think you ought to leave.

Jonathan Alright Helen, alright then. But maybe Helen I could take a number …

Helen No.

Jonathan Should, Helen, I need to contact you.

Helen I don’t think so.

Jonathan I think Helen it would be good if we could talk at a later date.

Helen You’re not getting any money.

Jonathan I’m sorry, it is Helen isn’t it? Yes of course it is. Sometime pamphleteer. Sometime, a long time ago now, writer of ’A guide to destroying the rich’. Yes? Of course, yes. ‘We will start with individuals. One by one we will capture them, we will capture their children. There are a thousand years of injustice to reverse. When we strike it will be with, a deadly cruelty which will wipe out a thousand years of suffering.’

Helen That was another person.

Jonathan Of course it was. It was you but still…

Helen Another person.

Jonathan Yes.

Helen That was … It was a child.

Jonathan Of course here on the terrace, the Thames, waiting for tea. It all seems like another world. But still, when you’ve suffered as I’ve suffered. When Nick took you at your word. Followed you to the letter. When my body was beaten and scarred …

Helen I’m sorry.

Jonathan Please.

Helen I’m so sorry for all he … we … did to you.

Jonathan Very fashionable now, sorry, isn’t it? Sorry we bombed your embassy, sorry about that famine, sorry we injected you with that virus and observed you as you died. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Well it doesn’t fucking work, okay? It won’t work.

Helen Look, have some money.

Jonathan That’s very generous of you.

Helen Please. It’s the least I can …

Jonathan My dealer will sleep easy in his bed for this.

Helen hands him a ten pound note,

Jonathan Ten pounds?

Helen It’s all I’ve got.

Jonathan Ten pounds?

Helen Take it.

Jonathan No, Helen, I don’t want ten pounds, Helen. Don’t be so fucking stupid. I mean do I look like a junkie? You’re going to have to sort out the bullshit from the truth if you want a future in Government. Where’s Nick?