Margaret I imagine they’ll be well matched. Do you want me to look out for someone to replace her now? It would be easier to get somebody after the harvest.

Christopher Get somebody right away if you can. You can’t manage all this on your own. (He takes her hand.)

Margaret If that’s what you want.

Christopher You know what I want.

Margaret Please, Christopher.

Christopher (suddenly, rapidly) Let’s go away. Leave all this behind. Make a life somewhere else – Africa, South America, India – anywhere where roles aren’t imposed on us – where we’ll be free of history and heritage and the awful burden of this (house).

Margaret Christopher –

Christopher You know how I feel about you. I’ve never made a secret of it. I want to marry you, Margaret.

Margaret This is not the day to –

Christopher You choose where we’ll go.

Margaret We’re not going anywhere.

Christopher You’re an exile here, too.

Margaret This is my home, Christopher.

Christopher I know – I do know – that I’m much older than you. But for whatever years are left to me. And I can’t die here, Margaret.

Margaret I know how distressing today was for you. I understand all that.

Christopher I –

Margaret But this has got to stop. Altogether.

Christopher Will you marry me?

Margaret There can be no question of marriage – no question at all.

Christopher We’ll wait until –

Margaret So let it all end now.

Christopher I’ll ask you again in a few –

Margaret Don’t. That’s final. For both our sakes.

Christopher I’m not going to give up until –

Margaret Final, Christopher. No. Please.

Pause.

Listen to me: I’ll go away if that would help. I mean that. I have a cousin in Boston, a dressmaker. She wants me to join her. If that would be a help, I’d go to Boston. Willingly.

Pause.

I’m a very good dressmaker.

Christopher A drink is needed, I believe. Will you have something?

Margaret Nothing.

He goes into the breakfast room, gets a drink, comes outside again.

Christopher Lifford’s memorial was this morning, wasn’t it? I’m confused. Seems like days ago. I felt no grief, I can tell you. Always hated his swagger and his shouting. He bellowed at people as if they couldn’t hear him. Maybe they didn’t. That’s how a landlord had to behave, he believed; as do most of the huddled eleven that turned up for the service. Always knew they were wrong. And believed I could do things differently. I would be the good landlord as well as being the good neighbour and the friend in need when the need arose. Fell flat on my face, didn’t I?

Margaret That is not true. You are a very good landlord. You hear how warmly Father spoke of the Gores and The Lodge.

Christopher Polite sounds. A mime without meaning. Verbal gestures that just seem to indicate courtesy and deference and even warmth. But we don’t share a language. You heard what I said to Sally? Buy yourself a parasol and silk gloves! Yes! And even as I said it I was aware of how alien I sounded and how absurd she found me. You see – I do know. I always know. It’s David, isn’t it?