Christopher I do believe I have a moment, don’t I?

David I have all the equipment here.

Christopher Well done. What are you talking about?

David The whitewash and the brush.

Christopher Brush?

Margaret Stop that, Christopher! You said you were going to mark out the trees you want cut down.

Christopher The doomed trees! Of course! Let’s do that right away. Hold on a second – there used to be an old record of all that planting in here somewhere …

He searches in a bookshelf in the breakfast room.

Margaret begins tidying up the furnishings on the lawn. David goes to her and attempts to embrace her.

David I love you.

Margaret David.

David I love you inordinately. I love you hopelessly.

Margaret extricates herself.

Margaret Not now.

David And I’m going to tell him straight out that we are getting married. The days of bullying are over. Tonight. After dinner. (He attempts to embrace her again.)

Margaret I said not now, David.

David You’ll be at my side; you’ll speak up, too, won’t you?

Margaret Marriage is not to be mentioned. Is that clear?

David But we agreed that –

Margaret You will not mention marriage tonight, David. Do you understand me?

David I thought you –

Margaret Is that perfectly clear? Not tonight – not for a month – not for twelve months.

David Maggie –

Margaret And you’re spilling that damned whitewash all over your shoes.

Christopher emerges with a faded record.

Christopher Knew it was here! Should be a date somewhere. Yes, February 14, 1779.

Margaret The year Tom Moore was born.

Christopher In Grandfather Gore’s formidable handwriting. Ninety-nine years ago!

David I think we should begin behind the stables.

Christopher So detailed and so efficient and so – just so damned beautiful. Weren’t they a marvellous people! Look! where the trees were bought – carriage costs – dates of planting of each species – record of height after six months, twelve months, five years! – failure rate in numbers and percentages – the elm were a disaster – seven per cent survival.

David The soil’s too alkaline for elm.

Christopher Do you think so? And look: a separate record of specimen trees; each planted apart from any other tree; original country of origin; colour and shape of leaf; estimated root-depth. And every name in English and Latin: Maidenhair Tree – Ginkgo biloba; Honey Locust – Gleditsia triacanthos; Japanese Cedar – Cryptomeria japonica.

David I think we should begin behind the stables.

Christopher We’ll begin where the wall of the walled garden has collapsed. First thing is to identify the specimens. They’ll be distinctive. And they’ll need most space. Any tree that encroaches on their territory will have to go.

David Do you want to do the marking?

Christopher I’ll identify the specimens. I’ll leave the artistic work to you.

Margaret Dinner’ll be in an hour’s time.

Christopher We’ll be round the side of the house here.

They both go round the side of the house. David returns for a second.