Sally You must have been in his choir in your day?

Margaret I was.

Sally Course you were. Weren’t you his pet?

Pause.

Do you never go home now at all, Maggie?

Margaret You’ll need to dig some potatoes for the dinner. And take down the curtains in the sitting room and soak them in cold water. And clean the windows in the pantry.

Sally Anything else, Maggie?

Margaret Don’t forget to put the chickens inside.

Margaret goes into the house.

Sally finishes her job at the grate and goes out to the lawn to empty the ashes, offstage right.

Con emerges from the thicket, left.

Con (whispers) Sally!

Sally looks round, alarmed. She sees him. A second of unease: is Margaret watching? Now she dashes to the right and flings the bucket recklessly into the trees.
Then, brushing down her dress, she crosses quickly to Con. They talk in whispers.

Sally Are you off your head? You shouldn’t be jouking about up here!

Con That’s a great welcome.

Sally When did you get back from England?

Con At three this morning.

Sally God, it was the longest two weeks ever! What were you at over there?

Con Meeting people; travelling around; addressing small groups.

Sally That must have been rare fun.

Con Has to be done.

Sally Just you and that queer bucko from Dungannon – Stephen –?

Con puts a finger on her lips.

Con Shhh.

Sally And why are you dodging about up here?

Con To see you, Sally.

Sally I’m sure! You look exhausted, Con.

Con The two visitors are still here?

Sally Leaving today.

Con What time?

Sally This evening, I think. Why?

Con They’re going straight to the Aran Islands?

Sally How do you know that? What are you up to, Con?

Con Look at that anxious face.

Another figure emerges from the thicket and stands beside Con. Johnny MacLoone is a very large man in his sixties.

Sally Who’s he? Who are you?

Con He’s from Meendoran.

Sally What’s your name?

Con Johnny MacLoone.

Sally What are you doing up here?

Con He’s with me.

Sally Will you let the dummy speak!

Johnny Mind your mouth, girl.

Sally He’s not a dummy!

Johnny Watch yourself, woman.

Con He’s a friend of mine, Sally.

Sally What’s all this about?

Con Will you meet me tonight?

Margaret has returned to the breakfast room with fresh cushion covers.

Margaret Sally!

Sally Bitch. (Calls.) Coming! (to Con) Where?

Con Behind Roarty’s forge.

Sally When?

Con I have to meet somebody at eight. Ten o’clock?

Sally Jesus, Con, you’re not up to something stupid, are you?

Con If you’re not there at ten, I won’t wait.

She gives him a quick, flirtatious kiss on the cheek.

Sally Yes, you will. (to Johnny) Bye, chatterbox.

She runs back to the breakfast room. The two men merge into the thicket.

I left the bucket of ashes sitting here, didn’t I?

Margaret Were you talking to somebody?

Sally What’s that?

Margaret Who were you talking to, Sally?