MRS. CALLIFER: Well, of course it doesn’t matter, does it? It’s just a gesture, scattering ashes. People are so sentimental sometimes—about death—wishing to be buried together. (Her voice breaks and she makes for a flower vase and begins to rearrange it.)

SARA (breaking the silence): I really believe I did hear a dog.

MRS. CALLIFER: I thought I’d have Mrs. Bentham in to make new slipcovers. These are really too old. (She desperately slides across the surface of the unfamiliar new life of a widow.) Do you really have to go next week, Sara?

SARA: Oh, I could always make an excuse.

MRS. CALLIFER: I thought if you could stay a few more days—we might hire a car and go to the autumn flower show at Weston. I missed it last year when Henry was ill.

SARA: Of course I’ll stay.

Anne comes quietly and rather secretively in through the window. She slides to a chair and takes the first book to hand.

MRS. CALLIFER: I do wish John would come back. I’d better get some patterns to show Mrs. Bentham.

SARA: I’ll write for you.

MRS. CALLIFER: Why, Anne, I didn’t see you come in. Where have you been?

ANNE (carefully): In the garden.

BASTON (trying to be breezy): Playing?

ANNE (giving him a withering look—questions again): No.

SARA: Anne, that’s not the way to speak to Dr. Baston. He only wanted to know what you were doing.

Anne scowls into her book.

MRS. CALLIFER: You haven’t been picking flowers again, dear, have you?

ANNE: No, Granny. (She takes the book and tries to escape, but something in her manner attracts attention.)

MRS. CALLIFER: Where have you been, dear?

ANNE: It’s not fair, all of you asking questions. I told you my vow. You oughtn’t to ask any questions till the vow’s over.

MRS. CALLIFER: All the same, I am asking, Anne.

ANNE (sullenly): I’ve been to the potting shed.

A pause.

MRS. CALLIFER: Oh. (A pause.) Why the potting shed? You know I don’t like you going there. The gardener’s complained of you knocking over the seedlings.

ANNE: I didn’t touch them.

SARA: What were you doing?

ANNE: Oh, if you’ve got to know, I was shutting up a secret dog.

BASTON: A secret dog?

SARA: Then we did hear a bark.

MRS. CALLIFER: Do you mean a stray dog?

ANNE: No. A secret dog.

MRS. CALLIFER: But you know I won’t have dogs here. Who does it belong to?

ANNE: A man.

SARA: What man?

ANNE: He’s come to see Grandfather.

SARA: I said, what man?

ANNE: Well, if you must know, your ex-husband.

MRS. CALLIFER: James?

ANNE: Yes.

MRS. CALLIFER: Did you know about this, Sara?

BASTON: Anne sent him a telegram.

MRS. CALLIFER: Where is he?