5
Lady weston aka Frences
Richard, if you are going to shoot off that thing, you will please wait until I –
(She is interrupted by a loud knocking on the front door downstairs. This is such an unexpected development that all there are momentarily quite still, at a loss. ROGER is the first to recover).
Roger Chetwynd
Someone at the front door.
(He moves over to the window in the rear wall, from which one can see the street. He is about to open the casement so that he may lean out to inspect the knocker, when LORD WESTON stops him.)
Lord Weston aka Richard
(still at the fireplace): Don’t
open that window!
Roger Chetwynd
But I cannot see otherwise, my lord, who it is.
Lord Weston aka Richard
If you put your head out of that window, they may shoot without waiting to ask questions.
Lady weston aka Frences
But, Richard, it may be some perfectly innocent visitor.
(The knocking is repeated.)
Roger Chetwynd
: If I were to stand on a chair💺…..
(He brings a chair to the window and stands on it, but he is still not highenough to look down on whoever waits at the front door).
Lord Weston aka Richard
Well? Well? Can you tell who it is?
Roger Chetwynd
I am still not high enough, my lord
Lady weston aka Frences
Add the footstool, Roger.
(Roger adds the footstool to the chair, and aided by LADY WESTON climbs on to the precarious erection).
Lady weston aka Frences
Now, can you see anyone?
(having seen, scrambling downing)
Roger Chetwynd
All is well, my lord.
(He throws open the casement, and calls to someone below):
Roger Chetwynd
It is only Mr. Caesar.
(As this information is succeeded by a blank pause)
Roger Chetwynd
Shall I let him in?
Lord Weston aka Richard
Who did you say?
Roger Chetwynd
Mr. Caesar. You remember: the man you met on Tuesday at Hampton, my lord. He was to come to see you this morning about rose trees🌹. You made a note of it.
(taking the crumpled piece of paper from his pocket in a dazed way):
Lord Weston aka Richard
i made a note? ‘Remember Caesar’. Is that my writing? Yes, it must be – Dear me!
Lady weston aka Frences
(kindly): I shouldn’t have said it was the venomous scribbling of an illiterate. You had better go down and let Mr Caesar in, Roger. Put the pistol away, Richard, dear; your visitor might misunderstand it.
(She speaks cheerfully, as to a child; it is obvious from her lack of surprise that excursions and alarms created by her husband over trifles are a normal part of existence for her).
Lord Weston aka Richard
Mr Caesar.
(He moves towards the bucket)
Lady weston aka Frences
Of course. How could anyone forget a name like that? And now if you’ll forgive me….. It’s my busy morning.
(arresting her as she is going out of the door):
Lord Weston aka Richard
Oh Frances! What was in the parcel, do you think?
Lady weston aka Frences
That was your new velvet cloak, dear. I did try to tell you, you know.
(The curtain comes down on LORD WESTON ruefully taking the first dripping cloak from the water).
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