LATIMER. Please tell her ladyship how very much I thank her for looking after Joseph ... and tell Joseph how very sorry I am for him.
DOMINIC. Yes, sir.
[He goes out.
LATIMER. You can’t go now, Anne. You will have to stay and chaperone Eustasia and me. (She laughs and shakes her head.) Must you go?
ANNE. Yes.
LATIMER. Back to your father?
ANNE. Yes. (He looks at her. She is so very pretty; so brave.)
LATIMER (it must be somebody else speaking—he hardly recognises the voice). Let us say good-bye now. There is a magic in your fingers which goes to my head, and makes me think ridiculous things. Let us say good-bye now.
ANNE (taking his hand). Good-bye! (Impulsively) I wish you had been my father.
(Then she goes out. And she has won, after all. For MR. LATIMER stands there dumb, wondering what has happened. He walks across to a mirror to have a look at himself. While he is there, DOMINIC comes in to superintend the laying of the table.)