ACT III[46]
Scene: The big hall in the country place which MR. CHILLINGHAM (né BROXOPP) has bought. Through the open front doors can be seen a hint of the drive and the park beyond. It was JACK who chose it, and he has done the GREAT BROXOPP rather well; there was no such view from that third floor in Bloomsbury.
It is about four o’clock in the afternoon. Hidden away in a big arm-chair sits NORAH FIELD, deep in a book. She is about twenty, wears a very short tweed skirt and very serviceable country shoes, has very decided opinions, and no hesitation at all about expressing them. RONNY DERWENT comes in. RONNY is also twenty, but younger than NORAH, and with no views on life other than that one’s hair ought to be kept well down. Without seeing NORAH, he rings the bell, and lights a cigarette while waiting for BENHAM to attend to him.
Enter BENHAM
RONNY. Oh, I want a whisky and soda, please, Benham.
BENHAM. Yes, sir.
NORAH (from her chair). You don’t really want one, Ronny.
RONNY. Good Lord! I didn’t know you were there.
NORAH. Mr. Derwent won’t have a whisky and [47]soda, Benham; you can get him a glass of water if he’s thirsty.
RONNY. Look here, Norah—— (She looks at him, and he ends up weakly) Oh, very well.