Mrs. Emptage.
[To Olive.] Mrs. Allingham——! [To Claude.] Claude, keep by me. My legs are all of a tremble. Where is my daughter, Mrs. Fraser? Take me to her. I am very ill indeed; I fancy this affair has affected my heart——
John.
Pray sit down for a moment.
Mrs. Emptage.
[Sitting down.] We used to be friends, Mr. Allingham—great friends; now I wonder you can look me in the face. [Panting.] I have heard everything from Claude. I am ashamed—I must say it—I am ashamed of you and your wife.
[Olive makes a movement, as if to go; John detains her.
John.
[To Olive.] No, no; I don’t think we’ll run away and hide any more. [Turning to Mrs. Emptage.] But I hope that Mrs. Emptage will be kind enough to apply to me, alone, any harsh expressions she may care to make use of——
Sir Fletcher enters.