Lady Gairloch. Miss Thwaite, did you say?
Merton [hesitating]. Yes, I knew her in Australia. She arrived in England yesterday, and she came here for the night.
Lady Gairloch [coldly]. I see.
Betty [to help him out]. From Australia? A long way.
Merton. Very—she comes from the wilds, you know. [Talking as though to cover his embarrassment]. She's quite uncivilised, really.
Betty. Is she quite in her right mind? She looked so strange.
Merton [catching at suggestion]. No, I don't think she is quite right—that's the difficulty.
Lady Gairloch. It must be a grave responsibility for you.
Merton. It really is. To tell the truth I was utterly taken aback when she appeared—I was rather horrified, in fact. [Making up his mind]. It's rather a long story—[Enter Kirstin].
Merton. Kirstin…. [she stops him].