JACK HEMINGWAY. [Who is crossing over to right.] Squabbling again?

LORETTA. [Indignantly and with dignity.] No, we’re not.

NED. [Gruffly.] What do you want now?

JACK HEMINGWAY. [Enthusiastically.] Come on fishing.

NED. [Snappily.] No.  It’s too warm.

JACK HEMINGWAY. [Resignedly, going out right.] You needn’t take a fellow’s head off.

LORETTA.  I thought you wanted to go fishing.

NED. Not with Jack.

LORETTA. [Accusingly, fanning herself vigorously.] And you told me it wasn’t warm at all.

NED. [Speaking softly.] That isn’t what I wanted to tell you, Loretta. [He takes her hand.] Dear Loretta—­

[Enter abruptly ALICE HEMINGWAY from right.]

[LORETTA sharply jerks her hand away, and looks put out.]

[NED tries not to look awkward.]

ALICE HEMINGWAY.  Goodness!  I thought you’d both gone fishing!

LORETTA. [Sweetly.] Is there anything you want, Alice?

NED. [Trying to be courteous.] Anything I can do?

ALICE HEMINGWAY. [Speaking quickly, and trying to withdraw.] No, no.  I only came to see if the mail had arrived.

LORETTA AND NED

[Speaking together.] No, it hasn’t arrived.

LORETTA. [Suddenly moving toward door to right.] I am going to see.

[NED looks at her reproachfully.]

[LORETTA looks back tantalisingly from doorway and disappears.]

[NED flings himself disgustedly into Morris chair.]

ALICE HEMINGWAY. [Moving over and standing in front of him.  Speaks accusingly.] What have you been saying to her?

NED. [Disgruntled.] Nothing.

ALICE HEMINGWAY. [Threateningly.] Now listen to me, Ned.

NED. [Earnestly.] On my word, Alice, I’ve been saying nothing to her.

ALICE HEMINGWAY. [With sudden change of front.] Then you ought to have been saying something to her.

NED. [Irritably.  Getting chair for her, seating her, and seating himself again.] Look here, Alice, I know your game.  You invited me down here to make a fool of me.

ALICE HEMINGWAY.  Nothing of the sort, sir.  I asked you down to meet a sweet and unsullied girl—­the sweetest, most innocent and ingenuous girl in the world.

NED. [Dryly.] That’s what you said in your letter.

ALICE HEMINGWAY.  And that’s why you came.  Jack had been trying for a year to get you to come.  He did not know what kind of a letter to write.

NED. If you think I came because of a line in a letter about a girl I’d never seen—­

ALICE HEMINGWAY. [Mockingly.] The poor, jaded, world-worn man, who is no longer interested in women . . . and girls!  The poor, tired pessimist who has lost all faith in the goodness of women—­

NED. For which you are responsible.