(She coughs rather nervously.) Did he practise the piano while I was away?

BRIGID

(Laughs heartily.) Practice, how are you! Is it Master Archie? He is mad after the milkman's horse now. Had you nice weather down there, Miss Justice?

BEATRICE

Rather wet, I think.

BRIGID

(Sympathetically.) Look at that now. And there is rain overhead too. (Moving towards the study.) I'll tell him you are here.

BEATRICE

Is Mr Rowan in?

BRIGID

(Points.) He is in his study. He is wearing himself out about something he is writing. Up half the night he does be. (Going.) I'll call him.

BEATRICE

Don't disturb him, Brigid. I can wait here till they come back if they are not long.

BRIGID

And I saw something in the letterbox when I was letting you in. (She crosses to the study door, opens it slightly and calls.) Master Richard, Miss Justice is here for Master Archie's lesson.

(Richard Rowan comes in from the study and advances towards Beatrice, holding out his hand. He is a tall athletic young man of a rather lazy carriage. He has light brown hair and a moustache and wears glasses. He is dressed in loose lightgrey tweed.)

RICHARD

Welcome.

BEATRICE

(Rises and shakes hands, blushing slightly.) Good afternoon, Mr Rowan. I did not want Brigid to disturb you.

RICHARD

Disturb me? My goodness!

BRIGID

There is something in the letterbox, sir.

RICHARD

(Takes a small bunch of keys from his pocket and hands them to her.) Here.

(Brigid goes out by the door at the left and is heard opening and closing the box. A short pause. She enters with two newspapers in her hands.)

RICHARD

Letters?

BRIGID

No, sir. Only them Italian newspapers.

RICHARD

Leave them on my desk, will you?

(Brigid hands him back the keys, leaves the newspapers in the study, comes out again and goes out by the folding doors on the right.)

RICHARD

Please, sit down. Bertha will be back in a moment.

(Beatrice sits down again in the easychair. Richard sits beside the table.)

RICHARD

I had begun to think you would never come back. It is twelve days since you were here.

BEATRICE

I thought of that too. But I have come.

RICHARD

Have you thought over what I told you when you were here last?

BEATRICE

Very much.

RICHARD

You must have known it before. Did you? (She does not answer.) Do you blame me?

BEATRICE

No.

RICHARD

Do you think I have acted towards you-- badly? No? Or towards anyone?

BEATRICE

(Looks at him with a sad puzzled expression.) I have asked myself that question.

RICHARD

And the answer?

BEATRICE

I could not answer it.

RICHARD

If I were a painter and told you I had a book of sketches of you you would not think it so strange, would you?

BEATRICE

It is not quite the same case, is it?

RICHARD

(Smiles slightly.) Not quite. I told you also that I would not show you what I had written unless you asked to see it. Well?

BEATRICE

I will not ask you.

RICHARD

(Leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his hands joined.) Would you like to see it?

BEATRICE

Very much.

RICHARD

Because it is about yourself?

BEATRICE

Yes. But not only that.

RICHARD

Because it is written by me? Yes? Even if what you would find there is sometimes cruel?

BEATRICE

(Shyly.) That is part of your mind, too.

RICHARD

Then it is my mind that attracts you? Is that it?

BEATRICE

(Hesitating, glances at him for an instant.) Why do you think I come here?

RICHARD

Why? Many reasons. To give Archie lessons. We have known one another so many years, from childhood, Robert, you and I-- haven't we? You have always been interested in me, before I went away and while I was away. Then our letters to each other about my book. Now it is published. I am here again. Perhaps you feel that some new thing is gathering in my brain; perhaps you feel that you should know it.