_Harry._ Never mind the geyser bath.
_Dolly._ And only this morning you rowed me because I hadn't got it ready for the New Year! Where did you put their address?
_Harry._ I don't know! Somewhere upstairs among my papers.
_Dolly._ [_Gently pushing him off._] I can just catch to-night's post!
Make haste and get it! Quick! There's a dear! And then we can get the bath fixed up for you next week.
_Harry._ Ye--es. I say, Doll, I mean to get those oddments fixed up to-night.
[_Taps the writing-case significantly and exit._ DOLLY _looks frightened, sees him off, goes up to writing-desk, takes out bills, looks at them, throws up her arms in despair, groans, slams down the writing-desk, looks at the chair she has touched in first act, shows great resolution, marches up and touches it._
_Dolly._ Yes! Yes! I have got free will.
[_Goes back from it, again looks at it, again marches up to it, touches it._
_Dolly._ Then why do I keep on having bills?
RENIE _enters in great agitation and distress._
_Renie._ Oh, Dolly!
_Dolly._ What's the matter?
_Renie._ Oh, Dolly!
_Dolly._ What is it?
_Renie._ [_Throws her arms round_ DOLLY _affectionately._] You've always been such a true friend to me----
_Dolly._ Yes, dear.
_Renie._ More like a sister. And I know I may trust you now.
_Dolly._ [_A little suspicious._] Yes. Has anything happened?
_Renie._ Yes. Oh, Dolly----
_Dolly._ Tell me!
_Renie._ As we were going out at the garden gate, Captain Wentworth held out a letter behind his back for me to take----
_Dolly._ What?!
_Renie._ But now his arm is wounded he couldn't manage it properly, and he dropped it. I hurried to pick it up, and then my husband noticed and insisted on reading it----
_Dolly._ What was in the letter?
_Renie._ It wasn't so very bad, but my husband has chosen to jump to a wrong conclusion, and--oh, Dolly, you can help me!
_Dolly._ [_Coldly, relaxing her embrace._] How?
_Renie._ If you'd only let me tell my husband that I was receiving it for you----
_Dolly._ What?!
_Renie._ There was no address, and fortunately it was so worded that it showed that you weren't really guilty.
_Dolly._ Oh! I wasn't really guilty?
_Renie._ In fact, it proves your complete innocence.
_Dolly._ I'm glad of that.
_Renie._ Then you'll let me say it was you?
_Dolly._ No! You can't suppose I should let my own cousin make love to me in my own house?!
_Renie._ You won't help me?
_Dolly._ Yes, any way but that! How could you be so foolish?
_Renie._ I don't know. When I heard yesterday he was coming, I quite made up my mind I'd have nothing to say to him! Dolly, free will must be an illusion, or else why am I always doing the things I don't mean to do. Oh, what shall I do?
_Dolly._ As you are completely innocent, you'd better ask your husband to forgive you.
_Renie._ Ye--es. No! As it is a perfectly pure and exalted attachment I shall take that ground--at any rate at first, and see what he says.
You'll help me all you can?
_Dolly._ Yes, but promise me you'll have nothing to do with Lucas in future!
_Renie._ No, indeed! if I once get out of this.
_Dolly._ Very well! I'll see what I can do.--Hush!
_The_ PROFESSOR _enters with a letter in his hand_, MATT _soothing him._
_Prof._ [_Very angry._] Not a word more, if you please. Mrs. Telfer, you have doubtless heard----
_Dolly._ Yes----?
_Prof._ I leave for London to-night-to consult my lawyer. Mrs. Sturgess will, I trust, return to her friends until----
_Matt._ Perhaps Mrs. Sturgess may be able to explain----
_Prof._ What explanation can be offered of language like this. [_Reading from letter._] "From the first moment I saw you, I felt that you were entirely different from any woman I have ever met----" A monstrously inexact statement to start with. And a woman who is capable of practising such deceit----
[RENIE _bursts into tears_.