[He smiles with a wry amusement for a second—then bitterly]
That last night Nina was here . . . she talked so brazenly about giving herself . . . I wish I knew the truth of what she’s been doing in that house full of men . . . particularly that self-important young ass of a doctor! . . . Gordon’s friend! . . .
[He frowns at himself, determinedly puts an end to his train of thought and comes and sits down again in the chair—in sneering, conversational tones as if he were this time actually addressing another person]
Really, it’s hardly a decent time, is it, for that kind of speculation . . . with her father lying dead upstairs? . . .
[A silence as if he had respectably squelched himself—then he pulls out his watch mechanically and stares at it. As he does so a noise of a car is heard approaching, stopping at the curb beyond the garden. He jumps to his feet and starts to go to door—then hesitates confusedly]
No, let Mary go . . . I wouldn’t know what to do . . . take her in my arms? . . . kiss her? . . . right now? . . . or wait until she? . . .
[A bell rings insistently from the back of the house. From the front voices are heard, first Nina’s, then a man’s. Marsden starts, his face suddenly angry and dejected]
Someone with her! . . . a man! . . . I thought she’d be alone! . . .
[Mary is heard shuffling to the front door which is opened. Immediately, as Mary sees Nina, she breaks down and there is the sound of her uncontrolled sobbing and choking, incoherent words drowning out Nina’s voice, soothing her]
