GEOFFREY. (_He stays her_.) May I claim man’s privilege for the first
word? It is news, I am sure, you will all be delighted to hear. A
friend of yours has been appointed to an office where—it is quite
possible—he may be of service to you.
PHOEBE. Governorship of Holloway Gaol?
GEOFFREY. Not a bad guess. Very near it. To the Under-Secretaryship
for Home Affairs.
LADY MOGTON. Who is it?
GEOFFREY. (_He bows_.) Your affectionate and devoted servant.
ANNYS. You!
PHOEBE. (_Genuinely delighted_. _She is not a quick thinker_.) Bravo!
Congratulations, old boy! (_She has risen_—_she slaps him on the back_.)
ANNYS. Geoffrey! (_She puts her arms about him_.) You never told me
anything.
GEOFFREY. I know, dear. I was afraid. It mightn’t have come off. And
then you would have been so disappointed.
ANNYS. (_There are tears in her eyes_. _She still clings to him_.) I
am so glad. Oh, I am so glad!
GEOFFREY. It is all your doing. You have been such a splendid help.
(_He breaks gently away from her_. _Turns to_ ST. HERBERT, _with a
lighter tone_.) Haven’t you anything to say to a fellow? You’re not
usually dumb.
ST. HERBERT. It has all been so sudden—as the early Victorian heroine
was fond of remarking!
GEOFFREY. (_Laughs_.) It has been sudden. We had, none of us, any idea
till yesterday that old Bullock was thinking of resigning.
ELIZABETH. (_She has risen and moved towards the fire_.) Won’t it
necessitate a bye-election?
(LADY MOGTON _and_ ST. HERBERT _have been thinking it out_. _On the
others the word falls like a bombshell_.)
GEOFFREY. (_He turns to her_. _He does not see their faces_.) Yes.
But I don’t anticipate a contest. The Conservatives are without a
candidate, and I am on good terms with the Labour Party. Perhaps Mr.
Hunnable—(_He laughs_, _then_, _turning_, _catches sight of his wife’s
face_. _From_ ANNYS _he looks to the others_.)
LADY MOGTON. (_She has risen_.) You haven’t heard, then, of McCaw
versus Potts?