Act 2

Question 1

Act 2

1

Answer 1

Shhhh! Shhh! Come in. My husbands still asleep.

Question 2

2
Harold

I don’t know why you want her back here, I really don’t.

Answer 2

Please sit down.

Question 3

3
Ruella

Thank you for seeing me. Thank you.

Answer 3

I called you back up here because I demand to know where you got this? Where? I want to know.

Question 4

4
Ruella

It’s a complicated story-

Answer 4

Did you write it.

Question 5

5
Ruella

No of course I didn’t. It’s quite clearly Reece’s - my Hua-your husbands’ writing. You can see that.

Answer 5

Nonsense.

Question 6

6
Ruella

It’s his signature.

Answer 6

How can it possibly be?

Question 7

7
Ruella

Look at it. Just look at it, girl, it’s Reece’s signature.

Answer 7

Well- it’s like it. A bit. It’s dreadfully wobbly.

Question 8

8
Ruella

Well it would be. He was very old and ill when he signed it.

Answer 8

What are you talking about?

Question 9

9
Ruella

It’s very important you take that document seriously, Jessica.

Answer 9

You are mad, aren’t you? You’re really quite, quite loony. You’re like those people who bang on doors with bibles.

Question 10

10
Harold

May I enquire as to the nature of this document?

Answer 10

It’s just a load of lies and a forgery. That’s all it is.

Question 11

11
Ruella

Oh you’re such a stupid man.

Harold

Hey! Hey!

Answer 11

Keep your voices down. My husband’s asleep. Shh!

Question 12

12
Ruella

Take more than this to wake him up.

Answer 12

What?

Question 13

13
Harold

Have you a specimen of your husband’s handwriting?

Answer 13

No, I haven’t.

Question 14

14
Harold

Got his signature anywhere around?

Answer 14

No, of course I haven’t. He doesn’t walk about writing his name on everything.

Question 15

15
Harold

Maybe you could wake him up.

Answer 15

I am not waking him up just to sign his name. That thing is obviously a forgery- it can’t possibly be true- so what would be the point? Now, listen to me. I called you back here for one reason. I don’t know what you want, what you’re after-

Question 16

16
Ruella

I want to help you-

Answer 16

Let me finish. You’ve said all you’re going to say, now I’m going to say something. I’m going to destroy that filth now- now and forget all about it. But if you ever, ever circulate anything of this nature again, if you even so much as pester me or my husband again- we’ll, my father is very wealthy and influential and-

Question 17

17
Ruella

Why the hell do you think Reece married you?

Answer 17

You will not say that. You will never say things like that again. How dare you say that!

Question 18

18
Ruella

You can see what he turns into.

Answer 18

Tear that up, please! Tear that up, now!

Question 19

19
Ruella

Well, Reece could never spell-

Answer 19

No, he can never sp-

Question 20

20
Harold
Excuse my asking, in this document are you intended to be this Jessica?

Answer 20

What do you mean? I am Jessica.

Question 21

21
Harold

She’s got that bit right then.

Answer 21

That doesn’t prove a thing. Our engagement was announced in every single newspaper.

Question 22

22
Harold

It says here you die in 7 years time. In 1981.

Answer 22

I know it does. It’s horrible.

Question 23

23
Harold

Because if it says that in here..

Answer 23

It doesn’t.

Question 24

34
Harold

Have you ever heard of him?

Answer 24

Yes. Julian Goodman. He’s my husband’s very oldest friend. He was best man at our wedding today- yesterday. God , look at the time. What are we doing? I have to get up in the morning.

Question 25

35 Harold Heard enough have you?

Answer 25

Quite enough.

Question 26

36 Ruella So is - so are a number of other people’s.

Answer 26

Look. I don’t think you actually mean any harm, do you? I really don’t. I just think you’re a bit- we’ll- funny in the head. But you must stop this now. You mustn’t do this sort of thing, don’t you see it upsets people? It makes me very upset when you write nasty things about my husband. Can’t you see that? I mean- I mean, I don’t know if you even have one- but imagine someone writing things like that about your husband. Can you imagine what it would be like?

Question 27

37 Ruella That is my husband-

Answer 27

No, he’s not, you see. He’s not your husband, he’s my husband. Now if you want a husband you’re going to have to find one of your own.

Question 28

38 Ruella Save someone else the job, anyway-

Answer 28

Even if we excepted that this – nonsense – was true, you then want us to believe that you’ve somehow travelled back from 19 whenever..

Question 29

39 Harold Won’t get a ticket in there will you? Ruella Would you shut up!

Answer 29

Shhhh!

Question 30

40 Ruella What about punching a house detective on the nose?

Answer 30

Now, now, now, now! There’s no machine in here, is there? Look for yourself. Can you see a machine? I can’t.

Question 31

41 Harold You can’t travel without a machine-

Answer 31

You can’t travel with a machine, either. What are you both talking about?

Question 32

42 Ruella Shhh!

Answer 32

Sorry.

Question 33

43 Harold That’s the plan.

Answer 33

Listen. I just want to try and get through to this person- if this cupboard does what you say it does, tell you what, why don’t we all have a travel together.

Question 34

44 Harold Ah, now it only works for her.

Answer 34

Why won’t it work for us?

Question 35

45 Harold Are you trying to teach me about my own hotel?

Answer 35

Oh come on, for goodness sake. Let’s go and look. Get it over and done with. We’re flying to Jamaica at 10:30.

Question 36

46 Ruella We can’t all get in at once.

Answer 36

All right then, I’ll go first.

Question 37

47 Harold I’m not having you go in there on your own.

Answer 37

Oh, don’t be so silly.

Question 38

48 Harold Well, you’re not going in there on your own- I’m not that stupid.

Answer 38

Then you’d better go in, hadn’t you?

Question 39

49 Harold Me?

Answer 39

Well, you won’t let anybody else go.

Question 40

50 Harold Who’s going to keep an eye on her?

Answer 40

I will. She’s perfectly harmless.

Question 41

51 Harold Do t you believe it.

Answer 41

Go on.

Question 42

52 Harold You let me in.

Answer 42

Ok

Question 43

53 Harold See you in about half a minute.

Answer 43

Listen. Quickly. I’m going to let you go. He’s talking of handing you over to the police and even though you’re utterly mad, you don’t deserve that. I’m keeping this document and I’m going to destroy it. All I ask in return is your solemn promise that you won’t do this again. Do you promise?

Question 44

54 Ruella Oh dear heaven

Answer 44

If you can, try and see a doctor. Ask if he can recommend someone to help you.. promise me?

Question 45

55 Ruella All right. Promise.

Answer 45

Good. Good. That’s a start. Now, come on quickly. He’ll be round in a minute.

Question 46

56 Ruella Jessica!

Answer 46

What?

Question 47

57 Ruella Writing paper quickly.

Answer 47

You’re not going to write more of this stuff, are you?

Question 48

58 Ruella No. Please. Please

Answer 48

I mean, you’ve just this second promised. Oh, all right. There should be some in the drawer here somewhere.

Question 49

59 Ruella And an envelope

Answer 49

Hotel paper all right?

Question 50

60 Ruella That’ll do. Thank you.

Answer 50

He’ll be back any second-

Question 51

61 Ruella But possibly this might

Answer 51

He’s back

Question 52

62 Ruella Ironic if you couldn’t read it after all this

Answer 52

Do hurry up. I have to let him in.

Question 53

62 Ruella Have a nice honeymoon Harold Where is she?

Answer 53

She-

Question 54

63 Harold She go through here?

Answer 54

Yes.

Question 55

64 Harold I’ll head her off

Answer 55

Not to be opened till 22 March 1975. Urgent and personal. Mad utterly mad.

Question 56

65 Reece What’s going on Jess!

Answer 56

Nothing darling, nothing. Go back to sleep.