by David Hare
Donald goes back to the door.
Mona Donald, we shouldn’t close the door.
Donald We have to close the door. We’ll freeze to death if it’s open.
Ingrid Ray’s still out there.
Mona Where is he?
Donald He should be here. I don’t know why he isn’t. He was beside me.
The women have collapsed on the sofas. Donald goes back to the open door.
Ray! Ray! Where are you? We’re here!
At once Ingrid gets up.
Ingrid I’m going to get the candles. I know where they are. They’re out the back.
Donald (at door) This way!
He turns to explain to Mona.
He was just behind me.
Mona You said beside.
Donald No, behind.
Ingrid has gone out, groping her way to the kitchen.
Ray! Ray! Are you out there? Where are you? Ray!
He turns back to Mona.
Beside to begin with, and then behind. I told him to hold my hand, but he let go.
Mona Yes, but where is he?
Donald Ray! Ray!
He gives up, closing the door. He moves into the room. He kneels down by the grate to re-animate the fire.
He’ll be here soon. My God, there was a moment back there when even I –
Mona How far did we come?
Donald Maybe less than a mile. From when the Chrysler got stuck.
Mona It felt like more. I couldn’t see anything.
Ingrid returns with candles. One of them is already lit.
Ingrid Well?
Donald Well what?
Ingrid Is Ray back?
Donald He isn’t back yet.
Ingrid waits.
Ingrid He ought to be.
Donald Yes.
Ingrid By now.
There is a silence, Ingrid not moving.
Ingrid Well? What do you think?
Donald I think I should go and get him.
Ingrid That’s what I think.
Donald OK. I need a drink first.
Ingrid You don’t think –
Donald What? Say it.
But Ingrid says nothing.
Mona Are you going back out?
Donald I’ll have a whisky for the cold. And then I’ll head right out.
Relieved, Ingrid now moves round the room placing candles all over and lighting them.
Ingrid I’m sure that’s right. That’s the right thing to do.
Mona You don’t think it’s dangerous?
Ingrid I think we have to. We can’t leave him. You can’t find the house if you don’t know where it is.
Donald I’ll have a whisky and then I’ll go out.
But he doesn’t move. Ingrid breaks off from candles and goes to the door.
Ingrid I’ll get your things.
Donald There are gloves at the door.
Ingrid I’ve got them.
Donald The parka.
Ingrid I have it.
Ingrid has returned with an armful of clothes. Donald starts to add layers.
More scarves. Put this on your head.
Donald I’m going to look ridiculous.
Donald pulls on a woollen bonnet, then sits down to pull on boots.
I’m going to work out a system.
Ingrid Good.
Donald Set about it systematically.
Ingrid That sounds good.
Donald Head back the way we came.
Ingrid Find the car?
Donald Then start to circle. That’s the plan.
Ingrid You’re going to widen out?
Donald nods.
Donald All right, forget the whisky, I’d better get on with it.
Ingrid You’ll need batteries for the flashlight. They’re in the kitchen.
Donald goes out to get them.
Don’t worry, Mona, I’m sure Ray’s fine.
She lights more candles. The room is beginning to glow.
Ingrid What you need is a hot bath. You need to get out of your clothes. I’m going to get you a robe.
Mona Thank you. I’m going to put this chair by the fire.
Ingrid Do that. And I’ll start the bath.
Ingrid goes. Mona moves a chair, then takes off her coat. Underneath she has a dazzling scarlet dress. She unzips it. She has a slip on. She calls through before Ingrid returns.
Mona I had no idea.
Ingrid (off) How could you? You’ve never been in Lakeville in January.
Mona You said you listened to the forecast.
Ingrid (off) I came back from Dr Warren. I listened in the car.
She returns with a thick sweater and a dressing gown.
The storm wasn’t expected until tomorrow.
She hands the clothes to Mona.
If you remember, I tried to get Donald to leave.
Mona Everyone was having a good time.
Ingrid That’s Harold Ashbridge for you. He gives a good party.
Mona He can afford to.
Ingrid But I looked out at one point. I thought: we ought to leave. I’ve lived here all my life. I’ve learned to respect the weather.
Mona rallies a little.
Mona Ray’s going to be furious –
Ingrid I’m sure.
Mona When he gets back. Whatever happens, we’re snowed in.
Ingrid Probably for days.
Mona He has important meetings back in Manhattan.
Ingrid does not react.
Do you think Donald will be out there for long?
Ingrid If he gets lucky, he’ll be back in five minutes. If not, he could be out there for hours.
Mona It’s so good of him.
Ingrid Yes. Yes, sometimes you have to push him, but Donald always does the right thing.
Donald returns. He’s now dressed from head to toe in thick clothes, his face almost hidden except for his eyes.
Donald So. Here we are.
Mona It’s good of you, Donald.
Donald Don’t be ridiculous.
Mona Even so. You’re a good man.
Donald If only.
There is a moment.
Mona I’m really grateful to you.
Ingrid Good luck, Donald. Good luck out there.
He goes out.
Mona I’ll have the bath.
Mona goes out swiftly. Ingrid is left standing.
FOUR
Donald comes out of the front door of the house. The storm is even more powerful than before. He closes the door, and then he takes a few steps and stands listening. He takes a few more steps and then he stops. The sound of a barn door banging insistently. He stands completely still, then reaches in his pocket to take out a cigarette. He lights it. He stands, remembering, and as he does, the noise of the storm dies and is replaced by a woman’s voice.
Patricia (voice) I was a model. I was a model for a while. I did modelling work. Don’t get me wrong, not on the catwalk or anything like that. I was in the catalogues. Those big books that come through the door and land with a thump.
FIVE
Patricia Ashbridge is at the party. She’s thirty, playful, overt, with plunging neckline. She has a drink in her hand, and seems quite far gone. She’s talking to Ingrid, who is in her evening dress, formal, statuesque. There is the sound of a lively, heavy-drinking crowd.
Patricia There was I. Playing with a beach ball. And smiling. My teeth were dazzling.
Ingrid Do they do those things in the studio? Or do they shoot them on location? I’ve always wondered. The sand, is that for real? Or are you in some sort of – I don’t know – sandbox?
Patricia Oh both. We did both. Sometimes Coney Island standing in for the Caribbean.
Ray approaches, drink in hand. He’s in a smart suit.
Ingrid Ray, have you met Harold’s new wife? Patricia Ashbridge, Ray Sanders. Ray Sanders, Patricia Ashbridge.
Ray Actually we met.
Patricia We met a few drinks ago.
Ray Back in th
e early martinis.
They laugh.
Patricia No, we’re joking –
Ray We were already acquainted.
Ray Patricia and I met a few years back.
Patricia Just briefly. We knew each other.
Ray True!
Patricia We first met at Los Angeles airport.
Ray We took the red-eye together. That’s how we first met.
Patricia ‘Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars …’
Ray We shared a scotch for every state we passed over.
Patricia Quickest flight I ever took.
Ingrid is looking, puzzled by their behaviour.
Patricia In fact, I promised Ray I’d show him the house.
Ray I’d love that. Have you redecorated?
Patricia Me? Redecorate?
Ray Since you married Harold?
Patricia Do you know, I haven’t? Believe it or not.
Ray I’d have thought that’s the first thing you’d do.
Patricia I take things as they come.
Ray You’re not threatened?
Patricia Not in the slightest. I’m Wife Number Three. I’m living in another woman’s taste and it’s making me very happy.
They’re looking deeply at each other. Ingrid can’t think of anything to say. Patricia turns back to Ingrid.
I couldn’t believe it was Ray. Of all places. In Lakeville. I never thought I’d see him again.
Ray It’s me.
Patricia And it’s pure chance.
Ray I was telling Patricia how we’d been on a road trip in Canada. And so it just seemed a wonderful idea. I called. When was it?
Ingrid Wednesday.
Ray That’s right. Wednesday. I just thought, go see my old friend Donald. Spur of the moment.
Patricia I’m glad you did.
Ray And see Ingrid of course. We were in Quebec City. Have you been there?
Patricia Never.
Ray It’s worth it. It really is.
Ingrid is watching now, trying to de-code.
Patricia Do you still fly to LA?
Ray Oh sure. You?
Patricia You’re going to hate me. We only fly out of Teterboro.
Ray Ah. You’re strictly private nowadays?
Patricia I’m always in Harold’s personal crate.
Ray Don’t you miss the rough and tumble of public transport?
Patricia I miss the rough and the tumble. In that order.
Ray You should try it again.
Patricia Do you know, I think I might?
She sets off, putting her hand on Ray’s back.
Skip this way, Ray, and I’ll take you on the tour. Do you want to come?
Ingrid I’ve seen it.
She does a little hand-wave at Ingrid as they leave.
Patricia See you later.
They go. Ingrid stares straight ahead, taking in what she has seen, then walks suddenly away. The music is louder.
SIX
The Yellow Rock living room. Mona is staring into the fire, which is now blazing. Donald comes back through the front door and sees her on the sofa.
Donald Ingrid?
Mona No, it’s not Ingrid. It’s Mona. I’m wearing her robe. She lent me her robe.
There is a silence.
He isn’t with you? You didn’t find him?
Donald No.
Mona You were away so long.
Donald I know.
Mona Over two hours. I began to realise – the longer you were gone –
Donald Not necessarily –
Mona It’s not good though, is it?
Donald It’s neither good nor bad.
Mona It’s bad.
Donald Where’s Ingrid?
Mona She’s making something to eat.
Donald OK.
Mona Did she say sandwiches?
Donald If I were you, I wouldn’t – I’m saying – Ray is strong. He’s much stronger than me. Fitter. He’ll have found a place to shelter.
Mona But you didn’t find it.
Mona looks away.
Donald I shouldn’t worry. Ray has an instinct for survival. At Yale – from day one – I saw him across the square. I thought, ‘This is a guy who can look after himself.’ He had an air.
Mona Did he?
Donald He’ll hunker down somewhere safe till the storm passes.
Mona just looks at him.
Mona You should take off those clothes.
Ingrid comes in with a plate of thick sandwiches.
Ingrid It’s important Mona eats.
Donald Essential.
Ingrid She had a bath while the water was still hot.
She puts her hand on the radiator.
They’re cooling already. Feel.
Donald nods in acknowledgement.
I guess you haven’t had any luck. Did you see anything at all –
Donald Nothing –
Ingrid That might – anything that would suggest –
Donald No. I didn’t see anything.
Ingrid You went back to the car?
Donald I reckon it’s a mile. Started over from there.
Ingrid No sign?
Donald You have to remember: our footsteps were covered behind us as soon as we walked. If he tripped for instance – if he tripped on a rock – that’s always a danger here –
Ingrid puts down the sandwiches.
Ingrid We’re going to need more wood.
Donald You tried the phone?
Ingrid Of course. The lines are down.
Donald That’s good.
Ingrid Good? Why is it good?
Donald Because if he’s at a neighbour’s, he can’t call. Ray can’t call us even if he wants to.
Mona I see what you’re saying.
Donald (to Ingrid) No, thank you.
He starts to take off his outer clothes.
Ingrid So strange. Why did he let go?
Donald Let go?
Ingrid Of your hand?
Donald Oh …
Ingrid We kept saying, it’s essential we hold on. It’s the only way to survive.
Mona I was hanging on to Ingrid for dear life.
Donald I don’t know why he let go. Both of us have the leader’s instinct. The boy scout thing. Ray and me. Both of us think we know best perhaps. We like to lead.
There’s a short silence.
Ingrid He was enjoying the party, wasn’t he?
Mona The party?
Ingrid Before.
Mona At the Ashbridges’? I think he enjoyed it. Why do you ask that?
Ingrid No. If he was – if he –
Mona What?
Ingrid No, what I’m saying, I didn’t see much of him.
Donald It’s a big house.
Ingrid He had a good time?
Donald Seemed to. Yes. From what I saw.
He shifts, uneasy. Ingrid is watching him.
I could manage a drink.
Ingrid Now you can have one.
Donald goes over and pours himself a whisky. He lifts his glass in an odd toast.
Donald Mona, here’s to your good health.
Donald drinks, then makes a formal statement.
I want to say, in the circumstances: if you feel we should have left the party earlier –
Mona No one feels that.
Donald I don’t want you to feel –
Mona No one does.
Donald You’d say if –
Mona Honestly.
Donald We did discuss it, if you remember.
Mona No one blames you, Donald.
Donald Thank you.
Ingrid waits, but Donald doesn’t move.
Ingrid Look to the fire, Donald.
Donald I’m on it.
Ingrid So can you get the wood?
Donald puts down his glass. Then he rolls back a corner of the carpet. He pulls up a trapdoor which leads down the cellar. He takes the flashlight, and walks down the steps. He disappears down beneath the floor.
We won’t get the power back for a while.
Mona It’s happened before?
Ingrid Oh yes.
Mona I don’t think we should go to bed.
Ingrid We can’t.
Mona It seems wrong to go to bed. In the circumstances.
Ingrid We should wait here. Till Ray gets back.
Mona It’s hard. It all seems so unreal.
Ingrid We have to keep warm and we have to eat. I’m going to get a coffee pot and heat it on the fire.
Donald is returning from below, his arms full of logs. Ingrid goes out. Mona has sprawled in a chair. She’s unkempt, her hair wild. She seems muzzy, abandoned.
Mona She’s wonderful, isn’t she?
Donald Yes.
Mona That calm she has.
Donald It’s a sort of serenity.
Mona Yes.
Donald She’s always had it.
Mona Her father was a surgeon?
Donald And her mother was a Clayburn. Old American stock.
Mona You’re lucky.
Donald Oh, I know I’m lucky.
Mona I’d have called myself lucky until just now.
Donald is kneeling by the fire, adding to it.
Donald Ray said you’d had an unsettled childhood.
Mona I was brought up in the theatre.
Donald Ray mentioned that.
Mona Dad wrote musicals.
Donald He said you lived on the road.
Mona We lived in hotels. Out of town.
Donald With your mother?
Mona No. She wasn’t around. When I grew up, I was an actress for a while. Then I met Ray.
Donald What kind of actress?
Mona Oh, comedy. Sexy comedy, really.
They smile.
Donald Is that how you met Ray?
Mona No. Ray was at all those parties. There were a lot of parties in those days. Business parties.
Donald In Manhattan?