by David Hare
Mona Businessmen liked to have actresses on their arm. You know how it is. Show them off.
Donald Did you mind that?
Mona Never. Why should I?
Donald Oh, I don’t know.
Mona I saw Ray several times. It was months before he spoke to me.
Donald He was biding his time.
Mona Maybe.
Donald Planning.
Mona looks thoughtful a moment.
Mona I’d come out of an affair which had hurt me badly. Ray nursed me out of it. You don’t forget kindness like that.
Donald is still kneeling by the fire.
I know what you’ve done.
Donald What I’ve done?
Mona Tonight.
Donald What have I done?
Mona I don’t underestimate it. You risked your life for him. In that weather.
Donald Oh.
Mona Well, you did.
Donald That isn’t quite true.
Mona Going out again when you didn’t need to. To go again.
Donald We’re best friends since college. Anyone would have done the same.
He looks at her, not knowing what to say.
Mona Be careful. Your sleeve’s falling in the fire.
Donald looks down. He has rested his hand too close. He takes it away.
Donald Listen.
Mona What am I listening to?
Donald The wind’s dying. It’s a good sign. We’re on the way back.
Ingrid comes in with a coffee pot.
Ingrid It may be days till we’re out of here, but that’s still a good sign, did you hear it?
Mona Yes.
Ingrid The wind dropping. The worst may be over. As soon as the phones are back, we call the neighbours.
She sets the pot down. Mona is looking all the time at Donald.
Have something to eat. Ham. Ham and cheese –
Mona I don’t know how to tell you. I don’t know how to convince you. I don’t want to eat.
Ingrid Mona –
Mona I really don’t. I want to wait until Ray is safe. Why don’t we at least try and sleep?
Ingrid The bedrooms are freezing cold.
Donald Mona’s right. We’re all exhausted. I agree.
Ingrid turns to Donald, not put off her stride by Mona’s outburst.
Ingrid Donald, there are mattresses in the girls’ rooms. If we lay them out.
Donald goes out silently.
Mona The girls are at school?
Ingrid That’s right. They’re at Adams. In Litchfield.
Mona Is that far?
Ingrid It’s one of the better schools in Connecticut.
Mona Is that your old school?
Ingrid Yes. That’s why we chose it.
Mona How long have they been gone?
Ingrid Mildred’s fifteen. Cecilia’s twelve.
Mona You must miss them.
Ingrid It’s different. It’s different now we’re alone. That was one phase, this is another.
Donald comes back with two light, narrow mattresses and sets them out, side by side, feet to the fire.
I suggest you put them by the fire.
Donald OK.
Ingrid That’s the best idea.
Donald I’ll get another from the guest room.
He goes out at once. Ingrid arranges them with very slight gaps between them.
Ingrid Side by side, I think, don’t you?
Mona Perfect.
Ingrid Like sardines. We’ll sleep in a row.
Donald is back with a third mattress.
Donald Here we are.
Ingrid I’ll get blankets.
Donald Thanks.
She goes out. Mona has not moved. She is sitting completely still, watching as Donald lays out the third mattress, equidistant, the smallest of gaps between. Then:
Mona I hope you’ll come by when this is all over.
Donald I’d like that.
Mona Both of us would love to see you. You’re always welcome. Ray’s fond of you, you know.
Donald It’s true. I don’t get to Manhattan enough. Ingrid never. She has a lot to do. Clubs. Charities. She’s out doing good work.
He fusses over the mattresses. Mona is still watching, silent.
You won’t get her to New York. She’s happier here.
They look at each other. Then Ingrid comes back in with blankets. She smiles at them, calm, and then goes and puts blankets down on each mattress. Mona gets up and walks across to the mattress on the right and lies down.
Mona Thank you, Ingrid.
She takes a blanket and covers herself. Donald has taken off his shoes.
Ingrid You go in the middle, Donald.
Donald takes the middle mattress and lies down, and Ingrid goes on the left. After a few moments, Mona turns on her side, facing in. And a few moments later, Donald turns on his side, facing Mona. Mona’s hand is outside the blanket, by her side. Donald stares at it. Mona has fallen asleep. Donald closes his eyes. Ingrid is still.
Part Two: Mona
SEVEN
Darkness. The sound of a phone conversation.
Donald (voice) This is Donald Dodd of Lakeville.
Olsen (voice) The lawyer?
Donald (voice) Yes.
Olsen (voice) I know you, Mr Dodd. This is Lieutenant Olsen.
Donald (voice) I have to report a disappearance. Last night – no, it was the night before, we went to a party at the Ashbridges’.
Olsen (voice) Yes, I know.
Donald (voice) You know?
Olsen (voice) Yes.
Donald (voice) On the way back we got stuck in the snow. It was only when we got to the house, I noticed my friend was gone.
A silence.
Are you there?
Olsen (voice) I’m listening, Mr Dodd.
Donald (voice) His name is Ray Sanders of Miller and Sanders, the public relations firm.
Olsen (voice) I’m going to come out when I can. It isn’t snowploughs we need, it’s bulldozers. Call me up if you have any news.
EIGHT
Day. The living room of Yellow Rock Farm, restored to order. It’s Monday and it looks as if nothing has happened. The snow is dazzlingly white outside the windows. Donald is at the door, letting in Lieutenant Olsen, tall, impassive, with a crew-cut. Ingrid has laid out coffee and cake and is sitting, immaculate, waiting.
Donald Lieutenant, well done, you made it.
Olsen Mr Dodd.
Donald At last. I’m sorry to get you out. You must be very busy.
Donald shakes his head. Ingrid gets up to shake Olsen’s hand.
Ingrid Lieutenant …
Olsen Mrs Dodd …
Ingrid I called Mona down. I’m afraid she was asleep.
Olsen Really? Has she been sleeping a lot?
Mona comes in, fresh from bed. She has pulled on slacks and a blouse and has bare feet.
Ah Mrs Sanders, I’m Lieutenant Olsen. Why don’t you sit down over there?
Ingrid I can find you some slippers.
Mona I’m fine. Really.
She sits and tucks her legs up again under her. Olsen gets out a police notebook.
Olsen As I understand it, you’re married to Ray Sanders, you live on Sutton Place in New York, and he’s a partner in a public relations firm.
Mona He’s a lawyer, he was their legal adviser originally.
Olsen So you were on your way through Lakeville, going somewhere else?
Donald They were going home. They’d been vacationing in Canada.
Olsen You told me, Mr Dodd, that you took your friends to the Ashbridges’?
Donald You know how it is, every year old Ashbridge gives a party before he goes to Florida, he doesn’t mind who comes along …
Olsen smiles, familiar with Ashbridge.
Olsen Did your husband have a lot to drink?
Mona I wasn’t with him for most of the time.
Olsen He was talking to other people?
Mona It w
as that kind of occasion. He probably drank quite a bit.
Olsen And you, Mr Dodd?
Donald Me?
Ingrid is looking closely at Donald.
Not to begin with, but maybe later in the evening.
Olsen Something happened?
Donald Sorry?
Olsen To make you change your behaviour?
Donald Oh. No, nothing. Really.
Olsen Nothing? Or nothing really?
Donald Nothing.
Donald throws a look to Ingrid.
Mona Ray and Harold got into a conversation in the corner. They were discussing business.
Olsen What sort of business?
Mona Well –
She looks slightly desperately to Donald.
Donald I don’t need to tell you Ashbridge is one of the richest men in America. He owns stores. Television stations. Even mines, I think.
Olsen OK.
Donald And Ray’s in public relations.
Olsen So?
Donald They’d never met. Wham! It was like that. Two businessmen who’d always wanted to meet. They took each other’s numbers. I’d say Harold was on the point of offering him work.
Olsen I see. And after that –
Mona Yes?
Olsen You’d say your husband was behaving normally?
Mona looks to Donald, nervous.
Mona I’m wondering why you’re asking this question.
Olsen When there’s a disappearance –
Mona But this is an accident –
Olsen I don’t doubt it.
Mona Surely?
Olsen Or in cases of suicide –
Mona Is that what you’re thinking?
Olsen There are routine questions. Did your husband have any reason to kill himself?
Mona No.
Olsen Do you have children?
Mona No.
Olsen How long have you been married?
Mona Six years.
Olsen Did your husband meet anyone he had known before at the Ashbridges’?
Donald shifts slightly, uneasy.
Mona Not that I know of.
Olsen A woman?
Mona I saw him talking to many women. He’s always very popular.
Olsen Was there a particular incident that comes to your mind? A quarrel?
Mona blushes. Donald is alert. She’s thrown.
Mona Ingrid, I wonder if I could have a glass of water.
Ingrid Of course.
Olsen Anything out of the ordinary? Anything unusual?
Ingrid goes to get water.
Think.
Mona I’m thinking.
Mona shakes her head.
Olsen And you were among the last to leave?
Donald I guess we stayed on longer than most.
Olsen And after you’d abandoned the car, you walked on in the dark?
Donald Tried to. I wouldn’t say ‘walked’. Our legs went deep into the snow.
Ingrid returns with a glass of water. Olsen is writing in his book.
Mona Thank you.
Olsen Was it difficult to find the house?
Donald I literally bumped into it.
Olsen And where was Mr Sanders at that point?
Donald Well that’s it. I’d been calling out to him.
Olsen And then?
Donald Then when he didn’t make it, I went out to look for him.
He looks to the women for confirmation, but they show no reaction.
Olsen You went off alone?
Donald Yes.
Olsen Did you go back to the car?
Donald Yes.
Olsen It was empty of course? And the barn?
Donald stares at him.
Donald Sorry?
Olsen The barn? Did you go the barn? I saw a red barn. It’s yours, isn’t it? It’s your barn?
Donald Yes.
Olsen Did you check he wasn’t there?
Donald Yes. I checked in the barn.
Olsen makes a note. Ingrid shifts, staring at him.
Olsen So you went in?
Donald I think I did.
Olsen Did you or didn’t you?
Donald I think I did. I called inside, but there was no reply.
Olsen gets up and gestures towards the window.
Olsen I’ve got a steam shovel working out there. If you look out the window, we’re putting up an arc light. Means we can carry on for a while.
Donald In the dark?
Olsen You never know. We’re a long way from knowing what happened.
Donald follows him to the door.
Donald Thank you, Lieutenant. Everyone here really appreciates what you’re doing.
Olsen I’ll be in touch.
They shake hands, and Donald closes the door. Silently, with no explanation, Mona gets up and walks out of the room.
Ingrid We never had coffee.
She reaches out and pours herself a cup of coffee.
What did you make of him?
Donald Who?
Ingrid The lieutenant.
Donald He has the reputation of being good at his job.
Ingrid He knew a lot, didn’t he? Before he came?
Donald It was like he’d already talked to the people at the party. Before he talked to us.
Ingrid But why?
Ingrid throws a glance towards the bedrooms.
I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t believe Mona is suffering –
Donald You mean –
Ingrid Just from observation. The way she behaves.
Donald Isn’t it that different people –
Ingrid Oh sure –
Donald Anxiety takes people in different ways, according –
Ingrid Sure.
Donald Grief.
Ingrid Sure.
Donald I’ve seen it at work. When people are under pressure – some fall apart, others go quiet. She goes to sleep.
Ingrid You think she’s really suffering?
Donald What are you asking? I don’t understand.
Ingrid I’m surprised, that’s all.
Donald Why? Why are you surprised?
Ingrid I don’t think she’s missing him.
Donald And that surprises you?
Ingrid They always seemed so attached to one another.
Donald Attached?
Ingrid Yes.
Donald I think they were attached, yes. Weren’t they? They lived their lives together.
Ingrid More than that. It seemed like love.
Donald It was love. They didn’t say it wasn’t.
He gets up to take his coffee cup out to the kitchen. But he stops, frowning at a small plastic bag which is on a table by the door. He hesitates, then picks it up.
What are these?
Ingrid Oh I found them.
Donald Clearly.
Ingrid I meant to put them in the garbage, but then the lieutenant arrived.
Donald Cigarette butts?
Ingrid Yes.
Donald You picked them up?
Ingrid Yes.
Donald Where did you find them?
Ingrid On the floor. In the barn.
Donald You found them in the barn?
Ingrid Yes. I found ten or twelve. Someone had done a lot of smoking.
Donald stands a moment, not moving.
Donald That’s strange.
Ingrid Isn’t it? I’ll throw them out.
Donald No. Let me.
Ingrid If that’s what you’d prefer.
Ingrid goes out. Donald stands a moment staring, and it’s the voice of Dr Warren from the party which overlaps.
Dr Warren ‘The greatest honour history can bestow is the title of peacemaker.’ You know who said that? Richard Nixon. The thirty-seventh President. And going to be one of the best.
NINE
The party again. The sound of people talking wildly, Sinatra playing. Dr Warren is standing with a whisky, Ingrid a martini.
Dr Warren You know what I say about Nixon?
Dr Warren Anybody who wants the presidency that badly probably deserves it.
Dr Warren laughs. Donald appears, carrying a Coca-Cola.
Ingrid Donald, you haven’t seen Ray by any chance?
Donald Ray? No. He’s around.
Ingrid Just Harold’s looking for him, and you know how impatient Ashbridge is when he doesn’t get what he wants when he wants it.
Dr Warren and Donald smile.
Donald I’ll warn Ray when I see him.
Ingrid goes.
Dr Warren I think Nixon can sort the country out.
Donald You think it needs sorting out?
Dr Warren You think America has a future if it goes hippie, or yippie, or dippy, or whatever?
Donald It’s just a rash.
Dr Warren That’s what you think, is it?
Donald It’s a fashion. It’s the young. They’ve always done it.
Dr Warren Have they? Did you do it?
Donald It’ll pass.
Dr Warren I don’t know what the word is for you, Donald. ‘Sanguine’, is it? ‘Resigned’? Or just plain submissive? You want to let kids take America down the drain?
Donald I want to let kids do what they want.
Dr Warren And us? Are we now allowed to do anything too?
He looks at Donald contemptuously.
I’m getting another drink. Do you want one?
Donald I’m the driver.
Dr Warren goes. Donald is alone. He lights a cigarette. Then he moves across to a door. He opens it. Inside there is a bathroom. Patricia, dressed, is up on the sink, her legs wrapped round Ray. They are making love. Donald stands a moment with the door open. Patricia can see he is there, and she smiles at him. But Ray’s back is turned. Donald closes the door. He goes straight to a table with a bottle of whisky and pours a huge drink. Swallows it. Then Mona comes by.
Mona Donald …
Donald Hi, Mona.