Enter Cynthia carrying two bags of shopping which she puts down on the floor. Then enters Eileen Makepiece carrying a shopping bag. Cynthia whirls round.

Cynthia, (surprised): Who are you?

Eileen: I'm Eileen from next door but one. I'm a friend of Mr Pounder's.
 

Cynthia: What are you doing here? How did you get in?

Eileen: I've been doing some shopping for Mr Pounder. I keep an eye on him now he's been left on his own. He's given me a key so that I can come in.

Cynthia, (indignant); Mr Pounder doesn't need anyone to keep an eye on him.

Eileen: Funny, I've never seen you around. Who are you?

Cynthia: I’m his daughter, if it’s any business of yours. I’ve brought food for my father and I can assure you that between me and my brother and sister, we can take care of him. Thank you for your kind help, but you really are not needed here.

(Enters Mr. Pounder)

Ernest: Hello, Eileen, love. Did you get the things I asked you for?

(turns around and notices Cynthia.)

Ernest: Oh hello, Cynthia. You should have phoned to tell me you were coming over. It isn’t really a very convenient time. Eileen has gone shopping and is going to make me a special lunch, aren’t you love?

Cynthia: Father, how can you? Mother is hardly cold in her grave and already you are socialising with strange women. I really find this all very disturbing.

Ernest: One thing your mother’s death taught me, Cynthia, is that you never know when you are going to go, so I thought, I mustn’t miss out on any of the little bit of life that might be left to me. Surely you can’t begrudge me that?

Cynthia: Well, I expect that you will do what you want, no matter what I say, but having come all this way, and having brought you loads of groceries, I would have thought the least you could have done was to offer me a cup of tea.

Eileen: I’ll just put the kettle on. Won’t be a tick. (She leaves the room.)

Ernest: You were very rude to my guest, Cynthia, and I won’t have it. This is still my house and I will use it anyway I choose, and invite into it anyone I like, and it is nothing to do with you.

Cynthia: (looking carefully around the room) Where is that landscape picture that used to hang there, Dad?

Ernest: (looking a bit embarrassed) Well, I’ve taken it down to show to some friends. It might be a valuable antique, that. I just wanted to get an expert opinion on it.

Cynthia: But that was Mother’s favourite picture. She promised it to me when she died. (She’s on the verge of tears.)

Ernest: Now, Cynthia. Don’t let on so. She never told me that it was to go to you, and as you well know, since she didn’t have a will, everything came to me.

Cynthia: But now that you do know, surely you can get it back and give it to me.

Ernest: Easier said that done. Oh look, here’s Eileen back with our tea.

(Eileen hands around the  mugs which she brought in on a tray.)

Cynthia: Thank you. (testily)

Ernest: Thanks love. What would I do without you? You are spoiling me, aren’t you?

Cynthia: I was just telling my father, Eileen, that the landscape picture that used to hang over that chair is missing. It was promised to me by my mother, who might I remind you, has not been dead all that many weeks. Dad seems to think he might have trouble finding it. I wonder if you know where it is?

Ernest: Now Cynthia. I won’t have you brow-beating my guests like that.

Eileen: Of course I know. Ernest and I have joined the U 3 A - that’s the University of the Third Age, you know. And we belong to the antiques group, and Ernest took the picture to our last meeting, and the group leader was going to see if he could find out more about the painter, and when it was done and things like that, so we can find out how valuable it is.

Cynthia: You wouldn’t sell it Father. Surely you wouldn’t sell it now that I have told you that I want it - that it was promised to me.

Ernest: I find it very hard to understand, Cynthia, how you are suddenly getting so het up about something that you never once mentioned when you lived in this house, or any of the years since. As I told you before, that picture is now mine - and what I do with it is none of your business.

Cynthia: I can’t believe you are talking to me like this! I am leaving this moment, and I am going to talk to Renee and John and see what they have to say with the way you are acting. You are entering your second childhood and maybe it is about time we put a stop to it.  (She rushes out of the house.)

Ernest: Oh, I hope you aren’t upset about that Eileen, love. Did you get the travel brochures?

(She brings them from her bag, and together they pour over them and the curtain comes down.)