This scene falls right after Tom learns of what happened to Emma Loring and left the estate, planning to put the whole business out of his mind. But it turns out that everyone is talking about her mysterious death, and that his being one of the last people she spoke to has made him interesting to people he would not have expected.
SCENE 4
(Sounds of many voices, people bustling around. Door opens and closes.)
TOM: Afternoon, Della!
DELLA: Tom, my friend! Come by and have a chat with your old pal.
TOM: Glad to.
(Chair is pulled out then dragged in close.)
DELLA: Bite of lunch, Tom?
TOM: Yes, please. Got a good crowd today.
DELLA: It’s that business up at Loring’s End that’s brought them out.
TOM: Really?
DELLA: Yeah, news spread fast. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry’s buzzing on about what happened.
TOM: I was just over there.
DELLA: Were you? What were you doing there?
TOM: I was called up—
KENNETH: You were there?
TOM: I beg your pardon?
KENNETH: Why would they call up some townie to the palace?
DELLA: Mind your manners, Ken!
TOM: I had an appointment to see Miss Emma Loring.
KENNETH: Miss Emma? What did she want with you?
TOM: I’m a tailor, she commissioned me.
KENNETH: Of course, they don’t have much social use for tradesmen. D’you know what happened to her?
TOM: No idea.
KENNETH: Did she say anything to you?
TOM: Like what?
KENNETH: Ah, of course not. Closed up tighter than a drum, that old bag!
DELLA: Show some respect, Ken, the woman’s died.
KENNETH: Couldn’t have happened to a nicer lady.
DELLA: Shame on you! How can you say a thing like that?
KENNETH: There’s some new trouble brewing up there, and no mistake. There’s always been a dark cloud over that family.
TOM: What do you mean?
KENNETH: It was the old man that put it there. Darkening all the doorsteps.
DELLA: What are you going on about, Ken?
KENNETH: Knew it would get her too sooner or later. And she never said nothing to you about what might be going on?
TOM: Here now, let go of me!
DELLA: Hey, have off there! Let the boy alone.
(Sound of the chair scraping against the floor and scuffling between KENNETH and TOM. Sound of KENNETH collapsing against the bar.)
DELLA: Now get going! Or I won’t be letting you back in here anytime soon!
(KENNETH stumbles away.)
TOM: What was all that about?
DELLA: Pay him no mind, Tom.
TOM: Who is he?
DELLA: Ah, that’s just old Kenny. Some ne’er-do-well who drinks too much and hangs around.
TOM: I don’t think I’ve seen him around before.
DELLA: He’s just gotten out of the lockup again. He gets himself in trouble, but I feel sorry for the old drunk. I feed him every now and again, so he keeps coming back. Like a stray cat, he is.
TOM: Why was he so hot about poor old Miss Loring?
DELLA: Couldn’t tell you. He’s a strange one for sure.
TOM: Guess so.
DELLA: Ah. Now you’ll never want to come back and see me. But I’ll bring you a hot pie, and you’ll forgive me for the lowlifes that haunt my establishment.
TOM: Sounds lovely, Del.
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