Act 1 opens in a drawing room of a home in Courtfield Gardens in South Kensington,
London, in July, during a year not long before the outbreak of World War I in 1914.
Ronnie Winslow, a cadet at the Royal Navy School at Osborne, returns unexpectedly
from his school on a Sunday and is greeted by Violet, the family’s housekeeper. Ronnie
is obviously depressed. His parents, Arthur and Grace Winslow, his brother Dickie, and
sister Catherine are attending church services but return home shortly. Unaware that
Ronnie has returned home, the other members of the family discuss Dickie’s lack of
seriousness in his studies at Oxford. Arthur compares Dickie unfavorably with his
younger brother’s intellectual achievements at Osborne; Dickie is defensive in refuting
these statements. The conversation turns to Catherine’s pending engagement to John
Watherstone, a subaltern in the British army; the Winslows support Catherine’s
decision to marry John. They express concern over the impact of the news on
Catherine’s other suitor, Desmond Curry.
The conversation is interrupted when Grace sees someone hiding in the garden; the
doorbell rings and John Watherstone enters. After giving directions to Catherine on
how to signal them at the appropriate time, Arthur greets John to discuss his proposal
to Catherine. Surprisingly, Arthur knows the details of John’s salary and his monthly
allowance from his father. Arthur then reviews the details of his own financial affairs
and announces that he intends to provide Catherine with a dowry of twelve hundred
fifty pounds. As the family discusses the engagement, Ronnie Winslow is noticed in the
garden; the family learns that Ronnie has been expelled from Osborne for stealing a
postal order. Arthur confronts his son, who denies the theft. Act 1 closes with Arthur
placing a phone call to the Royal Naval College, Osborne.
Act 2 opens six months later in the family drawing room with Catherine and Dickie
having a conversation, when the daily newspaper arrives with two letters to the editor
on the case of the Osborne cadet. By this time Arthur’s efforts to vindicate his son’s
denial have become a public issue. While some indicate support for the government’s
position that this matter is much about nothing, there is considerable criticism of the
Royal Navy’s initial handling of the case and allegations of a conspiracy designed to
save face for those involved in the decision. The conversation between Catherine and
Dickie reflects the feminist issues of the period when Catherine hears them refer to
what is appropriate for a woman to say. The conversation is interrupted when Arthur
arrives, and while his spirits are good, the struggle in support of Ronnie has taken a toll
on Arthur’s health. After confronting Dickie about his lack of academic progress at
Oxford, Arthur announces that he will no longer be able to support him for another year
and that Dickie needs to get a job. The cost of the case and the prospect of retaining Sir
Robert Morton have drained the Winslow family finances.
Ronnie returns from school with accounts of his recent successes and appears to be
oblivious about the impact of the case on his father’s health and the family’s finances.
Catherine indicates her dislike for Sir Robert Morton, but Arthur asserts that the
fortunes of the family are in his capable hands. Sir Robert Morton arrives at the
Winslow home and meets Catherine; immediately, Sir Robert and Catherine are
engaged in an animated conversation about the case and each other’s interests.
The last and most important section of this act consists of a conversation between
Ronnie and Sir Robert Morton. In response to a lengthy series of pointed questions,
which amount to an interrogation, Ronnie provides Morton with a detailed account of
the incident and the subsequent developments. This second act closes with Sir Robert
Morton informing Arthur that he will take the case because it is obvious that Ronnie is
innocent.
Act 3 opens nine months later in the drawing room of the Winslow home. Arthur is
reading an account of a debate in the House of Commons, where the Admiralty was
forced to respond to questions concerning its procedures in handling the case and
where Arthur’s request for a Petition of Right was being considered. Advocates for the
Winslows argued that the House of Commons should “Let Right be Done,” the focus for
justice in this case. Sir Robert Morton provides Arthur with a report on the progress of
the case. In addition to the details, it is evident that Sir Robert and Catherine are
interested in each other.
Sir Robert advances a new strategy intended to result in action from the Director of
Public Prosecutions, but Arthur is inclined to give up the case because of the many
sacrifices that have been made. Catherine reveals that John Watherstone’s father sent
a letter to Arthur stating that the attack on the Admiralty in the Commons was a
disgrace and implying that the engagement may be terminated. Catherine maintains
that, even if Colonel Watherstone’s threat includes ending John’s allowance, they
would be able to survive as a married couple.
Shortly, John Watherstone arrives and is visibly upset over his father’s threat to end his
allowance to thwart the wedding. John and Catherine discuss the case and its impact on
their relationship; she learns that he is more concerned with his allowance than justice
and appears to agree with his father. A telephone call to Sir Robert provides
information on a new development; unexpectedly, the debate on the Winslow case has
resumed in the Commons and the Admiralty has agreed reluctantly to endorse the
Petition of Right, advancing the case to a trial. Without question, Catherine supports
continuing the case. The act closes with John Watherstone departing in a rage.
Act 4 opens in the Winslow drawing room in June, four months later. Dickie has arrived
for the closing of the trial. The press and interested onlookers have besieged the
Winslow home. The dense family solicitor, Desmond Curry, who has been providing
minor assistance to Sir Robert, arrives and proposes to Catherine. Arthur urges his
daughter to reject the proposal. As Arthur and Catherine discuss Desmond and John
Watherstone’s upcoming marriage to someone else, news arrives that the court has
decided that Ronnie Winslow was innocent and that Arthur Winslow’s effort for the
Petition of Right was vindicated. The act closes with a conversation between Catherine
and Sir Robert in which they demonstrate that they both possess intelligence and wit
and suggest that they will have contact in the future.
Dickie Winslow 1
"large, noisy and cheerful."
Dickie Winslow 2
"He failed in his pass mods."
Dickie Winslow 3
"Merely that you may make a lot of useless friends and learn to dance the Bunny
Hop."
Dickie Winslow 4
"Nothing that Ronnie does is ever wrong, and nothing that I do is ever right."
Dickie Winslow 5
"Pinching's nothing."
Dickie Winslow 6
"Being withdrawn to stud."
Dickie Winslow 7
"appears to have found its way back into the drawing-room."
Dickie Winslow 8
"provide evidence of interrupted labours."
Dickie Winslow 9
"listens for a few seconds with evident appreciation,"
Dickie Winslow 10
"Fat chance there is"
Dickie Winslow 11
"wouldn't see her this side of Doomsday."
Dickie Winslow 12
"And it's all so beastly expensive"
Dickie Winslow 13
"rather a much ado about damn all."
Dickie Winslow 14
"Oh, no! Why?"
Dickie Winslow 15
"makes DICKIE stop dancing and gaze at her seriously."
Dickie Winslow 16
"nothing wrong, is there?"
Dickie Winslow 17
"Of course not, Father."
Dickie Winslow 18
"He begins forlornly"
Dickie Winslow 19
"Why the hell does he have to get himself nabbed doing it?"
Catherine Winslow Feminism and Radical Politics 1
"And a suffragette?"
Catherine Winslow Feminism and Radical Politics 2
"He has a way of looking at me through his monocle that shrivels me up."
Catherine Winslow Feminism and Radical Politics 3 + Closeness to Father 1
"I'm not - ever."
Catherine Winslow Feminism and Radical Politics 4
"It's cold, calculated inhumanity."
Catherine Winslow Feminism and Radical Politics 5
"someone to chain themselves to Mr.Asquith"
Catherine Winslow Feminism and Radical Politics 6
"Silly old fool!"
Catherine Winslow Feminism and Radical Politics 7
"No. I taught John,"
Catherine Winslow Feminism and Radical Politics 8
"The best in this case certainly isn't Morton."
Catherine Winslow Feminism and Radical Politics 9
"Many people believed him innocent, you know."
Catherine Winslow Feminism and Radical Politics 10 + Closeness to Father 2
"That's a disgraceful thing to say!"
Catherine Winslow Passion 1
"I love John in every way that a woman can love a man"
Catherine Winslow Strength and Determination 1 + Kindness 1
"I'd go and have a nice lie down before lunch."
Catherine Winslow Strength and Determination 2
"instinctively taking charge"
Catherine Winslow Strength and Determination 3
"(steadily) No, Father. He's not ill"
Catherine Winslow Strength and Determination 4
"looks at CATHERINE with helpless enquiry."
Catherine Winslow Strength and Determination 5
"CATHERINE nods."
Catherine Winslow Strength and Determination 6
"Come on, Mother."
Catherine Winslow Strength and Determination 7
"both make a grab for it and CATHERINE gets it."
Catherine Winslow Kindness 2
"It was entirely my fault, Father."
Catherine Winslow Kindness 3
"going to ask how you did in your cricket match"
Catherine Winslow Kindness 4
"Now, darling, tell me."
Catherine Winslow Closeness to Father 3
"A problem in ethics for you, Father."
Catherine Winslow Closeness to Father 4
"One up to the New Woman."
Catherine Winslow Closeness to Father 5
"It might kill him - "
Catherine Winslow Closeness to Father 6
"Did you know Ronnie was back?"
Catherine Winslow Closeness to Father 7
"heard him say Father needed a complete rest"
Catherine Winslow Closeness to Father 8
"I don't consider that a serious question, Father."
Catherine Winslow Closeness to Father 9
"ARTHUR and CATHERINE are glaring indignantly"
Catherine Winslow Contrast to others 1
"air of masculinity about her which is at odd variance with her mother's intense
femininity."
Catherine Winslow Contrast to others 2
"You don't behave as if you were in love."
Catherine Winslow Contrast to others 3
"far, far more than he loves me."
Catherine Winslow Contrast to others 4
"He disapproves of me, doesn't he?"
Catherine Winslow Contrast to others 5
"does seem pretty heartless"
Catherine Winslow Contrast to others 6
"he is always speaking against what is right and just."
Catherine Winslow Contrast to others 7
"Many people believed him innocent,"