CHAPTER FIVEComment
While his family was away Gamadge often dined out, to make things easier for his staff of one. Today he had given Theodore the afternoon and evening off, and so when he reached home the house was empty.
Too empty. As soon as he got inside the front door the emptiness hit him in the face. He turned into his office, picked up the telephone, and asked for long distance. When he heard Clara’s breathless voice—she must have been running, could it be possible that in the turmoil of the summer cottage she had felt a solitude too?—he spoke in the flat tone of desolation:
“You’re still alive.”
“And so are you!”
“That’s out of the way, then.” Returning briskly to normal, he said: “I may not be out this week after all.”
“Oh how ghastly.”
“Aren’t you living a full, rich life
