Grandpa's office was quite ascetical. The only thing hanging on the wall was a portrait of a middle-aged woman whose likeness to mother was striking. The table he sat in front of was facing a bay window, not the entrance. It was obviously a private office, not intended for visitors. There weren't many books, instead, the bookshelves were full of files. There was another chair in the room, wooden and not very comfortable, on which I sat.
There was a knock, and Bettie brought a tray of sandwiches and a pot of strong coffee and placed it on the table. As she served the coffee into two tiny cups, I put a generous teaspoon of sugar into mine and started nibbling a sandwich. It was a cheese and bacon sandwich. The greasy, delicious food helped me calm down a bit.
When the housekeeper left, I w
