Herb glanced at his watch. “Are you ready for the job interview?”

“Of course.”

Herb made a call, and shortly a woman entered his office and offered Laurence her hand. “I’m Marjorie Mason,” she said. “Everybody calls me Marge.”

“I’m Laurence—no mister, please.”

“As you wish.”

They offered her a chair. “Tell me what you’ve been doing recently,” he said.

“I joined Woodman & Weld after college, and for the last eleven of those years I’ve worked for a partner, who recently died.”

“And what did you do for him?”

“As he used to put it, ‘Everything a wife does, except for sex.’ In short, I managed his life, dealt with his banking and investment people, found him domestic staff, arranged his social life, and anything else he could think of.”

“That sounds like what I’d have you do for me. I’ll be traveling a lot, and you’d be on your own. Are you all right with that?”

“I’m the best company I know,” she said.

“Then I’ll offer you a hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars a year, health insurance, and a 401k, I believe it’s called. Your office will be in my New York residence, at the Fairleigh. Four weeks of vacation a year, but not more than two at a time, and a clothing allowance. Is there anything else you need?”

“I’ll let you know. In the meantime, I accept.”

“When can you start?”

“My late boss’s affairs are now in perfect order. I’ll take the rest of the day to clean out my office, sign my pension documents, and be at the Fairleigh at nine tomorrow morning.”

He gave her a key to the apartment. “Let yourself in and find your office. It’s on the south side, not far from the kitchen. Order whatever you need for office supplies and get yourself set up with a computer and printer and anything else necessary.” He stood up and offered her his hand. “Thank you, Marge. See you tomorrow.”

She shook his hand, thanked him, and left.

“Now, Herb, if you’ll excuse me, I have furniture being delivered, and I need to place it.”

“Of course. Good move with Marge,” Herb said. “She’s a great person.”

“I could tell,” Laurence replied.

—

WHEN HE ARRIVED back at the Fairleigh, men with the dining table were waiting near the concierge’s desk. He waved them toward the freight elevator, then went upstairs to his apartment.

For the next two hours, people arrived with furniture and paintings. He placed everything exactly where he wanted, then stood back to admire the results. With the fresh flowers he had ordered, the place was starting to look as though someone lived there.

10