This was malicious, Richard Kuppelton knew; it would have been very hard for Holton not to have heard. “Oh, they were just talking about reports.”
“That’s what I guessed.” He started to work again.
“You live uptown, don’t you?” remarked Kuppelton.
“Yes. I’ve got a room in a hotel.”
“That’s funny, I thought you lived with your family or something. I thought Caroline said something about it.”
“My father used to live here. He lives in Boston now. He used to work here but he retired when I got out of the army.”
Richard Kuppelton nodded. “That’s right, I remember your telling me that once. Me, I live with all my family in Queens. We all live there. I wish sometimes that I lived alone.”
“It’s not much fun, living alone,” said Robert Holton.
“Think you’ll get married soon?”
“I don’t think so.”