I'm Home

Arthur was standing directly beneath the arrival clock at Helmarte Central, holding a rolled trade journal like an officer's baton.

"Chairman!" Arthur's voice boomed over the hiss of the Westinghouse air brakes. He opened his arms as Ernest stepped down to the platform. "Lady Teucher. Welcome back to the realm of commercial responsibility."

"Arthur," Ernest said, guiding Eleanor down the iron tread. "I explicitly instructed you not to assemble a reception committee."

"I am not a committee, Ernest. I am an indispensable executive asset conducting field observations." Arthur's eyes flickered with mischievous triumph. "Was the retreat productive? Did you manage to survive six days without drafting an amendment to the Railway Act?"

"He read an adventure novel," Eleanor provided smoothly, stepping forward.

Arthur put a hand over his heart. "A miracle of human reform. I shall record it in the corporate minutes."