Percy rose quickly from his seat, greeting Penny as he might have a visiting diplomat. He didn't exactly get out much, anymore, and it seemed better to air on the side of civility than sit dumbly in his chair and wait for her to sit down.
"Hello, Penny," he said warmly, his pleasure to see her in his voice, if absent from his posture and expression. He sat down once she had, clasping his hands on the table.
"How are you?"
That was a perfectly reasonable beginning to a conversation. Penelope, your very livelihood may be compromised... was not.