Mortimer worked in his lab, carefully working his experiments. He ignored the letters which began to pile up, having more important things to do than deal with people.
So he did not hide his annoyance when he heard a house elf enter his lab. He was about to tell it to go away when he turned. It was a Lestrange elf... Rabastan, the brother of Rodolphus. He stopped and listened as the elf told him Rabastan wanted to see him at once, and that he would remain until he did so.
Scowling, he nodded and pulled on his cloak, Apparating to the town. He walked the street until he came to the house. The door opened and the elf led him inside.