Mr. Perry was plainly surprised by the crowd that filled his small waiting room, but, as his secretary was not just then present to manage for him, took control as best he might by pretending that it was simply a brief social encounter, an opportunity for everyone to be introduced before his true business with Lizzy began. He did his best to absorb all the names and field all the questions that soon were being thrown his way: the evangelical church was on the highway, about five miles distant, the Episcopalian one a block away from the center of town. There were no movie theaters or shopping malls in the neighborhood, nor would any local buses take Kitty to them; both involved a drive to Lompoc, near Vandenberg Air Force Base, or to Santa Barbara. The local real estate agents did not do much rental business, though they could inquire at the office of Morris Collins, a Realtor who had recently been appointed the mayor of Lambtown. But there was another possibility: he himself had a client who owned a newly built house she was not yet ready to occupy, and he would ask whether she might be willing to rent it out for a time.
For Mrs. Bennet, such subjects were interesting enough, but insufficient to distract her from her chief preoccupation. She interrupted with “It’s a sad business about this will. How did Evelyn come to make such a peculiar arrangement? And what are you doing to fix it?”
Even Mr. Perry’s suavity was no proof against this sudden attack, and he turned to Elizabeth in some perplexity.
“Mama, you know that Aunt Evelyn had every right to arrange her estate as she thought best,” Lizzy said in minatory tones.
“You would think so, of course, since it’s all to your benefit! But I have other children to look out for, and I can’t allow one to run off with what belongs by right to everyone.”
Lizzy cast an agonized glance at her father, but he was enjoying himself too much to heed her appeal.
“Ma’am, I can assure you that every provision in your sister-in-law’s Will is legitimate,” said Mr. Perry. “Her assets were free of any encumbrance and her mind was clear, so she was at liberty to dispose of her estate how she wished.”
Mrs. Bennet was inclined to dispute this view, but John stepped in with the suggestion that the purpose of today’s meeting was simply for Lizzy to discover what her responsibilities were, and perhaps Mama would like to see something more of Lambtown now? If they found a local newspaper, they might learn more about the ball they’d heard about.
Mr. Perry seized on this new idea with evident relief. “You mean the Red and White Ball? It’s one of the biggest social events of the year in the valley! It’s put on by the Hispanic Heritage Club to benefit their charitable programs. My secretary is one of the organizers, and I’m sure she’d want me to give you invitations.” He rummaged in her desk and came out with the cards, then led Mrs. Bennet to the exit by the expedient of holding them out in her direction while retreating to the door. “It was a pleasure to meet all of you, and I hope to see you again at the ball.” John herded his parents and younger sisters out, and Mr. Perry closed the door on them at last.
Once they were settled in his sanctum, Lizzy repressed the impulse to apologize for her family, and turned directly to the business at hand. She assured him that she was fully prepared to execute her aunt’s wishes as they had been described to her, though many aspects of the task were unfamiliar, and some mysterious. “I don’t really understand the requirement of complete secrecy,” she said. “From what I recall of my visits with my aunt, she had many friends who enjoyed reading and books; why would it be necessary to conceal her plan to turn her home into a public library for Lambtown?”
“When you have been here for a while, her concerns may become clearer to you, along with the scope of her ambition and the challenge you face. A key factor to remember is that she envisioned a library that would serve the entire community, not just the community of her immediate friends. How to achieve this is something you’ll have to figure out on your own. You will also need to be alert to the pockets of resistance that exist here toward any project that would offer equal access to all elements of the community. I urge you to remain discreet and keep your plans as private as possible. Do your family members know what you are doing?”
“No, I haven’t confided in them. They know that she created a charitable foundation and that she made me a personal bequest, but that’s all.”
Mr. Perry appeared relieved. “I’m sorry if her requirements put you in an awkward position with regard to your family, but—”
“I understand,” Lizzy hastened to insist. “Those of my relations I would be tempted to confide in will give me the benefit of the doubt, and the others will believe what they wish regardless of anything I might say. I’m more concerned about the expectations of my aunt’s friends and acquaintances here. I imagine they will have questions and, as permanent residents of Lambtown, a greater legitimate interest in the outcome.”
“Perhaps I can smooth your way a little bit there,” said Mr. Perry. “I’m a member of the Live Poets reading group that included most of her closest friends, and I can explain your presence among us in a way that may deflect much of the curiosity. The natural assumption will be that you and your family, as her closest relatives, are all her heirs, and I can allow that assumption to stand without refuting it until you are prepared to unveil the library.”
“What about zoning? Isn’t Aunt Evelyn’s house in a residential district? Could there be legal concerns on that head?”
“She obtained a variance some years ago, when the idea first came to her, so it can’t be stopped in court. But I would caution you to bear in mind that it’s crucial to win the hearts of the community in this case, not just avoid legal challenges. And there may be some hurdles from the Planning Department.”
“My aunt specified some particular gifts and bequests for various friends in her letter to me, but I was wondering about her housekeeper, and the nurse who cared for her at the end. Did she provide anything for them, or should I be doing so?”
Mr. Perry nodded approvingly. “There are monetary bequests for both of them in a codicil to her will, and those will be paid in due course, after probate. I also have a set of keys to her house for you.” He went on to outline the financial details of the will and the charitable foundation with Elizabeth, offering some helpful advice on developing a work plan and a budget. They parted with on each side a favorable impression of the other.
Lizzy’s first aim was to visit Evelyn’s house, and as it was an object with her to make this first visit alone, she set off immediately, while the rest of her family was elsewhere. Even John’s company would not have been completely welcome as she faced the empty rooms and gardens that her aunt had inhabited: he did not share the memories and emotions that such scenes would evoke, nor did she feel equal to describing them.
On turning the corner and approaching the house, Lizzy was surprised to find that the garden was in tolerable order. To her expert eye it was clear that someone had continued to care for it during Aunt Evelyn’s illness, perhaps even after her death. Changes had occurred in the years since her last summer visit to Lambtown; she recalled an English-style garden of lawn, roses, and mixed perennials, but now few traces of such a charming but unsuitable design remained. In its place were hardy natives and Mediterranean-climate plants, most of them unfamiliar to an Ohio girl, and she realized that here was another wall of learning for her to scale. She knew from reading that the seasonal cycles of rain and drought prevailing in California required unfamiliar adaptations from plant and