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No. Not the sooner the better. Zelda must’ve read it in her eyes, because she had a look on her face.
“What?” Elle asked. “Now you’re the one making faces.”
Zelda sighed and shook her head.
She thought about telling Zelda that she’d seen Daniel Quindlin in the park and asking her how long he’d been back in Savannah, but she didn’t want to talk about him.
“Who’s meeting here today?” Elle asked.
“The Savannah Women’s Society. It’s their monthly meeting. Only this one is special.”
Ah, the esteemed Society Ladies, as everyone called them. She should’ve known.
For as far back as Elizabeth could remember, the Society Ladies had had a standing date at the Forsyth. They even had a dainty hand-painted announcement posted at the foot of the veranda steps, in fancy script: The Savannah Women’s Society meets here the first Saturday of every month except January and July. All are welcome.
“Really? How so?”
Zelda’s eyes lit up. “Well, the hot topic on the agenda is the group’s annual benefit. You know how they award a grant every year to fund a rehabilitation project in Savannah’s historical district? Guess who is this year’s worthy recipient?”
Elizabeth shrugged. “I couldn’t begin to guess.”
“This year it’s none other than the Forsyth Galloway Inn.” Zelda clapped her hands.
“Seriously? I didn’t know they funded businesses or private residences. I thought they’d stick to not-for-profits.”
“There are only so many statues and monuments that need fixing. So they expanded to include all properties on the historical registry. The work we want to do here is not just cosmetic. We’re still doing repairs after that tree uprooted and landed on the roof during the last hurricane.”
“Mom, the hurricane was several years ago. I thought insurance covered the damage. Why haven’t you fixed it?”
“Well, insurance did give us some money for repairs, but not nearly enough. Plus, you know how it is when you fix up one thing—it makes everything else look tired and shabby. It’s like a domino chain. We fixed the leak, but there wasn’t enough money to replace the wallpaper and refinish the floors where water warped the boards and discolored the finish. Oh, well, there’s a whole long list of things that we need to do around here, and you know how expensive repairs and renovations are. That’s why we’ve been tightening our belts and doing a lot of the day-to-day upkeep ourselves. We applied for the Women’s Society grant and we got it. The only problem is your Gigi and I have completely different visions of how the remodel should go. I’ll have to tell you all about it later, after the meeting. We could use your voice of reason. But right now we need to finish getting things ready because this is the meeting when they’re awarding the check. It’s kind of a big deal.”
“I’m so glad I could be here,” Elle said, setting a bowl of fruit salad next to a tiered tray of scones and Danish pastries. “I hope they enjoy the breakfast.”
“And to that end, I need to go check on the coffee. I just brewed some fresh. Want a cup?”
“No, thanks, I had a cup before I came down,” Elizabeth said as she stepped back to admire their buffet handiwork. Everything was in its place. All they needed to do was fill the urn with coffee, and they’d be ready to welcome their guests.
After her mother left, Elizabeth glanced around the room, and saw for the first time its tired floral wallpaper and yellowing white wainscoting. In her mind’s eye, the place had always been lovely. Now that Zelda had mentioned it, Elle could see what her mother meant about the decor being a little tired and in need of some love. In its day, the Forsyth had been the crowning glory of the neighborhood. Now the old girl resembled a grand dame who was showing her age. Yet, despite her wrinkles and sags, she still stood regal and proud, beloved by those like Elle, who cherished her timeless grace.
Maybe the Forsyth needed a little reno-Botox. Nothing invasive or reconstructive. Because the place was beautiful as she stood, wrinkles and all.
Elle’s gaze snared the photos in silver frames on the wall and fireplace mantel. There were pictures of every ancestor who had lived here and managed the inn before her Gigi and mother. Someday she and her sisters would have their photos up there, too.
