The trustees' meeting took place in the Ashford house.
I was there because Clara asked me to come. Grant sat beside Mom at the end of the table. I sat near Clara, with my hands folded over my notes.
She had prepared a proposal to turn the house and gardens into a small retreat space for families displaced by coastal emergencies. The foundation would cover the first phase of repairs. The house would host a limited number of events and short stays. Clara would not live there full time. She would not be responsible for every expense. The foundation would hire a property manager.
The plan was careful. It was also expensive.
One of the trustees pointed out that the foundation could sell the property, invest the proceeds, and support more families with the income.
Clara nodded. "That's true
