I went to the Vale Foundation board meeting because my hotel was on the agenda.
The meeting was held in a glass conference room at the foundation's headquarters. The harbor lay below us, gray and cold. I sat at the far end of the table with Tessa beside me. Sebastian sat across from his uncle, Hugh. The other trustees kept their papers aligned and their expressions neutral.
The first hour concerned grants to schools and museums. Then Hugh called the Bellwether proposal.
He described the hotel as "a valuable regional asset with a complicated ownership structure." He described the public beach as "a potential liability." He did not mention the recorded easement or the council's vote.
I waited until he finished.
"Would you like to see the survey?" I asked.
Hugh glanced at me. "We've rev
