never saw a girl as smart as Lilah. She could have gone to college two years ago if they would have let her in."
"Lilah never had to work for those grades," said Elinor. "I'll say it again. Lilah never had to work for anything. And I think you've neglected to point something out to her."
"What is that, Mama?" asked Miriam.
Elinor didn't answer right away, but fingered her black pearls with a smile, and seemed to savor the word Mama.
"Lilah is the only member of this family who doesn't have anything in her own right."
"What does that mean?" said Miriam.
"That means," explained Elinor, "that everybody else has been left money—and left a lot of money— by somebody or other. Everybody else, even Malcolm and Tommy Lee. They've all got money, and a great deal of it. I've seen Billy's reports every month. And Lilah's the only one of us who doesn't get one."
"Aren't you leaving her anything in your will?" asked Miriam. "She's your granddaughter."
"I'm not telling you what's in my will, Miriam. You're not going to find that out until I'm dead, and I'd advise you not to be impatient. I may be alive for a long time to come."
"Well," said Miriam, "someone is going to leave Lilah something. Billy—what about Billy?—who else is Billy gone leave his money to? Or Oscar. Oscar's got plenty. I'm not worried about Lilah. You don't think I'm gone let her go without, do you?"
"No," said Elinor, "I don't. I just think it might be to her advantage if you pointed out that she ought to feel just a little gratitude to you for all that you've done for her."
"I'm not looking for thank-yous, Mama. And if I want one, I'll get Lilah to send me a Hallmark card."
"She'll send it if you buy it—and lick the stamp."
Miriam called Zaddie out of the kitchen, and Zaddie, without having to be told, brought out a fresh pot of coffee.
"Mama," said Miriam, "what do you think Lilah's going to do about college?"
"I don't know. Why don't you ask her?" "It's none of my business," said Miriam. "It's her decision. She knows more than I do about which schools are good and which aren't. I went to school during the war. Everything's so different now." "You'll be paying for it. You have a right to know." "Tommy Lee thinks she'll go to Auburn." Elinor shook her head. "I doubt it. That's only what Tommy Lee thinks she'll do. Anyhow, I don't think you need to worry about where she's going to school. I think you ought to be worried about whether you'll ever see her again once she does go off."
The summer drew to a close, and still Lilah had said nothing. Toward the end of August, Miriam had to go to New York, and as a matter of course, asked if Lilah would like to accompany her. Lilah packed her bags, and she and Miriam and Malcolm left the following day. They stayed four nights at the Plaza. While Miriam attended to business during the day, Lilah led Malcolm a merry round down Fifth and up Madison avenues, shopping for clothes. Malcolm carried the packages and signed the checks, and never ventured a complaint as to how much money Lilah was spending.
On the afternoon of the fourth day, Malcolm, laden with packages, staggered behind Lilah into a restaurant on East 57th Street. When they were seated, and she had ordered him a drink, Malcolm said, "You know, Lilah, there's one thing you've forgotten to buy."
"What's that?"
"A couple of more suitcases to get all this stuff home in."
"I won't have to," said Lilah.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I'm staying here."
Malcolm looked around the restaurant in perplexity.
"At the Plaza? By yourself?"
"No, Malcolm, not at the Plaza and not by myself. I'm going to school here. At Barnard. That's here in New York. It's the girls' college attached to Columbia. It's a good school. Freshman orientation starts on Monday. I've already gotten my dorm assignment. This," she added, indicating the packages stacked beneath the table, "is my fall wardrobe."
It was a good thing that Malcolm's drink was brought quickly. "Bring him
"Lilah never had to work for those grades," said Elinor. "I'll say it again. Lilah never had to work for anything. And I think you've neglected to point something out to her."
"What is that, Mama?" asked Miriam.
Elinor didn't answer right away, but fingered her black pearls with a smile, and seemed to savor the word Mama.
"Lilah is the only member of this family who doesn't have anything in her own right."
"What does that mean?" said Miriam.
"That means," explained Elinor, "that everybody else has been left money—and left a lot of money— by somebody or other. Everybody else, even Malcolm and Tommy Lee. They've all got money, and a great deal of it. I've seen Billy's reports every month. And Lilah's the only one of us who doesn't get one."
"Aren't you leaving her anything in your will?" asked Miriam. "She's your granddaughter."
"I'm not telling you what's in my will, Miriam. You're not going to find that out until I'm dead, and I'd advise you not to be impatient. I may be alive for a long time to come."
"Well," said Miriam, "someone is going to leave Lilah something. Billy—what about Billy?—who else is Billy gone leave his money to? Or Oscar. Oscar's got plenty. I'm not worried about Lilah. You don't think I'm gone let her go without, do you?"
"No," said Elinor, "I don't. I just think it might be to her advantage if you pointed out that she ought to feel just a little gratitude to you for all that you've done for her."
"I'm not looking for thank-yous, Mama. And if I want one, I'll get Lilah to send me a Hallmark card."
"She'll send it if you buy it—and lick the stamp."
Miriam called Zaddie out of the kitchen, and Zaddie, without having to be told, brought out a fresh pot of coffee.
"Mama," said Miriam, "what do you think Lilah's going to do about college?"
"I don't know. Why don't you ask her?" "It's none of my business," said Miriam. "It's her decision. She knows more than I do about which schools are good and which aren't. I went to school during the war. Everything's so different now." "You'll be paying for it. You have a right to know." "Tommy Lee thinks she'll go to Auburn." Elinor shook her head. "I doubt it. That's only what Tommy Lee thinks she'll do. Anyhow, I don't think you need to worry about where she's going to school. I think you ought to be worried about whether you'll ever see her again once she does go off."
The summer drew to a close, and still Lilah had said nothing. Toward the end of August, Miriam had to go to New York, and as a matter of course, asked if Lilah would like to accompany her. Lilah packed her bags, and she and Miriam and Malcolm left the following day. They stayed four nights at the Plaza. While Miriam attended to business during the day, Lilah led Malcolm a merry round down Fifth and up Madison avenues, shopping for clothes. Malcolm carried the packages and signed the checks, and never ventured a complaint as to how much money Lilah was spending.
On the afternoon of the fourth day, Malcolm, laden with packages, staggered behind Lilah into a restaurant on East 57th Street. When they were seated, and she had ordered him a drink, Malcolm said, "You know, Lilah, there's one thing you've forgotten to buy."
"What's that?"
"A couple of more suitcases to get all this stuff home in."
"I won't have to," said Lilah.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I'm staying here."
Malcolm looked around the restaurant in perplexity.
"At the Plaza? By yourself?"
"No, Malcolm, not at the Plaza and not by myself. I'm going to school here. At Barnard. That's here in New York. It's the girls' college attached to Columbia. It's a good school. Freshman orientation starts on Monday. I've already gotten my dorm assignment. This," she added, indicating the packages stacked beneath the table, "is my fall wardrobe."
It was a good thing that Malcolm's drink was brought quickly. "Bring him
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