Love for Sale

supervise the move. The Harbinger boys will have to remove the things that are already in the room before your furniture will fit in.
    “Oh dear,“ Lily added. “There’s one thing we didn’t work out. I think we should pay for moving the furniture out of the room, and you should pay for moving yours in. Does that seem fair?“
    “I’d assumed that’s how we’d do it. Please call Mr. Brewster right now, if you would, to get it under way. I’m so thrilled at the way this has worked out so well, but it will all go for naught if we can’t get the Harbinger boys. The Rismillers will need to have time to move a bit of their own furniture into the house before he arrives.”
    It took almost all day Friday for Mrs. Tarkington to pack up her valuables and for the Harbinger brothers and Robert to move out the hideous, heavy furniture in Great-great-aunt Flora’s former room. The Harbingers arrived late in the afternoon at the principal’s house with their truck to take the first load up to Grace and Favor. There were three heavy trunks, one holding her set of china, all carefully wrapped, and the second with most of her clothing and coats. The third and heaviest was filled with her books.
    First thing Saturday morning, the boys were back for her furniture and the boxes that contained her sewing machine and the contents of her drawers as well as her bookshelves. She rode in the truck with them, clutching her jewelry case.
    When the furniture was put where she wanted it, she closed the door and set about distributing her belongings.
    “Do you need help?“ Lily asked after knocking at the door.
    “No, thank you. I’ll have it shipshape before dinner.“
    “Would you like your lunch sent up on a tray?“
    “Oh, my dear Miss Brewster, that would be a great help.”
    An hour before dinnertime, Mrs. Tarkington went in search of Lily. “Would like to see the— my room?”
    She’d transformed it into an elegant Vision. Her little oval desk with her typewriter was next to one of the windows. An equally lovely small table was at the other window with her sewing machine. Her trunks were lined up at the far wall next to the bathroom door to be stored later in the vast basement of Grace and Favor. Her ivory-trimmed jewelry box sat in solitary splendor on a small round walnut stand in a corner of the room. Her oak bookshelves were filled with books and pretty ornaments.
    Lily exclaimed, “I never imagined how large this room was and how beautiful it could become.”
    Mimi was right behind Lily with her dustcloths and carpet sweeper. “Oh, Mrs. Tarkington, this is so lovely. It will be a joy to clean. Could I start with the rugs now? They’re a bit scuffed up by that big old stuff sitting and crushing them all this time.“
    “Could it wait until tomorrow, Mimi? I need a bath and to dress for dinner.”
    Mimi agreed to the plan and took away her cleaning materials.
    “We don’t dress up for dinner except on Sunday,“ Lily said. “We’re usually informal.“
    “I shall dress tonight anyway. It’s a day for. celebrating.”

    Mrs. Tarkington was the last to appear for dinner. Everybody was stunned. She wore a long black georgette and silk dress with her hair piled up and a lovely diamond necklace and matching earrings. Howard Walker had been invited to dinner as well. Both he and Robert leaped up to escort her to her chair.
    “You look like a princess, madam,“ Robert said.
    “More of a dowager princess, I suspect,“ she said with a smile. “My late husband always liked to eat dinner with great formality. I haven’t worn this dress since he passed over.”
    Mimi brought in the food and sat at her usual place. Mrs. Tarkington seemed not the least surprised that the maid ate with the family.
    Mrs. Tarkington, sitting close to Mrs. Prinney at the end of the table, said, “Those potatoes were browned in the roast drippings and baked, weren’t they? They look wonderful.”
    Mrs. Prinney almost became weepy. “It’s so good to know my cooking is appreciated.”
    Lily managed to have a private conversation with Howard Walker after dinner. They went to the Yellow Parlor, which was seldom used.
    “I want to thank you for getting rid of those reporters and turning away the religious folks,”
    Lily said. “We haven’t had another one turn up for two days in a row. Howard, I know it’s really none of my business, but I wonder what more you’ve learned about the preacher’s death.“
    “Nothing,“ he said