radish-like roots. Simon handles them loosely. He brushes off the dirt and throws the waste on the pile of dead weeds. It’s so hot out here. He shouldn’t be working at midday.
“Well, I guess I do. I don’t know.”
He sticks the trowel deep into the earth and lets it go. He looks up at me. “Did you speak with Mr. Heppert about it?” His expression is bland, and his eyes are calm. But his voice. There is something knowing in his voice.
“Yes, I did.”
“He came to you very quickly. Did he have anything to say about Mr. Eli’s business affairs?” He goes back to his work, feeling deep in the earth with the trowel and levering it up, searching for more roots.
“Yes, he did. Some things that I find confusing.”
“What was confusing?”
“He said that—Well, he said that Eli has gone bust.”
Simon separates the dirt from the roots and throws them back on the pile. He puts a hand on the grass to push himself up and stands in front of me. “It’s very warm out here. Maybe you’d like to sit under the arbor?”
“Is Eli—is he in so much debt?”
“He had some difficulties in recent years. What did Mr. Heppert tell you?” Simon wipes his hands on his pants, leaving behind traces of earth. He watches me as if he can see the answer in my features, in the number of times I blink or the pace of my breath.
“He said that Eli’s estate is tied up with debts. That Eli nearly made the bank go bust. Is it true?”
There is no one around. We are alone.
“I don’t know. If it is, I am sure Eli had a good reason for it.” Simon looks down at the holes around the grapevines, looking from one to the other as if he is asking them my question. He doesn’t even say “Mr. Eli.” He is too familiar with everyone. The sticky black earth clings to his gloves.
“I don’t see how Eli could be in trouble like that.”
“Well, ma’am, I guess politics is an expensive business. People spend a lot of money to keep things running.”
“Politics? Judge said it was the panic.”
He looks up at me. “Is that what Mr. Heppert said?” He considers for a moment. “I guess he’s right, too. He knows as well as anyone the cost of politics.”
He goes too far. Is he insulting Judge?
“Judge doesn’t need to spend money in politics. He’s very respected. He always has been.”
Simon almost smiles at me. “Yes, ma’am.” He shows a corner of white teeth where his mouth curls on one side. “I am sure he can answer all your questions now that he has taken charge of things.”
“Judge is a very accomplished man, Simon.”
“Yes, ma’am. You could not find yourself a better adviser.”
Simon is full of sarcasms. His tone is flat, but he means to be snide.
“Eli himself respected Judge. Why else would he name him trustee?” The sun is so hot. The sweat streams down my temples so I can’t wipe it away fast enough.
Simon raises his eyebrows. “Eli made Mr. Heppert the trustee?”
“Of course. It’s in his will.”
“Have you seen his will?”
“No, Judge told me. He said he would bring the will to show me.”
Simon looks back at the earth. He kneels down and picks up the trowel, poking it at the dirt. “Oh,” he says, “that is interesting.”
“What do you mean?” My Lord, I sound like my mother. But Simon will answer my question. I won’t stand for this impudence. He has told me nothing.
“Nothing at all. I did not realize Eli had so much trust in Mr. Heppert.”
“Why wouldn’t he?”
Simon looks up at me again, his mouth stretched as if he is repressing a smile. “Miss Gus, it cannot have escaped your understanding that Mr. Heppert and Eli were on opposite sides of a very wide political chasm.”
“Yes, I know that, Simon, but they managed to be civil and respect each other. Which is more than you are being to me right now.”
His face changes, and he rises to his feet quickly. He is no longer laughing at me. He seems surprised. “I am sorry. I did not mean any
“Well, I guess I do. I don’t know.”
He sticks the trowel deep into the earth and lets it go. He looks up at me. “Did you speak with Mr. Heppert about it?” His expression is bland, and his eyes are calm. But his voice. There is something knowing in his voice.
“Yes, I did.”
“He came to you very quickly. Did he have anything to say about Mr. Eli’s business affairs?” He goes back to his work, feeling deep in the earth with the trowel and levering it up, searching for more roots.
“Yes, he did. Some things that I find confusing.”
“What was confusing?”
“He said that—Well, he said that Eli has gone bust.”
Simon separates the dirt from the roots and throws them back on the pile. He puts a hand on the grass to push himself up and stands in front of me. “It’s very warm out here. Maybe you’d like to sit under the arbor?”
“Is Eli—is he in so much debt?”
“He had some difficulties in recent years. What did Mr. Heppert tell you?” Simon wipes his hands on his pants, leaving behind traces of earth. He watches me as if he can see the answer in my features, in the number of times I blink or the pace of my breath.
“He said that Eli’s estate is tied up with debts. That Eli nearly made the bank go bust. Is it true?”
There is no one around. We are alone.
“I don’t know. If it is, I am sure Eli had a good reason for it.” Simon looks down at the holes around the grapevines, looking from one to the other as if he is asking them my question. He doesn’t even say “Mr. Eli.” He is too familiar with everyone. The sticky black earth clings to his gloves.
“I don’t see how Eli could be in trouble like that.”
“Well, ma’am, I guess politics is an expensive business. People spend a lot of money to keep things running.”
“Politics? Judge said it was the panic.”
He looks up at me. “Is that what Mr. Heppert said?” He considers for a moment. “I guess he’s right, too. He knows as well as anyone the cost of politics.”
He goes too far. Is he insulting Judge?
“Judge doesn’t need to spend money in politics. He’s very respected. He always has been.”
Simon almost smiles at me. “Yes, ma’am.” He shows a corner of white teeth where his mouth curls on one side. “I am sure he can answer all your questions now that he has taken charge of things.”
“Judge is a very accomplished man, Simon.”
“Yes, ma’am. You could not find yourself a better adviser.”
Simon is full of sarcasms. His tone is flat, but he means to be snide.
“Eli himself respected Judge. Why else would he name him trustee?” The sun is so hot. The sweat streams down my temples so I can’t wipe it away fast enough.
Simon raises his eyebrows. “Eli made Mr. Heppert the trustee?”
“Of course. It’s in his will.”
“Have you seen his will?”
“No, Judge told me. He said he would bring the will to show me.”
Simon looks back at the earth. He kneels down and picks up the trowel, poking it at the dirt. “Oh,” he says, “that is interesting.”
“What do you mean?” My Lord, I sound like my mother. But Simon will answer my question. I won’t stand for this impudence. He has told me nothing.
“Nothing at all. I did not realize Eli had so much trust in Mr. Heppert.”
“Why wouldn’t he?”
Simon looks up at me again, his mouth stretched as if he is repressing a smile. “Miss Gus, it cannot have escaped your understanding that Mr. Heppert and Eli were on opposite sides of a very wide political chasm.”
“Yes, I know that, Simon, but they managed to be civil and respect each other. Which is more than you are being to me right now.”
His face changes, and he rises to his feet quickly. He is no longer laughing at me. He seems surprised. “I am sorry. I did not mean any
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