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restoration. Olivia would be treating the set archivally. Natalie had been firm about that. She wanted her pictures to last forever.
    Wondering what she planned to do with them, Olivia fished out the cover letter. It was on Asquonset letterhead, a full sheet of ivory paper with the burgundy logo in the upper left corner. Like the address on the mailing label, this letter was done by hand, written in letters that flowed as Olivia imagined Natalie’s voice would do.
    â€œDear Otis,”
she wrote,
    Enclosed please find the next installment of photographs. I continue to be amazed at the miracles you have worked on the older prints. These ones are newer. I’m afraid that’s a wine stain in the corner of the one of my daughter’s wedding. I wish I could say that the wine was from the wedding. If that were the case, we might have left it there for sentimental reasons. But, no. It’s a recent stain—my fault, I’m afraid. We were about to launch our new Estate Cabernet when I was sorting through these prints. My hand isn’t as steady as it once was. Better wine than scotch, I suppose, given what we do for a living.
    Olivia smiled. Natalie had a sweet sense of humor.
    We’re nearing the end of my collection of photographs. There will be a final package, which I hope to put in the mail next week. As I stated at the start of this project, my goal is to have all photographs returned to me by the first of August. That will give me a month to put them together in the fashion I want.
    With regard to that fashion, I have a request. It occurs to me, with the time at hand now, that I’m going to need help with this next part of my project. Summers are busy at a vineyard, and there’s so much else going on in my life that I fear I won’t do justice on my end to the fine job you’ve done with my prints.
    There is text to accompany the photographs. I’ve been writing it in bits and snatches, and it’s been therapeutic. But six months isn’t very long to put together a life story. My bits and snatches need organization and editing, and there are wholeother parts that I haven’t touched on yet. So I’m looking to hire a summer assistant. I need someone who is computer literate but who has an eye for art.
    Olivia sat up. I have an eye for art, she thought.
    I want someone who is organized and neat and pleasant to be with. I need a curious person, someone who will ask questions and dig around and get me to say things I might otherwise keep to myself.
    I’m organized and neat, Olivia mused. I’m pleasant to be with. And curious? I have a
gazillion
questions about the pictures I’ve restored.
    I was thinking of hiring a college student, perhaps an English major, though I fear most have already flown wherever it is they fly for the summer. I’m placing an ad in Sunday’s paper, but I would far rather work from a personal recommendation. You’ve done such a wonderful job with my photographs, Otis. You’ve been prompt and professional. I’m hoping that you may have Cambridge friends of like mind, certainly ones with an artistic bent, no doubt a few who are also good with words.
    Ooops. A tiny glitch there. It wasn’t that Olivia was
bad
with words. Not exactly. She just had to work harder than some people to get them up and running. Was she truly dyslexic? She had no idea. She had gone through school prior to the days of testing and labeling. According to those involved, she was simply a slow learner. But she did learn. She did get things done. It might take her awhile, but the finished product was just fine.
    Natalie’s offer got even better.
    The Great House here at Asquonset has plenty of room to spare, so I can offer room and board, along with a handsome stipend. Time is of the essence. I welcome any recommendation you can make.
    My thanks, and best wishes,
    Natalie
    By the time Olivia set down the letter, her thoughts were racing.