Indeed, they saw what he meant long before they reached it. The house was like a scar on an otherwise beautiful face. The windows had been boarded up at some point, and the roof actually had a visible hole in it. The grass in front of the house had grown untended, yellowed and died and grown again to turn the small yard into a thatched mess. The fence had rusted in spots and the gate hung on one hinge.

“Oh dear,” Cybil couldn’t help saying.

“What a tragedy,” Zelda agreed. “It must have been beautiful once.”

“It will be again,” Waterson said enthusiastically. “All it needs is some tender, loving care.”

“And a lot of hard labor,” Cybil said. “I know you said it needed work, but I never imagined . . .”

“Can we go inside?” Zelda asked, apparently not discouraged by the wreck of the exterior.

“I’m afraid not. As I said, the owner is rather eccentric. He allowed me in once, but when I didn’t follow through with the purchase, he is no longer so obliging.”

“Then we must provide the payment,” Zelda said, then caught herself. “I mean, Cybil, dear, you really should. I can’t imagine a better use for that money your uncle left you. Think of all the girls we could help.”

“We?” Waterson echoed with apparent delight. “Does that mean you really are willing to offer your talents as well as financial support?”

“I don’t see how we could refuse,” Cybil said. “If I support this project financially, I must support it in every way. We could involve some of our students as well. Many of them are studying to become social workers themselves.”

“How propitious,” Waterson exclaimed.

“Do you have any idea how much it will cost to make the necessary repairs?” Cybil asked.

Waterson sighed. “You must forgive my awkwardness. I’m not accustomed to discussing such things with ladies.”

Cybil gave him a forgiving smile. “Nonsense, we are quite used to dealing with such issues, being maiden ladies without a man to look after us.”

“I hadn’t thought of that, but if you’re sure, well, I believe I mentioned the owner is asking ten thousand to purchase the house.”

“Which is highway robbery, considering its condition,” Zelda said.

“Indeed, but one is paying for the location, you see, and when one’s purpose is to reform young ladies, it is important to place them in the proper environment, don’t you think?”

Cybil thought there were plenty of environments in the city where a young lady could live respectably that didn’t cost ten thousand dollars, but she said, “You are right, I’m sure, Mr. Waterson. And do you think another ten thousand would be sufficient to make the repairs?”

Waterson frowned in dismay. “I was thinking it will probably need twenty, at least. These projects are always more involved than you think they’re going to be.”