PART 16: The Letter Ada Left Behind

Near the end of the trust review, Caroline Whitcomb sent me a small package.

Inside was a letter that Ada had written years earlier for the spouse of any grandchild who chose to build a life outside the family business.

Caroline said she had found it in a desk drawer while sorting old papers.

The envelope was yellowed and addressed simply: To the person who marries into this family.

Ada wrote about the temptation of inherited comfort and the danger of mistaking money for moral authority.