"No. I'm fine," she answered, with another pinecone held solidly in her hand for a well-aimed pitch. "Tell this beast to get away from me."
"Layton isn't going to hurt you and neither am I. This is real pretty here. How long have you been in the area?"
"Six months. Lyle said I could stay as long as I wanted."
"Pop made you live in that dilapidated piece of shit? You are lying!" Layton glared at her. "He would never have allowed anyone to stay in a place like that."
"I wasn't living there, you stupid jerk," the girl sneered back. "I hang out there when I want to get way from the main house."
"There's another building?" Caine asked.
"Duh. This was the groundskeeper's place. The main house is over there." She pointed north.
"It's not cold. Why did you have a fire burning?" Layton asked with a frown.
"It relaxes me. I need relaxing, especially when I meet up with a jerk like you. I'm not going anywhere. Lyle made me a promise."
"Now, see here. I'm not having some insolent little piece of—"
"Layton, put a cork in it. If Pop made a promise to help her, I sure as hell will honor that. May? I really need to look at your leg. If it gets infected, you are going to be one sorry young lady."
"If I get my hands on her backside, she's gonna be one sorry young lady," Layton mumbled. May scowled at him and aimed her pinecone for his head. It struck him squarely on the temple.
"Ow! That's it. I am gonna…"
Caine shot him a look and stepped between them. "…do nothing," he completed the sentence. He reiterated. "You are going to do nothing until we straighten all this out. Miss May, will you please escort me to the main house?"
He held out his hand for her to accept. Her face contorted with confusion as she glanced between the offered palm and the open, trusting face of the man who extended it.
"I don't bite," Caine smiled. "Walk me back with you. Please?"
"She doesn't need to hold your hand," Layton grunted.
May glared at him, and spitefully snatched Caine's hand in her own. As she dragged him to the main house, she turned her head and spontaneously stuck her tongue out in the direction of the annoyed elder brother.
They followed the path to the open gardens of an old brick colonial that had been fastidiously maintained. An older woman stepped onto the porch, wiping her hands with a dishrag.
"Maybelle, where have you been? You have chores to finish."
"I had things to do."
"And I will have a switch to cut if you keep talking back to me. My name is Clara." She extended her hand to Caine. "And who do I have the pleasure of meeting?"
"They claim to be Lyle's boys. This is Caine and I don't give a shit about the other one."
"Watch your manners, young lady! Mr. Lyle did you a great favor and this is how you repay it? Please, come in, gentlemen. I keep the Lake House and watch out over the residents. You," she pointed at May, "get yourself cleaned up and finish your chores."
"It's good to meet you, Clara. Thank you," Caine said, flashing a dimpled white smile. "You have the sound of a southern belle. Louisiana?"
"Quite so, my boy." Clara patted Caine's cheek as she studied his face, her eyes brimming with tears. "You look so much like your daddy did when he was a youngster. You're a doctor, correct?"
"Yes. Ma'am. Obstetrician."
"Your ladies must absolutely adore you." She shifted her smile to look into the snarling face of his brother. "You must be Layton."
"Yes ma'am. Layton Marshall, Esq. That little brat's daddy needs to give her a good thrashing," Layton said, as May offered an obscene gesture while sauntering inside. "What the hell is going on here?"
"It seems that you inherited his rudeness. Well, that was switched out of him real quick." Clara scolded, her tight, snow-white bun bobbing on top of her head as she wagged her finger at him. She led them into the house and gestured towards the couch in the sitting room. "You will speak in a respectful manner to your elders. Now sit yourself down."
"How do you know our father?" Caine asked, shooting Layton a filthy look. Layton ignored him, stretching his neck to see May peering around the doorway.
"I've known your daddy since he was knee-high to a grasshopper. Just so you know," she directed at Layton, "Neither my mama nor myself put up with any sass from him then, and won't put up with it from his boy even now. I don't care how old you are. Understand me?"
Layton looked down at the heavy set woman with piercing gray eyes. "Wait a minute. You couldn't have been Pop's nanny. You're too young."
"It's about time you said something nice," Clara blinked prettily, her southern charms still elegant after decades past. "My mama was his nanny but I kept an eye out for him once I got a bit older."
"I remember him telling stories about you. Your mama helped raise him after his dad went to war, right?"
"That is true. He was like a little brother to me, one who I loved very much. Now, I am waiting for an apology."
"Now, see here…"
"Layton, get your head out of your ass," Caine whispered, as he punched his brother's arm. "Pop would skin you alive if he heard you talking to her like that."
"Fine, damn it. I apologize," Layton said stiffly. "Will you kindly apprise me of what the hell is going on here?"
"That is better, but not by much," the old woman said with disapproval. "Before we start, would you care for something to drink?"
"We're fine, Miss Clara, but thank you." Caine offered her his dimpled smile. "We do have some questions, though. A lot has happened since Pop passed away, including the discovery of this place. There seems to be quite a mystery here. I have to confess, I did not sleep much last night thinking about it."
"Very well," Clara said, crossing her ankles in a ladylike manner as she smoothed out her apron over the pale blue dress. "We can't have you boys losing sleep over a mystery. What would you like to know?"
"Like Caine mentioned, we didn't know anything about this property until last night, when Caine discovered the original deed to this property in one of Pop's old trunks with a hand-drawn map. Hell, it wasn't even mentioned in Pop's will, so we immediately assumed that he had forgotten about it. We then retrieved a rather unusual letter from a safety deposit box here in town," Layton explained, nodding for Caine to hand it to her.
"Of course, we drove right on over and met your little Miss May at the groundskeeper's shack. That is when the trouble started," Caine chuckled.
"It's a long story. Are you certain I can't get you some iced tea? No?" Clara asked. When both men shook their head, she sighed and placed her hands in her lap. "Your father was a very giving man, as I am sure you are aware. He would stop at nothing to help the less fortunate or the hurting. He was born and raised in this house and, when his daddy didn't come back from the war, he found the deed to this property in his father's personal belongings. Like you, he was given a note to make good use of the gift in a way that would make his family proud. When your father was old enough, he learned how to make repairs and eventually prepared it for the children he planned to have one day. As you know," Clara cleared her throat, "your mother was very much a city gal. The thought of living in the country was not appealing to her, so your daddy decided to please his new bride and stay in Dallas."
"I don't know why he didn't just take her in hand and let her know that she married a cattle rancher, not a business tycoon," Layton commented grumpily.
"Not everyone can be forced to do what someone else wants of them," Caine commented. "Mama was never too big on camping, and hated the smell of manure, but Pop loved her more than his business."
"I loved both of them, but Pop let her cut off his balls. Ow!" Layton rubbed the top of his thigh, which had been struck by a wooden spoon.
"Mind your tongue, young man," Clara scolded, wagging it at him. "There will be no disrespect in this house. It would do you good to remember that I always keep something in reach to use when I need to."
Caine bit back a
smile as he surveyed his brother's scowl. "Did she know about this place?"
"She was aware of its existence, thinking it was an old farmstead. In order to keep the peace, and his family's home, Lyle told her that he had sold it to buy the Dallas property."
"That explains why she was unaware of the debt the big house put them into," Caine sighed.
"Continue. Please," Layton said, lifting his chin to watch May dart pass the doorway. Did she just stick her tongue out at him? What the hell was her problem?
"Before all that, your daddy invested his entire inheritance into an account to maintain this house, in the hopes that your mama would one day change her mind. Instead of letting it fall by the wayside, he kept me on as housekeeper and opened it as a temporary shelter to homeless women. He simply wanted to give them a chance to get back on their feet. He's always had a soft spot for the ladies, as you know."
"Yes, he used to tell us that he wanted a little girl after Caine was born, but Mother cut him short. We got him a female cat to appease his need to coddle something," Layton said.
"He loved you both dearly, and raised you to be men that he was proud of. We've housed over two hundred ladies over your daddy's lifetime. May is our latest guest. She has also been the most challenging. Lyle wanted to focus his attention on helping her, and requested that she be the only resident at this time to avoid distractions. She's had a lot of family trouble prior to her incident, and he felt that she needed a chance to discover herself."
"What was he doing? Running an animal shelter? Ow! Cut that out!"
"Next time, I will use the mixing spoon. I'm sure you are familiar with one."
Layton frowned, his memory returning to the day when Pop had used the bowl of the thick wooden spoon across his backend after he stayed out after curfew. It broke after five swats, and Layton was never late for another thing again.
He cleared his throat. "There was a clause about caring for squatters in the original deed, with an amendment that covered current residents. This letter was the one in the box. Do you know anything about either?" Layton asked, his eyes pinned to the doorway, waiting to catch a glimpse of the obstinate young woman who was clearly eavesdropping on their conversation.
"Only that he wanted to be certain that no one was thrown out into the street. This letter," Clara wiped a tear from her cheek, "is about May. She was like a daughter to him. He was the only one she trusted since her arrival. When he was around, she was like a mischievous little girl, and he adored her."
"Excuse me," Layton said, standing. He quickly traversed the room and peeked around the corner, catching May with her ear pressed to the edge of the doorframe. She yelped and raced away, gripping her thigh. He followed her down the hall and cornered her near a closet door.
"Why are you following me? Leave me alone," she demanded, trying to push past him.
He snatched her elbow. "You need to let Caine look at that leg." Layton softened his voice, uncertain if the look in her eyes was from fear or anger.
"I don't need to do anything," May snapped, jerking away from him.
"You need to use some common sense and stop acting like an idiot," Layton snapped back.
"What is going on in there?" Clara called, sticking her head out the door with Caine next to her.
"This stupid girl won't listen to reason."
"I'm not stupid, you idiot!"
"That's enough, you two," Caine said, edging between his brother and May. "Please let me take a look at that. If it gets infected, it's going to be pretty bad for you."
"I loathe doctors."
"I'll be gentle."
"No." May turned on her heel and stomped out of the room.
"Okay! So, pray tell, what is her story?" Caine asked Clara.
"Besides being a spoiled, little brat." Layton crossed his arms, his eyes glued to the direction she had fled.
"May arrived about six months ago," Clara said. "She had gone to celebrate her twentieth birthday, and was coerced by some low life scumbags to drink. They hurt her. Badly."
"She was raped?" Layton's face tightened with anger.
Clara nodded, her eyes filling with tears. "The poor child was traumatized, needless to say. We got word of the situation through the hospital during the time your mother was readmitted. Apparently, they had brought the child in, and your father overheard the nurses discussing her situation. That was when he offered to open up the house for her. He met with Dr. Adul, the directing psychologist, and requested assistance in expediting the transfer and issuing a safe house judgment for her. Lyle then personally met with May while she was still in the hospital and made his offer. The girl resisted at first, because her distrust of men was so severe, but then Dr. Adul spoke with her about the house and the wonderful opportunities she would have here—her own room, a television, access to a computer, home-cooked meals and, most importantly, protection from anyone who would hurt her."
"Sri Adul knew about this place?" Caine asked.
"Of course! She's been our primary contact and referral source for over fifteen years."
"I had no idea," Caine said, shaking his head. "I could have helped. Why didn't he tell us?"
"You two had your own conflicts going on, and your father did not want you to be distracted from your own goals for your life."
"What else about the kid?" Layton asked, ignoring his brother's sulk.
"One look at May just broke his heart. She had been beaten up pretty badly and had no one that cared for her. His parental instincts kicked in, and he promised that she would be protected and cared for until she found her own way. He specifically said that it didn't matter how long it would take, and that she could remain here as long as she liked, on the condition she stay out of trouble. Of course, he didn't specify what type of trouble." Clara chuckled. "She could do no wrong in his eyes. Her innocence and childlike trust touched him in the deepest of ways."
"I gather that this was unusual," Layton observed.
"It was. He had never had personal contact with any of the other girls before. Those two, Lyle and May, well, they developed an instant bond. She was a huge support for him when your mama passed on and he did not want to burden you boys with his grief. He loved your mama, but also resented her inability to understand his need to help people. I mean no insult, but she was somewhat demanding and he did not want you to be distracted from her."
"Mother helped people on her own terms, and never if it meant causing herself any inconvenience. There is no way she would have either understood, or approved of, any of this," Layton said.
"I hate to be forced to agree, but you're right. Miss Clara? We will honor Pop's promise to May. We just need to find a way to keep those two from killing each other," Caine commented, kicking his brother's foot.
"Lay off," Layton growled, trying to avoid the desire to look towards the doorway.
"I also know he would love for you to come live here. That was his dream since the day each of you were born." Clara touched each of their knees. "Please consider it. There are two master suites on the top floor that have never been used. You get me six days a week to cook and clean."
"We'll need to think about it a bit. I like having space to myself," Layton said.
"I make award winning pies…"
"I don't like a lot of noise."
"And home-churned ice cream," Clara smiled.
"I have to work out of home a lot."
"I've won country fair jam tasting contests for fifty years straight."
"What kind?" Layton raised an eyebrow.
"Strawberry, of course. I'll get you some." She was gone before either man could protest.
"I am sorry that we never had the opportunity to meet you. Why did he keep you a secret?" Caine asked, biting into a hot biscuit covered with fresh strawberry preserves. "Oh, this is ambrosia."
"Pop was always a bit on the paranoid side. That's probably why he lied about selling the place. He needed to convince Mother that it would resolve their financial problems." Layton
wiped his mouth and reached for a second piece.
"The only financial problems they had was that she loved to shop. They were fine until they bought the new place five years ago. He sunk every penny he had in it for her."
"Both of you are correct," Clara sighed. "The house you're currently living in was her dream home. He sold his cattle ranch to get the down payment for the place because he wanted to give your mother her dream before she died. Lyle was a good man, very simple in how he liked to live, and very clear in how he believed people should be treated. He was one of the best, and he would have wanted both his sons to follow his footsteps. That is why he wrote this letter." Clara dabbed her eyes. "I'm going to miss him."
Silence filled the room, broken only by an occasional sound of a bird tweeting outside the picture window.
"So, what is the plan here?" Layton asked softly, as he turned to his brother. "Still interested in moving in? I can get an agent to list the other place tomorrow. I have no desire to stay there any longer than I have to."
"Me neither. This place feel like Pop and I like it. We promise you this," Caine touched Clara's hand, "you all still have a home. This place looks plenty big for all of us."
"You don't have to worry about me. I have my own place out in town that I share with my sister. May lives here alone."
"Well, we can't have that. How is she going to learn to trust again if she stays in hiding?" Caine asked. "I have a friend of mine who works with victims of sex crimes. She might be around to help."
"Dr. Adul already brought her in to speak with May. The girl refused to talk to anyone but Lyle."
Caine looked surprised. "Dang, I wonder what other surprises Pop has in store for us."
"Not many. There is a locked trust account allocated strictly for the maintenance of this property, guests and staff. It is very generous and the interest provides sufficient income to take care of everyone's needs. You won't have to concern yourselves for any financial obligations related to living expenses."
"A locked account? What does that mean?" Caine asked Layton.
Two Guardians for Little May Page 2