Read Online Out of Exile by Carla Cassidy - Free Book Online Page B

cottages.”
    â€œWhat kind of a problem?” If nothing else, Matthew was grateful for the interruption in his conversation with Lilly, a conversation that had become much too serious, much too personal.
    Luke frowned. “I can’t quite explain it. You’ve got to come and see it.”
    Together the three of them, Luke, Matthew and Lilly, left the cottage and walked to the group of guest buildings. Luke led them to the first cottageand threw open the door, then stepped back to allow Matthew and Lilly entry.
    Matthew stepped in and stared in stunned disbelief.
    Lilly gasped in shock.
    Spray-paint marred the walls, obscenities and strange symbols scrawled in crimson red. Not a single wall had been left untouched. The artist had apparently exhausted his vocabulary of dirty words.
    â€œOh, my God,” Lilly breathed aloud. “Who would do such a thing?”
    â€œThey’re all the same,” Luke said. “Every cottage has been spray painted. I’ve already called Sheriff Broder. He should be here anytime.”
    Matthew nodded and rubbed his forehead wearily. Who would have done such a thing? And why? Unable to stand seeing the chaos of destruction, he stepped back out on the porch. Luke and Lilly followed him, silent and watchful.
    â€œIt’s going to take nothing short of a miracle to get these cabins ready in three weeks for guests,” he said. “I’ll have to hire more men or work the ones we have overtime.”
    â€œI can paint,” Lilly said.
    â€œThat isn’t necessary,” Matthew replied curtly.
    â€œSure it is,” Luke protested. “I can paint and so can Lilly and Abby and Mark. If we all pull together we can get the work done before the guests start arriving.”
    Matthew said nothing. If the Delaney heirs all pulled together, it would be nothing short of a miracle. And Matthew had given up on miracles years ago.

Chapter 5
    I t was just after dusk when Lilly joined Matthew on the front porch. He hadn’t joined her and Aunt Clara for supper and had spent the afternoon in town buying the paint they would need to redo the walls in the guest cottages.
    She sank down in the chair next to his. “You didn’t eat,” she said.
    â€œI wasn’t hungry. Did you get Clara all settled in and unpacked?”
    â€œYes.” Lilly had spent the afternoon, while he’d been in town, helping Aunt Clara unpack her boxes and set out the personal items that would make the cottage feel like home.
    â€œI also called this afternoon and made an appointment with the doctor for her for next week.”
    Matthew nodded. “Johnny is a good doctor. If there’s anything to worry about, he’ll tell you.”
    â€œI was thinking, with Aunt Clara settled in now she’ll probably fix her own meals in the cottage, so that leaves you and me on our own here. Why don’t I take over cooking duty,” she said.
    He shrugged. “Sounds fine to me.” He didn’t look at her, but continued staring out across the land.
    She gazed at him, noting the sharp lines and angles of his face, the determined square chin and straight nose. Something was different about him tonight. In every moment of the time she’d been here, she’d felt a pulsating energy emanating from him. Tonight it was gone.
    He looked tired. And beaten. And it bothered her more than she cared to admit. “We’ll get the cottages ready in time, Matthew,” she said softly.
    He sighed and leaned forward in his chair, still not looking at her. “Yeah, I know.”
    â€œYou heard what Sheriff Broder said, it was probably kids indulging in early Halloween mischief.”
    â€œYeah, I heard what he said.” He leaned back once again and turned his head to look at her. “You’ve asked me a couple of times why I want to sell my share of this place, why I want to leave. It’s because there are times I think this place is