Chapter 355: Leighton
Thursday, February 2nd, Afternoon (Eastern Standard Time)
Moving down the road, the three women were in an SUV instead of the car Brooke originally loaned them; Candi sat behind the wheel and listened to the radio. Fawn sat in the front seat and watched the trees go by as the SUV headed down the road; Madyson sat In the back seat and looked out the window at the various native trees.
"Why are we using this ute today?" Madyson asked.
"You'll see in a few minutes," Fawn said.
"Candi, where are we going?" Madyson asked.
"We're doing some sightseeing," Candi said as she started to slow down and clicked the right turn indicator.
"What are we going to see?" Madyson asked.
"Leighton," Candi said as she turned into a dirt and gravel road.
"What is this place?" Madyson asked.
"The back entrance to Leighton," Candi said.
"Why are we going in the back entrance?" Fawn asked.
"The neighbor is a bit of a busy body; she has something for my dad and will show up if she sees a car come into the front entrance," Candi said as she picked her way down the dirt and gravel access road.
"If I remember correctly, you said, this is where you grew up?" Madyson asked.
"Yes, where I grew up, but we won't be able to see inside the house," Candi said.
"Why?" Madyson asked.
"Izzy and my brother lives there, but since he's been overseas, it's been closed up," Candi said as the Carriage House started to come into view.
"Is that the house?" Madyson asked.
"No, that's the Carriage House," Candi said.
"Carriage House?" Madyson asked.
"The garage, with some apartments above them," Candi said and parked next to the Carriage House. Candi shut off the engine and looked out on the gardens.
Fawn shrugged and got out of the SUV. After a moment, Candi shrugged and got out. Madyson finally got out of the SUV and joined her friends. Madyson pulled her jacket tighter around her.
Candi sighed and looked out upon the gardens. "These are the casual stroll gardens; they were originally laid out by Captain Leighton antebellum, in the Victorian Style," Candi said.
"Antebellum?" Madyson asked, "What war?"
"In the United States, when they refer to antebellum, it's the Us Civil War," Fawn said.
"Okay," Madyson said, with a shrug, "Captain Leighton?"
"The man that built this estate, a rather interesting man," Candi said.
"Really?" Madyson asked.
Candi nodded. "Leighton, the Captain, actually owned several fast cargo ships and employed them as blockade runners during the Civil War. They were a fairly common sight along the wharves of Bermuda. When General Terry closed the mouth of the Cape Fear River, the troops marched through here towards Wilmington," Candi said.
"So, the building doesn't date that far back?" Madyson asked.
"No, there wasn't a lot of property damage," Candi said, "When my dad bought the place, it had been empty for many years, and the gardens had gone into neglect."
"This is what they look like now?" Madyson asked.
"Many years and dollars brought them back," Candi said, "If we go forward, we'll see the rear of Leighton proper."
The three women walked down the side of the Carriage House. Once they passed the corner, Leighton came into view. Madyson looked at it and nodded.
"Nice," Madyson said.
"That's the kitchen wing, an addition, and the dining room wing in view. My dad's office was on the second floor of the kitchen wing, and Keith's bedroom was in the attic in the same wing. My parent's bedroom was above the dining room," Candi said.
"Where was your room?" Madyson asked.
Candi pointed, "I was in the dining room wing, second floor, just behind the kitchen wing, between Kay and Sawyer's room. It was Keith's old room," she said.
"Keith's old room?" Madyson asked.
"I guess they felt Keith was too surround by girls, and they moved him to the attic, and they gave me his room," Candi said.
Madyson nodded, "This place has to have been nice to grow up at," she said.
"It was," Candi said, in a far-off voice, and looked over the gardens and could see the abandoned basketball hoop.
"Do you mind if we walk around?" Madyson asked.
Candi shook her head, "Yeah, go ahead," she said.
Madyson walked away, leaving Candi and Fawn standing by the Carriage House as Madyson walked away. Fawn kept an eye on Madyson. Once Madyson was out of earshot, Fawn looked to Candi.
"So, we're finally alone, and you've talked to Lucas. How bad is it?" Fawn asked.
"What do you mean?" Candi asked.
"C'mon, you could see it in him," Fawn said.
Candi sighed, "His heart is getting worse and is going to need open-heart surgery," she said.
"That bad," Fawn said and nodded.
"He's been putting it off," Candi said.
"Why?" Fawna sked.
"I well, let me start with the reason he told me," Candi said.
"Okay, so, what did he say?" Fawn asked.
"To allow Keith to be home when he has the surgery," Candi said.
"You don't believe him; what do you think the reason is or are?" Fawn asked.
"I think part of it is the school year so that he could finish it, and of course, can't forget basketball," Candi said.
"People are complex and have their own motivations," Fawn said.
"I know, and well, he just frustrates me," Candi said.
"That's what parents do," Fawn said.
Candi nodded, "I guess," she said.
"Just imagine what Peyton put up with," Fawn said.
"So, it went the other way as well," Candi said.
"No doubt," Fawn said, "Just be your old man's advocate, be who he needs you to be, his oldest daughter the future cardiologist."
"Yeah, you're right," Candi said.
Fawn looked out over the gardens. Shaking her head, she turned to Candi. "So, do you think she'll get lost?" Fawn asked.
"It's out between a half and a dozen aches for the whole estate; it's not Beaulieu," Candi said.
"That's for most humans; this is Mads; she got lost on Hermosa Beach," Fawn said.
"I think she was distracted on the beach," Candi said.
"No excuse," Fawn said.
"You're right; she does have a lousy sense of direction," Candi said.
"Yeah, so did anything change since the last time I was out here?" Fawn asked.
"Nothing that I could think of, but I don't think Izzy would be too involved with the gardens," Candi said.
"What about Keith?" Fawn asked.
"I'm not sure, but I do know he has the gardens maintained," Candi said.
Fawn nodded, "I could see that," she said.
Candi nodded, "It still reminds me of the winters living here and standing on the balcony and looking over the gardens," she said.
Fawn nodded, "Good, you can relive the gardens as we go find Mads," she said.
"Yeah, she's probably lost already," Candi said.
"It's Mads," Fawn said.
"Well, follow me," Candi said.
Fawn laughed, "Lead the way," she said.
The two women walked out into the gardens laughing at the expense of their friend.
