old feeling that Will knew all about her and Ashley, understood all and did not either censure or approve.
"They'll be goin' soon."
"Going? Where? Tara is their home as well as yours."
"No, it ain't their home. That's just what's eatin' on Ashley. It ain't his home and he don't feel like he's earnin' his keep. He's a mighty pore farmer and he knows it. God knows he tries his best but he warn't cut out for farmin' and you know it as well as I do. If he splits kindlin', like as not he'll slice off his foot. He can't no more keep a plow straight in a furrow than little Beau can, and what he don't know about makin' things grow would fill a book. It ain't his fault. He just
warn't bred for it. And it worries him that he's a man livin' at Tara on a woman's charity and not givin' much in return."
"Charity? Has he ever said--"
"No, he's never said a word. You know Ashley. But I can tell. Last night when we were sittin' up with your pa, I tole him I had asked Suellen and she'd said Yes. And then Ashley said that relieved him because he'd been feelin' like a dog, stayin' on at Tara, and he knew he and Miss Melly would have to keep stayin' on, now that Mr. O'Hara was dead, just to keep folks from talkin' about me and Suellen. So then he told me he was aimin' to leave Tara and get work."
"Work? What kind? Where?"
"I don't know exactly what he'll do but he said he was goin' up North. He's got a Yankee friend in New York who wrote him about workin' in a bank up there."
"Oh, no!" cried Scarlett from the bottom of her heart and, at the cry, Will gave her the same look as before.
"Maybe 'twould be better all 'round if he did go North."
"No! No! I don't think so."
Her mind was working feverishly. Ashley couldn't go North! She might never see him
again. Even though she had not seen him in months, had not spoken to him alone since that fateful scene in the orchard, there had not been a day when she had not thought of him, been glad he was sheltered under her roof. She had never sent a dollar to Will that she had not been pleased that it would make Ashley's life easier. Of course, he wasn't any good as a farmer. Ashley was bred for better things, she thought proudly. He was born to rule, to live in a large house, ride fine horses, read books of poetry and tell negroes what to do. That there were no more mansions and horses and negroes and few books did not alter matters. Ashley wasn't bred to plow and split rails. No wonder he wanted to leave Tara.
But she could not let him go away from Georgia. If necessary, she would bully Frank into
giving him a job in the store, make Frank turn off the boy he now had behind the counter. But, no--Ashley's place was no more behind a counter than it was behind a plow. A Wilkes a
shopkeeper! Oh, never that! There must be something--why, her mill of course! Her relief at the thought was so great that she smiled. But would he accept an offer from her? Would he still think it was charity? She must manage it so he would think he was doing her a favor. She would
discharge Mr. Johnson and put Ashley in charge of the old mill while Hugh operated the new one. She would explain to Ashley how Frank's ill health and the pressure of work at the store kept him from helping her, and she would plead her condition as another reason why she needed his help.
She would make him realize somehow that she couldn't do without his aid at this time.
And she would give him a half-interest in the mill, if he would only take it over--anything just to have him near her, anything to see that bright smile light up his face, anything for the chance of catching an unguarded look in his eyes that showed he still cared. But, she promised herself, never, never would she again try to prod him into words of love, never again would she try to make him throw away that foolish honor he valued more than love. Somehow, she must
delicately convey to him this new resolution of hers. Otherwise he might refuse, fearing another scene such as that last terrible one had been.
"I can get him something to do in Atlanta," she said.
"Well, that's yours and Ashley's business," said Will and put the straw back in his mouth.
"Giddap, Sherman. Now, Scarlett, there's somethin' else I've got to ask you before I tell you about your pa. I won't have you lightin' into Suellen. What she's done, she's done, and you snatchin' her
baldheaded won't bring Mr. O'Hara back. Besides she honestly thought she was actin' for the best!"
"I wanted to ask you about that What is all this about Suellen? Alex talked riddles and said she ought to be whipped. What has she done?"