"No, for God's sake, who told you to water the field twice a day?" Wade's temper was ever rarely out of control. But today he was hardly able to keep it in a leash.

The field overseer looked apologetic, but was ignorant all the same. He looked towards the quarters on the east of the plantation, indicating Rhett had instructed him to do so.

"Do you want to grow jute or what? If you intend to grow Camellias then please stick to watering it lightly once a day, this place is moist enough already!"

Wade had, in spite of warning himself for the umpteenth time, given in to Rhett's suggestion. He had become a partner of Broughton Plantation. But Lord knows it'll be months before this forest looks anything like a plantation. The field hands were lazy and careless, the overseer was ignorant, and by the look of the ledger, Rhett Butler had a lot of money, which he didn't know where to put for good use.

Wade gave instructions to the men and padded across the fields towards his own quarters in the east wing. He wrinkled up his nose at the mud squelching beneath his feet.

"C'mon Wade, what good is a planter if he flinches at mud?" Rhett Butler was standing in the aisle and calmly smiling at him.

"Only the sensible ones are horror-struck to see Camellia gardens flooded." Wade said, clearly exasperated from the conditions of the field. He was also not taking being referred to as "Wade" instead of "Mr. Hamilton" well. But he wouldn't give Rhett Butler the satisfaction by bringing it up, and he kept ignoring it.

"Seriously, what did you do to these fields? Unless you were aiming to produce sugar cane, I'd say you have very nearly robbed the land."

"Isn't it lucky you have taken over them? I would never get used to plantation." He drifted off moodily "I would love to go back to blockade running when time permits. The open rivers, the enemy sniffing at your heels ah, the thrill."

"I am sure you would, Mr. Butler. But I am not going to be here everyday a week, and the staff seems foolish enough to wreck this place in a day if left to it. I will be able to come here only once in a fortnight, if not more infrequently. So you will have to take care of Broughton seriously. It's not enough to feel passionate about a farm, Mr. Butler. Plants grow on good care, not feelings. I have ordered azalea from Mackinsdale. It's the best quality, and a companion plant is needed - this soil is hardly acidic enough for Camellias to grow alone. And I think by the brine of the air, you will get a lot of pests by end of season when these flowers really bloom. So you need to be careful, so that the field hands recognize a canker when they see it. I'll order some copper and sulfur salts from Atlanta, it should check dieback disease. The pruning tools should be cleaned using a solution of one part household bleach to nine parts water... Are you even listening to what I am saying?"

"Sorry Wade, my you know a lot about Camellias. And they say you sow cotton like Ceres!"

Wade was in no mood for jests - Ella was coming home today and he didn't want to tarry.

"It's not my problem if you put your efforts in the plantation or not, Mr. Butler. I'll just tell you what will be best for Broughton. Whether you choose to ignore it, or take heed, is entirely up to you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get to the dock in half an hour if I want to catch the afternoon's train from Charleston. Good day sir."

Rhett laughed mutely to himself, as he saw Wade hopped on his horse and rode towards the gate. He looked around the fields, now weary of misuse. He could almost see it thriving in a few months. The field hands were toiling in the fields, Wade was indeed an efficient plantation manager to turn these slothful men into such hard workers. I would have to bring in everything Wade had ordered, Rhett thought.

*****

"Wade, you are late, and you look like you have rolled around in mud!" Ella complained but she smiled and threw her arms around her brother all the same, just as he stepped inside his house.

Wade laughed airily and said "What a greeting! Harvey was on time at your school, I hope."

"Oh, would you stop worrying like an old granny? Yes, he was on time and even if he hadn't been, I wouldn't have sat on the sidewalk and cried, you know!"

"Yes, I see Ella Kennedy is growing up to be a mighty woman."

"Don't say mighty, it so reminds me of Betty Calder. I met her today. Looks healthy as ever, like she has swallowed a whole calf."

"Miss Kennedy, a lady must not speak like that!" cried Mrs. Greene. She had looked after Ella for more than eight years now, from the year they first came to Atlanta to live with grandaunt Pitty. After Miss Pitty passed away, this distant relative became Ella's chaperone and lived on with them in the grand house Wade built.

"She is right Ella, Miss Sunders would be very disappointed if she learned of your conduct."

Ella made a face at the mention of her teacher, then giggled.

"So, where were you? Filling in for an absentee field hand?"

Wade sighed. He didn't know how he should tell Ella about his partnering Rhett Butler's plantation. He decided to procrastinate it till dinner.

"Let me get fresh first, and let's have dinner - I'm so hungry I could eat you!"

"What is it, Wade?"

Wade wondered if Ella had taken up her persistence from their mother.

"Well, it's that... you see... I have become a partner of Rhett Butler's plantation."

Ella looked lost. Then she stuttered out. "What? How on earth? When?"

Wade explained everything that had happened over the last few weeks. Ella's face grew dark.

"Wade, you know that man cannot possibly have any good intention of having you simply as a partner. How could you even talk to him after what happened at his house?"

"I don't know. But if I smell anything wrong, I'll quit the next day, no matter what. Don't worry about it."

"You better. Or I will go talk for you, and none of us want that."

Wade smiled. His sister, the frail Ella, had seasoned into a strong lady. After Mother left, it wasn't just me who had to take up things in my own hand, Wade thought, as Mrs. Greene declared dinner was ready.


AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know, I have changed Ella into a different kind of a person, but I think this would suit better for the story. A caterpillar-to-butterfly metamorphosis. After all, Wade and Ella are very elegant characters in this fanfic. Thank you for the constructive reviews, I hope there's more to come.