10

Take Me Away

Beau had removed his boots and his coat when he had walked into the house, and he padded barefoot across the rug to the parlor door and opened it a crack. His father was standing at the threshold looking very bewildered.

"Ah, Beau, we were just discussing you."

Beau nodded sleepily, then moved past his father and towards his cousin. Wade Hampton Hamilton did cut an impressive figure. He was taller and heavier than Beau, with shoulders wide enough to make his waist and hips seem as narrow as a woman's. "Ah, Cousin Beau," he said, his lips curving into a small smile, which belied the irritation in his dark, snapping eyes.

But Beau was not intimidated, and his gaze did not waver.

"Welcome to Twelve Oaks, Wade. I must confess that I didn't think to see you until tomorrow."

Wade shrugged nonchalantly. "Circumstances warranted hastening my visit."

Dilcey entered with a silver tray bearing the coffee service and, after pouring each of the three a cup, took her leave - but only after shooting Wade an accusatory glare.

"Anythin' else, Mist' Ashley?"

Ashley met the woman's searching gaze, then shook his head. "Thank you so much, Dilcey. This is just fine."

Beau took up his cup and downed it quickly, then cleared his throat, unsure of how best to plead his case with Wade. He decided on an indirect approach.

"What brings you to Georgia?"

"To talk, mainly to you."

"Pertaining to?"

"Well, my mother for starters. And my sister."

Beau eyed his cousin before stating carefully. "I can assure you that my intentions regarding your sister are -"

"Uncle Ashley has already explained your intentions to me. But really, its not your intentions that are the issue, Cousin Beau - its Ella's reputation. As you yourself are no doubt aware, although she is an unmarried woman, she's certainly well past her suitability for marriage."

"That's a matter of opinion, don't you think?"

Wade raised an elegant, dark eyebrow. "I would consider that statement common knowledge. I don't know any man in his right mind who would want to marry her. She has little to offer in the way of beauty or other charms. Unless…unless you are of the mind to marry her yourself?"

Beau took in a deep breath. The idea had crossed his mind, but he wasn't all together certain that he had made his decision completely - moreover, he had not discussed the matter with Ella, despite the multitude of tender moments between them.

"I'm curious as to how Ella fits into whatever you wanted to say to me about your mother."

" Right. Thank you for reminding me. The fact is, I want Mother to return home with me. And Ella too, preferably. I have a second home in the city. There is a growing circle of divorcees and single women in my wife's circle; perhaps they might make friends. Either way, it makes it easier for me to keep an eye on things."

"Oh? What things are those?

"Well, there is the issue of Tara. It's nothing but a money-drainer without a hundred or more tenants to work it, and she refuses to subcontract anything - all that aside, you do realize that Mother is the sole beneficiary of Rhett Butler in the event of his death?"

Beau shrugged, exchanging a glance with his father, whose face was clouded with displeasure.

"Four million cash, if he died tomorrow. A life insurance policy of fifty thousand. Interests in gold, silver, real estate…My God, his net worth is greater than Carnegie's!"

Beau crossed his arms across his chest. He did not like where this was headed, not one bit.

"Well, the obvious response that comes to mind is that Rhett is not dead yet. He looked anything but when I saw him the other day. And besides, even if he is getting on in years, Aunt Scarlett isn't nearly as old as he is. She'll have plenty of time to spend his money. And you know, she deserves every penny for all she's endured from that man over the years."

"All she's endured - Hell! She hasn't starved, last I checked. Moreover, I watched Victoria's mother die just this past winter, and she was younger than Mother is. It was so quick, a common cold, turned into pneumonia. The finest doctors, hospitals, nothing could save her…and at any rate, if something did happen to either of them, I'd be forced to lose weeks worth of work to see about them. That's an awful lot of money to leave unattended, Beau."

Beau stared at his cousin, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"Surely, Cousin, your mother's happiness means more to you than any amount of money."

Wade shrugged. "I could give a damn about her happiness. She never issued much concern for mine."

"You cannot force Scarlett to go anywhere," Ashley piped up from his chair. "Nor can you force her to part with Tara. The deed is in her name and hers alone."

"There are precedents in the courts. Sons filing suit for their patrimonies in the event that their mothers cannot administrate them effectively."

"Once again, Wade, Tara never belonged to Charles. Gerald's will read very clearly that Tara was to go to Scarlett, and Scarlett alone."

"Oh come now, Uncle Ashley, you know as well as I do that she cooked up that will after Uncle Will packed up and left. And she did it for a reason - so that Rhett couldn't take it from her. Stupid woman. Like he'd want a farm."

"Now that you've brought up Rhett, it seems prudent of me to mention that he is still Aunt Scarlett's husband; or have you forgotten?"

"No I haven't. I of course have invited him to come along with us as well. In the event of another unfortunate - accident - we want him to be nearby to good medical care, don't we?"

"Oh for God's sake, you're going to try this on Rhett too, aren't you? Well you won't, by God, you won't!" Beau thundered. "I'll marry Ella myself and they'll live with us in their old age. What's more, I'll fight you tooth and nail in court for Tara if I must."

Wade seemed close to bursting with laughter.

"Tara? That's it? You mean to say, I give my consent for you to marry my sister and all you get out of Mother and Rhett's estate is Tara?"

Beau looked over at his father, whose grey eyes were devoid of any emotion.

"Yes. Take the rest; I don't want it."

Wade looked genuinely delighted.

"Then we'll draw up a contract. We'll arrange the marriage straightaway. Mother said that you liked her anyway, though God only knows what you see in her. No matter, no matter, I'll sign my rights to Tara over freely and gladly."

Beau nodded stoically. "Anything else?"

Wade fixed him with his dark eyes. "I am content. I should take my sister home."

"She's resting, upstairs." Beau snapped. "If she is now my betrothed, then I would think it perfectly acceptable to remain overnight."

Ashley nodded in agreement and Wade shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"She's probably too old for it to matter much."

Without another word, Wade stood up from his chair and marched through the portal and into the hallway, where Cooper stood at attention. "Get my horse would you? Good man," he turned around and faced Beau and Ashley, then took a look around the furnishings of the house and whistled appreciatively.

"Looks like you won't starve without my money. Enjoy my sister, won't you?"

And with that he exited through the front door, disappearing out into the night and leaving the Wilkes men alone to stare at one another.

"Well," Ashley said, "whatever they're putting in the water up north, I'm not impressed."

Beau laughed hollowly. "Pa, what did I just agree to?"

"I believe that you just agreed to marry Ella and take on the ownership of Tara upon Scarlett's death or incapacitation."

"That's what I thought. And I spoke to neither Scarlett, nor Rhett, nor Ella about it."

Ashley sighed. "Perhaps its wise. I mean, we're none of us getting any younger; and I know that Scarlett would rather die than to have Tara sold at auction. And as for Ella, Beau it is my personal belief that these past few weeks have been ample enough time for you to get to know one another. Why, your mother and I had only met once before we were promised…"

"Once?" Beau looked incredulous. "Once?"

"Indeed. She was thirteen and I was twenty."

"Pa, that's not a great start to this romance - but keep going…"

Ashley chuckled. "There was no grand romance. There was simply Melly being the right mate for me and I knew it right away. We just - fit."

"But Ella and I don't just fit. I mean, Pa, we're wild about one another, that's no secret. But there's got to be more to it than that, doesn't there?"

"You think that your relationship is lacking in that, do you?"

"No. I mean. Pa! That's not fair. I've not touched her. Well - not in that - Pa!"

Beau's words were interrupted by a loud, insistent tapping of the front door knocker, which was quickly followed by Dilcey's frantic assurances that she was coming. As the door opened, a voice barked from the entrance hall.

"I need to speak to Mr. Beauregard Wilkes immediately."

"Mist' Beau indisposed, suh," Dilcey was saying, her voice quivering as if she was deeply shaken by the harsh demand of the intruder.

"I'm the sheriff of Clayton County, woman, don't you be cute with me. You send him out right now.

Upon hearing that piece of information, Beau and his father hastened to the room to inquire as to the cause of the visit as well as the need for the sheriff's harsh tone with Dilcey.

The grey-haired, mustached man was glaring at Dilcey and Cooper, then caught sight of Beau as he stalked through the foyer.

"Good evening, Hugh," Ashley addressed the man. "May we help you?"

"Evening, Ashley. I've come here on a grave matter. Mrs. Fontaine over at Mimosa put in a frantic call over to the Tarleton place, and Jim rode through the storm to get me over there as soon as possible."

"I take it that something was amiss, Hugh?"

"Damn right, Ashley. Mrs. Sally's daughter is dead. One gunshot to the chest."

Beau's heart sank. He had known Kathleen had been upset by him leaving, but not so much so that she would harm herself. The thought that she had done so- and that he was responsible - the thought was torturous.

"You must know my reason for coming, Ashley. Mrs. Fontaine's testimony is that your son was the last person to see Miss Kathleen alive. Is that so, son?"

Beau nodded. "I was with her tonight."

"Alone?"

"Yes, alone. She walked me out. We conversed briefly on the porch. She was angry with me. Sheriff, I feel terrible that she's done this to herself…"

"This was no suicide. No sir, this was murder."

"Murder? But who would want to kill Kathleen?"

"You tell me, son. But you already did, didn't you? You've placed yourself at the scene of the crime, along with the motive. What happened, son? The more you tell me now the better things will go for you."

Beau threw up a hand in protest. "This is ridiculous. Absolutely insane. Period. I never touched Kathleen. She was standing on the porch when I rode out. She was upset with me, as I said, yes - but I did not lay a hand on her."

"Save it for the jury, son."

"Hugh," Ashley said, his face pale, "surely you can't believe that my son would be capable of such -"

"I don't know, Ashley, I just have to follow the law. Come on, son. Will you surrender yourself willingly?"

Beau scowled dubiously downward at the man. "I suppose that I have little choice in the matter. Pa, will you tell Ella when she wakes what's happened. And if you wouldn't mind asking Rhett for his recommendation as to a good lawyer."

Ashley's heart began to race as he watched the sheriff handcuff his son. "Is that necessary, Hugh? This is Beau, not some common criminal."

"I'm sorry, Ashley. I have to follow the law. Come on, son. You can visit him tomorrow at County, Ashley."

"It'll be okay, Pa. We'll clear it up," Beau said, his voice free of any emotion. "Take me away, Sheriff."

A/N - Who killed Miss Kathleen Fontaine?