Scarlett awoke the next morning still attempting to tame her battling feelings. While she felt relieved and excited to leave everything behind, she was also mourning her giving up hope to revive her marriage to Rhett. The pain was searing, but she knew she was doing what she had to do for both of them. One of the issues she had to consider was where she was even going to go. All she knew was that she wanted to go somewhere that would be far enough away so people she knew wouldn't run into her and she didn't want to know a single soul there. It was important for her to have a fresh start, like a rebirth.
Before she got too far ahead of herself, there was the matter of cutting the ties here that she would have to tend to. Her first stop would have to be a visit to Ashley, as detestable an idea as that might be. Ashley was now the outright owner of the lumber mill and Scarlett intended to change that. Rebuilding was in full swing in Atlanta and she was sure that Ashley was not taking advantage of it. She would have to find a way to not only get him to allow her to fix the books and correct the business path of the mill, but also hand her over a stake in the mill. If his chivalry was still intact, she may have a good chance at getting everything she wanted without him ever knowing what her intentions were.
Fixing and attaining a stake in the mill served a dual purpose. She wanted back part ownership in the mill since it had the ability to be extremely profitable and, once it was fixed, would make her enough money to be independent monetarily from Rhett. This was of the upmost importance to Scarlett since she knew that if she continued to use Rhett's funds once she left, it would not only make it easier for him to find her if he so desired to, but she would also not be free in the way she needed to be. Free from him and everything they had together. Also, this would be fulfilling her promise to Melanie to look after Ashley. Money would be stable for him once the business was fixed, but the rest of his life was for him to tend to. That was his responsibility to fix; there was only so much that she could do.
Walking over to the Wilkes residence, Scarlett started to take in the magnitude of what she was doing. After talking with Ashley and attaining a stake in the mill, there would be no turning back. She would be laying the ground work for her upcoming departure. Her steps faltered for a fraction of a second, but she continued her path to the front door of the Wilkes house with confidence and knocked on the door. To her dismay but not surprise, India opened the door with a scowl and a look of confusion.
"Go away Scarlett. You are not wanted here. I will not have you near Ashley," she said in a firm tone once she got her bearings about Scarlett showing up unannounced. India gave Scarlett's body a quick once over and obviously noted the change in her weight and the pallor of her skin. Her expression lessened in its severity, but only marginally.
"Let in whoever is at the door India. I can hear you being a rude host already," someone shouted at her from inside before Scarlett even had a chance to retaliate herself. The voice was definitely Ashley's, but she had never heard it take that tone. She had never even heard him raise his voice. India immediately moved aside to allow Scarlett through the doors, which showed her that she had potentially started to be intimidated by Ashley. He was so meek normally that it was hard to imagine anyone being intimidated by him, but maybe losing Melanie had turned him into an angry man.
"What a pleasant surprise! Please come in Scarlett," Ashley said as he entered the hallway she was standing in. In many ways Ashley now looked like Scarlett did. He had lost a lot of weight and all color in his skin was now gone. His gaunt face was a shock to her system and she wasn't sure how to handle it. I came just in time, Scarlett thought to herself.
"It is good to see you Ashley. You must tell me how you have been," she replied as they stepped into his office. The office was a disorganized mess that was hard to navigate. It had obviously not been cleaned in months; probably since Melly had died. The ledger for the mill was sitting atop other papers on the desk.
"Better now that you are here. It has been so long since I have seen you. What have you been doing with your time?" he asked. There was a note in his voice that she found perplexing. It almost made her wonder of he had heard rumors of her through India and he wanted her to confess them to him. She decided to not lie to him.
"Next to nothing. I've been holed up in my house for awhile. I left for New Orleans for a short trip, but that is it," she told him. It was such a sad moment for her when she realized she was able to summarize the last half year in three sentences. He needn't know about her alcoholism.
"I can describe the last few months the same way, minus the trip. I have been leading a pathetic life. Seeing you has breathed new life into me. It is inspiring," he smiled pleasantly at Scarlet, all trace of his initial anger towards India gone. She's probably smothering him, Scarlett thought. India is awful when it comes to matters of her brother. But why would it be inspiring to him to see me? Has he heard rumors?
"Why would it be inspiring to see me? I hardly look like my old self," Scarlett replied knowing that she was preying on Ashley's gentleman nature to take care of her and lift her spirits.
"You will always be beautiful Scarlett. No need to look down on yourself. There is something I do wish to inquire about though, if you permit me to be so bold," he said. Here we go, thought Scarlett with apprehension as she nodded her head.
"I have heard ill words spoken of you and Rhett. You know I am no champion of him, but I find it hard to believe that he would leave you, especially considering the timing," Ashley posed. It was hard for Scarlett to take in his words. She had thought about the separation and how bad it felt, but never had she considered the timing and how it would look to the outside world. He must look like a jackass, she thought with slight mirth.
"Rhett hasn't been home lately, but he was here the other day. He has business to tend to concerning a bank he's on the board of. He comes home whenever he can get away for awhile," Scarlett replied. Ashley will never know the truth about Rhett and me ever, she thought to herself. Well, at least he won't until I'm gone for good.
"I see. So would I be assuming too much if I connected you absconding to New Orleans with his visit here a few months ago?" he asked. Why the inquisition, Scarlett wondered. This really is none of his business, but I must keep calm to get what I need. And how in hell does he know about Rhett's visit a few months ago?
"Yes. I didn't get notice of him coming so I took a brief trip to get out of the house. He happened to come during that time. How did you know he came by for a visit?" Scarlett inquired. Perhaps my servants were talking around town when running errands and India overheard, she thought. All of them will be fired sooner rather than later if that's the case.
"Because he came here looking for you when he concluded you weren't in the house. He looked furious and scared oddly enough," he said with an expression that read that he wanted her to clarify everything for him. She was in no mood, nor did she have the desire, to do so.
"Did he," Scarlett replied as a statement rather than a question to send him the message that she was done with this conversation. Thankfully, he seemed to get the message.
"Look at me prying when it is not my place! I apologize Scarlett. I have been incredibly rude when here you are for a pleasant visit," Ashley relented. It was a relief when he finally stopped. She wasn't sure how much more of this line of questioning that she could handle.
"It's quiet alright Ashley. I merely came over to see how you are doing since I hadn't gotten word in months," she said leaving the conversation open enough for him to lead it, hopefully into lumber mill matters.
"I have been a mess my dear. I have difficulty focusing on anything. Thankfully Rhett took Beau to boarding school in Charleston because Lord knows I was neglecting him and I don't want him to see me like this. My negligence has even spilled into matters of the lumber mill because I may have to close it soon," he stated as if it were okay his only source of income would go by the wayside. The money Melanie left behind would not be enough to support him for long.
"Oh Ashley, it doesn't have to be like that. You need to start healing for your sake and for Beau's. He has lost his mother; he can't lose his father too. The business cannot be allowed to go down because you would have no way to support yourselves," Scarlett told him knowing what to say to soothe him and keep him on track with the business she came for. Thank god he brought it up himself, she thought.
"I know, I know, but I don't know where to start Scarlett. I'm such a waste when it comes to business matters and I feel so lost. When we were business partners, you were the only one with a business mind," he responded despondently. She knew that now was the time to make her move.
"I hate seeing you like this. I can help you. Allow me to help you fix the lumber mill. I can get it back on track so it is profitable again," she told him. It dawned on her that he needed this as much for monetary reasons as he did for sanity ones. She was no longer just doing this for herself; she was doing it to save him as well.
"I can't ask that of you. It would take too much work and I can't take your charity," he replied unable to look at her. He felt like a failure and the expression he had obviously showed he was broken.
"Don't be stupid Ashley. This isn't charity. I need to help you and you know it," Scarlett replied with conviction.
"Assuming I even allow you to help me, it can't be for free. I would never let that happen with as much work as it would be. But I have no money to give you," he said with a voice that told Scarlett he was starting to cave.
"Then what do you propose?" she asked. Come on Ashley, she was thinking. Just give me stake in the mill, please, for both of us.
"Would you take stake in the mill as payment?" Ashley replied finally looking into Scarlett's eyes.
"Since payment is the only way you'll let me help you, then yes. Stake in the mill will work," Scarlet said in silent victory.