Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.

Chapter Sixteen

A week later Scarlett went out to the mills, and she breezed through the door. Ashley stared at Scarlett. It was Scarlett wasn't it. Yes, it was Scarlett, but she was wearing a dress that looked just like one of Melly's dresses. Not just any of Melly's dresses but Melly's favorite. Of course, Melly had never filled her dress out as well as Scarlett did. Melly was as flat as a board. Had Scarlett's breasts gotten bigger. Ashley stared at her.

Scarlett said, "Good day."

"Good day."

"How is business?"

"Dreadful as usual."

"Ashley, you have to be a positive thinker. You have to believe that you can turn this business around."

"I have done everything I can think of."

"What have you done?"

It was so hard to concentrate with Scarlett wearing that dress. It was almost like one of his fantasies had come true.

Scarlett knew it was Melly's favorite that is why she had chosen it to replicate. As with all of Melly's dresses it had a high neckline. When Scarlett had put the dress on, she had padded the bodice, so she looked like she barely fit into the dress. In fact, Scarlett had barely been able to button the bodice. Scarlett hoped one of the buttons didn't pop off and blind Ashley. She had never known him to stare so intently at her breasts. He was behaving very ungentlemanly with his ogling of her body.

When he didn't speak Scarlett said while looking at her bodice, "Do I have my breakfast on my dress? You are staring so intently."

Ashley shook himself out of his thoughts and said, "No. You just look so beautiful today."

"Thank you. Ashley, what have you done to increase sales?"

"I have been calling on construction sites and trying to find out their needs. I have offer them very nice prices."

"I hope not too nice."

"No, of course not."

Scarlett sighed and said, "I have tried to resist this, but I guess Rhett is right. As usual. I am going to have to hire an efficiency expert to help you manage your time better. Rhett says that you are probably wasting time that you are not even aware of wasting. That wasn't exactly what Rhett said. He said something about you wasting time in the outhouse. When I asked him to explain he said I didn't need to know. It was man stuff. I hate it when he talks to me like I am a child. He did say that he understood because of Melly's condition but that you should do your job first and then pleasure yourself in the outhouse later. That didn't make any sense to me because what pleasure was there to be had in the outhouse. One just does their business and gets out."

Ashley was mad. How dare Rhett Butler sit in judgement of him? Especially when he had such a nubile wife such as Scarlett. Yes, he did pleasure himself in the outhouse but what other choice did he have with a wife like Melanie. He had needs, damn it. This was all Melanie's fault. Her being so sickly. Oh, why hadn't he married Scarlett when he had the chance. When Ashley finally noticed Scarlett staring at him like she was waiting for his response, he said, "Efficiency expert?"

"Yes, a man that will help you make better use of your time."

"Alright."

Scarlett looked at her watch and said, "I must go. I have to be home for….."

Ashley sharply interrupted by saying, "Your afternoon nap."

"My darling I'm so glad you understand. Bye."

Scarlett almost ran out the door. Ashley sighed. He would never be able to see Melly in that dress again without imagining Scarlett in the same dress. Unfortunately, Melly's physical defects would pop out in his mind.

At the same time Scarlett was torturing Ashley, Rhett was torturing Mrs. Merriwether. Rhett had taken Bonnie and ridden over to the Merriwether's home. When Rhett had knocked on the door with the child in his arms, they made a delightful looking pair. Rhett said to the servant who opened the door, "Would you tell Mrs. Merriwether that Rhett Butler is here to talk to her about her loan?"

"Of course, Sir. Can you step this way?"

Rhett was led to the parlor by the servant. Rhett had deliberately come to Mrs. Merriwether's house so the old dragon would have to receive him. When Rhett saw Mrs. Merriwether, he had stood up as any gentleman would. He noticed the pinched look about Mrs. Merriwether's face and wanted to laugh.

Dolly so wanted to kick him out of her home, but she needed the loan more. She also knew that the only way she was going to get that loan was through Rhett Butler. This was so galling on so many levels, but she was made of stern stuff, and she would get through it.

Dolly said, "Please be seated, Captain Butler. I see you have brought your daughter with you. There is no denying Scarlett is her mother."

"No, there's not." When Rhett smiled down at his daughter Dolly decided that there was some good in this rogue.

"How can I help you with my loan?"

"Normally I don't get involved with the daily operations of my investments, but Scarlett asked me to see if I could assist you in getting another loan. It is so hard for me to tell her no," Rhett smiled sheepishly and continued, "Although I should have told her no several times over the mansion, but she loves it so and I guess that's all that really matters.

"That was so kind of Scarlett to ask you to help me."

"She cares more for people than she lets anyone know."

"Yes, she does."

"Enough pleasantries. Show me your operation."

Dolly stood up and said, "Follow me."

Dolly showed Rhett the entire operation. It wasn't much of an operation. They only had one stove, one prep area and one sink. As Dolly got finished with the tour, Bonnie started crying. All the wonderful smells in the kitchen had made the toddler realize that she was hungry.

Rhett said, "I'm sorry Mrs. Merriwether. I will have to come back. She won't settle down. It is too close to her dinnertime."

"Of course. Of course."

Rhett nodded his head and carried the crying Bonnie out of the house. Once Bonnie was back on the horse, she stopped crying. Rhett knew that Mammy would feed the child as soon as Rhett got her home. Rhett had planned the time of the visit perfectly. He would make Mrs. Merriwether receive him at least twice more. He laughed. He would make her agree when he said nice things about Scarlett. He laughed again.

A week later Scarlett gave Melanie some of Wade's hand-me downs. Included in the pile a new dress just like her favorite dress. She marveled at Scarlett's kindness and her tricky way of giving the dress to her. Melanie was so happy because her favorite dress was getting thread bare and she knew soon she would have had to quit wearing it. She cut the old one up to use as rags. Ashley had looked at her strangely when she had worn the new dress, but he hadn't said anything.

Rhett had let Scarlett spend some money to hire an actor to play the role of the efficiency expert. The man was in his late twenties. Scarlett instructed him on what to say. Two weeks later she and the actor, Nick, went out to Ashley's mill the first thing in the morning.

Ashley had just arrived at work himself. His breakfast had been horrible. It had been grits. He had never liked grits. It was all they had in the house until tomorrow. It was so frustrating after having been raised in the lap of luxury. When he was a child, he never had to eat anything he didn't want to eat because there was always lots of food available. Ashley knew Melly did the best she could on their limited budget. He knew they were scraping by. He was tired of scraping by. Maybe he should look for a better paying job. The biggest problem with that was he wasn't qualified for a better paying job. The only reason he had this job was because Scarlett thought she loved him. Ashley sourly thought if we had one less mouth to feed scraping by would be easier. Ashley really hoped he could dump India on Mr. Townsend.

Ashley had no sooner gotten himself settled at his desk when Scarlett breezed in with a little man. The man reminded Ashley of Mr. Bosworth. Of course, he did. That was why Rhett had chosen him to play the part of the efficiency expert. They had even waited two weeks for the actor to begin growing a half beard. Scarlett said, "Ashley this is Irwin Freely. The efficiency expert I told you about. He says that all he has to do is spend one morning with you and he can set you straight."

"Just call me I.P. That is me IP Freely."

Ashley winced when the man said his name. He managed to keep a neutral expression on his face, and he said, "Nice to meet you."

Nick said, "Mrs. Butler, I have written a book. It is titled Yellow River by I.P. Freely."

Ashley couldn't help himself but groan when he heard the title.

Scarlett ignored him. She said, "Is it romantic poetry? I like romantic poetry." Scarlett turned to look at Ashley with an adoring look.

"No, it is about a mountain river that all the animals use."

"I don't think I would like it then but maybe Rhett would. He has such eclectic taste. His birthday is coming up soon. Although he probably would be happy with the same thing, he got last year," Scarlett giggled and added, "I guess I could give him both. Yes, Mr. Freely, I will buy a copy of your book Yellow River. Ashley, would you like a copy of Mr. Freely's book."

"Great book. Yellow River by I.P. Freely."

"No thank you. Shall we get started?"

"Just a minute. Mrs. Butler, has your husband read Frockenstein?"

"I have never heard of it."

"It is a book by Mary Shelley about a scientist who creates a man with dead men's body parts."

"Yes, I have read that, but I thought it was pronounced Frankenstein."

"No, Ma'am, it is Frockenstein."

Ashley winces as Mr. Freely mispronounces the title.

"Oh dear, thank you for enlightening me."

"Certainly," Mr. Freely bows and clicks his heels. He turns to Ashley and says, "Shall we get started?"

"Yes, of course."

"Let's get cammenced."

"What?"

"Cammenced."

"Cammenced?"

"Yes, it means to begin."

"You mean commenced."

"That's what I said cammenced."

Ashley winced but said, "How shall we begin?"

"Let's look at your filing system."

Scarlett stood back and watched. As Ashley winced over and over again Scarlett knew that Nick was repeatedly mispronouncing words. Scarlett knew that was driving Ashley crazy, because he was always so correct in his elocution of words.

As the two men walked back over to where Scarlett was standing, she heard Nick say, "How much time do you spend in the outhouse?" The question was one that Rhett had told Nick to ask.

Ashley brought himself up tall and said primly, "No more than any other man."

"Good. Good. Mrs. Butler I think the main thing Mr. Wilkes is doing wrong is he is not spending enough time solling.

"How much time do you think he should spend selling?"

"Solling is a tricky business. I guess he should soll until he solls all the wood."

"That is good news. Isn't it Ashley?"

Judging by the way Ashley was tightly grasping the ledger Ashley was about to lose control.

Ashley said, "Very good news."

"Shall we go Mr. Freely? My husband demands that I be home for dinner."

"Of course. I remember another book your husband may like. I like it a lot. It is called Journey to the Middle of the Earth by Jules Verne."

"What is it about?"

Ashley snaps out, "The title is Journey to the Center of the Earth."

Nick looks at Ashley and says, "No, it is Journey to the Middle of the Earth."

Ashley shouts, "It is Journey to the Center of the Earth."

Nick calmly says, "It is Journey to the Middle of the Earth."

Ashley shouts and stomps his foot, "It is the Center of the Earth!"

Nick calmly says, "No, it is Middle."

Ashley walks over to his desk and jerks open one of the drawers. He reaches in the drawer and pulls out a book. He shows it to Scarlett and Nick and says, "See! It says Journey to the Center of the Earth."

Nick says, "How much of your time do you spend reading Mr. Wilkes?" Without waiting for a reply Nick says, "I think we have found where Mr. Wilkes is wasting all his time."

Ashley who was still angry shouted, "Reading is not a waste of time."

Scarlett said, "Let us go, Mr. Freely. It seems Mr. Wilkes has gotten himself in a tizzy once again. We will talk about this later Ashley. Once you have gotten control of yourself."

As they walk out of the office, Scarlett hears the ledger hit the wall. She and Nick look at each other but restrain themselves from laughing until they were in the buggy.

Ashley was thinking, 'It was the interview all over again, but I was right this time.'

It was almost noon when they got back to the mansion. Scarlett asked Nick to stay for dinner then they could tell Rhett all about this morning's performance after the children were laid down for their naps. Nick told them all about what he had said to Mr. Wilkes and how he winced every time Nick mispronounced a word. The told Rhett about the argument at the end. The trio laughed and laughed but it wasn't long before Rhett paid Nick and quickly showed him the door. After all this was his and Scarlett's nap time.

As Nick walked away from the Butler's home, he was certainly pleased with this morning's performance. He didn't know why the Butlers wanted him to annoy Mr. Wilkes and he didn't care. Mr. Butler had given him twenty-five dollars in payment for one morning's work. That meant he would be able to eat for the next several months. He would be happy to repeat his performance if needed.