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Part Ten

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"That boy is made for this," Rhett said looking out at Wade following after his uncle as he and Scarlett sat on the porch protected from the sun.

"It's in his blood," Scarlett smiled.

Rhett looked over at Beau playing Graces with the four younger girls.

"My blood obviously," Scarlett laughed.

Rhett chuckled, "I wonder if it makes me my father that I never even thought Wade would want for more than the city."

"I reckon you see a lot more of Wade than your father ever saw of you."

"This visit hasn't been horrible."

Scarlett turned and shot her husband a look.

He smirked at her, "It's been nice to have less."

"Not including my tub."

Rhett chuckled well aware of the drama Scarlett and Suellen had gotten into on several occasions as Scarlett frequently required water to be boiled and hauled to the tub in the room off of the kitchen. "Scarlett your two best purchases have been that tub and that dog," Rhett nodded at Ramsey following after Wade.

"Wade would have your head if he ever heard you say the tub were as good as his dog."

Rhett laughed again. "What would you think about staying in the country for longer?"

Scarlett took a sip of her iced tea, "Are we sending Suellen to the city?"

"The Bedford Plantation has come up for sale."

"Rhett Butler you aren't suggesting we move to the country."

He gave her a look that silenced that concept. "It is hot and only going to get hotter in the city and you-"

"I suggest you do not bring up how I am only going to get bigger," she gave her husband a look.

He smiled.

"The plantation bought by those carpetbaggers?"

"I do believe you socialized with them in the city," he pointed out.

She had until they fell in line with the Old Guard.

"They've decided the country life isn't for them and to just reside in Atlanta. The house is in good shape, the fall crops have been sowed, they have a manager to oversee the property."

The word manager snapped Scarlett back to reality, "I couldn't just leave the store and the mills."

Rhett knew exactly what she meant, she couldn't leave Ashley unattended with the mill. She had stolen the manager of Kennedy's from a shop in Marietta, he was as fastidious as Scarlett.

"I'll hardly be in the condition to go back and forth-"

"I can return to town every few weeks and deal with our business holdings."

"Would you stay in the city?" Scarlett gave him a questioning look.

"For a night or two depending on how many things need my attention."

Scarlett's look didn't dissipate.

"Scarlett, I am not abandoning you and the children in the country, I just thought it would be nice-"

"It would be," she laid a hand on her stomach.

"Somewhere of our own to come with the children."

"I will remind you that I own a third of Tara-"

Rhett smiled. "Wade is getting older now, you'll want him to have a place to return to after Harvard. I doubt we'd get that boy back for the mills and store."

"Rhett Butler, do you want to buy the plantation for Wade, why I thought you said that we would keep our business dealings separate-"

"With the new baby, I want to make sure Wade knows he's always my son. Blood never mattered. I won't be like my father with him. He doesn't need to be like me to make me proud."

Scarlett let out a soft smile, "Perhaps marrying you wasn't the worst decision I ever made."

"But not as good as the tub?" Rhett smiled over at her.

"Nowhere near as good as the tub."

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The house was beautiful yellow Greek Revival set an on acreage just slightly larger than Tara's, it was also slightly further out of town, but also in the opposite direction. The O'Hara sisters could still visit for just the day, but it wouldn't make sense for them to do it often, which he knew suited them both fine.

Rhett watched Scarlett smile as she stepped out of the carriage, his wife maybe had awful taste when creating houses, but she could appreciate a fine structure.

"How many bedrooms?" Scarlett struggled to recall the number after demanding so much information regarding the estate.

"9, 7, I'm sure after you turn two of them into bathrooms."

"Only 7?"

"Will we be having many more children?" Rhett thought he was making a lighthearted remark until he saw his wife's smirk.

"I suppose 7 will be large enough considering we'll still be in Atlanta most of the year."

Rhett was still dumbstruck by that smirk.

"Is there running water? Don't call me spoiled Rhett, I love Tara, but-"

"The plumbing system is not as elaborate as Peachtree."

"It'll at least give the architect something to work with," she turned with a smile, "is it really ours Rhett?"

"As soon as I go into Atlanta."

"We'll go tomorrow," Scarlett brightly smiled, "I'll make a list of everything we need for the next few months, let Beau to see his parents."

It occurred to Rhett he hadn't thought of Miss Melly and Ashley. The thought of Ashley Wilkes spending nights under his roof.

Scarlett greeted the current staff and he found himself merely nodding along.

Thanks for reading!