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“I haven’t； haven’t I？” she flared。 “What do you suppose I’ve been doing in Atlanta？ Riding around in a coach and four and going to balls？ Haven’t I sent you money every month？ Haven’t I paid the taxes and fixed the roof and bought the new plow and the mules？ Haven’t—”
“Now； don’t fly off the handle and get your Irish up；” he interrupted imperturbably。 “If anybody knows what you’ve done； I do； and it’s been two men’s work。”
Slightly mollified； she questioned； “Well then； what do you mean？”
“Well； you’ve kept the roof over us and food in the pantry and I ain’t denyin’ that； but you ain’t given much thought to what’s been goin’ on in anybody’s head here at Tara。 I ain’t blamin’ you； Scarlett。 That’s just your way。 You warn’t never very much interested in what was in folks’ heads。 But what I’m tryin’ to tell you is that I didn’t never ask Miss Carreen because I knew it wouldn’t be no use。 She’s been like a little sister to me and I guess she talks to me plainer than to anybody in the world。 But she never got over that dead boy and she never will。 And I might as well tell you now she’s aimin’ to go in a convent over to Charleston。”
“Are you joking？”
“Well； I knew it would take you back and I just want to ask you； Scarlett； don’t you argue with her about it or scold her or laugh at her。 Let her go。 It’s all she wants now。 Her heart’s broken。”
“But God’s nightgown！ Lots of people’s hearts have been broken and they didn’t run off to convents。 Look at me。 I lost a husband。”
“But your heart warn’t broken；” Will said calmly and； picking up a straw from the bottom of the wagon； he put it in his mouth and chewed slowly。 That remark took the wind out of her。 As always when she heard the truth spoken； no matter how unpalatable it was； basic honesty forced her to acknowledge it as truth。 She was silent a moment； trying to accustom herself to the idea of Carreen as a nun。
“Promise you won’t fuss at her。”
“Oh； well； I promise；” and then she looked at him with a new understanding and some amazement。 Will had loved Carreen； loved her now enough to take her part and make her retreat easy。 And yet he wanted to marry Suellen。
“Well； what’s all this about Suellen？ You don’t care for her； do you？”
“Oh； yes； I do in a way；” he said removing the straw and surveying it as if it were highly interesting。 “Suellen ain’t as bad as you think； Scarlett。 I think we’ll get along right well。 The only trouble with Suellen is that she needs a husband and some children and that’s just what every woman needs。”
The wagon jolted over the rutty road and for a few minutes while the two sat silent Scarlett’s mind was busy。 There must be something more to it than appeared on the surface； something deeper； more important； to make the mild and soft…spoken Will want to marry a complaining nagger like Suellen。
“You haven’t told me the real reason； Will。 If I’m head of the family； I’ve got a right to know。”
“That’s right；” said Will； “and I guess you’ll understand。 I can’t leave Tara。 It’s home to me； Scarlett； the only real home I ever knew and I love every stone of it。 I’ve worked on it like it was mine。 And when you put out work on somethin’； you come to love it。 You know what I mean？”
She knew what he meant and her heart went out in a surge of warm affection for him； hearing him say he； too； loved the thing she loved best。
“And I figger it this way。 With your pa gone and Carreen a nun； there’ll be just me and Suellen left here and； of course； I couldn’t live on at Tara without marryin’ Suellen。 You know how folks talk。”
“But—but Will； there’s Melanie and Ashley—”
At Ashley’s name he turned and looked at her； his pale eyes unfathomable。 She had the old feeling that Will knew all about her and Ashley； understood all and did not either censure or approve。
“They’ll be goin’ soon。”
“Going？ Where？ Tara is their home as well as yours。”
“No； it ain’t their home。 That’s just what’s eatin’ on Ashley。 It ain’t his home and he don’t feel like he’s earnin’ his keep。 He’s a mighty pore farmer and he knows it。 God knows he tries his best but he warn’t cut out for farmin’ and you know it as well as I do。 If he splits kindlin’； like as not he’ll slice off his foot。 He can’t no more keep a plow straight in a furrow than little Beau can； and what he don’t know about makin’ things grow would fill a book。 It ain’t his fault。 He just warn’t bred for it。 And it worries him that he’s a man livin’ at Tara on a woman’s charity and not givin’ much in return。”
“Charity？ Has he ever said—”
“No； he’s never said a word。 You know Ashley。 But I can tell。 Last night when we were sittin’ up with your pa； I tole him I had asked Suellen and she’d said Yes。 And then Ashley said that relieved him because he’d been feelin’ like a dog； stayin’ on at Tara； and he knew he and Miss Melly would have to keep stayin’ on； now that Mr。 O’Hara was dead； just to keep folks from talkin’ about me and Suellen。 So then he told me he was aimin’ to leave Tara and get work。”
“Work？ What kind？ Where？”
“I don’t know exactly what he’ll do but he said he was goin’ up North。 He’s got a Yankee friend in New York who wrote him about workin’ in a bank up there。”
“Oh； no！” cried Scarlett from the bottom of her heart and； at the cry； Will gave her the same look as before。
“Maybe ‘twould be better all ‘round if he did go North。”
“No！ No！ I don’t think so。”
Her mind was working feverishly。 Ashley couldn’t go North！ She might never see him again。 Even though she had not seen him in months； had not spoken to him alone since that fateful scene in the orchard； there had not been a day when she had not thought of him； been glad he was sheltered under her roof。 She had never sent a dollar to Will that she had not been pleased that it would make Ashley’s life easier。 Of course； he wasn’t any good as a farmer。 Ashley was bred for better things； she thought proudly。 He was born to rule； to live in a large house； ride fine horses； read books of poetry and tell negroes what to do。 That there were no more mansions and horses and negroes and few books did not alter matters。 Ashley wasn’t bred to plow and split rails。 No wonder he wanted to leave Tara。
But she could not let him go away from Georgia。 If necessary； she would bully Frank into giving him a job in the store； make Frank turn off the boy he now had behind the counter。 But； no—Ashley’s place was no more behind a counter than it was behind a plow。 A Wilkes a shopkeeper！ Oh； never that！ There must be something—why； her mill of course！ Her relief at the thought was so great that she smiled。 But would he accept an offer from her？ Would he still think it was charity？ She must manage it so he would think he was doing her a favor。 She would discharge Mr。 Johnson and put Ashley in charge of the old mill while Hugh operated the new one。 She would explain to Ashley how Frank’s ill health and the pressure of work at the store kept him from helping her； and she would plead her condition as another reason why she needed his help。
She would make him realize somehow that she couldn’t do without his aid at this time。 And she would give him a half…interest in the mill； if he would only take it over—anything just to have him near her； anything to see that bright smile light up his face； anything for the chance of catching an unguarded look in his eyes that showed he still cared。 But； she promised herself； never； never would she again try to prod him into words of love； never again would she try to make him throw away that foolish honor he valued more than love。 Somehow； she must delicately convey to him this new resolution of hers。 Otherwise he might refuse； fearing another scene such as that last terrible one had been。
“I can get him something to do in Atlanta；” she said。
“Well； that’s yours and Ashley’s business；” said Will and put the straw back in his mouth。 “Giddap； Sherman。 Now； Scarlett； there’s somethin’ else I’ve got to ask you before I tell you about your pa。 I won’t have you lightin’ into Suellen。 What she’s done； she’s done； an