adestome18

@@@@@She was still fuming with frustration a month later when Colleton's message brought her back out to the siteShe didn't see Ashley until it was too late to turn back What am I going to tell him? I've got no call to be here, and Ashley's so smart he'd see right through any lie I might tryShe was sure the hasty smile on her face looked as ghastly as she feltIf it did, Ashley didn't seem to noticeHe handed her down from her carriage with his usual ingrained courtesy"I'm happy I didn't miss you, Scarlett; it's so good to see youColleton told me you might be coming, so I dallied as long as I could He smiled ? ruefully"We both know I'm not much of a businessman, my dear, so my advice isn't worth much, but I do want to say that if you do, in fact, build another store out here, you can't possibly go wrong What is he going on about? Oh How clever Joe Colleton is, he's made my excuse for being here alreadyShe ? turned her attention back to Ashleyand I've heard that the city's very likely to run a trolley line out here to the edge of townIt's amazing, isn't it, the way Atlanta is growing?" Ashley looked strongerVery tired by the effort of living, but more capable of itScarlett wished urgently that it meant the lumber ? business was betterShe wouldn't be able to bear it if the mills and yard died, tooAnd she'd never be able to forgive AshleyHe took her hand in his and looked down at her with a worried expression on his drawn face "You look tired, my dearIs everything quite all right?" She wanted to lay her head against his chest and wail that everything was awful"Oh, fiddle-dee-dee, Ashley, don't be a sillyI was up too late last night at a party, that's allYou should know better than to hint to a lady that she's not looking her bes