Chapter 23
The afternoons began to warm as spring pushed its way against the cold winter wind. Scarlett and Rhett had remained at Tara to help with Suellen and the girls, but not a word had passed between Wade and Scarlett. Finally, Wade could not take the silence anymore, and he decided to take Silver for a ride and check on the cattle. He had successfully taken over the plantation tasks, trying to recover from the loss of Will. He and Big Sam had cleared the land in preparation for sowing cotton, and he had begun the process of reclaiming the cattle that had been strong enough to survive such a difficult winter.
As he reached the barn, he was stunned to hear voices, for he thought everyone had remained behind in the house. He snuck in closer to hear the conversation, ready for battle in case of intruders.
“What are we going to do, Jake? We only have a few more weeks and we have to marry or someone will suspect.” Wade hunched closer as he thought he heard Ella’s voice.
A strange man’s voice followed, “Don’t worry; I will talk to Wade tonight.”
Ella’s voice sounded strained and frightened, “He has never met you, Jake. What if he says no? I have not had a chance to speak with him since he arrived. Things have been so hectic, and I am sure he does not need another problem right now. He has enough of his own.”
Jake’s voice became gentle and soft, “Everything will be fine, honey. It would be far better to talk to Wade than to your mother. When is she going to leave?”
“I don’t know!” Ella’s voice rose, close to hysteria. “She has to leave soon. If you talk to Wade while she is still here, she will be furious, but I know she will never agree to our marriage.” She began to sob, “We have to hurry, Jake. If we wait too long, someone will know.”
Wade slammed his hand into the barn door, throwing it open furiously. “Someone will know what?”
Ella paled and became weak with fear, crouching in the hay. Her hair was tumbled and her dress was dirty. Beside her, a young boy stared at Wade, unable to speak.
Wade repeated, “What is going on? What is the secret?” His volume began to raise furiously, unable to face his worst fears.
Jake rose reluctantly, “Um, we were just talking, Wade. There is nothing going on. I’ll just be going now.” Jake tried to push his way past Wade, but Wade caught him in the doorway and threw him back to the ground beside Ella.
“Ella, what are you doing in this place? You know you are not to leave the house without a chaperone, especially with some boy. What kind of man are you to shame a lady in this manner?” Jake stared at him, trembling, not knowing how to respond.
Quickly, Ella regained her composure. She wiped the tears from her face and pushed her tangled hair back from her face then smoothed her dress as she stood. “We need to talk, Wade, but now is not the time.”
“You will tell me now, or you will not leave.” Wade stood his ground, unwilling to compromise.
Seeing that Wade could not be persuaded to move, Ella began to beg, “At least let Jake go. I cannot speak about such things in front of him. Please, Wade, do not disgrace me any further.”
Wade slowly stepped aside and Ella nodded to Jake, motioning that she would be fine. After he had gone, Ella backed into a stall, waving for Wade to follow her. When she had caught her breath, she began slowly, “Wade, I have no one else to turn to. I am in trouble.”
Wade calmed his breathing and reached for her hand, but she pulled it away, fearfully.
“Wade, Jake and I have been sneaking to see each other. I was afraid to bother Aunt Suellen, and she could not relinquish Prissy to chaperone, for she needed as much help as she could get when Will was sick.” Tears began to run down her face, and she buried her head in her lap. When she stopped crying, she lifted her face. Wade could see the fear in her eyes, and she looked like a small frightened kitten. “Wade, I am in trouble. Jake and I have to be married soon. In a few weeks, I will start to show, and everyone will know.”
Wade stared at her, unsure of what she meant then realization hit him. She had spent time with a young man, whom he suddenly remembered she had mentioned on his last visit. They had intended to be married, but had committed marital acts before the ceremony. Now, because she had been left alone, she was in trouble that would not only reflect on her, but on her unborn child, and the rest of the family.
His mind raced, uncertain of solutions, but certain of where to place blame. His mind raced back to the words of his mother so long ago when she relayed his responsibility to his younger sister. He had not been here to protect his younger sister. He had shirked his responsibilities in order to attend school which meant nothing now. He was to blame for her misfortune, and he would have to find a solution somehow. As he gazed at his sister sitting beside him, his pulse slowed as he realized that she was a scared young child with no where else to turn. He delicately patted her hand, trying to comfort her, but she could not calm down until she knew that everything would be fine, and at this moment he had no guarantee.
“Don’t worry, Ella, I will think of something. Dry your eyes before someone notices that you are missing and they find you here. Go back into the house and pretend as if there is nothing wrong. I will be along shortly. I need some time to think.” Ella nodded like a young child following the orders of her father then she quickly rose and walked to the house, wiping her tears on her freshly ironed apron.
As Wade sat there alone, he thought of all the things that had gone so terribly wrong in his life, and yet he had no way to remedy his own misfortunes. And though this issue seemed minor in his mind compared to the load he already carried, he knew that to Ella, the world was crumbling around her. He realized that for the time being, he must lay aside his own grief and focus on Ella. It was his brotherly duty to protect her from scorn. Slowly, a plan began to form in his mind. The details were sketchy and the plan seemed almost absurd, but he would find a way to keep Ella safe, for now he was not only a big brother, but he would soon be an uncle.
Wade rose from his seat in the corner of the barn and mounted Silver. He decided to carry on with his morning duties before carrying out his plan to help Ella. As he rode through the pasture, he saw that all of the cows would survive, but only a few of them would be healthy enough to sell this summer. He had to keep an eye on six of them for they would be calving within the next month or so. He knew from experience that when cows were ready to have their calves, they often found a secluded place. Being that the pasture was clear, they would have to travel a distance to a brushy spot. Hopefully he could round them up and place them in the barn right before it was time.
He continued to ride through the fields, wondering how he would ever get the fields ready in time to plant. With only one man on the job, he would have to start quickly or find someone to help. The fields had grown brushy without the constant attention and care that Will had provided. He would have to clear weeds and brush and plow within two months in order to get the cotton seed in the ground by May. He was suddenly thankful that Will had shown such an interest in teaching him about the land, or he would have no idea of what needed to be done. The entire family depended on him for their survival, and because Will had taken the time to teach him, he knew what needed to be done.
As he continued to ride, think, and plan, he realized that he had wandered off of Tara’s land and on to the Fontaine plantation. He rode around looking at their progress. He had heard that Alex Fontaine had recruited five families to lien a piece of his property and was faring well. Each family had taken one of the old slave quarters to live in while they worked a plot of land. Mr. Fontaine would reap the benefits of their labor, and the family had a place to live. It was a hard life in the small cabins for although they were up kept, they were small and primitive. One of the cabins had been reserved as a small store where the tenants bought supplies. This arrangement helped the people who did not have the means of transportation to get them to Jonesboro for basic supplies and the tools necessary for working their plots. However, Wade had hear
d that the supplies and tools were overpriced and most of the tenants had become indebted beyond their expected pay for the next five years. Wade wondered how Mr. Fontaine had managed to find tenants and if there were more available. He could certainly use the help managing the work.
He continued to ride, enjoying the cool air and the silence, but he knew that Cole was at home waiting for him, so he started to turn Silver back on the road to Tara. Just as he rounded the corner, he noticed a lovely young woman walking around the small garden behind the big house. Her long blond curls flowed freely down her back, and Wade gasped as he recognized Emily. He slowed to a stop, gazing at her as she strode slowly through the short bushes, wandering in a meandering line as if she were daydreaming. His mind returned to the first moment he saw her when he hid from her sight, and he realized that he had ducked behind a row of trees so that she would not see him watching her. His heart ached with what could have been, for he still loved her with a passion that he had not felt in years. But he knew that she would never love him again. He had pledged his life to another, and although she had gone away, Emily could never look at him in the same light. She would never accept Cole as a part of his life to be taken into her own. Gazing upon her, Wade drew up his reins, conceding to his loss. Knowing that he would never see her eyes shine with love for her again, he rode toward Tara, forgetting his broken heart by concentrating on the discussion he would soon have with Scarlett.
Wade returned to Tara, avoiding Scarlett until the perfect moment when she was available for conversation. He found Ella holding Cole with a bottle, and she smiled at him, thinking of holding her own child soon. As she rocked him, Cole stared up at her, fingering the bottle with his tiny fingers and blinking furiously as he fought sleep. Just a few moments later, though, his lids became too heavy and he closed his eyes, still sucking furiously. The door slammed loudly as Cat came pounding into the room, anxious to hold the baby which she had claimed as her own since her arrival. Her sudden entrance startled Cole for a second then he closed his eyes again as the warm milk filled his tiny tummy. As soon as Cat saw that he was sleeping, she tiptoed out of the room, leaving Ella and Cole to doze in the rocking chair.
That evening, as they gathered around the dining table, Wade listened as Suellen said grace, thanking God for the food, family, and the help that He had sent after Will passed away. Wade opened his eyes and looked around the table, amazed at his large family. All three of his cousins had come down to eat this evening. They had spent the last couple of weeks in their room, grieving for their father, and although they had paled with lack of sunlight, they looked rested and lovely. Within a few minutes they began their bickering, and the table seemed almost normal. Beside them, Ella glowed with happiness, knowing that Wade had taken on her problem. She had faith beyond comprehension in her older brother, and she knew that her life was safe once she had placed it in his hands. Beside her, Scarlett sat blissfully unaware of the bomb that Wade was about to drop. She concentrated on Suellen, making sure she ate enough to keep her strong. Cat sat between Scarlett and Rhett. She chatted happily with Ella and her cousins, telling unbelievable stories of Ireland. Rhett lounged back in his chair, amused with Cat’s stories.
As Wade looked around he wondered what each person held in their hearts. Each one had their own share of grief. The older generation had traveled down a long, hard road, watching the destruction of a civilization, and survived to raise a new generation of survivors. His heart swelled with pride as he recognized a new facet to a family he had so long taken for granted. He recognized a common respect between them, and although they maintained their differences, he saw a compassion for one another that he had never seen before, brought about by mutual grief for a respected loved one that left their presence far too soon. As he considered the road he was about to take, he battled silently for he knew he must disrupt the peace in order to save it.
Wade swallowed deeply, “Aunt Suellen, Ella and I have been talking about the wedding. How would you feel about moving forward with the wedding as planned?” Wade glared at Suellen, silently willing her to play along.
Scarlett’s head lifted suddenly. Her eyes flickered in surprise as she heard her fork slam onto the plate in front of her. “What wedding? Who would dare speak of a wedding only two weeks after burying our dearest Will?”
“I know that it is soon and Aunt Suellen is still in mourning, but surely you remember that Ella and Jake announced their engagement over a year ago,” Wade reminded his mother gently.
Scarlett slammed her fist on the table causing glasses filled with water to spill over onto the table cloth. “No one spoke with me about Ella’s marriage not did I ever approve an engagement!”
Ella’s eyes flew wide with astonishment then she rose quickly to grab a towel to clean up the spilled water. Wade continued speaking in a calm tone, “Mother, Ella wrote to you about her engagement. Did you not receive a letter?”
Scarlett’s face grew red with anger, “No she did not! Nor did I speak with any young beau that intended to ask for her hand. I simply forbid it!” She turned her gleaming green eyes on her sister, ready to pounce with furious anger. “Suellen, did you know about this?” Suellen stared at her then back to Wade, dumbfounded.
Wade returned her uneasy look with reassurance then interrupted Scarlett’s tirade, “Jake spoke with Will. That was an appropriate decision considering he was the man of the house in which Ella resides, further, he and I spoke last summer when Louise and I were here.” Wade turned his stare towards Scarlett daring her to refute his opinion. When Ella returned to take her seat, Wade softened his gaze and turned to her, “Ella, you did write to Mother in Charleston didn’t you?”
Ella lowered her eyes, afraid to look at Scarlett as she lied softly, “Yes, Wade I did. Maybe I wrote the address incorrectly or maybe you have not returned to Charleston and the letter is waiting for you there.”
“I would remember receiving a letter from you, Ella, especially concerning such an important matter. Regardless, I forbid this union. I have not met this young man, and I do not intend to have my daughter married to some backwoods monster whom I have never met, and that is the end of this discussion.” Scarlett rose from the table, throwing her napkin on her unfinished plate of food then stormed out of the room. Around the table, glances of confusion, betrayal, and discouragement were exchanged, and though the plan had not been executed to Wade’s satisfaction, in his mind, he saw doors opening for Ella. The evening continued in silence until each person bid goodnight and retired to their quarters still wondering what had just transpired and how the dilemma would end.
Wade took Cole to his own room, for although Aunt Suellen had offered to allow Cole to use the nursery, Wade refused politely, unwilling to part with his son for only the night. Cole woke often during the night, hungry because his normal nourishment lacked the sustenance that would have been gained if he had been fed by his mother. So night after night, Wade would rock the child for hours, holding him closely, feeding him, and starving himself of rest in order to provide comfort for his small boy.
The sun woke Wade with a blazing force of late spring. He opened his eyes slowly, realizing that he had once again fallen asleep in the rocking chair with Cole, and he stared at the streams of sunlight trickling through the open window and felt the light breeze blowing the white lace curtains. Looking down, he saw his beautiful son lying in his arms, and he was amazed at how his son had grown in the past few months. It seemed like years since he had been born and his life had completely changed. At one time he had imagined that Louise would welcome their son home from college, but now that vision had changed, and he realized once again that he was utterly alone. For just a moment he allowed thoughts of destruction and negativity to play in his mind, and then he pushed them away, focusing on his current mission, raising his son and taking care of Tara.
He dressed himself and his son then walked downstairs to breakfast before beginning his morning chores. When he arrived, he found Suellen
in the kitchen finishing breakfast and Scarlett sitting at the table as if she were a royal princess waiting to be served. Her cup of brewed coffee sat before her, and she gazed out of the window in a deep trance. As Wade clomped noisily down the stairs, she started suddenly and masked her face, hiding her former thoughts, masking her emotion that lie underneath a cool façade.
She quickly bade her niece to retrieve Ella with the excuse that she needed to speak with her then picked up her cup to slowly sip her coffee. When she laid it down on the prim hand knitted doily, Wade noticed steam rising slowly in curls, swirling lazily to the sky just as Scarlett lazed in the chair, eyes turned toward the ceiling, avoiding Wade’s glance.
Both were startled as Susie ran down the stairs loudly screaming, “Aunt Scarlett, Aunt Scarlett, Ella is gone!” Scarlett stared at Susie without emotion, incomprehensive of the girl’s words. Susie waved a piece of paper in front of her, “She ran off with that boy Jake, Aunt Scarlett. She said she was bound and determined to get married, and she does not care what you say, Aunt Scarlett. Is she gonna get a whoopin’?”
Scarlett rose quickly and grabbed the paper from Susie’s hand and read each line carefully. Then she dropped to her seat and read each line again as if digesting each word for the first time. Her face wrinkled with confusion as her eyes drifted back and forth across the page until finally, realization hit her and she understood Ella’s intentions. Wade watched her carefully, seeing the blood wash through her face, turning it bright red then pale as a ghost.
Susie hopped up and down. Though she was only a year younger than Ella, she suddenly became immature at the thought of Ella’s trouble. “Her clothes are gone, too, Aunt Scarlett. How long does she plan on being gone?”
Scarlett ignored her question, staring blankly at the sheet of paper, suddenly aware of her actions, her words on the previous evening which left Ella with no refute, and her lack of attention during the span of her life. She quickly rebuked those thoughts and turned on Suellen. “Suellen, where are you?” Scarlett screamed to the top of her lungs, as she stomped through the house searching for her sister.
When Scarlett found Suellen in the kitchen, she stopped in front of her, stared her in the eyes and slapped her sharply across the face. Suellen’s head flew back in response to the blow. Recovering quickly, she bit her tongue until she felt tiny droplets of blood drop into her cheek.
Scarlett seethed with anger, “What do you have to do with this?” Scarlett spat angrily as she threw the paper into Suellen’s hands. Suellen read the letter carefully then lifted her head, piercing Scarlett with her blazing eyes.
“I know nothing of this. She is your daughter; do you feel no responsibility for her?”
Scarlett balled her fists at her side, restraining from slamming her fist into the side of Suellen’s face. “You know I only heard of this boy last night. You were supposed to be watching her and taking care of her. What do you know of this boy that Will gave her permission to marry without my consent?”
Suellen snarled at Scarlett, silently grateful that her seemingly perfect life had finally taken a turn, “I know that he is a good boy. He is from a family with nothing, but who has anything anymore.” Suellen’s eyes glistened for a moment as she began to take pleasure in Scarlett’s sudden misfortune. “Why do you care, anyway? You left her here with me many years ago. Quite frankly, she cannot hurt your name or your fortune. If you want to know the truth, you drove her to this with your hasty decision making. You caused this, the damage is done, once again you can flee, avoid the pain and misery. Just leave that to us to deal with, just as you have always done in the past.” Suellen smirked at Scarlett as she spoke the evil words, baiting Scarlett with venomous words, hoping she would physically attack her once more when she was prepared.
Scarlett cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders before turning sharply and marching out of the room. As she marched pass the breakfast table, she paused for a moment to look at Wade, searching his face. He remained silent, keeping his eyes on the coffee which had cooled and the steam had ceased to rise.
He pondered the situation, realizing his own responsibility. His plan had not gone quite so well, and he had driven his sister out into the world at such a young age. He worried that this young man that she chose was not fit. He had met him only once, and though he seemed to be concerned for her safety and well-being, he had seen the repercussions of living with an angry man, and he only hoped that she would return soon so that he could keep an eye on her.
As he sat there, deliberating Ella’s future, Suellen walked into the room and carefully sat in the chair across from him, laid her hands on the table, and stared at him with eyes that could pierce his soul. He tried to avoid her gaze unsuccessfully, and finally, his eyes rose to meet hers. Immediately, fear and shame washed over him as he realized that she had born the brunt of his actions while being kept in the dark.
Suellen dropped her gaze as she ran her fingertip across the table, wiping away a speck of dust that had just lightly fallen. When she looked back into Wade’s eyes, she seemed to consider her words carefully. “Are you ready to tell me what is going on here?” Her voice was low and unthreatening, but Wade still felt a shiver run down his spine.
He fumbled for a moment, unsure of how much to tell her, but knowing he would have to reveal far more than he had ever intended. “I am sorry I dragged you into this mess without forewarning. Although I cannot reveal full details, please believe that my intentions for Ella were positive.”
“Of course I believe that. I am quite aware of your honor which is why I was utterly shocked to hear you lie to your mother. You know that Will never granted permission for Ella to marry, and I had no idea there was to be any wedding.”
Wade hung his head while his face burned with shame. He remembered that his Aunt Melly had warned him to never lie, and once again, in spite of good intentions, he had to tell an untruth. “I know that you and Will never had any part of this. I cannot tell you why, but I had to protect Ella.” Wade raised his eyes, hoping that Aunt Suellen would not ask him for further explanation. His heart ached with the burden of such a great secret, but Ella would be shamed if he told. Wade positioned himself to bear Ella’s shame in order to protect her.
Suellen nodded, “I respect your privacy, but I would like to know if you abetted her decision to run away. Although I do not know her reasons, I cannot imagine they would outweigh the scar she has placed on her marriage and on this family by committed such a disreputable act.”
Wade nodded his head with understanding then shook it vehemently, “No, Aunt Suellen, I promise I had nothing to do with her elopement. I knew that Mother would eventually agree to her marriage, especially when she uncovered Jake’s great wealth and land ownership.” He stopped for a moment, staring at Ella’s empty seat at the table, envisioning her sitting there, “I guess Ella just could not wait to find out.”
Suellen closed her eyes briefly then fluttered them open again, “I guess there is nothing that can be done, now. Hopefully she will return before she makes a mistake, but I would not count on that.” Suellen smiled, shaking her head, “As much as Ella would protest, she is her mother’s child. Scarlett made rash decisions many times that she soon learned to regret. Ella is as passionate as her mother.”
Wade grinned widely, knowing she spoke the truth.
Suellen’s disposition changed. Her smile faded quickly as she changed the subject and reached out to lay her hand on top of his. “Wade, I am afraid I have something to discuss with you, and I am not sure how you are going to react.” She swallowed, closing her eyes again. Wade suddenly noticed how very tired she looked. Her dark eyes held blue rings underneath and sagged at the corners. Her face showed signs of age like he had never seen before, and he was suddenly aware of her recent trauma. His heart ached for her and strings of guilt pulled at his heart as he realized that he had been so focused on his own discord that he had not even recognized his Aunt’s fatigue.
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?Wade, I will probably not be here when Ella returns, so I am afraid you will have to handle that situation on your own. But you are a strong boy. I have faith that you can handle anything that comes your way, just as you have handled much tougher situations before, some of which I thought would certainly whoop you.” Her tired lips curved upward in a tight smile.
Wade’s eyes grew wide, unsure of what she was saying. “Why would you not be here? Are you ill?”
“I am fine, dear.” Suellen looked around the dining room with discontent. “Without Will, there is no reason for me to stay. Truthfully, I have always hated this place.” Suellen’s eyes drifted into a far away place, “One time, I made the mistake of telling your mother that I hated Tara.” She giggled, “That is a mistake I never made again. I am sometimes convinced that my face is still stinging from that strike.” She shook her head, trying to shake the memories.
Wade still did not comprehend exactly what she meant. Her words had begun to scramble in his head, and he could not focus on her words. Her eyes snapped back to Wade’s face, and she knew that she had lost course and had confused him. Suddenly her eyes focused and her back straightened, “I have decided that the girls and I are going to Savannah. We are going to stay with some family for a while. I think the girls would benefit from being in society rather than stuck out here in the middle of nowhere in this God-forsaken land.”
Wade felt the sting of her words as if he had been slapped. This land that he loved was being attacked by one person who had taught him to love it. Now, in spite of her hard work, she was abandoning her home, searching for greener pastures, and in reality, escaping the memories which had begun to haunt her so vividly. “I do not know what to say. This is very shocking.” Wade unconsciously twisted his hands and ground his teeth so that the grinding soon reached Suellen’s ears.
She reached her hand across the table again, “You will be fine.” She smiled at him and patted his hands then rose quickly, unwilling to hear any argument. She knew that although her mind was made up, he could easily talk her into staying, and she had to run from this death trap before it could wrap its claws around her, never allowing her to leave, sucking the very life from her being.
Wade stared after her, willing her to stay, yet making no effort to retain her. He looked down at Cole, sitting complacently in his lap, playing with his own fingers. His mind reeled with Suellen’s words, still unconvinced of their reality, not wanting to admit the truth. Yet as he gazed upon his son, reality began to take form, and he suddenly realized that once again he was utterly alone. He had lost countless people in his life, each one leaving a scar so that his heart had become callous and hard, yet so tender that the thought of losing one more tore at him so that he grimaced holding back tears of rage and frustration. Cole whimpered, catching Wade’s attention, and he realized that his grip on the boy had become tighter, and he quickly relaxed his hold.
His eyes drifted around the room and he suddenly understood that he would soon be trapped alone in this large home with his mother, Cat, and Rhett. The thought was more than he could possibly bear. He had never felt comfortable with that woman, and now he was here with her, alone, unprotected by the swarms of people that usually revolved around them. Suddenly, he jumped from his seat. He had to run. He had to get out of this place before the walls began to tumble around him. His heart raced furiously as he held Cole tightly and began running through the house. He slammed through the back door and ran through the fields to the creek, unaware of the tears streaming down his cheeks.