What was she going to do? She couldn't fail, not...
What was she going to do? She couldn't
fail, not in thisHe had to take the job"I made a deathbed promise
to my dearest friend, Mrll Her tears were unplanned nowWilkes asked me to help, and now I'm asking you The whole
story tumbled out-how Melanie had always sheltered AshleyAshley's
ineptness as a businessman his attempt to bury himself with his
wife
the stacks of unsold lumber the need for secrecy Colleton
held up his hand to stop herWilkes, I'll take the job His hand dropped, extended"I'll
shake on it, you'll get the best-built houses with the best materials
in them Scarlett put her hand in his"Thank you," she saidShe
felt as if she'd scored the triumph of her lifeIt was only some
hours later that she chanel pearl necklace remembered that she hadn't intended to use the
best of everything, only the best lumberThe miserable houses were
going to cost her a fortune, and out of her own hard-earned money,
too
She wouldn't get any credit for helping Ashley, either
Everybody would still slam their doors in her faceNot really
everybodyI've got plenty of my own friends, and they're a lot more
fun than those frumpy old Atlanta peopleScarlett put aside the
sketch Joe Colleton had made on a paper sack for her to study and
approveShe'd be a lot more interested when he gave her the
numbers
for hisestimate; what difference did it make what the houses looked
like or where he put the stairs? She took her velvet-covered visiting
book from a drawer rolex wrist watches and again to make a listShe was going to give a
partyA big one, with musIcians and rivers of champagne and huge
amounts of the best, most expensive foodNow that she was done
with
deep mourning, It was time to let her friends know that she could be
invited to their parties, and the best way to do it was to invite them
to a party of her ownHer eye skimmed quickly past the names of
Atlanta's old families
They all think I should be in deep mourning for Melly, no sense asking
themAnd there's no need to wrap myself in crape, either
ú She wasn't my sister, only my sister-in-law, and I'm not even sure
that counts since Charles Hamilton was my first husband and there've
been two since himú Scarlett's shoulders louis vuitton graffiti bag slumped
Charles Hamilton had nothing to do with anything, nor did wearing
crapeShe was in the truest kind ú of mourning for Melanie; it was a
perpetual weight and worry in her heartShe missed the gentle,
loving
friend who had been so much more important to her than she had ever
realized; the world was colder and darker without MelanieScarlett had been back from the country for only two
days, but she had known enough loneliness in the two nights to strike
fear deep into her heartShe could have told Melanie about Rhett
leaving; Melanie was the only person she could ever confide in about
such a disgraceful thingMelly would have told her what she needed
to
hear, too"Of course ll be back, she would have said, "he
loves you prada bowler handbag so Those were her very words, right before she died"Be
kind to Captain Butler, he loves you so Just the thought of
Melanie's words made Scarlett feel betterIf Melly said that Rhett
loved her, then he did, it wasn't only her own wishful thinking
Scarlett shook off her gloominess, straightened her spineShe didn't
have to be lonely at allAnd it didn't matter if Atlanta's Old Guard
never spoke to her again everShe had plenty of friendsWhy, the
party list was already two pages long, and she was only up to letter L
in her bookThe friends Scarlett was planning to entertain were the
most flamboyant and most successful of the horde of scavengers that
had
descended on Georgia in the days of the Reconstruction louis vuitton bag to buy government