Gura slan as scealai

Synopsis- they didn't open the mail bag, and Scarlett didn't get the news that Rhett married Anne.

She had to get home. She held the horrid paper in her hands. How was it possible? How could it be? She owned property in Georgia, and Georgia did not allow divorces. How could he have divorced her? This had to be a mistake. But there was no time for these worries. She needed to get back, she had stayed too long already. Without her clothes on, there was already a slight rounding to her normally flat stomach. She shouldn't have come, she shouldn't have stayed for the celebration.

Two and a half weeks later on the Brian Boru

The morning dawned calm and clear as Scarlett looked over the waters. The previous night she had been unable to find much rest, and so she had finally abandoned all pretense and escaped to the deck. The morning air blew gently, slightly tinged with the salt from the waters. It was only a matter of hours until she would have to face Rhett. She wondered absently if he would know the truth the moment that he laid eyes on her. Would he realize that they had been given a miraculous second chance?

This child would bring them back together. This child would be the rebirth of their marriage. Rhett was simply silly about children, and Scarlett was feeling a stirring inside of her that she had only briefly experienced before. But that stirring had not survived, and she was terrified that something might happen to take this gift from her. She placed her hands on her abdomen and rubbed slowly. She wanted this child, and not just as a way to capture Rhett. She already loved this child inside of her that had been created from a union with the man that held her heart.

With the other children, she had been too young, too selfish, too vain. She had not been prepared for the task of being a mother. Nothing in her life had prepared her for that. The thought still brought that flutter of fear into her heart. She had only been 17 when Wade had been born. And she had never had to be responsible for anything in her life. She had still been a spoiled, petted child. And then when Ella had been born, Scarlett had just turned 21. And she had been still just over the brink of starvation, with a fear in her eyes that she would again be destitute and hungry and unable to take care of her family. Ella had been an inconvenience that prevented her from insuring her family's survival. And even with Bonnie, she had still been locked into the mindset that she would never have enough things to protect her from war and political upheaval as a survivor of times like those are wont to do. She had loved Bonnie, because Bonnie was beautiful and strong-willed. But Scarlett had not wanted her at first, and the vanity aspect had in truth been very minor issue in her reasoning. It had been the fear that the world would be again turned asunder and she would be back at Twelve Oaks crawling through the slaves vegetable patches trying to find enough roots to stave off starvation for just one more day.

The first time that she had felt joyous about being in this condition, had been with the baby she had lost. Being with Rhett had begun to make her feel safer, as his presence had always been prone to do, feeling as if there was a buffer between her and poverty now. And she was certain that Rhett loved her, and that this child was a product of love and an all consuming passion. But then that had all been ripped from her, leaving a hollow ache in her heart.

And so she stood on the deck of this ship, looking out at the water as land slowly came into view along the horizon. The day of judgment was upon her. There was no turning back now.

She wondered if he would be angry at her for keeping this secret from him, not that she had kept it hidden for very long. He would have to be excited, he just had to. This child was a blessing. She didn't know if she could stand it if he wasn't.

She was still standing at the railing, staring out into distance when Colum found her.

"Scarlet, aroon. Ya weren't in ya room, and I was worried about ya." He said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are ya worried about seeing the babe's father?"

She turned to him – her eyes wide and alert-- and then looked back out into the distance. "Yes, I'm worried. God's nightgown! The man divorced me when I had been told it was all but impossible. He told me that he never wanted to see me again, and said that he wouldn't return to his mother's house until I left." She turned back to her cousin, "What if he turns me away or won't even see me? What if he won't listen to me? What if he doesn't believe that it is his?"

"Have ya given him reason ta doubt ya?" Colum questioned.

She nodded, her chin trembling. "I was a stupid little fool, flirting with every man that I saw. But I never..." she paused, as she attempted to control her emotions. "I was never unfaithful to my husband though few people would believe me. Colum, I swear that this child is his. I have never known a man who was not my husband."

"Then I'll be praying for ya, my child. And God will be with ya, of that I have no doubt. Did you yourself not say that this child was a gift from the Father?"

Scarlett looked into his kind blue eyes and smiled. "You're right." Scarlett narrowed her eyes and then squinted.

"Are ya feeling unwell? It might be best if ya lay down and rest a bit. There is still time for that before we dock." He advised her gently.

"I am a little tired, and my head does hurt. Perhaps it would be a wise idea. I'm going to need my rest because I know that I will have a lot of explaining to do to Rhett." She grinned wryly. "I am certain that he isn't expecting me."

After the boat docked, Colum escorted Scarlett down to the docks to wait for a hack to take her to the Butler's place on the Battery. The nap had helped relieve some of her weariness, but she still had a nagging headache, although she was thankful that the nausea was no longer plaguing her constantly. She doubted that anyone could tell by looking at her that she was with child, but as she had dressed to disembark she had noticed the gentle swelling of her abdomen. Truthfully, she shouldn't have stayed in Ireland as long as she had. Very soon she would be forced to hide inside her home until this child made its appearance. With each pregnancy she had showed a little more quickly, and this was not a secret that could stay hidden for long.

The air was warm and the pungent scent of fish brought a new wave of nausea that Scarlett was barely able to suppress. The sun was hot, leaving her lightheaded. The way she felt she was in no condition to see anyone, but she didn't have a choice. She needed to go to Rhett now. Putting it off another day would not make the revelation more pleasant for her to share. He had a right to know about his child. She had to go to him now and give him the chance to decide what he wants to do about this situation, although Scarlett hoped that it would make him give them a second chance.

But the sun was too hot, and her head pulsated with the pounding beats inside her skull. She leaned against Bridie, trying to stay strong, but not feeling like she was succeeding. She knew that she needed to lie down; her corset was too tightly laced for this stage of her pregnancy. She couldn't get enough breath, and she hoped that Colum would hurry. She had never been one who was prone to fainting. But now, she knew that she was near the verge of it. The only other time she had fainted was when Bonnie died, but now she recognized the signs.

He returned followed by a driver who took Scarlett's trunks and loaded them while Colum and Bridie helped Scarlett into the coach. After riding with her to the Butler's home, they would return to the ship to finish their journey. Scarlett knew that taking a coach was against what the Charlestonians considered proper, but considering her condition and the way she was feeling she knew that she would be exempt from that ruling. It would be much more of a black mark on her reputation if she were to faint in the middle of the street, allowing everyone to know that she was in a family way and had no husband. The carriage was definitely the right way to go about this.

Shielded from the sun and leaving the scent of fish behind her, Scarlett began to feel stronger. She wondered if Rhett would be there when she arrived. He might be at the Landing; he did so love that place. As she rode along with Kathleen and Colum at her sides, she dreamed of Rhett's reaction to her news. She knew that he hadn't wanted another child after they lost Bonnie, simply because he didn't want to risk his heart again. But once the shock wore off he would be just as excited as she was. She had no doubt in her mind. She imagined him holding their child, cooing and making faces as he had done with Bonnie.

Finally the carriage pulled up to the house, and Scarlett steeled herself against the possibility of Rhett's negative reaction. Scarlett hugged Bridie and bid her farewell. Then Colum handed her out of the carriage and then followed her up the stairs to the front door. He stood with her as she waited for Manigo to answer her summons. After a few minutes the door opened and Scarlett stepped in to the dim foyer. Colum kissed her cheek and blessed her before turning and rejoinging Kathleen in the carriage. The driver brought her trunks and set them just inside the door, and the carriage disappeared down the road to return to the ship for the remainder of the voyage to Savannah.

Manigo said nothing to her as she walked towards the parlor, certain that they would all be inside. The house was very quiet, although she could hear a voice that she didn't recognize drifting down the hall. Manigo never made a sound. She thought it odd that he hadn't greeted her or said a single word at all. She started to comment on this as she stepped towards the open door, but her words were silenced as the voices from inside the room floated out to her, allowing the words to echo in her mind. She stepped forward so that she was framed by the doorway as she listened to the Episcopal minister saying "...if there is anyone who can show just cause as to why these two should not be lawfully married, may they speak now, or forever hold their peace..."

A strangled cry escaped from her throat as the reality of the situation dawned on her. Her hand flew to her mouth. Her heart began to race and her lungs fought for air. This couldn't be happening. Rhett couldn't be marrying Anne Hampton of all people. The blood rushed from her face. She saw Rhett turn to her with a look of surprise and confusion, but then the blackness began creeping farther into her line of vision until the whole world was silenced and darkness welcomed her.