How long had it been since he had stepped foot in Atlanta? How long since he had seen her? He could answer both questions, almost ten years from the date he left her was the last time he had been here or seen her.
He had left and her temper got the best of her, hell both of their tempers had gotten away with them. At first her letters were pleading and heartbreaking, and then they changed. She was angry, and with good reason, a year had passed since he had last communicated with her. Then the letter he was never expecting, divorce papers. She had filed for divorce. He was relieved that she had taken the step he could not, yet part of him died the day he signed the paper that would forever sever him from her.
Ten years had passed. He mainly stayed in Charleston, but had traveled abroad from time to time to conduct business. He did not return to Atlanta, he couldn't face her yet. Letters from Henry Hamilton let him know that she had sold her businesses and their home and left Atlanta, it was assumed that she returned to her Tara. But the letter in his hand proved otherwise.
The letter was from his onetime stepdaughter Ella. She had written to let him know that her Mother had taken ill and would most likely not make it much longer. Her Mother's dieing wish was to make peace with him before she passed on.
Dear Mr. Butler,
I am writing on the behalf of my dear Mother, Scarlett O'Hara Butler. She has fallen quite ill and is requesting to see you. Her wish is to lay to rest the hard feelings between you and she. If you feel the need to fulfill this wish, please do not upset her further by bringing up the past. What has happened has been laid to rest some years ago and I only wish it to continue that way. She is very weak and needs not be upset further by your tongue or anger at her for actions that happened over ten years ago.
Again I am only writing to appease her; there is no real need for you to travel here, unless you do so with good intentions.
Miss E. Kennedy
The letter did not come from her beloved Tara, but from Atlanta. Rhett stared out at the city that had brought him his greatest joy and his hardest heartbreak. Sighing he went to hire a carriage to take him to Scarlett.
He pulled up in front of a modest home in the upper crust of town. He double checked the address to assure that this was indeed the correct home "Her tastes have improved" he commented as he tied off his horse, turned and made his way up the walk.
Bracing for the worse, he knocked softly on the door.
A few minutes passed and the door opened. His jaw slightly dropped "Ella" he said in shock.
"Yes Uncle Rhett, it's me," replied the lovely young woman before him "please come in."
He followed her to the sitting room "Please take a seat" she gestured to a chair "Mother will be back shortly."
"Ella you look wonderful" he finally spit you "I can't believe how much you look like your mother."
Ella slightly blushed at the compliment "Thank you Uncle Rhett, but if you will excuse me I will get some tea while we wait."
Rhett sat back. He couldn't believe how she had changed, "why she has to be close to seventeen," he thought as he watched her return and set up tea for two. Her hair had darkened to a deep auburn. Gone were the freckles that had adorned her face as a child. Her hazel eyes held the sharpest green. She was tiny, as her mother, and graceful in her movement. He would of sworn he had seen a young Scarlett opening that door a moment before, had her hair been a bit darker and her eyes more green.
Finding his voice "Where is your Mother?" he asked "I was under the impression from your letter that she was quite ill." he accepted the offered cup and took a sip.
"She..she had a better day today and went to the doctor's with James" she stuttered a bit as she took her seat.
Rhett could tell she wasn't being truthful, just like her Mother she wasn't good at lying "Ella is there something you haven't told me?" he asked.
Just then the front door opened. A voice he had missed filled the air with laughter "Oh James really" she said with laughter in her voice. Scarlett swept into the room "Ella honey whose carriage?" she started to ask as her voice caught in her throat "Rhett" she managed weakly "What are doing here?"
Just then another joined the picture. A man in his mid to late thirties. Tall dark and slightly devilish smile upon his face "Scarlett darling are you alright?" he asked as he put his hand on her arm for support. He looked up and locked eyes with the now standing Rhett "who are you?" he asked.
Ella skirted her way from the room, a sly smile lighting her face as she ran to her room "They will have to talk now" she whispered to herself as she shut her bedroom door.
Downstairs Scarlett had managed to gain her composure after the shock of Rhett Butler sitting in her sitting room. She turned to the man who had come in with her "James darling I need to speak to this gentleman about some business" she began smiling innocently, not sparing the dimples or sparkle in her eyes "I will see you later this evening for dinner" she finished as she showed the still silent James to the door.
"Scarlett" he began.
But she silenced him "Now James honey you know how much my businesses mean to me and I don't want to bore you with them. You go on and I will see you at seven." she shut the door before he could object further. She took a deep breath and went to face her ex-husband.
She sashayed into the room, placing her wrap on the couch across from Rhett "So what brings you to Atlanta Rhett?" she asked innocently "I mean you haven't blessed these parts with your presence for what" she paused as she poured a cup of tea and sat down across from him "ten years" batting her eyes she smiled and took a sip.
Rhett was starting to get very angry. Scarlett O'Hara had made him a fool of for the last time. He stood and retrieved Ella's letter from his pocket "Perhaps you can answer that or maybe you should ask your daughter?" he stated as he walked over to the fireplace, withdrew a cigar from his pocket and lit it "I came because I have been under the impression you are extremely ill and perhaps dieing" he stared into the flames, smoking his cigar as she read the letter.
Scarlett inhaled the scent she had missed for so long as he lit the cigar. Brandy, cigars and horses that is what came to mind when she thought of Rhett. He was here, she felt as if she was going to burst, then she read Ella's letter. Before Rhett could react she was standing "Ella get down here right now" she yelled at the top of her lungs then turned to Rhett, her voice softening "Honestly Rhett I do not know anything about this" she declared.
Rhett stared at her. Either Scarlett had become an accomplished liar or she was telling the truth.
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Ella entered the room quietly. Rhett and her Mother were staring at each other "You called Mother?" she asked as if nothing was happening.
Scarlett turned to her daughter, her Irish temper rising "What in the name of God is this?" she asked loudly as she thrust the letter at her.
Ella calmly took the letter and glanced briefly at it. She looked back at Scarlett "Well Mother I felt Uncle Rhett and yourself should work out your history before you move on with your life and marry James" she stated.
Scarlett's jaw dropped "What on earth are you talking about young lady?" she exclaimed in shock.
"Think about it Mother" she began "James is only after your money and you don't love him" she paused as her attention turned to Rhett "I might still be a child in your eyes but I am not blind or stupid" she paused as she caught her breath "You two are the ones who have acted like children for the last ten years." She ran out of the room, leaving Scarlett and Rhett at a loss for words.
Scarlett stood there, numb from her daughter's words. They were the truth. She had loved no one other than Rhett all these years, and James was a poor substitute for Rhett. She knew deep down that James's words of love were shallow at best, but it felt good to have someone say they loved you and long to hold you in their arms, no matter what the cost.
Rhett's voice brought her back to reality "I can see she has inherited your scheming element and Irish temper to boot" he laughed quietly " I mean really Scarlett what exactly did she think she would accomplish by putting us two in a room together."
"I don't know" Scarlett lied, she knew exactly what Ella was trying to do, save her mother from another loveless marriage and possibly bring her some happiness at the same time.
Scarlett turned to face Rhett and met his gaze straight on "Rhett" she said barely above a whisper.
He interrupted her before she continued, he could bare a lot from her but not to she her face if he rejected her claims of love "Since you appear healthy enough" he began as he tossed his cigar into the fireplace "I think I will take my leave of you my dear" he walked out of the room, brushing past her as he did.
"What you can't even have a civil conversation with me?" Scarlett pouted as she followed him. She didn't want him to go, she couldn't let him walk out the door again.
Rhett turned to face her "You know Scarlett even after ten years you are still such a child" he looked her up and down "granted time has been more than generous with you, but you are still a stubborn child" he tipped his hat "Good day Miss O'Hara I am sure you have better things or should I say better company to keep than to talk to me" he turned, hand on knob when her voice stopped him again.
"Really Rhett, I would say you are the one acting childish" she paused staring at the back of his head "running is something I would consider childish and an act of a coward" she turned and walked back to the sitting room.
Rhett paused, hand on knob, she had hit the spot. The wound he had created himself and could not heal. Yes he had ran, he had to run to save his soul, his very mind and heart from that woman, and yet she was right he was a coward and a bit childish. The graying at his temples stated his age, but inside he was as scared as a small child, scared of what feelings would be awoken if he were to spend anytime with her. Too many emotions had already plagued him since receiving the letter and seeing her enter the room. Her emerald eyes danced with mischief, her ebony hair so warm and inviting, her figure just as it was the last he saw her. She hadn't been marked by time, she was still as beautiful as the day he first saw her at Twelve Oaks so many years ago.
He turned and faced the door to the sitting room. Making the hardest decision of his life he stepped back into the room and faced her and what he had done to her. Deep in his heart he knew he was dangerously close to surrendering to her charms, but what if that is not what she wanted. Scarlett was the most perplexing creature he had ever met thus far, wasn't that what drew him to her in the first place? Had her heart closed it's self to him after all these years?
"What do we have to talk about Scarlett?" he asked as he reentered the sitting room. He looked around and took the room in, so feminine, so pastel and ladylike, so unlike the Scarlett he knew. Perhaps this wasn't the child like woman he had left, perhaps she finally grown up. He reclaimed his seat and watched her sit across from him "Well, my dear I don't have all day, though looking upon your lovely face is a nice pastime, shouldn't we get this civil conversation under way" he smiled as her eye brows drew together in frustration, he still knew how to egg her on.
"If you wouldn't be so rude" she commented as she smoothed her skirt a bit "What have you been up to for the last ten years?" she asked with a smile now upon her face.
"Well let's see" he began "after I received your divorce papers" he began but was interrupted.
"I had no choice Rhett Butler" she declared, "You…you wouldn't come home. You wouldn't give me a chance" she defended herself.
Rhett watched her and he knew she was telling the truth "I am sorry for that Scarlett, but I thought I had explained my actions the night I walked out" he withdrew another cigar and lit it "I needed to rid myself of you."
"Then why didn't you file for divorce?" she asked "You have no idea the time I had getting Henry to draw up the papers, much less file them with the courts and the matter of the stain on my soul for that action" she felt the tears threatening, tears she had cried each night for him. She knew why Ella had done what she did, she couldn't stand to hear her cry at night anymore "I didn't want the damn thing and to be honest I expected you to come home and stop it before it was finalized" she finished as she gained her composure again.
"Perhaps that is what I should of done" he commented more to himself than her "But what of this James character, who is he to you?" Rhett asked calmly. If he was to surrender anything to her he had to know where things stood.
Scarlett began fiddling with the lace on her dress "Well James is" she began "he..he is" she paused "I really don't know what I would call him. I am far to old to have a beau and I haven't excepted his proposal" she finished.
He laughed to himself "Well you are at least trying to tell the truth, that is a start" he took another puff "What is this about a proposal?" he asked as a feeling he hadn't felt in years began to build in his chest. He used to feel this way about Ashley Wilkes when he looked at Scarlett. At this thought he asked another question before she answered the first "and my dear what ever happened to your honorable Ashley Wilkes?"
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"Well my dear aren't you going to fill me in on the honorable Mr. Wilkes" Rhett was agitating himself. Thoughts of Scarlett throwing herself at that shell of a man irritated him to no end "Well since the cat seems to have gotten your tongue, I think I will take my leave of you" he paused as he stood and grabbed his hat "your silence has spoken volumes, it was indeed a mistake to come here" he tipped his hat to the still silent Scarlett, took in the vision of her one last time and walked away.
Rhett stormed from the room.
Scarlett snapped back with the slamming of her front door "Rhett No" she breathed as she ran after him.
He was on the front porch lighting another cigar "Rhett you don't understand" she began.
But Rhett stopped her "Understand what Scarlett" he questioned her in a lowered voice "that you finally got what you wanted" he shook his head "I should of stayed gone, it was easier that way" he threw his cigar down "good day Scarlett" he began descending the stairs, again walking out of her life.
"Rhett, Ashley is dead" she blurted in desperation to stop him. Not caring what her neighbors thought she followed him down the stairs "I let you walk away once but not again" she continued "I never chased him or threw myself at him. He...he hid away in his house until I had no choice but to sell the lumber company, I couldn't run it and the store by myself and one day he just drifted off in his sleep. I think he died the night Melly did" she shook her head in sadness. "Honestly Rhett if you would of only listened" she turned from him then and ran back to the house, slamming the door behind her.
Rhett stood, stared in disbelief of her words "Ashley is dead" he repeated to himself. He couldn't face her just then, he would come back later after her temper had cooled. Rhett took his leave with the thought of returning later to talk to Scarlett "I am getting far to old for all this melodrama" he muttered to himself as he set the horse in motion and traveled down the quiet street.
Scarlett ran to her room, flung herself onto her bed, tears running down her face "Damn Him" she screamed into her pillows "I...I was just taken back by the fact he didn't know" she sobbed harder "I thought he knew."
Some time later that afternoon, Scarlett walked slowly down the stairs. She had given herself a headache with all the tears she had cried. Ella had escaped earlier that day to visit a friend.
Scarlett entered the study and walked directly over to the liquor cabinet. Her hand was on the crystal decanter when someone knocked at the door. She looked down at the glistening caramel colored liquor before her, though it had been some years since she had taken a drink, she desperately wanted one, but then the knock at the door came again.
Snapping out of it she left the study to answer the door.
As soon as she opened the door she was pushed back "What on earth?" she screamed as she fell to the floor. Looking up she met the angered and drunken gaze of James "James what?" she began but was stopped as he grabbed her by the arm, jerking her up off the floor. Fear gripped her soul at the sight of his anger-crazed eyes. She had never seen him drunk or angry before.
"So that was the man you stands between me and you" he hissed as he kicked the door shut behind him "let's have a nice little talk shall we" he continued as he dragged her to the study.
Once in the study he threw her to the floor again. Scarlett held her bruised arm as she watched him pour a drink "James" she said weakly.
He turned to her "No you shut up for once Miss High and Mighty. I have been down to the Saloon this afternoon and learned some very interesting information about my sweet innocent whore of a fiancé" he downed the drink and poured another "So you want to have me on the side while you rekindle something with that old man" shaking his head he down another "from what I learned today you did the same thing to him."
Scarlett felt her temper rising. Anger, something she had tried desperately over the last ten years to curb came to a head as she picked herself up from the floor. No one was going to talk to her like that "Mr. Blackstone I think you have worn out your welcome in my Home and I am not now nor have I ever been engaged to you" her chest was heaving with anger as she faced him "and as far as that old man you call him, he is twice, no ten times the man you will ever be" raising her hand and pointing to the door "Now Leave this place and never darken my door again." She felt relieved at telling him off finally and ridding herself of the situation of turning him down politely.
James laughed "You know I don't think I am going to take your suggestion" he advanced upon
her "In fact I think you need to learn a few lessons in respect" he grabbed her by the hair and pulled her down "You will learn to watch your mouth young lady" he hissed as he drew back his free hand, bringing it down on her face "I have played ever so nicely with you for the past year and I am not going watch it all fall apart because he chose to come back now. You will learn your place woman."
Scarlett's head whipped back from the blow. Pain instantly spreading across her cheek. Tears threatened but she wouldn't let them fall. Instead she turned back to stare at him "I have been through worse" she hissed as he drew back again.
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Scarlett lay on the hard wood floor of her study. How long she lay there, she had no idea. How many times had he hit her, she was not sure. She could see blood, her blood, pooling on the floor before her. She knew that he stood above her still, staring down at her crumpled form.
"It didn't have to be this way my darling" he now whispered "all you had to do was behave and I would never have had to discipline you." She heard his footsteps walk away from her. She heard him pour another drink.
Never in her life had she felt so defeated. Even when the Yankees threatened her home and family she had had the strength to face them down. But now, she lay, crumpled in her own blood and the man who just earlier that day had confessed his love to her and asked her again to be his wife, had caused this. Her spirit was breaking and she felt powerless to stop it. Tears built, but through her swollen bruised eyes they could not fall.
Her heart still screamed, trying to fire up her spirit again, but her mind became placid to the events. Rhett wouldn't come to her rescue. The only man that she had loved had walked away again and now she was faced with a monster across the room. She had always handled men in the past, but had never been brutalized by one like this.
She never heard the front door open. It wasn't till Ella's voice filled her ears "Mother" Ella screamed as she took in the sight of Scarlett beaten and James standing now over her.
Scarlett gathered her last reserves of strength. Pulled herself up and screamed to Ella "Run and get help" at this James kicked her and took off after Ella. The pain over took Scarlett as world around her faded to black.
James ran after Ella, but stopped abruptly at the figure in the doorway "Get out of here" he hissed.
"Not today" replied the steady Charleston drawl "I think it will be you that will be leaving" from where he stood Rhett could see Scarlett's limp form "I am not going to ask nicely again" Rhett challenged as his gaze met the drunken glare of James.
"You Son of" James started as he lunged at Rhett.
Rhett dodged his drunken attack easily as he watched James stumble to the ground "I gave my last warning" he said steadily.
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Scarlett awoke in her bed. She slowly opened her eyes. The pounding in her head registered that she was not dead. Carefully she looked around the room. There in the corner sat a site she had only dreamed of. Rhett sat quietly puffing on a cigar staring out the window "Rhett" she called weakly.
Rhett jumped at the sound of another voice in the room. He quickly tossed his cigar in the fireplace and went to her side "Hush now you need to rest" he spoke softly as he held her hand.
"I love you" she said weakly as sleep overcame her.
Rhett sat there holding her tiny hand "and I love you" he said softly.
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Two weeks later found Scarlett in much better shape. She was mainly bruised and sore, but would recover nicely she had been told by the doctor. Rhett stayed by her side during her recovery.
Every time she would start to ask what happened, he would silence her and tell her she needed to rest. He had finally faced the fact that he was still in love with her and would love her till the end of his days. He had also decided that maybe time had healed them both enough to try again.
It was with this thought on his mind that he began the conversation that would change both of their lives forever, either way.
The afternoon was warm as he carried her out to the back veranda "Really Rhett I can walk" she protested lightly, but her smile gave away the fact that she was loving every minute. He settled her in a chair and sat down next to her "Well Rhett what is so important that you wanted to talk about?" she asked, her eyes dancing in excitement.
Rhett cleared his throat before he began "Well I feel that you should know the events of that dreadful afternoon" he took in how her face faded at those words "I was coming back to see you when I ran into Ella walking home. I gave her a ride home. I had barely made my way up the sidewalk when she came running out" he paused to keep his emotions in check before continuing "that is when I heard you scream for help. I pushed past Ella and ran into the house. I could barely see you on the floor and came face to face with him. Words were said and then he jumped at me" again he paused "I realize no one has told you where he is or what happened, and I am not going into details on it" he took her hand in his "but he will never bother you again" he brought her hand to his lips "it was when I had thought I lost you that I admitted to myself how much I love you Scarlett and I don't ever want to face the chance of losing you again" he got up and bent down on one knee before her.
Scarlett's mouth dropped. "He loved her" her mind screamed "Rhett she managed softly" as tears began to fall "Oh Rhett" she cried.
"Scarlett forgive me for being the biggest fool on earth" he smiled as he finally saw in her eyes what he had wanted, needed his whole life "would you marry me?" he asked.
Tears of joy fell unabated as she pulled him to her "yes Rhett…oh yes Rhett" she cried as she clung to him.
A figure stood in the doorway watching the scene play out. A smile filled Ella's face….
The close of a chapter and the beginning of a new adventure.