"Well, what do you think?" Billy asks.
"It's no tower, but it'll have to do," Cat answers.
"Come up in the tree house so I can show you inside. Sometimes Aunty Pitty Pat, when she's getting over one of her fainting spells, likes to watch when I'm playing with the other boys. It almost seems like she wants to come out and play with us," Billy chuckles.
"What do you mean?" Cat questions, as she makes her way up the tree house.
"Well Cat, Aunt Pitty isn't like other women. You'll understand what I mean when you meet her. So, what do you think of the house?"
"It's good enough. You should put some rugs in here, though."
"So, how's the old town?"
"I don't really know. Momma and I had to run away from there because the people tried to kill us. I guess da must've known. Maybe that's why he came for us."
"I thought your da was dead."
"So did I, but obviously he's not. It's nice to have a da for a change."
"Yes it is. Mr. Wilkes will never replace me da, but I like him all the same and Beau is pretty nice. Just the other day he helped reel in a nice big catfish."
"I'm getting hungry."
"Maybe it's you that should've been named Ocras, Cat," Cat and Billy laugh, "Lets go look in on Aunt Pitty. We'll have a snack and you'll get to meet her."
Inside Aunt Pitty Pat's House
"Good morning Aunt India."
"Hello Billy, how are you? And . . . oh . . . who is this Billy? She looks almost like . . . oh my."
"This is Cat, Aunt Scarlett's daughter. They're visiting from Ireland. Where's Aunt Pitty?"
"She's in the parlor Billy."
"Nice to meet you . . . um," Cat responds bewildered.
"Just call me Aunt India, dear."
"Yes Aunt India."
"See you children later. Kevin is expecting me home soon for his dinner."
"Bye Aunt India," They both answer.
At that, Billy grabs Cat's hand and they run into the parlor. Aunt Pitty is reading Charles Dickenson, lounging in one of the chairs.
"Good morning Aunt Pitty," Bill greets.
"Good morning Billy. Won't you please come in, and who's your friend?" Aunt Pitty questions as if she didn't hear Billy explaining to India who Cat is.
"This is Cat. She's visiting from Ireland."
How do you do?" Cat answers.
"Why, she looks almost like Captain Butler."
"Rhett Butler is my father, but why did you say Captain just now?" Cat questions.
"Well my dear your father is a sailor. He was involved in the American Blockade," Aunt Pitty Pat answers.
"What's a blockade?" Cat asks.
"Well my dear, a blockade is when . . .
The Wilkes' Home
"Where are the children?" Scarlett asks.
"Don't worry Aunt Scarlett. They're probably at the old tree house. They're fine," Beau answers.
'So Beau, any colleges you're interested in? Harvard maybe?" Scarlett asks.
"I was thinking of WestPoint. Uncle Rhett, you've been there, right? What's it like?"
"Well Billy, it's a very disciplined school. It wasn't really right for me, but I'm sure it'll be okay for you," Rhett chuckles.
"So Scarlett how's Ms. Fitzpatrick?" Harriet asks.
"Oh Ms. Fitzpatrick," Scarlett reaches for Rhett's hand, "I heard she died when I was in Trent. Apparently, she was burned to death in that church in the middle of town," at that Scarlett breaks down.
"Oh no Scarlett! She was such a good person. She kept the big house in order and everything. I can't believe it."
"Me neither," turning to Ashley, "So Ashley, how's the lumber business?"
"It's quite fine Scarlett; More building in this town. I guess it does pay to be honest, huh?" Ashley smiles at Scarlett with a wink.
At that, Scarlett bursts out in laughter, everyone joining in.
"Well, I'll be leaving the day after tomorrow."
"So soon Scarlett?" Harriet questions.
"Have to. I'm going to England to settle some issues with the Earl of Fenton."
"Oh, I see," Harriet says quickly looking into her cup of tea and smiling.
Ashley watches his wife noticing her certain change in tone. Then, he looks around his home, noticing the feminine linens on the window and the simplicity of the parlor. Harriet really helped him to heal because when she came, she was hurting just as much as he was. He was a widower; she was a widow: the perfect fit. Sometimes he'll talk to her and he'll think he's talking to Melly. Yet, sometimes he feels guilty because he feels he is forgetting her. Shortly after they got married, Harriet noticed this when he looked away from her after they had just spoke about the old south and before. She immediately took his hands into hers and told him that this is what Melanie would've wanted, for him to heal and for someone to help him do that. At that thought, Ashley smiles. Then he starts to realize everyone is looking at him.
"So Ashley, what happened?" Scarlett asks.
"About what?" Ashley asks.
"About India's wedding; I heard there was an uproar," Scarlett smiles with delight, "Must've humbled her, didn't it?"
"Oh that, well it's just a lot of people don't really like the fact that India married a Yankee. He may be a scalawag, but he's really not a bad person. His only fault is him being a Yankee. Nothing really happened at the wedding, just the usual gossip. India wasn't too happy about that. She ran out of the church, but she was able to gain her composure after all."
Rhett and Scarlett begin to look at each other and start smiling.
"Too bad I missed the wedding," Scarlett says trying not to laugh, "I want to take a look at the town now. I want to see what damage you've done to the saw mill, Ashley."
Everyone laughs.