Rhett rushed out of his room and ran out of the house. He didn't wait for his carriage to be brought around. Instead Rhett just went out and jumped on his horse and rode to the docks. Once he got there he made quick enquiries as to when the next ship to Ireland left. He was told it would be the next day and he knew it would then take two weeks to reach the emerald hills of Ireland. Quickly calculating in his mind; the letter was date November Fourteenth, today was the Third of December. Scarlett had said she was getting married in 6 weeks after which their daughter would be lost to him.

'No!' Rhett shouted at himself, 'I will not lose another child.'

If he took the next boat he would be there in time. Suddenly Rhett realized Scarlett was planning on getting married on Christmas Day. It made sense, Six weeks from the Fourteenth. But how was he to explain his absence at Christmas to his mother, wife and sister?

'I guess I'll have to tell them the truth.' Nothing would keep him away from his baby. 'NOTHING,' He thought to himself firmly.

After booking his ticket, Rhett went into town and sent a telegram with his travel details and a short message to Scarlett. He then returned home to see his family sitting in the parlour. All three women were talking quietly to one another and the atmosphere seemed so pleasant.

'Shame I am going to ruin it,' he thought guiltily.

Rhett entered the parlour and immediately all three women turned to him with matching worried expressions. If he wasn't so stressed about the situation he might have laughed.

"Rhett! You're back! What happened? You rushed out of here in such a hurry, darling. Are you alright?" Anne asked quietly, her eyes never leaving his face.

"Did it have something to do with the letter you received today?" Eleanor asked.

Rhett looked at them and just sighed. He went and sat down on his favourite armchair and contemplated for a minute exactly how he was going to answer their questions.

He looked at Anne first and smiled softly then looked at his mother and sister.

"Yes. It has to do with the letter. The letter contained some news which is both wonderful and terrible at the same time." He stopped for a minute trying to phrase his words so as to shock them the least.

Rosemary cut in impatiently, "What news? Just tell us. Stop beating around the bush. For someone who is normally straight forward, you sure are taking awhile to get to the point."

"If you let me speak then I will." He said slowly and then stopped to make sure he had their attention.

"The letter was from Scarlett." He saw the shocked expressions on their faces and anger on Rosemary's.

"Now don't interrupt," Rhett said when he saw Rosemary open her mouth. "Just let me finish. Hold your questions till then." She nodded.

"Scarlett is getting married again so she decided now was the time to share information that rightly should've been shared three years ago." Rhett said bitterly.

"When she left she was in the family way. She had a baby, my baby. Now she wants me to sign away my rights to the child so her new husband can adopt my child" Rhett finished with an angry look on his face.

For a minute there was no reaction then he looked at Anne. She was trying not to show her immense heartbreak at the news.

'Damn, I should've known this would hurt her.' Rhett thought to himself as he reached across to pat her on her shoulder.

"What do you mean she wants you to give up the baby? How do you even know if it's yours? The way she carried about it could be anyone's child," Rosemary burst out before seeing the angry expression on her brother's face.

"The baby is mine. Her name is Katie Colum. She turned three on November first. The timing fits from the time she left here and when the child was born. Besides" He said ruefully, "Scarlett has no reason to lie. She is to marry an Earl and become a Countess. She has no need for my money." Rhett shook his head and laughed bitterly. "She has no need for me even as the father of her child"

Eleanor saw the heartbreak her son was going through. She was feeling something similar. On one hand, the joy of being a grandmother again, on the other the sadness that it may never happen due to circumstances. Her heart went out to her son.

"What are you going to do son?"

"What else can I do Mother? I'm going to her. Scarlett gave me a choice, I could either sign the papers and send them back or go visit the baby. But after the wedding they will both be Fentons" He spat the name out as if it were a curse.

"You're going to Scarlett?" Anne asked with a slight catch in her voice "When?"

"Tomorrow. I am sorry Anne. I have to go. I just can't give up my child. She's a part of me. Scarlett is getting married on Christmas Day. If I want to see my child I must get there before the wedding, before Cat is lost to me forever." He said trying to make her understand.

"What if this is all a ruse to see you? What if there is no child, no wedding?" Rosemary said, still not trusting her ex-sister-in-law.

"She is not lying about the wedding. A mutual friend from Ireland wrote to me two months ago informing me of her engagement," Rhett stopped suddenly. He realized now they would know why he went to Europe; to see Scarlett. He hoped they wouldn't pick up on it but he hoped in vain.

"Mutual friend? Meaning you have known where she is the entire time?" Rosemary asked in an angry voice. "You have been to see her? How could you?"

"Enough. My relationship with Scarlett was and remains none of your business. I just wanted to let you know that I am leaving tomorrow. I don't know when I will be back." He said in a calm yet deadly voice. Rhett addressed the first part to his sister and the rest to his wife and mother. He then got up and walked to his study.

Closing the door and walking to his desk, he sat down and unlocked the third draw on the left. From inside Rhett took out a picture he treasured for years. A beautiful portrait of Bonnie and Scarlett. He traced the lines of Bonnie's face and then turned his attention to Scarlett. Although he understood why she had kept Cat from him, that did not stop the surge of anger that went through his body.

"Two weeks, it's just two weeks," Rhett said out loud. "Then I'll see my child… and Scarlett again."

BALLYHARA

Scarlett looked at the telegram in her hand. She didn't know what to think.

ARRIVING 18 DEC STOP
ON BRIAN BROU STOP
WANT TO MEET MY DAUGHTER STRAIGHT AWAY STOP
COMING ALONE STOP
RHETT STOP

The telegram was so brief. 'He's coming' she thought. 'Thank God he isn't bringing his wife or sister with him'

She had to tell Luke and then Colum!

'Colum will help me prepare Cat, I have to prepare Luke.'

Hey guys, I hope you like what you've read so far. Please review. I welcome constructive criticism. I tried to get as much out today as I could. But I need to think about the next bit so I'll post that asap. If enough people say they like this that it.

Thank you Raicheal