Chapter Four: Truth
Ella discreetly made her way out of the library, suddenly remembering she wasn't meant to be in there, especially alone.
Soon after she was approached by a very eager Charles Hamilton.
"You must know Miss O'Hara that I, well I love you and it would be my greatest honour if you agree to be my wife."
Ella sighed, the boy was so nervous that he hadn't even looked her in the eye yet, if he had he might have noticed they were blue and not green.
"Mr Hamilton, I believe you have mistaken me for my sister."
Charles' face grew red at her words and properly looked for the first time at who he had just proposed to.
"Miss Ella! I'm… I… I'm so sorry."
"Don't trouble yourself, but I suggest you rethink your intentions Charles Hamilton. Why you are practically promised to Honey Wilkes, and I thought you were a gentleman."
Charles was even more embarrassed and slightly affronted at being called ungentlemanly.
Ella gave him a curtsy and made her way outside onto the porch. She closed her eyes and pointed her face towards the afternoon sun, relaxing in its warmth.
Rhett Butler had made his way onto the porch to watch the chaos which accompanied the announcement of the war. Looking to his left he noticed Miss Ella O'Hara resting against the porch banister, head tilted back, eyes closed and face basking in the afternoon sun. Rhett grinned at the sight, and Ella become more intriguing at each meeting.
"Out without a bonnet Miss O'Hara, why would a Lady risk her complexion in such a way?"
Ella opened her eyes to find Rhett Butler standing next to her.
"A few minutes won't do me any harm Mr Butler."
"You left a red faced and stuttering Mr Hamilton in the foyer, whatever could he have done for you to cause him such distress."
Ella could hear the amusement in Rhett's voice and something about the man made her feel comfortable in his presence.
"He mistook me for my sister and proposed to me. So, I tried to save my sister from making a rash mistake and told him he wasn't a gentleman, since he is practically promised to Honey Wilkes and yet goes around proposing to any girl he sees."
"How could anyone mistake you for your sister."
It wasn't a question, but Ella answered anyway.
"Very easily and quite often I assure you."
Rhett studied the young girl next to him. Miss Ella O'Hara was refined and would surely grow up to be the lady her mother had groomed her to become. Her sister however was a child and probably always would be.
"You'll never have to worry about that with me. For twins, you and your sister could not be more different."
Ella glanced over at Rhett to find him studying her. His intense gaze made her blush and squirm. She felt uncomfortable and self-conscious at being observed under his gaze. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear in her nervousness and looked down as she was unable to hold his stare. Still, for some reason she believed him, she believed he would never mistake her for her sister, and this made Ella smile.
"You looked positively entranced at Ashley Wilkes at the barbeque, I hope you and your sister don't share the same opinion of him."
Ella gave Rhett a look which said she didn't appreciate him bringing up what they had witnessed in the library.
"He was telling me about his Grand Tour. You see it is a dream of mine to travel to Europe one day."
"Is that so? Paris is my favourite place on earth, and London a close second. I highly recommend you take up the opportunity to visit when it presents itself."
"You've been to Europe?!"
Rhett smiled at Ella's enthusiasm.
"Many times."
"Oh my, you're very lucky Mr Butler."
"Anyone would think Georgia is not to your liking Miss O'Hara."
"Oh, please call me Ella, Mr Butler. I do like it here, but everywhere is the same, no matter where you go. A change would be nice and from what I have read Europe seems so very different. Though now we're at war it might be a while before I get the chance to see for myself."
"I believe you are correct in that assumption I'm afraid."
They both shared a sad smile.
"Although, I expect I will be visiting England a lot in the not too distant future."
"Because of the war you mean."
"Indeed, Miss Ella."
"If I were braver I would ask you to take me with you, before the war really begins."
Ella sighed. Despite her hopes and dreams she just couldn't bring herself to go against her mother's teachings in such a way. Ella tensed. How could she say such a thing to a man? She just felt so comfortable talking to him, something Ella had never experienced before. Before Ella could let slip anymore inappropriate remarks, or Rhett could reply, Ella decided she should take her leave.
"I think I'll go find my sister now, before Mr Hamilton does."
Rhett took her hand in his and kissed it as he did in the library. Ella's breath caught and her heart raced at his action.
"It has been a pleasure conversing with you Miss Ella. I hope we meet again."
"As do I Mr Butler."
Rhett grinned at the affect he had on the young Lady and watched as Ella practically ran away from him with as much grace as she could muster.
Over the next few weeks, weddings and war were the only topics of conversation. This was no different in the O'Hara household as Scarlett was busy planning her wedding to Charles Hamilton. Ella had been too late to stop Scarlett accepting his proposal and their mother has had no luck since, trying to convince Scarlett to change her mind or at least postpone it until after the war. One evening Ella joined Scarlett in her bedroom to try to change her mind, she knew her best chance was to appeal to Scarlett's vanity.
"Are you really sure you want to get married right now Scarlett, with the war just starting. You do realise you'll most likely end up a widow because of this war. Do you really want to have to wear black at sixteen!"
Although this made Scarlett pause it wasn't enough to change her mind.
"You don't know Charles will die Ella, the war will be over soon anyway. They say one battle is all it will take."
"The people saying that are proud fools."
"They know more about war than you do sister."
"As a widow there would be no dances, in fact no balls or social outings of any kind!"
Ella knew Scarlett loved nothing more than dancing and wearing pretty dresses and hoped that was enough to put her off rushing into marriage, at least for the moment.
"If I were you, I would at least wait until after the war before you catch a husband in your web of charms."
"Maybe your right Ella."
Scarlett talked to Charles and told him she didn't want to rush their wedding.
"It's such a special day and I want to do it properly Charles. In the meantime, I can get to know you and your family better before I become a part of it. Do you mind waiting until after the war, it will over soon anyway?"
Charles Hamilton didn't mind; he was happy with the knowledge Scarlett was waiting for him and was firm in the belief that the war would be won shortly.
Scarlett had to watch as the love of her life got married to Melanie Hamilton. As Ashley Wilkes doted on his new wife with adoration, all Scarlett could do was imagine herself in place of Melanie.
Once the men had left to fight in the war, the O'Hara twins, especially Scarlett, found themselves with a limited number of distractions.
"War has ruined all my fun! It's so boring here without any beaux or barbeques or balls. Is it really going to be like this as long as the war is going on?"
"I'm afraid so Scarlett."
Ellen O'Hara found her oldest daughters in Ella's room, both looking decidedly bored.
"Darlings, whatever's the matter?"
"The war has taken away all my fun Mother."
"How about a trip to your Aunts in Charleston?"
Scarlett immediately declined, but Ella was rather intrigued by the idea of being by the ocean.
"Well, I received a letter today from Mrs Wilkes inviting the both of you to stay with her, at her Aunts in Atlanta. Scarlett, she's looking forward to getting to know her future sister in law better and apparently you became good friends at the Wilkes' barbeque earlier this summer, Ella."
"Oh yes Mother. That sounds wonderful."
Atlanta was a city and Scarlett knew it would be so much more exciting than the country.
"Melly? I would like to see her again. Maybe I could travel onto Charleston for a while and join Scarlett in Atlanta later?"
"If that is what you wish my dear, I shall write the necessary letters."
"Thank you Mother!"