The end justifies the means

Pierre was devastated. In Liverpool he had read the newspapers and he was informed that South's defeat was complete, but reality surpassed his worst nightmares. He was in Savannah for just a day and he had seen enough pain and despair to last him a life time. After he made sure his aunts were safe and well provided, he left for Clayton County. As he was getting closer to the end of his journey, he felt his angst growing. Had Tara survived the war? He knew that the chances were against him. Most of the plantations around it were just ruins. And what about his family? Would he find them all alive? Had Rhett managed to protect Scarlett and keep her safe?

In retrospect, he knew that his decision to abandon all of them and escape to Europe was an inexcusable mistake. A crime, he chastised himself. Of course he had managed to preserve an important amount of money, which would secure the future of all of them, but what if there was no one left to share his treasure with? If that was the case, remorse would eat him alive, he would have no reason to live. He didn't expect that turn of events, he tried to justify his reasons to himself. And most of all he couldn't imagine that it would be impossible to communicate with any of them for more than a year. As soon as the borders were opened again, he took the first ship for the South.

It's impossible to describe his relief when he realized that Tara was still standing. But this was the first and last good news he was meant to receive that day. He felt as if his mother died all over again when he was informed of the death of his beloved Auntie Ellen. And he felt even more sorry for his uncle Gerald. He wasn't himself anymore. He looked so lost and frightened, like a child in a world that there was nothing left for him. He was terrified when he realized how deathly pale Suellen and Careen were and how exhausted poor Melanie and Ashley Wilkes looked. But his horror grew tenfold when Melly told him all the things Scarlett had to do to keep them alive this past year. Then his horror was replaced by complete shock when he realized that Rhett had never set foot at Tara and that Scarlett was in Atlanta for more than two weeks in order to find money to pay some taxes and she hadn't returned yet. When he mentioned that there was no need for Scarlett to do so, that a part of their parents' fortune was saved, he detected a dangerous gleam in Suellen's eyes; she was eager to learn how much money exactly was her share and when she may get it. "What happened to that sweet, innocent girl?" Pierre wondered.

The next day, after he gave money and strict instructions to Pork, the last male servant of the family, in order to go and get some food and medicine for the sick girls, he left for Pittypat Hamilton's house in Atlanta. He didn't know that he was about to receive many more bad news there.

He found the city changed, but also full of life and energy. The people of Atlanta, most of them completely ruined, were determined to start over, to rebuild their homes and their lives no matter what. The town was also full of Yankees, Scalawags and Carpetbaggers who tried to take advantage of the situation and make profit. Pierre, although he had a lot on his mind, didn't hesitate to think that they should also invest their money at some building enterprise there. Lumber business perhaps, he thought.

He was glad when he realized that Pittypat's house was still standing. The roof seemed destroyed and roughly patched but nevertheless he was glad that Miss Pitty wasn't homeless. He was also relived and amused when he also realized that the war hadn't changed the old maid one bit. At once she informed him about the hottest gossips in town. He was having fun, but his laughter was cut short when Pitty informed him that Rhett was in jail, and that probably the Yankees were going to hung him. Was that the reason why Scarlett was in Atlanta for so long? he wondered.

His reveries were interrupted when he heard commotion coming from the hall. They both jump up when they saw Scarlett entering the room, with Mammy as always following her, accompanied by a man. He didn't recognize him at once, but then he remembered Frank Kennedy, Suellen's fiancé. Scarlett run and hugged him, relief evident in her voice.

"Thank God, you are alive," she said and she looked so worn out and defeated that Pierre shuddered. This broken creature wasn't the Scarlett O' Hara he used to know.

Then Mammy stepped in. "Welcome home, Master Pierre," she said and hugged him. He felt as if a part of the old world was still alive.

Pierre sensed there was a weird tense in the parlor. Scarlett seemed eager to be left alone. She almost kicked Frank out. But he didn't seem offended at all. She gave him a much too sweet smile and whispered something inaudible to Pierre. He gave her a glance full of admiration and eternal loyalty and whispered back, "As you wish, Mrs. Hamilton, I mean Scarlett" and he left the gathering with a wide grin on his face.

Then, still wearing the same expression that Pierre knew she used when she wanted to lure her admirers, she turned to Miss Pitty.

"Auntie," she said politely, "I think it's time for your afternoon nap. You shouldn't over exert yourself. You know Melly shall be furious if she finds out I am not taking good care of you."

When the old lady left the room Scarlett sat heavily on a chair and sighed. She gave an all-knowing glance to Mammy and she disappeared at once.

Pierre sat beside her. He tried to engage her in small talk, but she was cold and aloof.

"I went to Tara first," he finally said with a low voice. "I know what happened. I am so sorry, Scarlett darling. You had to lift a bargain too heavy for your shoulders and I wasn't there for you and our family, when you needed me the most. I disappointed you and, even though I left for the sake of all of us, I will understand if you wish to never see me again. I will give you what it's yours and I will leave from your life forever, if that's what you prefer."

When she started sobbing silently, he took her in his arms.

"It was awful, Pierre. A true nightmare. I just want to close my eyes and forget everything about the last year. But don't feel guilty. I understand. It's not your fault, you couldn't have predicted that and you couldn't come home earlier."

Then a transformation happened in front of his eyes. Scarlett took the same cold and determined expression that he had seen on her only once, that night he visited her during Atlanta's siege. He shrugged. He almost wished she started crying all over again. A sign that she was still able to feel something. That she wasn't dead inside. She swept her eyes and much like her father, when he was provoked, she straighten her shoulders and rose her chin.

"It's done now anyway. We have to save Tara and you will help me. I have a plan," she said matter-of-factly.

The end justifies the means. Machiavelli's phrase couldn't leave Pierre's mind as he was listening his cousin's speech. Really he couldn't accuse Scarlett of anything. Tara was her home, it was only natural that she would do anything possible to preserve the last, according to what she knew back then, piece of her parent's fortune and a roof above the family's head. She had woven a complex plot, she had lied and cheated in order to persuade Frank Kennedy to marry her instead of her sister Suellen in order to access his money and take the necessary 300 dollars for Tara's taxes.

That Pierre could understand. He had seen Suellen, she wouldn't cooperate, she simply didn't care for their home and, after the horrible days she spent there after the war, she would have no problem at all if she left and never come back.

What Pierre couldn't understand was Scarlett's insistence to proceed in marrying him, even after she was informed that her mother had managed to save a part of her heritage and sent it abroad with his help without Gerald suspect a thing.

He would never forget the moment he delivered the happy news. He expected cheers and laughter and grand plans for extravagant luxuries. But Scarlett did nothing of these. She was stunned at the beginning and then she just hid her face in her hands silently sobbing and mumbling, "It's over, we will never be hungry again". It was only then that Pierre realized he no longer knew the woman in front of him. The last year had forced her to grow up abruptly and she needed time to readjust to the new reality. He took her in his arms for a "brother and sister" hug and whispered in her ear the only thing he believed that would comfort her, "The worst is over, Scarlett darling and, when we get Rhett out of prison, things are going to get even better."

He didn't fail to notice she was trembling and deathly pale all over again.

"Don't worry. The Yankee's are after his money, they are not going to hung him now that the war is over," he explained and unable to restrain himself he gave in to his curiosity. "What happened between the two of you? Melanie told me a couple of things but she created more questions than answers."

Not in a million years would he guess her reaction. Scarlett chuckled ironically.

"I am not worrying for him. He is a black hearted, arrogant cad. I hate him and I hope the Yankees go on and hang him. They will do something useful for a change," she said and her eyes were sparkling with genuine hatred.

"Melanie told me he helped you flee from Atlanta."

"That's what she told you?" she guffawed again. "Always kind and innocent Melanie. She survived a terrible war and she still believes there is no maliciousness in the world."

"Why? What happened?"

"As Melanie told you, the night Atlanta fell, I asked for his help. He was the only one I could count on. He did come, he stole a carriage for us and he helped us escape. And when we reach the bridge at Rough and Ready, completely out of the blue, he declared he wanted to enlist and he abandoned us."

"Scarlett, Rough and Ready is only a couple of miles away from Tara. He knew you would be safe. You can't accuse him for choosing to do the honorable thing."

"You can go and say that to Melanie and Prissy," she yelled. "We were petrified, we didn't know if Tara had survived, we had nothing to eat and we were dragging a newborn baby with us," suddenly she couldn't breathe, she wished she could forget everything about that horrible day.

"I am so sorry, Scarlett darling. I can't imagine how hard it was for you."

"No, you can't," she swallowed hard. "Anyway, I had decided that I didn't want to lay my eyes on him again, but when we learned that we had to pay this outrageous amount of money for Tara, he was again the only one I could think of. So I came to Atlanta to find him, when Aunt Pity informed me he was imprisoned by the Yankees."

"Didn't he tell you about the money?"

"I asked his help and he declined. He trapped me and humiliated me."

"I can't believe it. You said you needed him and he didn't care? Not possible!"

"It's more complicated than that," she mumbled.

Then as the memory of her last encounter with Rhett in his cell came in mind, she shivered and snapped out.

"Do you still regard him as a friend? He is a skunk, who thinks I am his toy. He didn't have any intention of giving me the money, but he let me abase myself because the opportunities for fun in jail were very rare, he openly admitted so. Please Pierre, I don't want to hear his name in my life again," she was sobbing again and her despair seemed sincere.

Pierre sighed and took her in his arms once more mumbling comforting words in her ear, realizing that in order to clear this mess out he had to talk to Rhett at once.

"As you wish, Scarlett dear. Anyway you don't need his or anyone else's money anymore. We will save Tara now and then you can do whatever you like. You can return to Tara, you can come and travel with me, you can even stay in Atlanta and help me with the lumber business I am planning to buy."

Suddenly Scarlett's eyes glanced. "Are you planning to invest the money in Atlanta?"

"In fact, I do. I believe it's an excellent business idea. That way Tara will be safe for ever and you will have more money than you will ever need," he explained.

"Then you will need a manager," Scarlett proposed. "You should hire Ashley Wilkes."

But Pierre didn't let her finish. "How can you still be so obsessed with him? Don't you see he is not worthy of you? He would be dead, and so would his wife and child be if it wasn't for you. He left you come here alone and you almost ruin your life with a man you don't love, while he did nothing to help you."

"Ashley didn't know what I was planning to do, nobody knew," Scarlett defended him at once. "He is a true gentleman, he could have never imagined," she stopped abruptly as she remembered that Pierre, thank God, didn't knew, what collateral she had offered to Rhett Butler for the loan. "No one knows about the wedding with Frank," she said to cover her previous mistake.

No matter how hard Pierre tried, it was impossible to extract any more pieces of information from his cousin. She insisted that she had to marry Frank Kennedy out of respect for his kindness and generosity, that she had given her word and she couldn't take it back. She wouldn't even think of postponing the wedding for a few days in order to reconsider the quality of her decision.

"I am a lady Pierre, I really am," she said with eyes full of tears. "I won't let anyone doubt that anymore," and with that she stormed out towards her room, leaving a dumbfound and furious Pierre alone at Miss Pittypat's parlor.

For a moment he felt desperate knowing that the wedding with Frank was going to ruin Scarlett's life for a second time. Then a mischievous smile spread across his face. If he knew his friend at all, and he was adamant that he did very well, the news of the abominable wedding mustn't have reached Rhett Butler's cell. That was going to be a devastating blow for Captain Butler, Pierre knew it, but he could feel no mercy. He had to solve that mess. And not only for Scarlett's sake, but for Rhett's too.

After all, the end justify the means and both Rhett and Scarlett were perfectly aware of that.