Okay, all of a sudden, copy and paste isn't working for me. Let me try this again. Thank you to everyone who has been sticking with this story and reading for this long. Sorry that the updates haven't been coming along as quickly as they were earlier, but hopefully since this is a longer one, it was worth the wait. I also would like to sincerely thank everyone who has taken the time to share their thoughts and comments. I truly appreciate each little note. And now, back to our story…..

Chapter Nine

Two consecutive late nights filled with over-indulgence of alcohol meant that Rhett, typically an early-riser was still in bed after the dawn had come and gone. Waking, he stretched in his small bed before rising to start the day. Listening for sounds of movement from either of the suite's other occupants and hearing none, he closed his eyes for a few more moments.

Suddenly, he heard the urgent pounding of footsteps followed by the distinct sound of retching. Rising quickly, grabbing his robe and donning it as he went, Rhett ran to the adjacent bedroom. Here he found Scarlett, barely hanging onto the chamber pot with her one good arm, her back curled with the effort of expelling what could only be the remnants of last night's supper. With each spasm, she moaned painfully and he could only imagine what this vomiting session felt like on her bruised ribs.

Reaching her side, he brushed the hair back from her sweaty brow and stood close enough so she could lean against him. His own stomach flipped in sympathy but he fought down the bile that threatened to rise in his throat. She continued with her painful retching while he gently stroked her back in an effort to soothe her. A few minutes later she quieted, trembling silently against him.

"Let me get you some water to rinse your mouth," he offered gently. He moved quickly to the bedside pitcher, hesitant to leave her for even a moment, but sure that, were he in her position, he would want the water more than the comfort. He poured a small glass and dampened a cloth as well. Returning to her side, he wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her as she sipped cautiously, swirling the liquid before spitting into the basin at her side. Her nose wrinkled in disgust and Rhett, catching the basin's contents out of the corner of his eye, quickly turned them away from the stand. Scarlett stumbled with the movement and her knees gave way suddenly. Not wanting to hurt her, Rhett supported her weight as he allowed them both to slide to the floor.

"Hush, hush, my dear," he murmured. Taking the damp cloth, he wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead and continued to press its coolness against her cheek and neck. Her head settled on his shoulder as he rested his back against the side of the arm chair that sat near her bedside table. His legs were stretched out in front of him, but her knees were curled up against her chest and she formed a small ball that rested against him. His hand stroked the thin fabric on her arm and he could still feel her trembling beneath her nightgown. He murmured nonsensical words against the top of her head, stroking her arm until her trembling stopped.

"Alright, now, let's get you back into bed."

Settled once again beneath the covers, Scarlett laid quietly as she listened to the occasional sounds of what she assumed were the sounds of Rhett getting dressed. She heard the door to the suite open and close and then again a short time later. A soft tapping on the bedroom door proceeded his entrance and she kept her eyes on the coverlet, fingering the edging as he placed a tray on her bedside table.

Rhett eyed the nervous movement and also noted the blush that had slightly colored her wan features. He knew that she was embarrassed at having been found earlier that morning but felt she should be more concerned with her physical state than any concern over her appearance to him. However, he also knew that this was not the time to discuss such items so he left them unsaid.

"Scarlett, I am going to take Wade with me while I check on a few more things around town. We may not return in time for dinner so I have asked the cook to have some soup brought up for you this afternoon. I instructed her to knock and then enter and to bring the tray into the bedroom. Other than that, I have ordered that you are not to be disturbed."

"Really, Rhett," she replied. "You are making such a fuss. I'm fine…."

"Stop, Scarlett," he interrupted, anger quickly coloring his tone. "You are not fine and you seem to be worse than when this journey began. Please just try to eat something and rest. I will keep Wade busy till much later this afternoon and we will return in plenty of time for supper. You will be fine alone, won't you?"

"Of course. I'm feeling much better already. I think you're making too much of this, but I will stay here and rest if you wish."

"I do." He stood silently for a moment and then moved closer to her bedside. Bending slightly, he pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.

Wade appeared in the doorway then, preventing her from responding or thinking about Rhett's chaste kiss. She noted that her son's shirt was not properly tucked into the waist of his pants, but his face was scrubbed clean and his soft brown locks looked a little less disorderly than usual.

"Mornin' mama," he smiled and waved at her from the doorway. "Unca', I mean, papa is takin' me esplorin' today. Wan' us to find sumpthin' for you?"

"No thank you, sweetheart. You have a fun day."

She watched from her bed as Rhett grasped the small hand in his strong one. She noticed that Rhett didn't need to slow his pace to match Wade's as the latter was so full of energy that he skipped happily along beside him and out the door.

She sat quietly before picking at some breakfast. Her mind wandered in the silence and she couldn't help but ponder again her current circumstances. Rhett was being so wonderfully helpful and kind. He seemed almost a completely different man from the man who would regale her with jabs and jeers at the Atlanta gentry. She sighed in frustration at her inability to understand the enigma that was Rhett Butler.

'Tomorrow,' she promised. 'I will think about Rhett tomorrow, about whether he really could be this kind or if there is more to his schemes.'

She thought again on their conversation from the previous night. He offered to help her and not hold her to the unspoken bargain they had struck. But, if she chose to take him up on this offer, what would she do? Where would she go? Where would she want to go and would she want to go anywhere without Rhett?

This last thought took her by surprise. Why would she be worried about not having Rhett by her side? She knew that she certainly wasn't looking forward to the eventual payment of her side of the bargain. Forgetting the times, 'oh how will I ever forget those times', but forgetting the times when Frank had….. even her mind stumbled to name what she had suffered at the hands of her husband. But there had been other times when she had experienced the intimate relations with her husband and although those times hadn't been overly painful, they had been humiliating and unpleasant. But, unpleasant and humiliating had been something she was willing to suffer to end the suffering at Tara. And, it had been something she was willing to endure again when Rhett had offered her the chance to escape.

But now? He was offering her an escape that didn't come with nights of unpleasantness or humiliation. But in exchange, it might also mean that it would be the end of his comfort and conversation. She couldn't imagine that he would remain by her side without her keeping up the other end of their sordid agreement.

What should she do with this latest choice? And why was Rhett offering it to her?

Scarlett closed her eyes at the circle her brain had been traipsing. She was more confused than when he had left her this morning and more tired with the constant questions rolling through her mind.

'What if he doesn't want me anymore?'

This last question stood out so starkly that all the others faded away. What if the reason he was letting her out of their bargain was because he didn't want her anymore? She was thinner than she ever had been, her skin no longer the white of magnolias but rather a ghostly pale that only accentuated the smudges beneath her eyes. Her waist was tiny still, but her hips didn't flare out as they once did; her breasts didn't fill her bodice without the assistance of stays anymore either. She was not the girl he had danced with and 'courted' for all those months in Atlanta.

She was broken… and scarred.

She didn't want to think about how the once blank canvas of her back had been painted with the slashes left by Frank's persistent brush. Unbidden, tears rose to her eyes. Rhett had seen her back and all the other evidence of how she was no longer the woman she had been. He had seen it all and decided that he didn't want her anymore.

She shook her head slightly. Why was she so upset? This was her way out. This was her way to escape without paying the ultimate price. This was her way to keep herself and her son safe without having suffer disgrace in the process.

But she had a feeling that this new development still had its sacrifices as well. She would still be away from Tara and her family, from Melanie and Ashley and even silly old Aunt Pitty.

'Why, this is the first time I've thought of Ashley since this trip has begun. I wonder why I haven't thought of him before now.'

She shook her head again and pushed the curious thought to the back of her mind. For now, she returned her focus back to the matter at hand. She would be away from her family, friends and Tara, but that was always the case since the moment she had taken Rhett's hand. She might not have thought fully on the results of her actions at the time, but the long buggy ride to Marietta had given her plenty of time to think. Even with her long bouts of slumber, she had still found the time to ponder their course. She knew that she was all but saying good-bye to her old life. And, even though there were many good things and people that she would miss, she knew that she couldn't bear a life with Frank any longer simply for the want of keeping them in her life.

No, changing the terms of their agreement hadn't changed any of that for Scarlett. It had only changed one thing – or person – and that was Rhett. Was she prepared to leave everything behind without him by her side? She hadn't given the matter any thought previously because she hadn't needed to think on it.

Closing her eyes once again to the turbulent thoughts of her mind, she allowed the pull of sleep to claim her. The remainder of the day passed quietly for her with long bouts of slumber broken up occasionally by the thoughts of the questionable future that lay ahead. Despite the many hours that she spent alone in their suite, Scarlett was surprised at how quickly the time passed and before long she heard the sounds of them returning from their day.

"Hello, Scarlett," Rhett smiled as he entered the room. "I must say that you look much better rested than you did when we left this morning."

"I am, thank you," she answered shyly.

"Wade is in the other room getting cleaned up. I've taken the liberty of arranging for our supper to be delivered in the next hour. Do you feel up to joining us or would you like a tray in your room?"

"Oh, no, Rhett, I would like to get up for a bit. Perhaps you can see if the hotel has someone who can help me get dressed."

"I will help you, Scarlett." He held up a hand before she could protest. "I don't want to hear any of your arguments about propriety either. We are long past that don't you think?" The slight blush to her cheeks was answer enough but she still didn't move to get out of the bed. "Scarlett, we are still very close to Atlanta and I'm sure that more than a few people have taken notice of us. Do you realize what they will think if they see the marks on you? They will think that I've done them. They will think that I'm keeping you locked away so that maybe I can do more. They might try to intervene…. And then what?"

Scarlett turned her eyes down and stared at her hands as they twisted in her lap. The uncomfortable silence stretched between them.

"Darling, when we get to another city, to a place where there are people that I know and trust, I will be happy to hire a lady's maid to help you. I know it makes you uncomfortable, but it's just for a little while longer. Now, do you need me to help you out of bed or can you stand on your own?"

"I can do it…. I can, I can really do almost everything. It's just my shoulder that makes it troublesome."

She shuffled sideways on the big bed until she was closer to the edge and was able to get out on her own. She stiffened as he approached, feeling helpless and exposed in her sleep dress. Despite her resolve not to, she flinched when he reached out to tuck an errant strand of hair behind her ear. She realized at that moment that her hair must look a fright, having not been brushed for nearly two days now. She bit her lip, her earlier thoughts rising forth as she again thought of how little appeal she offered him any longer.

Rhett paused when she flinched at his touch. She had looked so young and vulnerable in her disheveled state that he couldn't help but to reach out. He tamped down the anger that surged at her evident fear, dropped his hand and took a step closer.

Focusing on the task at hand, he spoke quietly, hoping to calm her fears. "Let's start with your left arm," he said. "The gown is nice and loose so I should be able to slip your arm out of the sleeve without moving it much. There," he continued once her arm was free, "just hold it still against you while I take care of the rest."

He gathered the billowy fabric from the floor until he was able to pull it over her head from the right side, finishing with just her good, right arm still in its sleeve.

"See, that didn't hurt much, did it?" he said in as much as confirmation as a distraction from the now much more visible injuries on her back. He eyed the linen that was wrapped around her ribs and her chemise, noting the traces of dirt still evident on both.

"Scarlett, let's get you properly cleaned up now. You can't be comfortable sleeping in all that road grime and I think it might be a good idea to give your ribs a break from their bindings."

Although Scarlett did agree that she was highly uncomfortable, she shied away from his plan. Although he had seen much more than she had ever wanted him to see, this meant that Rhett would see everything and she wasn't prepared for that.

"Oh, no Rhett, I'm fine, I'm, I'm… well, I don't need…. Dr. Meade said I should keep my ribs bound," she finally grasped at a viable reason.

"Nonsense, it will just be for the night and I will get the linens laundered or buy new ones and then we'll set you right back up." Before she could reply, he began loosening the bandage, his fingers brushing lightly against her until they were released. His presence enveloped her as his hands passed the material from one to the next, making repeated laps around her waist until the last of the material fell away and she felt the freedom to breathe a little more deeply. He reached down and once again gathered up soft material until it rose up to her waist. She had been resolutely staring at his chest, not daring to meet his eyes, but now she lowered her head to stare at her toes. This time he coaxed her to pull her good arm through the garment first, then her head until finally with very little movement from her left arm, the last of her clothing was fully removed.

Rhett clenched his jaw in time to the clenching of his fists as his wounded angel stood before him. The purples and greens of the bruising along her waist and ribs were much more vivid now without the gauzy fabric of her chemise to disguise them. His ministrations had left him standing at her side and she had instinctively turned to shield her breasts from his sight, unwittingly exposing her ruined back to him. The stark red welts stood out in sharp contrast to her impossibly pale skin and not only ran the full length of her back but also across her buttocks and thighs too. She had begun this exercise with her chin set, her back straight, her head not high, but determined. Now her back was hunched over, her head hung low, her chin was down and he hated the visual evidence of her broken spirit almost as much as the damage evident on her body.

Exhaling forcefully, he reined in the emotions racing through him until he could once again trust himself to speak softly. "Let me help you wash before you get dressed."

"No, no," she stammered in response. "I can do it just fine."

"Don't be silly," he answered, fighting to keep the frustration out of his voice. He walked over to the wash stand. "Here, I will keep my back to you but let me help you." He quickly rolled up his shirt sleeves, lathered up the soap in the cloth and wringing it out so that it wasn't dripping, he held it out, keeping his head turned in the opposite direction.

Scarlett hesitated only a moment before giving in. She did feel dirty and grimy and didn't see any other way to remedying that any time soon. Taking the soapy cloth, she wiped her face, neck and carefully her injured left shoulder and arm. Rhett's arm was still outstretched and she placed the cloth in his waiting hand.

"Can you rinse it for me?" she asked quietly.

He did so wordlessly, holding the clean cloth out for her once again. A minute later it was back in his hand. "A little more soap please."

He complied and they repeated this exchange a few more times until finally she dropped the cloth in his hand and then timidly asked for him to help her wash her back. Rinsing and lathering the cloth once more, he turned to find her standing with her back to him. He looked at the angry scars and then the coarse cloth in his hand and returned it to the now slightly soapy water in the wash basin. He grasped the soap and lathered it up in his hands. The marks felt odd beneath his fingertips, the raised borders forming a blip against the straight lines of her back, but the skin between, the actual scarred tissue was incredibly smooth. Her back was fully healed but he could tell that it was only recently and his mind went back to that night when he had held her at the ball. His fingers remembered the moisture he had felt as they danced and with a sickening sensation that caused the bile to rise in his throat, he realized that it had been her blood he had been feeling that night. Shaking his head to clear the unbidden image from his mind, he returned to the task at hand. Turning to the basin, he rinsed his hands and knowing now that the material wasn't too coarse for her healed wounds, he used the cloth to wipe the soap suds from her skin. Taking the towel from her hands, he gently blotted her back dry.

Leaving her at the wash stand, Rhett went to the wardrobe to choose from the meager offerings there. He selected a pale blue day dress with black piping that set the color off nicely. The fit of the dress was rather plain and the high collar and long, straight sleeves demonstrated clear evidence that other than the piping detail, fashion had not really been taken into consideration during its creation. As had been the case with the other dresses he had purchased for her, the fit was such that Scarlett, in her current underweight state, would not require any lacing or stays. He returned with the clothing, quickly helping her don her chemise. He noticed her relax almost immediately once her naked state was once again hidden from his immediate view. If he was completely honest with himself, he felt a little more relaxed without her injuries blatantly displayed as well. Silently, he assisted her with the day dress until finally she stood before him looking much better than when he had first entered her room.

"I think," he paused to clear his throat, surprised at the catch in his voice as he had first begun speaking, "I have an extra necktie that should serve well enough to support your arm. At least for tonight."

He reached the door to her room when she called his name, stopping him before he could open the door.

"Do you have, I mean, do you think I could borrow a hairbrush?" She patted at her unruly locks and then looked down at the floor.

"Of course, my dear," he grinned at her disheveled hair and the marked contrast it made to the rest of her appearance. He left the room, checking on Wade who was busying himself with his toy soldiers. He then returned to Scarlett, carefully tying the necktie around her wrist and then her neck to stabilize and support her injured shoulder.

"Please, allow me," he moved her to the bench at the small dressing table. He pulled the tie and a few pins that still remained, freeing her dark tresses. He gathered a section of her silky tresses in one hand and gently tugged at the ends until they were tangle free. He gripped higher and once again worked the brush until it pulled through the strands easily. He continued his ministrations, working his way around her mane, enjoying the feel of the silk strands between his fingers. He alternated the brush and his hand, smoothing the ebony locks after each stroke. Despite the fact that it had been days since they had last been washed, he still detected the faint scent of lemon verbena as he brushed. He fought the urge to bury his nose in their lengths to inhale their scent more fully. She sighed audibly.

"I'm afraid, I am not very adept at any styles, my dear. Will a simple tie suffice?"

She nodded silently and slight blush pleasantly tinged her overly pale cheeks. He quickly gathered her hair at her nape and retrieved the black ribbon he had earlier removed. A few tendrils escaped but otherwise her mane was satisfactorily contained.

"Thank you," she murmured and smiled demurely at his reflection in the mirror.

"My pleasure," he replied with a wink. "Now, let's go see what young Wade is up to, and where our supper is." He held out a hand and she accepted his offer, allowing him to help her up. He tucked the hand into his elbow and the pair entered the main seating area of their suite.

Thank you for reading. Please let me know your thoughts. SS