"What's the matter?" Rhett asked urgently as he saw Will ride up to the road.
Rhett and Scarlett had had one of their legendary fights the night before and Rhett decided to spend the day in town. Will rarely went to town and never when Rhett was there so he knew something must be wrong.
"What's the matter?" Rhett asked again.
"Get your horse and let's go. Miss Scarlett's not doing well. The doctor is already on the way."
Without a moment to spare Rhett jumped on his horse and raced towards Tara. Throughout the ride he thought the worse. He envisioned Scarlett dead on the floor, their baby with her. He cursed himself for leaving that morning and he cursed himself more for fighting with her in the first place. Rhett had tried to refrain from taking Scarlett's bait but her unsolicited outburst at Wade was too much. The argument replayed in his head and he remembered calling her a horrible mother - the thought felt like a stab in the chest.
"What happened?" Rhett asked Ashley when he reached the house.
"She fainted in the field." Ashley said not looking Rhett in the eye.
Rhett noticed the somber tone in Ashley's voice and didn't question any farther. He could tell what happened before he asked and refused to hear the news from Mr. Wilkes.
"Mrs. Wilkes," Rhett called urgently as Melanie came down the stairs.
"Captain Butler," Melanie said softly leading him into the study. "Scarlett's fine, weak but the doctor expect her to recover."
"The baby?" He pressed, desperately he tried to keep hope.
Sadly Melly shook her head and to her great shock Rhett collapsed on to a chair and tears streamed down his face. She had never seen a man cry and she never imagined a strong man like Captain Butler crying. Cautiously Melly walked over to him and patted his head.
"It's all my fault." Rhett said more to himself than her. "She never wanted a baby, not my babies and -"
"That's not true Captain all women want babies."
"Not Scarlett, not mine anyway. But then I should have made her be more careful. She overworked herself and -"
"That's Scarlett's nature. And this was an accident. It's no one's fault."
"I should have taken better care of her. I should have went for the money, then she wouldn't have had to worry. I just - I was selfish. I wanted to be here."
"That's not selfish. It's kind." Melly assured.
"She doesn't love me. She only married me because of the baby."
Shocked at the revelation, Melanie gasped slightly but continued to give the Captain comfort.
"Scarlett loves you. She loves you more than I think she even knows."