Disclaimer: Would that they were mine.
Saturday morning Rhett had made the first of several appointments for himself and Scarlett at notable couturiers. Unsurprisingly to either of them, they had argued when Scarlett told Mammy to lace her to her normal width.
"Absolutely not, Mammy," Rhett said sternly from his perch on the sofa in their room.
"But, Rhett! I want my new dresses to fit after…after…"
"No," Rhett raised his eyebrow at her and smirked, "Scarlett Mammy or Prissy or any dressmaker in Atlanta can take the dress in once you've had the baby. I've already told you I do not want you squeezing my daughter into you so she can't grow."
Scarlett scowled crying, "Soon I'll be so fat it won't matter, will it!"
Rhett didn't answer as Mammy began pulling the corset strings.
"Twenty-one inches, Mammy," Rhett drawled watching Scarlett ball her hands into fists. "Or, perhaps twenty-two if we'd like Scarlett to be able to wear a new dress or two while we are still in Paris."
Scarlett turned and Rhett over her shoulder, "Are you trying to trick me, Rhett Butler? Because I…"
Rhett cut of Scarlett's words with his laugh. Scarlett looked to Mammy, who was trying to hide her own smirk and then back to Rhett.
Once he stopped laughing Rhett cleared his throat and continued, "No, my little child, this is not a trick. I think it would be nice if we selected two gowns to rush so that you can wear them before, as you so deftly described it, you get so fat it won't matter anymore. I would have liked it to be a surprise, but you are being so difficult this morning and we don't have time to delay. If I know you, and I do, my dear, we'll spend the entire morning at Worth's bleeding my pocketbook dry."
Scarlett ignored the several insults she wanted to rebuke and asked, "Do you mean it?"
Rhett chuckled, "Yes, I do."
Scarlett turned a beaming smile onto Rhett, "Don't pull the strings, Mammy, twenty-two inches will be just fine."
Mammy tied the knots with out pulling and then wrapped the measuring tape around Scarlett's waist.
"Twenty-one," Mammy announced.
"Pull it looser," Scarlett demanded.
Mammy untied the strings and nimbly loosened them creating space between the corset and Scarlett's body. The measuring tape stated 22.5 inches. Mammy jutted out her lower lip and eyed Rhett who was lounging on the sofa with one ankle casually slung over his knee watching Mammy lace Scarlett.
"Well?" Scarlett asked.
"Twenty-two," Mammy announced.
"Thank you, Mammy darling," Scarlett glowed. Come have Prissy let out the burgundy organdy so I can wear that." Scarlett smiled to herself. Rhett loved that color on her. Every time she'd worn that dress he told her it made her eyes deepen into emeralds. Scarlett wanted to look her best for dress shopping with Rhett.
"Yessum," Mammy nodded and swept out of the room.
Prissy entered and took the burgundy organdy from where it hung in Scarlett's dressing room. She stood and ripped out the seams while Scarlett watched and Rhett read a newspaper in French.
But when Prissy put the dress on Scarlett there wasn't enough slack material for Prissy to sew Scarlett into it.
"Rhett!" Scarlett cried, '"You varmint! None of my dresses will fit at this width!"
Rhett didn't take his eyes off his paper. Thankfully they'd purchased a few dresses in London. Rhett had asked the dressmakers to leave in extra materials at the seams knowing Scarlett would become with child eventually and want to wear beautiful gowns as long as possible. Thank goodness he'd thought of it too, he didn't think she'd get pregnant so quickly. He should have taken steps to avoid it, but even though Scarlett hadn't wanted to have another baby so soon, he didn't think explaining preventatives to her would have gone well when he was just trying to get her to enjoy relations.
"Why don't you try either the lavender or the blue from London, darling," Rhett drawled, "London dressmakers often leave extra material at the seams."
Rhett could feel Scarlett's glare. "Get the blue taffeta, Prissy," Scarlett snapped.
Prissy darted into the dressing room and began ripping the seams out away from Scarlett's anger.
"Darling," Rhett said softly and extended his hand.
Scarlett contemplated it for a moment and then walked over to Rhett who drew her down to his lap.
Scarlett put her arm around his shoulders and leaned against him.
"Don't be angry with Prissy, my dear, it isn't her fault."
Scarlett humphed.
"Do you have a gestation corset?"
"Rhett! How on earth do you know what that is?"
"Scarlett, I'm a man of the world. I know a lot of things. Do you?"
"In Atlanta."
"Well, we'll get you one today. We'll order some maternity and wrapper dresses as well."
"But, Rhett…"
"I meant in addition to the high fashion you are looking so forward to wearing."
Scarlett smiled warmly, "You are so good to me!" Scarlett leaned her head down onto Rhett's and sighed. How on earth had she not realized how wonderful Rhett was during the war? She could have married him back then and had all of this happiness sooner. Just as Scarlett's thoughts were becoming melancholy Prissy walked in holding the blue taffeta dress Scarlett had adored in London. Scarlett frowned at the sight of the seams ripped out but stood and walked over to her dressing table.
Prissy put the dress over Scarlett's head and pinned it, then she carefully undid the button's down Scarlett's back and removed the dress. Prissy sat on the dressing table bench and sewed the pinned seams while Scarlett walked back over and sat on Rhett's lap.
Scarlett put her arms around Rhett and buried her face into his ear. "I love you so much," she breathed.
Rhett glanced over at Prissy and then turned and kissed Scarlett. "I love you too, my dear," Rhett answered as he rubbed his hand down her pantalet covered thigh.
"I was so excited to finally be able to wear beautiful dresses again instead of wrappers that all button in the front for Ella," Scarlett admitted sullenly.
"Darling, she only nurses at night, wear whatever dresses you'd like and then just change into your dressing gown when it's time to nurse her. Why do you need to keep a beautiful dress on when it's just us at home? Besides," Rhett smirked, "You know I prefer you with your dresses on the floor."
"Rhett!" Scarlett laughed and leaned her head onto him. "I think I would like some nice dresses, but perhaps a few wrappers for when this baby needs to nurse too might be a good idea."
Rhett smiled and tilted his head up to kiss her cheek. He had every intention of buying her beautiful dresses to wear while she was pregnant and nursing. He knew feeling ugly was part of why Scarlett did not want to be pregnant. Besides he wouldn't explain preventatives to her until she was comfortable enough to discuss relations without paroxysms of shame and guilt. Rhett didn't think that would be soon. She trusted him, and she was becoming more and more relaxed in their marital bed, but Rhett didn't want to scare her back into discomfort. So, Rhett thought, at the rate they were going it was likely she'd be heavy with their second child before she was ready to have that conversation with him.
Rhett picked his paper back up and began to read around Scarlett. They sat together in silence until Prissy called, "Miss Scarlett?" and Scarlett stood to be dressed.
Rhett took Scarlett to The House of Worth. They spent the entire morning at the couturier's first having every aspect of Scarlett painstakingly measured, then sitting together on a sofa as models came in wearing style after style. If Rhett approved a style Scarlett liked, Henri, the dressmaker working with them, would have assistants bring in all of the cloth and color samples that could be used to make the pattern.
The first dress they would have rushed so Scarlett could wear it in Paris was a gold silk with a square collar and sleeves that came just past her elbow and then hung in drapes of black lace. The hem had a design of a double burgundy stripe with large loops trimmed in black lace like a long pattern of loopy m's on top. The full skirt had the same double maroon strip with the lace loops above and below it. There was an apron of the stripe and lace design and a large burgundy bow in the back. The collar and sleeves also had the burgundy striped and black lace pattern. Scarlett couldn't stop fingering the soft gold silk when they'd brought it out. Seeing her love for it, Rhett had selected this pattern and told Henri to have it ready in a week. Then he'd also asked to have a nursing wrapper made from the dress. The dressmaker and Rhett spoke in a rapid French Scarlett could not understand, but Rhett's smile spread across his face.
"What?" Scarlett asked when the dressmaker had walked away.
"They are going to make you two of this dress. One that's twenty-two inches so you can wear it now and one with a large drawstring waist under the apron, which will be a separate piece so you can wear it when you are confined."
"Oh! Rhett! But I don't need so lovely a dress for confinement. But if they could make one that buttons in the front for nursing…" Scarlett's voice trailed off.
"Darling, I've already told you. I'm going to do everything I can to make this pregnancy easier on you and that includes making you feel as beautiful as you will look to me. They can't make this one as wrapper but they will bring us some to look at."
"Thank you," Scarlett whispered as she wrapped her arms around him. She squeezed him shyly as her eyes darted around to make sure Henri and the assistants couldn't see them. Then she sat back up quickly and Rhett chuckled. Scarlett seemed so bold and daring in his mind it always surprised him when she was shy or completely driven by societal notions of propriety.
Henri returned with a large pattern book and more material. Crouching in front of Rhett and Scarlett he flipped through the pattern book coming to rest on a pattern that showed a sage green dress with forest green sleeves and a long wide stripe of forest green covered in thick diagonal sage green striping down the front. There was another, triangular shaped forest green stripe down the back and the full skirts gathered in the back. The bottom of the dress had a forest green ruffle. The men again spoke in French until Rhett laughed.
"The panel hides buttons, Scarlett, this is a wrapper you can wear for nursing."
"Oh! How lovely!" Scarlett cried. "I want this one too, Rhett!"
"I've already ordered it."
"Do they have any more with hidden buttons in the front?"
"Yes," Rhett smiled.
None of the wrappers were already made for Worth's famous live models to show off but there were dozens in the pattern book. They bought three other front button wrapper style dresses with designs that hid the buttons Scarlett could wear while nursing the new baby. One was an ingenious design with a separate skirt and jacket trimmed to look like a military uniform with bold black stripes stretching almost all the way across the front. Scarlett selected a deep ruby silk. Then Henri and Rhett had another conversation Scarlett couldn't understand before the dressmaker walked away.
"He thinks he knows what other dress you would like made right away so you can wear it now," Rhett explained.
Scarlett nodded. The man returned with a model wearing a golden satin dress trimmed in pink and an assistant with his arms full of samples of satin and taffeta. The dress had a scoop neck in the front and back with an overlaid collar of vertical stripes of pink over delicate gold lace all the way around. The short puffed sleeves were ruffled. The bodice and skirt had several pairs of half inch pink strips leading to a wide pink waistband. In the back the band became three layers of thick gold bow trimmed in pink that made the bustle appear even larger. The collar and bow could be removed and the dress worn plain or with the flowing sleeved jacket.
"Oh!" Scarlett gasped, raising a hand to her mouth, "it's so lovely."
The men began to show her samples of material in a variety of colors. Scarlett looked to Rhett, "Why don't you pick, darling?" She asked.
Rhett had made a lot of the decisions about her dresses. There were patterns Scarlett had adored he'd sent away and colors he'd refused. But Scarlett had had input into everything he'd purchased for her today. She knew no matter what colors he chose she would love this dress and she would like to wear something Rhett had completely picked out.
Rhett raised an eyebrow in question and Scarlett nodded, "Pick whatever you think would look best, darling. Truly."
Rhett smiled and nodded and turned to the men and began to sort through material samples. Rhett chose a silvery white for the main color and emerald trim.
Scarlett felt like she was floating when they walked out of Worth's and back to their hotel a short while later.
"Are you and Wade going to have this much fun this afternoon?" Scarlett asked.
"You can come with us and find out," Rhett answered.
"Do you want me to?" Scarlett asked. Rhett was taking Wade to his favorite tailor. Rhett wanted new shirts and suits and wanted Wade to have some too. Scarlett tilted her head to the side considering. She'd enjoyed having Rhett discuss her dresses with her today. She'd pouted some when he'd refused a few styles and that lovely bright pink that Scarlett was sure would have flattered her, but for the most part it had been fun to discuss the dresses with him and to feel his hungry eyes roll over her. Perhaps Rhett would enjoy discussing his clothing choices with her.
"That's entirely up to you, my dear."
"I didn't ask if I was going to join you," Scarlett huffed. "I asked if you wanted me to."
Rhett tilted his head and looked down at her.
"Would you like to come with us, darling?" Rhett asked.
"Only if you want me to, Rhett. If you would enjoy my company I would like to come, but I've never shopped for men's clothing before. I don't want to be a bother."
Rhett nodded, "I would like you to come. And I think Wade would like it too."
"Good then," Scarlett smiled.
Scarlett accompanied Rhett and Wade to Rhett's tailor that afternoon. Rhett selected black, charcoal and light grey broadcloth for new jackets and pants while Scarlett and Wade helped select silk colors for waistcoats and cravats. Rhett smiled when Scarlett handed him an emerald green silk he knew would match her new dress's striping.
Rhett selected broadcloth and linen for pants and jackets for Wade and allowed Wade to select a few colors for waistcoats. Wade giggled and squirmed while the tailor measured him for new pants, shirts and jackets.
As the trio walked back to the Grand Hotel with Scarlett on Rhett's arm and Wade holding Rhett's other hand Scarlett began to feel nauseous and tried to hurry their pace. When Rhett didn't increase his stride she made a frustrated sound and Rhett turned to look at her.
"Are you going to be ill?"
Scarlett nodded clenching her jaw tightly and trying to will the feeling away.
Rhett didn't anything but pulled Scarlett and Wade into the next open door, a hotel lobby.
"Where is the ladies water closet? My wife is going to be ill," he demanded of the employee at the door.
"Mama?" Wade asked in a small voice and then looked up at Rhett, "Daddy?"
The footman pointed around a corner and Scarlett released Rhett's arm and bolted away.
"Mama!" Wade cried to her retreating back and let go of Rhett's hand to chase after her. Rhett bent and pulled his son into his arms, "Your mother is fine, son. Let's just wait for her out here."
"No she isn't!" Wade cried his eyes welling with tears.
"Shh, shhh," Rhett soothed running his hand down Wade's back. "Her stomach is upset, but she is okay and she will be right back."
Wade sniffled but stopped wriggling to get down.
When Scarlett reappeared a few minutes later looking somewhat flushed Rhett set Wade down and he raced to his mother and tried to grab her legs through her skirts.
"Omph," Scarlett grunted when Wade crashed into her.
"Careful, darling," Scarlett started as Rhett stepped to them and ran his fingers through Wade's hair, "Gentle, Wade, you know your mother isn't feeling well."
"I'm sorry, mother," Wade whispered.
"It's all right," Scarlett said and then looked up at Rhett.
Rhett nodded and extended his arm, "Let's go back, my dear."
As soon as they reentered their hotel suite Scarlett leaned her forehead on Rhett's shoulder and whispered, "I don't want to dine out tonight."
"No, I'll have something sent up," Rhett kissed her forehead, "Go, I'll send Mammy to unlace you."
Scarlett stepped slowly towards their bedroom still feeling slightly queasy.
"Mammy!" Rhett called out, "Your lamb needs your help. Prissy, come take Wade."
"Do you need something,' Cap'n Butler?" Pork asked as he stepped into the sitting room behind Mammy.
"Yes, Pork, thank you. Please have the kitchens send up supper. I would like lamb chops and Wade and Scarlett will have chicken."
"I want chops!" Wade chirped up.
"You would like lamb chops for supper?"
"Yes!"
"Have you had them before?" Rhett raised his eyebrows at his son.
Wade shrugged and Rhett laughed.
"If you're sure," Rhett confirmed and when Wade nodded turned to Pork and said, "You heard the gentleman, he would like lamb chops for supper."
When Scarlett emerged in her dressing gown a short while later Rhett wasn't in the sitting room. She smiled knowing exactly where he was. Turning she entered the nursery and saw Wade sitting on the floor stacking blocks. Rhett also sat on the floor with Ella standing in the circle of his arms smiling and clapping her hands and lifting one foot then the other all the while crying, "Da! Da! Da!"
Scarlett stood in the door and watched her family. She loved how Rhett and Ella loved each other, she did. It filled her with warmth to know her daughter already loved the only father she would ever know. But it also irritated Scarlett that unless she was hungry Ella clearly preferred Rhett. Whenever she could see him Ella would cry "Da! Da!" and reach for him or crawl over to him. She smiled at Scarlett and reached her arms out towards her, but she didn't cry for Scarlett unless she wanted to nurse and she'd never cried out "Ma! Ma!" even though Scarlett was her mother and Rhett had only been in her life for a few months. Scarlett unconsciously put her hand on her belly. She wondered if the new baby would love Rhett more than her, would go to Rhett instead of her whenever he wasn't hungry. Scarlett sighed, at least Wade, her beautiful, kind, loving little boy adored her as much as he adored Rhett. He ran to her and clung to her and climbed on to her, even if her other children didn't.
"What as you frowning, my dear?" Rhett asked, "Are you still feeling ill?"
"No," Scarlett answered walking into the nursery to take Rhett's outstretched hand. "I'm feeling much better."
"Mama! Play blocks with me!" Wade cried, "You can help me build our house."
"Why that sounds lovely, Wade," Scarlett cooed moving to sit next to her son. Scarlett helped Wade build a block house that she knew he would knock over as soon as they finished while Rhett walked Ella around the room holding onto her hands.
Rhett eventually tired of walking Ella and set her down to crawl then seated himself with Wade and Scarlett.
When Mammy entered a little while later to tell the Butlers dinner had arrived and was ready, Ella crawled towards Mammy as fast as she could crying "Meee! Meee!"
Rhett saw Scarlett's frown.
Rhett dismissed the servants to go dine in the servant's dining room while they ate. Scarlett was eating bites of chicken slowly between the bites of mashed peas and applesauce she was feeding Ella.
"Did you enjoy playing with your Yankee friends, son?" Rhett asked Wade.
Scarlett's hand paused in midair with a spoonful of peas for Ella.
"I don't have Yankee friends!" Wade sputtered, clearly insulted his father would say such a thing.
"No, you don't say. John and Rex Miller aren't your friends?"
Wade looked between his parents unsure what to say. Ella cried, "Da! Da!" and reached towards Scarlett's frozen hand.
Scarlett looked between Rhett and Wade. What was Rhett thinking? He knows Wade is afraid of Yankees! Oh, she realized at the thought Rhett was trying to break Wade's fear.
"Oh, yes," Scarlett added, "They were such lovely boys. I'm glad we got to see the aquarium with them yesterday. Aren't you, darling?"
"Yes…" Wade answered his voice unsure.
"Good. I'm glad, son. It is nice for you to have Yankee friends. I'll arrange with Mr. Miller for us to attend the exposition together again. You would like that, wouldn't you Wade?"
"Yes, daddy," Wade answered and then as if he was channeling his mother he shoved a large bite of lambchop into his mouth as if to conclude the conversation.
Rhett and Scarlett smiled at each other and Ella finally got her hand on Scarlett's knocking the peas to the floor.
Author's note: Thank you so much for all of the reviews! Heas'd up, the next chapter has quite a bit of M rated material.