Chapter 11
Rhett was sitting in his mothers office nursing his glass of Brandy. He had been trying to drown his memory of Scarlett. He couldn't let himself love her even though deep down that is all he desired. He still wanted her more than any woman he would ever meet. His mother had long ago left for the market. He was finally able to drink as much as he wished to.
As he sat there he heard a knock at the door. He heard Grace answer it and sat back waiting to hear who it was. He was thinking of how he would get the unwelcome visitor to leave without causing his mother any pain, when he heard Grace walk to the door. She knocked and he in return told her to enter. With a curtsey she told him he had a telegram. He told her to put it on the desk. She did so and slipped out of the room.
He peaked at it in interest. No doubt from Scarlett begging his return. He smirked as he thought about it. He finally picked up the telegram and was stunned to see it was from Will Benteen. He barely remembered Scarlett's sister was married to Will. Rhett had only met him once that he remembered. But picking it up he curiously read it.
Mr. Rhett Butler stop Ella missing stop Need immediate assistance. Stop. Do not reply just get here. Stop signed Mr. Will Benteen.
Rhett jumped up in an instant downing his brandy and left the room. He grabbed his hat and coat and told Grace to tell his mother he had to leave immediately on business. He thought about taking a train but opted to ride on horseback instead. Maybe he could find a short cut. "If this is some kind of trick so help me I'll kill that woman." But he found it hard to believe that her sister and brother in law would help her in an elaborate scheme such as this. Even this would be to devious for even Scarlett to come up with.
Will and Wade searched all that day. Pork who had searched for most of the day had to go in and rest. He was near exhaustion. Will decided that Every one should be home at surrounding plantations. He told Wade to keep looking while he talked to neighbors and to come and get him if she was found. He rode towards the Tarleton Plantation. He prayed the little girl would be there. When he finally made it up the long drive he found Mrs. Tarleton standing in her front yard looking towards the empty paddock. Her eyes as if seeing what wasn't there.
"Mrs. Tarleton, I'm sorry for intruding But we have a missing little girl. Ella is missing. Have you seen her or any one here seen her?"
"Mr. Benteen, I haven't. Let me see if any one else has." Quickly she ran into the house only to return to tell him that no one had.
"Thank you Mrs. Tarleton Scarlett is at the house beside herself. Suellen said that she didn't sleep all night. Suellen is concerned that Scarlett might not make it if she loses Ella."
"Let me get me a bag I'm gonna go to Tara. Mrs. O'Hara would have done that for me if it was one of my grandchildren."
"Thank you. Do you need me to accompany you to Tara?"
"No sir I can get there myself you just keep looking for that dear child."
Will left Mrs. Tarleton there in awe that Scarlett actually cared. Every one in the Neighborhood knew that Will and Suellen was raising Scarlett's children. Will visited every neighbor he could find and all said that they had not seen the child. The men all decided to form a search party and would all meet at Tara in one hour.
Mrs. Tarleton was not prepared for the scene she found at Tara. When she walked into the parlor She found Scarlett sitting in an old rocking chair staring at the fire. Dilcey informed her that Suellen had hours ago went to lay down for a few hours. But Scarlett refused to sleep or eat or even move from that spot. Mrs. Tarleton walked up to Scarlett's side.
"Scarlett, please lets just go get some sleep you'll be doing Ella no good if you waste away while she is gone."
"I can't sleep if I sleep I'll lose her just like I lost Bonnie and my little baby and Mother and Pa. I can't lose her." She said looking up. No tears could fall.
"Ok at least try to eat something. How about some tea and some crackers."
Mrs. Tarleton left the room swiftly after Scarlett's small nod. She found Mammy and Dilcey sitting in the kitchen. "please make Scarlett some tea and get some crackers?" Dilcey set to work right away. "Is there any one who can send a telegram to Ashley and Melanie? Melanie might be a comfort to Scarlett." "Pork can let me go get him." Mammy said quickly exiting. Pork came right away and was sent with the money for the message to be sent. He returned in an hour and a half. Scarlett who had drank most of the tea and half a cracker had sat back down in the old rocker. Mrs. Tarleton just shook her head.
Ella had been walking for what seemed like months. She had finally slept some under the shade of a large tree. After getting up she had wandered for ever tripping over branches and vines. Finally she came to a creek. She decided to wade across it since it appeared to be quite shallow and not very fast. She slowly made her way into the water hiking her skirt as far as she could modestly do. She had gotten to the middle before she noticed how deep it was becoming. It had been raining a few days ago and she failed to realize that it was still quite swollen from the spring rain. She tried to keep going but the current threatened with every step to sweep her away.
Ella cried out as suddenly her footing was lost and she started to be swept down the creek. The current kept sucking down under water but she fought with all her young might to keep her head above the now raging water. She spun around hitting her head on a rock she was passing. As her world faded to black her body fell limp to the mercy of the creek. She finally came to shore a few miles down the creek. She was still out cold from the hit on the head which was starting to bleed.
