With each passing day Scarlett got stronger and stronger. Her wound had almost completely healed and her hunger had returned in full force – much to Rhett's pleasure. A few days of laudanum induced sleep had done her well, and now she was more than ready to move about and free herself from the foreign bed she'd been lying in for the last month.
Until now, Scarlett had not known true boredom. She thought the endless days spent at Tara during the summer were tedious; always having to wait until near dusk to venture outside in order to stay in Mammy's good graces lest she burn her milky skin in the sunlight. Fiddle-dee-dee, she always said before sticking her tongue out like a child and marching herself to the stables where her father would always be waiting with her horse already saddled.
With a heavy sigh she threw the covers from her legs and decided today was going to be the day she would get up and walk, and if anybody so much as started to reprimand her for it, she'd go crazy. The drapes were pulled back letting in a stream of morning light that illuminated the room completely. Scarlett strained her ears in an effort to hear any movement across the hallway or downstairs – when she heard nothing she decided to make her move. A wrapper that had been brought over from Aunt Pitty's was draped over the vanity chair across the room and Scarlett, aware of the loose gown that clung to her body, decided to creep to the vanity and claim the familiar wrapper.
When she sat upright she could still feel a dull ache in her back, but it was nothing compared to the pain she'd been in for the last few weeks. She knew she was getting better; she was eating and drinking enough for two people so why shouldn't she be able to get up and walk about like everyone else. She turned her legs so that they dangled from the side of the bed; she placed them on the floor and braced herself on the bedpost. When she was standing a wave of triumph washed over her, they were all fools for making her stay in bed so long.
Slowly, Scarlett made her way to the vanity holding on to the side of the bed until she was standing beside the mirror – she couldn't believe that short distance had actually made her drowsy. Picking up the blue velvet wrapper, she slowly pulled it around her tiny body and began closing each clasp efficiently. Once she was as clothed as she could be for the time being, she turned and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked a fright, she thought, her hair was disheveled and her face was ghostly white without a hint of rose in her cheeks. She opened and closed the drawers quietly in search of a brush. She smiled excitedly when she came across a boar bristle brush hiding under some paper in one of the drawers, there were even a few pins in the bottom of the drawer, now she could fix her hair into something manageable.
After what seemed like ages pulling the brush through her curls, Scarlett had managed to fix her hair so that it looked taken care of. She'd placed the two pins behind each ear with a twisted piece of hair fastened inside them; she left the rest of her raven hair flowing down her back in a cascade of freshly groomed curls. Upon finishing her hair, she sat and caught her breath – she never knew what effort it took to make hair look managed. She looked at herself in the mirror – now freshly groomed and wearing her flattering sapphire wrapper – and smiled at what she saw.
"This will have to do." She whispered to herself with a sigh.
Scarlett knew she couldn't just traipse out into the house and expect everyone to allow it, especially if Rhett were still in the house; he was horrible about coddling her. He'd sit beside her and never let her make the faintest move to get anything for herself; instead, he'd be right there standing over her feeding her like a helpless child. While she appreciated his attentiveness, Scarlett was anxious to do things for herself again – independence was a part of her that she never hoped to lose like so many women do.
After searching the room for something to entertain herself with until the next person came to check on her, Scarlett decided to sit on the small porch outside her room, it was facing a wooded area and she could hear the morning birds chirping outside the door. Now it was just a matter of opening the door without anyone hearing. She rose from the vanity holding her back in one hand and the bedpost in the other; she slowly crept to the door and switched the lock managing to do it without much effort surprisingly. She opened the door and lowered herself into the one cushioned chair that sat on the small porch. The crisp morning air flowed through her nose and smelled as sweet as any honeysuckle breeze at Tara – just being outside made her feel free. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms across her chest, and before she knew it she was sleeping again.
"Mr. Butler, you're back so soon." Mrs. Meade was coming from the kitchen with a tray in her hands. "I was just about to take this up to Scarlett."
"I left early this morning to take care of some business affairs, how is she today, she was sleeping when I left."
"She may well still be sleeping, we've only just woken. I haven't been in to see her yet." Mrs. Meade started toward the stairs.
"Oh, Mrs. Meade I'll take it to her, I have something for her anyway." Rhett smiled as he took the tray from Mrs. Meade's arms. "You should eat yourself. I stopped by and chatted with Dr. Meade, he said he will return home early tonight and he said to tell you thank you."
"Oh, it must have been for the breakfast I sent him off with this morning. I'm delighted to hear that he'll be home early, I feel like I never see him anymore. Thank you for the message Captain Butler." She smiled as she disappeared through the door to the kitchen.
Rhett made his way up the stairs balancing the tray in one hand while holding a small box in the other. When he reached Scarlett's door he knocked lightly and waited for her reply. When he received no response he knocked again slightly harder than the last. Still nothing. Concern began creeping into his chest as he continued knocking and still got no response. He quickly put the small box in his jacket pocket and opened the door. His concern immediately became fear – Scarlett's bed was empty.
Rhett placed the tray of food on the bedside table and called out frantically.
"Scarlett! Are you in here?" He turned circles trying to spot her in the washroom or possibly in the closet, but she was nowhere. "Scarlett!"
His heart beat rapidly in his chest and grew steadily faster as each second crept by without him knowing where she was. Suddenly he noticed the small door across the room was unlocked. He quickly ran over to it and threw it open. He was immediately stricken with fear at what he saw.