Chapter 25
Rosemary picked up her knitting with a faint look of worry on her face. She had worn a new bonnet and a lovely paisley shawl was draped across her shoulders but Jeff hadn't once complimented her on how lovely she looked. He had done so several times before. But that evening, his mind was clearly elsewhere. Rosemary had a vague suspicion that it had something to do with the fact that Rhett and Scarlett had left so suddenly to Savannah. Jeff had taken the news in undisguised surprise. And quickly he had posed various questions about why Scarlett should suddenly visit her Robillard family - if she had found something offending in any of the Charleston parties. This suggestion vexed Rosemary. In fact, Jeff's poorly veiled admiration for Scarlett tried her patience sore. Yes, Scarlett was vivacious and charming but surely he must understand that his first duties belonged to his betrothed. "Perhaps I am a little too suspicious and narrow-minded..." wondered Rosemary.
Suddenly she was very glad that her wedding was only a few weeks away. Jeff would be safely married by then and she would rush him off on their tour of Europe. Rosemary smiled in satisfaction at this and breathing a sigh of relief, she began to knit in a calmer state of mind.
It was past midnight when the horses slid to a quiet stop just outside the large creole house of Miss. Cora Hester. One of the men dismounted and walked around to the back of the house. He knocked softly on the door. Within seconds, the door opened and he walked inside.
The room was well lit and well-heated. The maid carefully collected the gentleman's hat and gloves and stepped back as he hung his long black cloak on its stand. Rhett turned around and nodded once to lady of the house. "I thank you for receiving me at so late an hour, Miss, Cora.. but you must understand that my family's reputation is at stake here-"
"Yes, of course I do, Monsieur-" replied Cora, quickly. Her voice carried a thick French accent and she was a beautiful, French woman. Cora's face carried a few age lines but by the way she carried herself, no one could have suspected her real age was around fifty and that she had once been the Madame of a most discreet whorehouse in Savannah.
Rhett grinned and showed a line of white teeth below his closely clipped moustache.
"Monsieur Rhett, when you approached me regarding Phillippe Robillard, I did not know what to make of your strange request. He did visit my house and partook of the various entertainments offered here- But it was so many years ago. You must understand that if I possess any memories of him at all, it was because he was an utterly charming visitor. And he carried within himself - such a troubled heart-"
"All the more attractive, I suppose-" replied Rhett, good-humoredly.
"Ah, I jest not- This man was in love. It was to fight away his feelings that he came here. He wanted to forget her-"
"May I see the letters?" interjected Rhett, quickly.
"Remember what I told you, Monsieur- The memories of him may be faded or torn. I cannot account for them-" warned Cora as she swayed over to a beautiful ebony cabinet and drew out a long,flat box of shell. She drew out a shred of faded parchment paper and a small silver object. "She was his love-" declared Cora, dramatically as she handed over the daguerreotype to Rhett. Rhett studied it as he peered into the sweet,innocent face of Scarlett's mother for the first time. "Beautiful", he whispered.
"And here is the scrap of the letter she had wrote him- He left it here, forgotten- The week later, he was dead-"
Rhett's eyes ran along the faded lines,
"Dearest darling,
Come back to me, Phillippe. I am in acute distress, shaken by this feverish feeling of love, so sweet and yet so overwhelming. We belong together, you and I, one heart beating in two different bodies. I belong to you. You alone fill me with such laughter and happiness. My eyes shine with joy, my lips twitch with feeling- I long to be near your side. Oh my heart, why mustn't we run away together? I long for freedom - the same way you do- My family sees me as a shy, silly girl of sixteen, but I am so much more. With you, I am indeed so much more. Oh why delay when I offer a world of happiness to you? I write these lines and my lips graze the places where I mention your name- I love you so, Phillippe. I could never love anyone else as much as I love you. I could never belong to anyone else. I would rather die than to be with anyone else. This light in my eyes will fade, all happiness and good humor will be drained from my lips. I will cease to live, if I should ever lose you. Such life, such despair- I would loathe everything so.. so desperately! Oh, let our fates not be so cruel! What is life if we cannot love each other and belong to each other? I-"
Cora wiped a tear and choked, "Beautiful, is it not?"
Rhett could only return a look of stunned silence.
Scarlett stirred lightly in her sleep as Rhett softly walked across the carpets to his bed. He undressed quickly and while walking past her to put out the candle, he peered into her face. A look of gentleness crept into his expression. Rhett was glad that he had read the letter and seen the daguerreotype. He know understood Scarlett's mother clearly. And he understood Scarlett. Suddenly he reached out and faintly caressed the side of her oval face. His touch caused her to stir lightly. But she continued sleeping, unaware of Rhett's changing feelings.