Chapter 29
Rhett woke up with his head throbbing. He looked around not recognizing where he was. He sat up slowly groaning as his head throbbed harder. He found himself in a jail cell. The last thing he could remember was turning when some one called his name and turning to see him fall just as he heard a gunshot. Who was the person he'd heard call his name and why did he have a gun in his hand? He looked much too young to be holding such a weapon.
"I see sleeping beauty has woken up." the sheriff said. The sheriff was a tall burly type of man with a light peppered look to his hair. His face was weathered.
"Where am I? What happened?"
"You sir are in the Jonesboro jail and I was hoping that you might be able to answer the last question."
"I'm sorry the only thing I remember is hearing some one calling my name and turning to see him with gun in hand fall as I heard a gunshot. It sounded like it came from behind me."
"Well that is an interesting tale but we found a gun in your hand with a bullet missing?"
"I never pulled the trigger. I don't understand how that could be."
"We have a witness."
"I was alone or at least I thought I was. May I ask who it was that was shot?"
"A boy from Atlanta. Wade Hampton Hamilton. We still don't know he was doing on that road."
"OH MY GOD! Is he alive? Where is he now?"
"You know him?"
"He is my step son. What the hell was he doing here?"
"That is what I'd like to know. Did you have an argument with him recently?"
"A couple of days ago but we had made up or so I thought."
"may I ask what about?"
"His mother and I were estranged for a time and I recently returned to try and reconciled." Rhett lied. He thought that this would go down with the Sheriff better than the truth that he was only there to make sure she was being a proper mother to his motherless children born from an affair.
"Well I will have to ride out to Tara later today and see if the boy is awake."
"He is at Tara then. Has any one telegrammed his mother?"
"yes Mrs. Butler has arrived from what I hear. Along with another woman and two colored women and two infants a young girl."
"That's her." leave it to Scarlett to make an entrance even in times of turmoil.
"I'll have the deputy bring you something to eat. And if you would like I could send a telegram to your lawyer."
"yes Thank you" Rhett replied and then gave him the name of his lawyer.
The sheriff took the information and left the jail. He secretly believed that Rhett was an innocent man but the farmer had said he witnessed to whole thing. The farmer did have a shaky story. There was a lot more missing from it than the Sheriff liked. He didn't like to have to call a judge for such a shaky case as this. But he had to do it. But he decided to put that off after his discussion this morning until he could do a little more investigating.
He rode out towards Tara stopping when he saw something shiny in the area that the shooting had happened. It was a horse shoe. Obviously it was from the horse they had found near Mr. Butler. He looked around and spied something in the bushes a few feet away. He walked to the brush and bent down for a closer look. It was fabric of some kind. He started to look around when he tripped over something that was laying on the ground just behind another clump of trees. It was a gun. He looked back to where his horse stood. It was a good 1000 yards from where the shooting had happened. He checked the cylinder for how many bullets were there and found all of them there. He was starting to suspect what had happened but his only question was who. If he couldn't figure it out and soon he would have to press charges on a man he was beginning to be positive was innocent.
Scarlett was sitting in the nursery with Suellen and Millie while they fed the babies. Baby Will just a few months older than her twins were now. He was a big healthy boy who was of a very even temper. He didn't cry as much as his sisters had but when he did every one knew he was unhappy. Katie and Dixie were very much the same except they were more urgent about their needs. Scarlett had sat with Wade all night but decided that she would take some time for her other three children. Ella had been in there with them talking with her mama but had decided that she had given cousin Susie plenty of time to wake up so she ran off to find her. Scarlett smiled thinking of how charming her daughter was.
Wade had woke up briefly the night before and smiled when he saw his mother but soon fell back to sleep. The doctor told her that it was perfectly normal for him to do so. Scarlett tried not to worry but she still held the fear that something would happen to her son.
India sat in the parlor with Dilcey working on making bandages for Wade. Dr. Smith sat with the two women and talked with India. He sat looking at her. She was a fair looking woman. He was what most would call a confirmed bachelor in most people of his acquaintance. But in his heart he knew he yearned to find a woman who could withstand being alone for sometime during medical emergencies. They talked about the past lives they had each lived. He was surprised to hear that she had never been married. He found her to be very charming even though he could tell she wasn't trying to be. She happily talked with him for over an hour. They found that they both loved to go on nature walks and it was settled that as soon as Wade was out of danger that India would show him around in his new surroundings. Something about the man intrigued her unlike anyone had since Stuart Tarleton died. She had thought that she would die after he died never being in love again. She knew she didn't love Dr. Smith but she did like him very much.
Dr. Smith left them to go check on Wade as they heard a horse approach the house. Dilcey moved towards the door and opened it to find the Sheriff climbing up the steps to the front door.
"I've come to see if the boy has woke up yet."
"Please come in." India said coming behind Dilcey. Dilcey was secretly very grateful for India coming to talk to the stranger. She had a slight fear of people she didn't know that wasn't friends or family of the O'Hara girls. 'Dilcey please go look to see if Wade has woke up."
Dilcey started up the stairs and went to Wade's room. She knocked on the door and opened it. Wade was fully awake and telling his mother what had happened. Dr. Smith was checking the wound. Dilcey told them that the Sheriff was waiting downstairs to speak with Wade. Dr. Smith said he would have to wait until his examination was complete. Dilcey returned to the parlor and told the sheriff what the doctor had said and the sheriff nodded. A few minutes later the Doctor came down the stairs and announced that the sheriff could go on up. Dilcey led the way to Wade's room. She opened the door and ushered the man in and then excused herself.
"you must be Mrs. Butler. I believe I have your husband in my jail."
"You do and If I might add unfairly. I know in my heart that he did not do this."
"Ma'am I hope you are right for all your sakes."
"I suppose you need to speak with Wade. Do you mind if I remain in the room while you speak with him?"
"Of course I have no problem with you remaining here. In fact I would prefer it."
Scarlett nodded as the sheriff took a seat in the chair next to hers.
"Well son could you tell me what happened?" Wade recounted the event. But he was vehement that Rhett never pulled his trigger. The Sheriff shook his head. It didn't make sense why would some one lie about seeing something. Could the boy be lying to save his step father? After he had asked all the questions he needed to he left them. Scarlett looked at Wade. He looked so much like Charlie but acted so much like her.
"Wade I know that you came after Rhett because you believe that he was leaving me again. Thank you for being willing to fight for my honor but darling I wish you would have asked me about it."
"Mama I was afraid that he had hurt you again. I was so angry I couldn't wait. But I should have. I know I should have but my anger got the better of me. I'm so sorry. Rhett will never forgive me." Rhett said hanging his head as tears fell from his eyes.
"Wade look at me. Rhett loves you like a son he will forgive you."
"How do you know he will?"
"Because when you love someone you always forgive them. It may take some time but you always forgive those you love."
"Mama I'm getting tired I think I'm going to sleep for a while."
"Ok dear sleep well." Scarlett said kissing her son on the fore head. She sat with him as he fell asleep. She went downstairs as she descended she heard voices. Dr. Smith and India was deep in conversation. She smiled maybe some good would come from this. She waited for a few minutes before interrupting the two from their conversation. She decided then that she needed to see Rhett. She went into the parlor and asked India to please watch over the children as she was headed to town. She didn't need ask why India knew. She told Scarlett that she would be happy to. Dr. Smith who had no other calls decided to give India a hand as there were plenty of people there to chaperone them.
Rhett stirred the food on his plate in disgust. It certainly tasted as bad as it looked. "Sheriff if I didn't know better I would think that you are trying to poison me with this slop so you didn't have to have a judge come."
"Why didn't I think of that?" the sheriff joked. He hated having to keep this man. Although what he found certainly did cast a dim look on what evidence He knew that the prosecuting attorney would look at the witness as a sure bet on his case. Now if he could only cast some doubt on the witness. He had asked around trying to find out who this old farmer was but no one seemed to know much except that he kept to himself. He decided to go have a visit with that farmer again.
Rhett pushed the plate away. He wandered why Scarlett had not came to see him yet. Did she believe that he would do something like that. Certainly she knew he would never have shot before knowing who the aggressor was. He started to drift off to sleep when he heard Scarlett's voice just outside the jailhouse. The door opened and the Sheriff led her in. "Mr. Butler you have a visitor. I can not unlock the door but I will step outside so the two of you can talk. But do I have your word that you will be a gentleman?"
"yes I am a gentleman."
The sheriff left the room to stand on the porch peeking in the window from time to time.
"Scarlett you have to know that I did not shoot Wade. I swear on every thing I hold dear I didn't do this."
"Rhett Hush now. I believe you. I believed you from the time that Will told me that you were arrested that you would never do anything to hurt Wade. Wade told me that you never fired your weapon. I'm so sorry I didn't come before but I had to see to Wade. I was told at the station that he was very weak and I was so afraid that he was worse and I just had to get to him before he…….. I love you so much. And I don't know how but we will figure out how to clear you."
"I love you Scarlett. I understand why you couldn't be here before now. You were where you should have been." Rhett said holding onto Scarlett's hand. They stared into each others eyes for a long time before the Sheriff entered and announced that Scarlett would have to leave. Scarlett cried silent tears as she walked out. She would find away if it was the last thing she did.
