CHAPTER 51

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Thank you for your reviews of Chapter 50, Rhett's Love and Gabyhyatt

A few beads of rain grazed Rhett's forehead as the stranger who stood before him admonished him to seek refuge from the storm that was inching very close to the ship. "Monsieur, you look zo preoccupied, but there es a terrible storm heading our way! You should return to your room before you are caught up in it! Don't you ze how thiz ship is beginning to sway back and forth? You may get thrown overboard ef you continue to stay here!"

He paused briefly as the drops started trickling down his face, then responded, "My dear madam, there is another storm forming in my life that is far more pressing to me than thunder and lightening! Right now my heart is too heavy to return to my suite. I need to be alone with my thoughts for a while."

"Thiz es neither the time or place for such contemplation and it sounds like you need a good ear to listen to your woes. As you can zee, I am an old woman and I have been many places and experienced many zings. Come, let me buy you a drink in ze salon and if you have a cigar to spare, I would appreciate it if you could pay me back with one for taking ze time to listen to your troubles!"

For a few moments Rhett forgot all his problems and threw back his head and laughed at the picture of an older, refined looking French woman inhaling a cigar. He was also amused because the smoking salon was off limits to women. "Thank you for making me laugh when I needed it the most. Since women can't enter the salon, I know you can't be serious about smoking cigars either."

"Certainement, I was serious about joining you in ze salon and the cigar!"

"But how can you…. "

"Mon amie, I am ze captain's wife! I do not obey anyone's orders on zis ship – including my husband's!"

Rhett found her feistiness heart warming and extended his hand to introduce himself. "My name is Rhett Butler and I would be very glad to join you in the salon. "

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Monsieur Butler. I am Madame Dubois. Please let us hurry, before we are drowned by ze rain!"

The eyes of several male passengers were upon Madame Dubois when she confidently strolled into the interior of the foggy, oak walled smoking salon. Their expressions ranged from shock to dismay that their precious sanctuary had been violated. Their curiosity and anger only excelled when they saw how quickly the staff fawned over Madame Dubois and attended to her every need like she was royalty. Madame let out a chuckle as Rhett took his seat and gave him a playful wink. He couldn't help it as he saw their collective expressions and started to laugh out loud.

"Now Monsieur, before we speak about what we came here to discuss, I believe you promised me a cigar. I would appreciate it ef you lived up to your end of ze bargain!" she demanded as she thrust out her palm towards him. Rhett immediately obliged and quickly pulled out two Upman cigars for both of them to enjoy.

Just then, a bald man donned in a bright, plaid green kilt came barreling toward their table and bellowed out, "I'll not stand for this kind of behavior! 'Tis bad enough that a lass is come into our salon, but I simply cannot stomach the sight of one smoking a cigar!" he huffed in a thick Scottish brogue.

Madame Dubois pivoted in her chair and shot a steely gaze at him before she calmly responded, "Very well, Monsieur. If you cannot stand for this behavior, zen why don't you go zeet down and mind your own affairs?"

"I will not sit! I will not stand! I will…" before he could finish his rebuttal, several strong male employees appeared out of nowhere and dragged him out of the salon immediately.

Madame Dubois looked on with amusement and turned back towards Rhett as she broke out in uncontrollable laughter. "'I weel not ztand! I weel not zit!' Right now he must be very happy because he es neither sitting nor standing. I hope my presence with you here es not embarrassing for you. I rarely come into the salon when I take trips on my husband's ship as I know it offends the gentlemen, but every so often an old woman needs to add some spice to her life to break up ze monotony of her days. I find et entertaining to zee how ze men will react when I make an appearance in zer private grotto. Now, Monsieur Butler, you must tell me what is troubling you so?"

Madame Dubois listened intently as Rhett downed a glass of Scotch and told her what Dr. Callahan had told him about Scarlett. She folded her arms and clucked her tongue with annoyance as she voiced her opinion about the advice Dr. Callahan had given Rhett. "Ah, oui, Dr. Callahan! He is but a boy. He perhaps has ze makings of being a fine doctor, but zat day has not arrived yet! Monsieur Butler, I'll have you know I was a midwife in my village for many years! S'il vous plait! Let me go and zee your wife. I would like to speak weeth her."

Rhett stared at her with a mixed dose of skepticism and gratitude. By the time he drained his last drop of Scotch, he decided that since she could add no harm to the equation, he would agree to her request.

Before they departed for his suite, he warned Madame Dubois in a very stern tone of voice that he did not want her sharing any news of his conversation with Dr. Callahan with Scarlett.

Madame Dubois reached out to squeeze his hand to show her sincerity and pledged to respect his wishes.