Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine. Without Margaret Mitchell, this work would not exist. I do not own any part of Gone With The Wind, and no money is being made from this story.
Chapter Nineteen: A New Life
If Will was surprised or angry to hear from his brother-in-law so soon after the Butlers' hasty departure only two weeks before, he did not mention it when his wife's sister and husband descended from the train. Anyone who witnessed the reunion would only mention it at the supper table as a normal occurrence. There was no hint of scandal.
"Scarlett, it's good to see you," Will offered, a note of tension still evident in his tone.
"You too, Will."
Scarlett hoped that in time, her relationship with Will, at least, could be restored. Suellen, on the other hand, was a different story. Judging by how long her sister had stayed angry over the theft of Frank Kennedy, Scarlett imagined a long, rocky road back to a frosty relationship with her sister.
"Will." Rhett reached forward his hand in greeting. "I'm glad my message reached you in time. How are Suellen and the girls?"
"Rhett, it did. Suellen is still mighty angry but the girls miss their cousins," he sighed. "Let's get going if you don't mind."
Very little was said as the trio rode towards Tara. Scarlett, who usually inhaled deeply any time she came close to Tara, instead inched her way closer to her husband who sat beside her.
As they neared the road to Tara, Will slowed the horses and handing the reins over to Rhett, climbed off. He tipped his hat to Rhett and Scarlett before walking toward the house. Without looking back, Will waved his hand above his head.
"I'll tell Suellen to expect you both later on today. I'm sure she'll be pleased."
"When pigs fly," Scarlett muttered quietly.
Rhett smirked and with a stolen glance her way, Rhett adjusted the reins in his hands. With a subtle movement, the horses leaned into the harness and began to move forward.
"Ha!" After an additional flick of the reins, the horses started trotting.
"I know you're probably not going to answer me, Rhett, but where are we going?"
"You'll see when we get there. Scarlett, someday, you are going to have to learn how to have patience."
"Rhett, you must know how unlikely that is," she teased.
Scarlett felt herself being jostled against Rhett by the motion of the horses. Their shoulders bumped, and Rhett turned towards her in a smile much like the one she remembered from their first meeting. Releasing a sigh of relief, Scarlett acknowledged that despite their conversation coming to an abrupt end with the arrival of the train in Jonesboro, her and Rhett would be fine. If she hadn't been so lost in her thoughts, Scarlett would have realized sooner where they were going.
"Twelve Oaks? Rhett, why are you taking me to Twelve Oaks?" Scarlett craned her head to look at her husband's face. He smiled but said nothing as he brought the carriage over the crest.
Scarlett, try as she might, could no longer see the curved driveway that had once led to the Twelve Oaks house, but she could almost remember the smell of crisp pork the morning of that last barbeque. She cringed in remembrance of how much she had once loved Twelve Oaks and blushed at what had transpired the last time she and Rhett had visited.
That varmint! Surely he had not brought her back to Twelve Oaks just to…
As though he was reading her mind, Rhett remarked, "I had something else in mind today, Scarlett."
When Rhett brought the horses to a stop, he secured the reins before stepping down. He offered Scarlett his hand and helped her descend.
"Rhett, I don't understand. Why have you brought me here?"
As they stood side by side looking at the ruins of Twelve Oaks, Scarlett recalled with clarity the girlish fantasy that one day she would be mistress of Twelve Oaks, greeting guests, raising Ashley's children and growing old with him. She looked over at Rhett, who was watching her intently. Now she could only picture Rhett in those scenes.
Scarlett looked at the crumbling remains and, in her mind, saw the beautiful facade of the Twelve Oaks of her childhood. The impressive long hallway, the magnificent staircase, the library. She remembered seeing Rhett for the first time standing in the hallway, watching her. The recollection that he had overheard her flirtatious exchange with Charles brought a smile to her face. Standing beside old John Wilkes who she still fondly thought back to though he had been gone all these years. Leaning against a tree listening to the men argue over a war that would ultimately destroy their way of life and kill many of the men present that beautiful spring day. Rhett's long stride away from the men following his candid comments on the lawn. Rhett's amused expression as he made his presence known in the library after her humiliation with Ashley. Those memories, especially of meeting Rhett, were the strongest now.
Rhett took a deep breath, reached for her hand between them, and intertwined his fingers with hers. He gently squeezed her much smaller hand in his. "Your sister and Will have Tara, but I thought we could make this ours," Rhett explained. A smirk emerged before he continued. "We will certainly need to rename it."
"Ashley Manor," she joked quietly. Rhett looked at her and chuckled loudly.
"Something like that," he quipped, studying her expression.
"Wait a minute, Rhett. You actually bought Twelve Oaks?" Scarlett was flabbergasted. "This is just too odd. What will people say?"
"Scarlett, this is where my life changed forever." Rhett placed his hand on her small waist and turned her to face him. The sensation of the rough pad of his fingers through the fabric of her dress was electric. "Plus, I believe you once imagined that you would be the mistress of Twelve Oaks."
"I was sixteen and didn't know any better. I don't want that anymore." She looked away. She didn't want Rhett to see the tears forming in her eyes. He brought his hand gently under her chin to turn her head towards him.
"I want to have the site cleared, and then I want us to build a house here. No, Scarlett, a home. I want you to picture a deep front porch spanning the entire length of two floors where we can sit, cooling ourselves on a hot Georgia day. I want a lot of windows and a bedroom where we can see the entire property. There will be magnificent gardens full of flowers in the back." Rhett looked deeply into her eyes, wanting to make sure she was listening to this time. "You are the mistress of any home I live in. I want Wade and Ella and any other children that we may be blessed with to grow up here and, if they want, get married here, too. I want us to grow old here. Will you be happy here, Scarlett? Could you be happy here with me?"
"I never took you as a country gentleman, Rhett Butler," she mused. "You don't have to do this, Rhett. We don't have to do this."
"Yes, we do. The emphasis on us." Rhett stared at her. "Wade and Ella, and you are all I have, and I need to start acting like it. They are the mark we will leave behind in this world, Scarlett. They are mine. We made them into who they are. I'll say it again and I'll keep repeating it until the day I die. You are the one great love of my life. I love you, Scarlett Butler," he said fiercely. "I'm in love with you, Scarlett."
His hand slipped back around her waist. She molded to his body in a way no other woman ever had. Or ever would.
"You will never regret your decision to give me another chance, Scarlett, never. We have to forgive each other and learn to be happy. We need to stop pretending that we don't love each other. Were you expecting some tragedy to bring us back together, Scarlett? We are not some characters in a novel. We are real people, and we both made so many mistakes. We are not guaranteed a happy ending, so we need to work on making that happen," Rhett asserted.
"I'm not much of a reader, Rhett, you know that." Scarlett fluttered her eyes as she had to enchant her beaux in another life.
"I know my dear," he laughed.
"Here's the thing. I was never going to divorce you in some dramatic fashion or allow you to chase me to the ends of the earth. I've wanted you for so many years. There will be no more husbands for you. If there are going to be any more babies, they will be mine. I have no desire to be married to anyone but you and, to be honest, not even you some days. I'm too old to play games anymore."
Scarlett threw her arms around his neck and felt herself being pulled more deeply into his embrace. Rhett's arms were possessive around her, and she realized that that was precisely what she wanted, to be possessed by him just as she knew he belonged to her. She understood that what she had long felt in his arms was protection and love.
Scarlett surrendered to his kiss, his lips persistent against hers. This is what she had been missing for years. When the kiss ended, she was almost limp in his arms. They were both breathing heavily, but neither said a word. Their eyes did all the talking. Their attempts to hurt each other were not entirely forgotten, but Scarlett knew she had to learn to trust the man in front of her.
Declarations of love and apologies were not enough. Love was created through everyday choices and actions. They had work to do.
"I'm sorry, Scarlett. I'm so very sorry."
"Me too, Rhett."
Rhett leaned his head down again and kissed her slowly and shyly. The kiss, as it deepened, calmed her. He pulled away and smiled at her, and she laughed slightly. Leaning his forehead against hers, both of them were somewhat out of breath from their kiss.
"Rhett?" she whispered.
Slightly dizzy from their kiss, Scarlett closed her eyes to try to steady her erratic breathing. She wanted to stay in his arms forever, safe in the knowledge that he loved her, that they loved each other.
"Yes?"
"Let's give Twelve Oaks to Beau when he comes of age or gets married. I don't want to live here, Rhett."
"You don't?"
"No. Do you?"
"Not really."
"I want us to live at Tara."
"Scarlett, I don't mind staying with your sister for a few days, although I'm not sure she would have us to stay with her. I don't want to have to worry about all the noise we are going to make."
"Rhett!" Scarlett exclaimed, slapping his arms. "Will and Suellen won't live at Tara."
"They won't?"
"No. I plan on having the house appraised, and then I will offer one-third of the value to Carreen, and the other third to Suellen and Will."
Rhett laughed loudly, disturbing the silence around them.
"It's only been a few hours and you have this all planned out," Rhett exclaimed, tightening his grip on her waist.
"I had a lot of free time to think, Rhett."
"Evidently." Rhett grinned."Where will Suellen and Will go? And how, my love are you going to convince them to leave?"
"They can build a house where the Slattery's once lived and Will will still have all this land to farm unless you plan on doing so."
Rhett shook his head. "I have no plans, Scarlett, but to make you happy."
"I'm glad you said that Rhett because I'm going to need a fair amount of your money -"
"Our money, Scarlett, and what are you planning to do with our money?" he asked.
"Renovations."
"Renovations? Scarlett, I don't think -"
"Don't sound so doubtful. My tastes have improved with age."
"I will need to approve any plans that you may have for the house first, Scarlett and then I can -"
"Fine but I get to decorate the nursery."
"The nursery?"
"Yes, the nursery. It seems we'll be needing it sooner than later."
Rhett was quiet and Scarlett watched a parade of emotions cross his face.
"Are you happy, Scarlett?"
Scarlett nodded her head vigorously.
"I want this baby. Your baby. Our baby."
Rhett exhaled and watched her closely for a moment before replying, "Me too but maybe I should be in charge of decorating the nursery as well, Scarlett."
"Rhett Butler, we'll talk about this later. After all, tomorrow is another day."
Epilogue
Tara, Clayton County, Georgia
June 1887
Leaning back against his chair, his black eyes scanning the room, the thought entered Rhett's mind that this day had almost not happened. Actually, this day would have happened, but he would have certainly missed it had fate not intervened. He had often accused Scarlett of throwing away happiness with both hands, but he had nearly done the same thing.
His whole life would have been futile if not for his wife and his children. He had almost walked away from them, and Scarlett had nearly decided that she didn't need him. They had both been wrong.
There had been many dark and meaningless moments in his life but Scarlett had ultimately shown him what was important in life and that everything else meant nothing. The other countless, nameless, meaningless women before that life-altering meeting had been futile and stupid. They would never bring him what Scarlett had brought to his life: happiness, meaning, acceptance, and, most importantly, love.
The money he had amassed from the moment he'd been thrown out of his father's home was meant to show everyone, specifically his father, that the elder Butler had not destroyed his son or won their very public war. Rhett, over the years, had enjoyed watching his wife spend his ill-gotten funds on herself, their children, their home, and this spectacular day. Rhett couldn't resist the women in his life, especially now that he knew he had Scarlett's heart.
The adventures he had experienced as a young, carefree, and reckless bachelor had paled once the children had been old enough for him and Scarlett to leave them behind so they could travel, and he could show her the world. Revisiting places he had long ago explored on his own with his wife had given Rhett a whole new perspective on life and appreciation for all the joys that it held. Seeing the world through Scarlett's had rejuvenated him.
It was bittersweet that the campaign that he had started for the sake of their daughter Bonnie was helping another of his children. His wife, somewhat grudgingly, had also spent years working tirelessly to claim a place amongst Atlanta's old guard. Scarlett had succeeded in ways Rhett could not have foretold. And today, Atlanta's old guard had experienced a wedding like no one had ever seen before. Today was about as close to a perfect day as Rhett could ask for, and it was all because of Scarlett.
Rhett looked around the ballroom of their renovated home. Tara had never looked better, and after many years, he and Scarlett had finally created a warm, welcoming, and loving home. Unlike the Peachtree Street home, there was no thick, red, wall to wall carpeting. The ornately carved walnut furniture and the dark window hangings had been left in their previous home. There were no dark wall coverings or filter mirrors.
Gerald and Ellen O'Hara would have been proud of the home he and Scarlett had built over the years.
The ballroom sparkled with crystal glasses filled with champagne, and people were chatting excitedly in dazzling new gowns and tuxedos. Soft music wafted through the air. In their previous home, no one had used the ballroom. The ballroom at Tara was filled tonight with many of the most important people in his life, minus two: his mother and his Bonnie Blue.
Even in a room full of laughing, happy people, the memories of his baby girl Bonnie came flooding back. A beautiful, precocious girl with a smile that could melt one's heart. His heart had not melted but had been stolen from the moment she had been placed in his arms. It took years after her death to reclaim it. For a time, he had believed that her death had destroyed his heart, but slowly, Scarlett had repaired it, and the girls had almost fully healed him.
Had she lived, Bonnie's wedding would have followed Ella's for today was Ella's wedding day, and Rhett Butler was the lucky man to give her away.
Rhett still struggled to contain the pain that he felt when he thought about Bonnie. Sometimes the pain was acute, and it felt like his heart was being clenched by some unseen hand. Other days the pain was duller. Bonnie would have been seventeen and like her sister, the belle of the ball, and, ultimately, a beautiful young bride.
His mother had passed away five years before without the rift between them being repaired. Rhett had not spoken to his brother or sister-in-law in years.
Rosemary and James, however, were chatting with Carreen and her husband while their children were playing in the nursery.
It had taken Hugh Elsing mere weeks to develop from co-worker to Carreen's fiancee. Rhett could still recall the nervous look on Hugh's face when he asked Scarlett for permission to court Carreen, which Scarlett quickly gave. Carreen and Hugh were married by the fall, and in the early summer welcomed their first child, a little boy named Brent Gerald. Bonnie Ellen Elsing arrived a little over a year later. While Hugh Elsing would not have been Scarlett's initial choice for a brother-in-law, both him and Scarlett were happy for Carreen.
Rhett lit a cigar and inhaled deeply. He had almost missed this.
He hoped that Ella's marriage was perfect. His was anything but flawless. Both he and Scarlett were passionate and stubborn fools. The first few years of their marriage had nearly destroyed them, but they were finally genuinely happy. It had taken time, but they had survived.
They still fought, but Rhett smiled as he remembered that Scarlett rarely ever threw things at him anymore. She forced him to stay, and they seldom, if ever, left a room angry with each other, and they never went to sleep without solving their problems. They asked questions, and they listened to each other. It had taken time, and hard work, but their marriage had been worth it.
Over the years, Scarlett had shared most of her deepest thoughts with Rhett, and tonight he knew everything there was to know about her. He knew the worst about her but his love for her had never diminished.
Looking around the room at the guests, Rhett suddenly felt emotionally exhausted. This had been a perfect but exhausting day. Some memories refused to stay buried. He knew he should probably seek out his wife and make the rounds greeting guests, but he felt paralyzed.
There was little doubt that Scarlett was somewhere in the room greeting and flirting with her guests, complimenting their wives' gowns, ensuring that everyone was having a good time and that this day would be talked about for years or at least until the next time the Butler's hosted a wedding. Rhett felt the seventeen-year age difference more now than at any other time since he'd meet her.
Rhett looked around the room until his breath caught as he made contact with those stunning green orbs that had bewitched him the day of a long-ago barbeque and countless days and sultry nights since. Scarlett smiled at him, and Rhett wondered how he had ever imagined that his love had died or that she could be in love with anyone else. He had never seen her look at any man the way she was looking at him, especially tonight. Rhett smiled at her and thought about how beautiful she still was. Scarlett was by far the most beautiful woman in the room. Her waist was still tiny, and her figure still flattering after each of her pregnancies.
As he thought about it, Rhett wondered if he would change anything about his life. That day in the library of Twelve Oaks had altered the very course of it. Meeting Scarlett had eventually anchored and changed him. He should have proposed then and there and convinced Scarlett to marry him. Rhett should have told her he loved her despite the paralyzing fear of rejection.
But then things would have been so different. His son Wade wouldn't be here. In the intervening years, he and Scarlett had done everything to raise their children in a different way than they had grown up. None of their children were spoiled or ignorant of the world.
Rhett chuckled as his gaze landed on the boy. Scarlett had told Rhett years before that it was his responsibility to handle Wade's transition into manhood, but if he took their son to a whorehouse and she found out about it, she would deal with him. Rhett knew that Scarlett was serious. However, because it was Wade, his wife had little to worry about. In his twenties, Wade was a Harvard educated lawyer like his Uncle Henry and was married to a lovely woman from one of Charleston's finest families.
Rhett still regretted not helping Scarlett to get the money she needed to pay for the taxes at Tara, but then she wouldn't have remarried, and his daughter Ella wouldn't be here. Rhett wanted to change everything and nothing. He and Scarlett had caused each other so much pain, but here they were indestructible and happy — a single unit. The Butlers had gone from scandalous to respectable. Most of the time, that was true.
He would certainly tell his younger self, however, to love Scarlett openly. She was unlike any woman he had ever met in his life. Everything that people criticized her for, including her independence, her stubbornness, and her determination, were the very things he loved most about her. Her 'faults' simply disguised how much Scarlett cared about the people that she loved.
Rhett watched Scarlett sip her champagne as she stood talking to Ashley's new wife. He vividly remembered his wife during their honeymoon and the champagne that had made her tipsy and allowed her to drop any inhibitions. He should have taken greater advantage of those moments.
It had been a decade since he had last laid eyes on Ashley Wilkes. Rhett was well aware of but unbothered by the irregular correspondence between his wife and Wilkes. Scarlett dutifully wrote weekly letters to her nephew. Beau's letters were full of ramblings about his friends, his school, and his new life. He asked about Melly quite often and Rhett suspected that the boy looked to his aunt to help him remember his mother.
Ashley would never be a close friend. They spoke when necessary, but they would never be friends. Too much had happened for that, but Rhett felt no jealousy as he watched his wife stand there talking to Ashley and laughing with the new wife.
Seeing Ashley Wilkes in his home, while uncomfortable, made Rhett think of Melanie, who he still thought of often with sadness. He also wished that Henry Hamilton was around to thank him, for Rhett's presence at this event was partly because of Henry. Pitty would have loved the festivities as well. Rhett missed Henry and Pitty in a way he had never thought possible.
Pitty passed away shortly after his reconciliation with Scarlett. Henry retired shortly after that, and both he and India decided to join Ashley in London. India even found a nice man and was married the following year. Rhett could still vividly recall the day news of Henry's death reached Tara. He had been genuinely sorry and had mourned Henry deeply.
Watching Scarlett, Rhett appreciated how relaxed she looked. Their daughter was newly married, and he felt slightly ill at the prospect. Scarlett had learned to hide her emotions well. Being married to him had probably helped. His many faces of indifference had been great examples for her.
Maybe it was his destiny to have daughters. Tonight was not the first time he wished he had behaved himself a little more as a young man. Now that he had daughters, he regretted some of his interactions with the fairer sex.
Melanie Carreen and Rosemary Ellen, at eight and six years of age, were in the nursery with their cousins, but already Rhett could see flashes of their mother in the pouting insistence that they wanted to attend Ella's wedding ball. Thank goodness he had Wade and two-year-old Henry Gerald to balance all the women in his life.
Those flashes always made Rhett think of the woman who could have offered him some much-needed assistance and insight: Mammy.
Mammy had passed away almost two years after his return. Rhett was fully aware of Scarlett's feelings on that matter. He was the only one who knew that his wife had felt like she was a disappointment to everyone: their children, her parents, her sister, but especially Mammy. Scarlett harbored the thought that Mammy went home to Tara after Bonnie's funeral because she was disappointed in her. Only Rhett knew the truth. Mammy had taken Bonnie's death as personally as he had. She went home to die, thinking she had failed in her duty to protect her family.
Mammy would have loved the girls and Henry.
Rhett shifted his gaze until he saw his daughter. Ella had grown into her beauty and was a stunningly attractive young woman, just like her mother. He thought about Frank Kennedy and silently thanked him for Ella. Poor Frank had hardly spent any time with Ella before his death. Frank's loss had been Rhett's gain. Ella had been his child even when still growing in her mother's womb, placed there by another man. Rhett had pretended it was his child growing in Scarlett from the moment he had become aware of her existence. Ella was his.
Rhett watched his daughter dance with her new husband. Her smile was radiant, her eyes twinkled, and there was not a concern in her mind.
He had known Ella her entire life, and he had been there for nearly every milestone. Now his little girl was a woman who belonged to another man. He did not know how he could do this two more times. Ella was no longer a little girl. Today she was a bride, and soon she would be a mother. He would be a grandfather soon.
Rhett remembered holding Ella for the first time on Pitty's porch and instantly falling in love because she was Scarlett's. Now he knew he had fallen in love because she would become his little girl.
Rhett thought about the little girl who constantly talked and couldn't stay on any one topic as a child. Today she was so poised and mature. The little girl who had sat in his lap, climbed into his arms, fallen asleep with her head on his chest, who had run to him when she hurt herself, would now find comfort with another man.
When Ella was old enough to understand her body, Scarlett made sure to tell her everything she would know and told her not to listen to anyone who told her about marital rights. It almost cost Scarlett her marriage, and she refused to hurt Ella with lies. Scarlett encouraged Ella to act like a lady but never hide behind a man. Stealing another woman's beau was also a necessary lesson.
Then Ella and her new husband, Raoul Picard, were in front of him.
"Thank you, Papa, for everything. This was such a perfect day."
Today's memory of giving her away to her new husband was still so fresh that Rhett could only smile and found that he could not say more than "I love you, Ella."
She took his hand in hers and shifted on her toes to place a gentle kiss on his cheek. "I love you too, Papa."
The room fell silent, and Scarlett was beside him, tucking her arm around his.
Rhett raised his glass and looked around the room to the many faces of people he had never thought he could call his friends.
"To my beautiful Ella and her husband, Raoul." He looked briefly down at his wife before continuing. "Just make sure you do the opposite of everything your mother and I did when you were little, and you will be fine, my beautiful girl."
"Rhett Butler, you are a scoundrel," Scarlett joked loudly.
The room broke out in laughter and applause.
And then Ella was gone, whisked away once again onto the dance floor by her new husband. Rhett would not be responsible for his actions if anyone ever hurt his little girl. Raoul was a good man, and Rhett had no worries. Ella had chosen well.
But with her went a piece of his heart. Another piece was gone. He would lose a little more when his youngest daughters were married.
Scarlett handed him a pouch that had been hidden in her hands.
"What's this?" Rhett asked, examining it.
"A hundred and fifty dollars," Scarlett smiled as he shook the pouch. "but not in gold."
His laughter filled the room, and several eyes turned towards them.
"I'd like to bid to dance with my husband. Do you think it'll be enough, or will someone bid more for the scoundrel?"
"I think you're safe," Rhett replied. "I can use this to replenish our bank account, Mrs. Butler."
"We do have two more daughters to marry off," Scarlett teased.
When his wife was finally in his arms, Rhett saw that her eyes held tears. Scarlett was still the beautiful southern belle he had fallen in love with so many years ago.
"Are you happy, my dear?"
"I am," Scarlett said honestly. "I love you, Rhett."
"I love you, Scarlett."
Rhett finally realized how blessed he was. Ella had begun a new chapter in her life today, and Rhett hoped that her story would be happier and less complicated than that of him and Scarlett.
Theirs was a story of reconciliation; it was the story of deathless love, the kind that never wears out.
~The End~
A.N. Some readers will recall reading another version of the epilogue last year. What began as a one-shot inspired by a late-night viewing of the movie Father of the Bride, was revised last August to become the epilogue of "A Deathless Love." I pulled it off this site and filed it away for future use. I want to extend my thanks to all the original reviewers of that version.
For many of us, our hearts and head conflict when it comes to these two characters and their ultimate ending. Until the very last line of my story, I contemplated their fate. In the end, my gut and heart decided. Sometimes, that's all we have.
I want to thank all of the wonderful readers out there, including Livisa, COCO B, Truckee G, wsanders, Auroarah, Melody-Rose-20, Gemma96, and Guests 1, & 2. You have no idea how much I appreciate your reviews and PMs. Thank you to everyone who has favorited or followed this story.