Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Author's Note: As always, all reviews and inputs are appreciated.

If I had to title this chapter it would be Reader's Review Part III. Everyone has made such wonderful suggestions. Almost everything in this chapter and the last two chapters is reader review generated. I couldn't get them all in the last two chapters. This is the last chapter and then there is the Epilog.

All I can say is thank you.

The sonnet Scarlett reads to Rhett is by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. It is one of my favorite poems. It is titled Sonnet 43 but it is better known as How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

Chapter Thirteen

Scarlett still didn't care what the Old Guard thought about her. She cared very much about Melanie and Melanie's feelings. She cared very much about her children and her children's feelings. She cared the most about Rhett and Rhett's feelings. If Rhett or Melanie asked her to attend an event or be nice to a person, she would do it. When Rhett and Scarlett attended birthday parties for the other children in society, she walked around with him with a smile plastered on her face. When Rhett and Scarlett attended social events and fund raisers Scarlett never left Rhett side no matter what. She never misbehaved any more she just didn't conform. Scarlett was happier than she had ever been. She loved her husband, she loved her children, she loved her sister-in-law and she loved running her businesses. The best part was her husband loved her and was happy with her running her businesses as long as she was happy.

Rhett did introduce Bonnie to jumping but when Bonnie wanted to raise the bar Rhett said, "No" and he stuck to that no. Bonnie was mad and pouted for days on end but Rhett never relented. Rhett thought, 'Bonnie, my dear, I have withstood your mother's anger and I'm sure I can withstand yours. I didn't let her bully me and I won't let you bully me either.' He knew what was best for his daughter and he was not going to let her bully him into doing the wrong thing. Rhett had grown as a parent in the last two years and had started agreeing with Scarlett that always saying 'yes' to Bonnie was not in her best interest.

Rhett knew Scarlett was with child again and he was determined that Bonnie would not do anything the least bit dangerous. Rhett was not taking any chances with Bonnie's life or Scarlett's emotional well-being. Not allowing Bonnie to get hurt was reason enough but something happening to Bonnie might result in Scarlett having a miscarriage. He knew Scarlett was a strong woman but too many women died as a result of a miscarriage for Rhett to be comfortable with Scarlett experiencing any emotional distress while she was pregnant. He wasn't taking any chances with the people he loved.

While Scarlett was at Melly's one day Scarlett had said, "I am with child again."

Melly hugged her and told her, "Congratulations!"

After Scarlett left Melanie decided that she and Ashley were going to adopt another child. After all Ashley had told her if she wanted more children, they could adopt another. She would miss being pregnant because she had felt so special when she was pregnant. She would not miss being in labor and delivering a child.

Ashley had told her that he would not have relations with her if there was a possibility of her getting with child. She was the most important person in his life and having another child was not worth her risking her life. They were lucky they had Beau and Katie and that was all they were going to get. Her family needed her. He would not discuss it further.

He had relented after seeing her mope around the house for two weeks and told her, "We don't need another child but if you want another child, we can adopt another one. Melanie was going to take him up on his offer even though she knew he hadn't really meant it.

She wondered how he could be so strong and adamant on the subject. Her husband was rarely strong and adamant on any subject.

It was Ashley's loss of Scarlett's admiration that made him forget the past and develop a backbone. He changed his life in the summer and fall of eighteen seventy-one. He no longer looked back but strived for a better life for him and his family. He had accepted that world was over. He had lost so much in his life and he had resolved no matter what he would not lose Melanie.

When Scarlett entered her confinement with their third child, she told Rhett, "I am going to write you a love poem but you must be kind for I know I will never be as good as you."

Scarlett nearly laughed out loud at the look of panic that flashed across Rhett's face. If she had not known him as well as she now did, she would not have known what the look meant. Rhett said, "You just try your best. It is not as easy as it looks."

"If I have problems, I am sure you will be glad to help me."

"Of course." Scarlett looked at Rhett and wondered if he was getting a little green around the edges.

Over the next month Rhett would see Scarlett working on what he believed to be her poem. After supper one night she said, "You are right. It is not easy. I am going to take a break from it for a while."

"Alright. If you don't want to finish it, it is alright. I know you love me. I don't need a poem."

"No. I will finish. I want a poem that shares with you all the ways I love you."

Rhett nervously laughed and told himself to just act naturally. He didn't know why he thought she was going to find out he hadn't written all those poems. He told himself he didn't want her to know because he didn't want her to be hurt. He knew the real reason was because he didn't want her to think he wasn't perfect. He knew she didn't think he was perfect. He knew that he didn't want her to know he had been deceiving her because he didn't want to see that look of pain in her eyes and he didn't want her to not look at him with love and admiration. No. He never wanted to lose that.

Scarlett was enjoying Rhett's discomfort but she was also feeling sympathy for him. She knew that he would never try to fool her now by giving her a poem someone else had written but he was in too deep now. His pride would never let him tell her what he did even though she knew he wanted the madness to end.

At the beginning of her ninth month one night after supper Scarlett told him, "I have finished my poem. Melly helped me. I will read it to you tomorrow night."

Rhett said, "You don't need to read it to me. You can just give it to me." Rhett felt like Scarlett was laughing at him.

"Oh no. I must read it to you. That is part of the specialness. So, I can emphasize certain words."

Rhett just gave her a tight little smile.

In a few minutes she said, "Maybe I should ask Melly and Ashley over to hear it also. I would love their input."

Rhett said quickly, "You don't want to embarrass Mr. Wilkes with your declarations of love for another man."

Scarlett laughed and said, "Oh Rhett, you are so silly. He wouldn't be embarrassed. If you don't want me to invite them I won't."

"If you don't invite them you could read it in our bedroom and I could then show you how much I love you."

"Oh! I know! You could write me a poem too. We could read them to each other."

"Let's just focus on your poem."

"Alright. Tomorrow night before we get in the bed. Now let's retire."

"Yes. Let's."

Rhett still felt like Scarlett was laughing at him but he didn't know why he thought that. He guessed he would learn all tomorrow night. He did have relations with her that night just in case she kicked him out of her bed again.

The next night they were in their bedroom and Rhett was sitting in a chair with Scarlett in front of him in his favorite maternity negligee. She started reading her poem.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and Ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of every day's

Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from praise;

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith;

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints, - I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life! – and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

Rhett was amazed. The poem was excellent. He could not believe that Scarlett had written it. Rhett said, "That is the most amazing poem I have ever heard. I can't believe you wrote it on your first attempt."

At first Scarlett thought Rhett was playing with her but she soon realized that Rhett had not recognized the poem. Scarlett didn't know how Rhett had not recognized the poem. She had chosen the sonnet because she had thought it was very famous but it must not be. She knew then that Ashley had chosen an obscure poem in order to fool Melanie. She was so sure he would recognize it then he would know that she knew what he had been doing. She was sure they would both laugh about it. When he didn't recognize the poem and he was praising it so much she knew that she could never tell him what she had done. She knew it would hurt and embarrass him. He would see it as making fun of him in a mean-spirited way and yes, he had done that to her a lot but not since Ashley's party. She couldn't hurt him that way. She knew how much that hurt and she had to maintain his pride. The last thing she wanted to do was embarrass Rhett. It would ruin everything.

Scarlett said, "Thank you."

"I don't read female poets because they usually aren't very good but if they were all as good as you then I would."

"They aren't. Now weren't you going to show me how much you love me." And he was as passionate as he had been the night of Ashley's party except instead of there being desperation and a lot of darkness there was veneration and a lot of reverence.

Rhett carried the poem with him everywhere he went. Scarlett was embarrassed. It would have been a funny joke if Rhett had recognized the poem but he hadn't. He was so attached to the poem and the sentiment expressed in the poem she could never tell him the truth. She knew that if she ever told him the truth he would shut down and never let her see his inner self again. Ever. She just prayed he never found out the truth. She would have to take this secret to her grave. Fortunately, she hadn't told Melly anything about what she was doing. She would make sure he never read any of Mrs. Browning's work.

She never asked him to write her another poem. It wasn't funny anymore. Rhett figured that she wasn't as impressed with having a poem written for her now that she had written her own which was fine with him. He never wanted to pretend to write another poem. Not when Scarlett was so good without really trying. It was just embarrassing for her to be that much better at writing poetry than him.

One night in August as Scarlett laid cuddled up with Rhett, she was so glad Rhett had told her he loved her in his drunkenness. She would never have known otherwise. She was so glad she had thought of a plan to get Rhett home and to get him to stand by her through the scandal. She hadn't really thought she was pregnant but she guessed she was or maybe Gerry had been conceived the week after Ashley's party when they weren't doing anything to prevent her from getting pregnant. She would not have been as brave as she was those first months after Ashley's party if she hadn't known Rhett loved her. It was knowing he loved her that enabled her to finally rid herself of her childish fantasy of Ashley. She shuddered to think where they would be if she hadn't realized it. Nowhere good she was sure.

Scarlett heard Rhett in the dark say, "Are you having trouble sleeping, my love?"

Scarlett smiled and thought, 'He is so wonderful when he feels loved.' Then she said, "I can't get comfortable."

"Would you like me to help you get comfortable?"

She gripped his hand and said, "I know why I can't get comfortable. Get Mammy and then get Dr. Harrison. Our second daughter is coming."

Four hours later just after midnight, Elizabeth Rose came into the world and looked just like her father except she had green eyes.

Later when Rhett was finally allowed to see Scarlett, he asked her, "How are you feeling?"

"Fine. The chloroform really does help. Thank you for that."

"Your welcome. It was the least I could do."

"Yes. I want a millinery."

"You sleep now. I am going to arrange some food for you. Don't worry. I'll buy you a millinery."

As Rhett watched his opportunistic love falling asleep, he was smiling. As long as she kept letting him sleep with her, he would keep buying her anything she wanted.