Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and all the people following this story. I look forward to the feedback.
Chapter Thirty-Three
The next day Rhett and the children went to the fish market to get the crabs. Rosie said they would need about two dozen of them. Rhett had a good time showing the boys the freshly caught fish. The boys were engrossed with all the different types of fish available. Bonnie seemed to be happy pulling on his mustache and as hard as it was, he gently said, 'No' and held her hand. He kept doing it until she understood that she wasn't allowed to pull on his mustache. He remembered Bonnie doing the same thing last time but he had just allowed her to continue doing it even though it really hurt. Rhett smiled and thought this is not going to be easy.
Rhett finally got the boys to the crab sellers. He had a long discussion with the seller to be sure the crabs had roes inside them. He was finally satisfied and bought the shellfish. The boys argued over who was going to carry the bag of crabs. Rhett let them argue because he was curious who would win the verbal battle. Both of the boys were so gentle and meek he was surprised they had it in them to argue. The argument got very heated which pleased Rhett. At last Wade claimed he should carry the bag because he was older and Beau relented. When they got to the townhouse Rhett made Wade let Beau carry the bag into the house. Wade not too graciously handed over the bag. Rhett knew he didn't want to obey and Rhett wondered if the day would ever come when Wade would defy him. Probably he was Scarlett's son after all.
Once inside they all headed to the kitchen where Rosie showed Rhett how to get the meat out and preserve the eggs. Rhett started getting the meat out of the crabs. After getting the meat out of one the she crabs Rhett made Scarlett help him with the rest of them. He said, "After all this was your idea."
She smiled and said, "Yes, dear."
Rhett had arranged for them to pick Emma up on the way to his mother's townhouse. When they arrived at the townhouse both Nick and another man were already there. The other gentleman was Albert Mulberry. The Mulberrys were a very prominent family in Charleston. As the introductions were made Rhett found out that Albert was courting Rosemary. Albert was as old as Rhett and a confirmed bachelor but then so had Rhett been before he met Scarlett. Albert and Rhett had been friends before the scandal. Rhett smiled and thought, 'Albert is perfect for Rosemary. They are both prigs.' Albert was so much of a prig Rhett was surprised he was willing to eat a meal with him.
As everyone was getting ready to sit down Rhett told everyone where to sit. He had Emma and Nick sitting across the table from each other. Scarlett was subdued which Rosemary took as a sign of success. Rosemary thought, 'Finally, she is behaving like a proper Charlestonian woman.'
Nick had accepted Mr. Butler's invitation because he was bored. He was alone now that Annie had passed away. He was not sure if he was happy or not that he could think of her without feeling sorrow. Annie had not been a great beauty but she had matched him on an intellectual level. He wanted that again. He would like to remarry but he was not going to marry any of those empty-headed women that seemed to be the only thing available. He also wanted to marry a woman that did not want to have children. He would never go through that pain again. He had wanted that child and to lose both Annie and the baby at the same time was almost too painful to bear. Nowadays, he told people he had not wanted the child because he was so tired of hearing he could have other children. He didn't want other children. He wanted Annie and that child. Annie's child.
To distract his thoughts from going down that painful path, he looked at the women at the table. Mrs. Wilkes was pretty but not his type. Miss Butler was very attractive but he knew with one look that she was very stiff and very proper. She was as prudish as most Charlestonian women. The older Mrs. Butler was too old. Mrs. Stevens was attractive and she was very proper but not prudish. Mrs. Butler was very striking but so very quiet. He hoped the conversation was interesting.
Rhett steered the conversation toward Charles Darwin. He knew that it was a subject that Emma was very interested in. In fact, when she discussed the topic, she would get very animated. If Nick had been attracted to Scarlett Emma was going to have to show some spirit to get Nick interested in her although Nick had known a subdued Scarlett. Nick and Rhett started discussing Darwin's theories then Melanie joined in. Albert said, "Darwin's theories are just plain heresy." Which was like throwing a bucket of cold water over the group. Scarlett didn't know what heresy meant and everyone else was being quiet so she made one of the comments that Rhett had told her to say. Everyone looked at her and Melly responded to her comment. Then just as Rhett had hoped Emma started offering her opinion. They then moved on to other scientific discussions to which Melanie and Emma shared their thoughts and opinions.
Albert didn't speak the rest of the meal.
Rosemary was appalled that Emma was being so forward as offering her opinion unrequested. Emma knew that Rosemary didn't approve of her actions tonight but she didn't care. She was having a good time discussing things she had always found interesting.
While they were having dessert Scarlett said, "Y'all must attend a traveling lecture with us. I think there is one tomorrow night."
"No, my dear, it is the night after tomorrow night. The topic is Electricity - Harnessing its Power. If anyone would like to go with us, I will be glad to pick up the tickets. Mr. Fowler, Mrs. Stevens, Rosemary, Albert, Mother? I know you want to go Melly." He smiled at her. Scarlett noticed Nick and Emma looking at each other surreptitiously questioningly.
Nick had not been interested in Mrs. Stevens when they sat down to dinner but when she started talking about Mr. Darwin and his theories, she had been so passionate. It made Nick want to talk to her more. Her green eyes flashed and she was so alive. She reminded him of the passion that Annie had. He like women who had their own opinion. He was so tired of ninnies that can only say' yes, no and whatever you think' like Miss Butler.
Elizabeth said, "Not for me. I would much rather stay with the children. In fact, I will come to the hotel to make it easier to put them to bed."
Rosemary primly said, "I don't think so."
Albert equally primly said, "Me neither."
Scarlett said, "Please come, Mrs. Stevens, I don't want to be the only one who doesn't understand the lecture." Rhett smiled. Scarlett had given Emma the perfect cover. She could go to the lecture while not appearing really interested in the subject matter which a proper lady would not be.
Emma said, "Yes, I would like that. I so rarely get to go out at night since I don't have a male relative to escort me around." Emma had accepted for several reasons. She wanted to get to know Mr. Fowler better, she wanted to hear the lecture and she was tired of sitting at home being prim and proper. She was so tired of living in genteel poverty.
As soon as Mrs. Stevens committed to going Mr. Fowler said, "I would love to go with you also."
Rhett said, "We will pick you up. Which hotel are you staying at?"
"The Ambassador."
"That is the same one we are staying at. Mother can bring her carriage to the hotel, she can stay with the children, then the four of us can pick up Mrs. Stevens, and go on to the lecture hall."
That night before leaving Rhett spoke to Rosemary and told her in no uncertain terms that he loved his wife. He loved his wife just exactly as she was. If Rosemary wanted to continue receiving his benevolence then she would leave Scarlett alone. She would never say another unkind thing about Scarlett or to Scarlett. If he heard of her saying anything unkind about his wife, he would cut her off without a cent. Her and their mother.
Rosemary had heard that her brother could be ruthless but she had never believed those stories but one look at her brother's face and she now knew they were true. She knew he would throw her out on the street because of that tacky woman. He looked so hard and cold. He definitely looked like a predator.
All the other stories about her brother must be true also. That was probably why he like Scarlett he was gauche, crude and as socially unacceptable as his wife. She did wonder, 'How could he love Scarlett? What has she got that makes her so irresistible to Rhett?"
She would never say another word about Scarlett or her brother Rhett. She would be a lady when they were around but there would be no warmth in her toward her brother.
On the way back to her home Emma discovered another Mrs. Butler. This one was lively and animated. Even Mrs. Wilkes seemed more animated. Scarlett told Emma of their trip to Paris and all the sights there were to see there. She said, "It is the perfect place to go on a honeymoon. It is nicknamed the city of love."
Emma found the younger Mrs. Butler a delight to be around. She was like a breath of fresh air in Emma's dull, boring, proper life. Emma was hoping something would happen between her and Mr. Fowler. She saw the strong affection between Mr. and Mrs. Butler and wanted that for herself. Her marriage had been arranged by her father. She had not loved Harold but she had been fond of him. Harold had encouraged her to read to learn. He was happy to discuss the new exciting things in the world with her. She wanted that again and maybe more.
Scarlett, Rhett, and Melly spent the next two weeks arranging evening events and extending invitations to Emma and Nick. At first Scarlett had to arrange the seating so Nick and Emma were always seated next to each other but by the time they were beginning the second week Nick and Emma were seating themselves together by choice. Rhett noticed that Emma was looking at Nick like he had hung the moon. He smiled. Her looking at Nick like that was probably going to work after all it had worked on him.
They went to see Macbeth and Elizabeth joined them. Everyone had a lovely time. Scarlett had a nice nap. On their way to pick Emma up for the play Scarlett shared with Elizabeth that they were trying to match Emma and Nick together. Rhett, Melly and Nick were involved in a discussion about something and Scarlett was sure they hadn't heard her. Elizabeth liked that idea. Emma was a nice person who was barely making ends meet on the small allowance her late husband had left for her. Sadly, her stepson refused to give her any more money to live on. Elizabeth also knew that Emma was lonely. She knew that Emma was smarter than a woman should be and that Emma was starved for intelligent conversation. She knew this because she and Emma shared the same problem. Elizabeth was smarter than a woman should be also.
Rosemary did not join them on these outings which at first surprised Scarlett then after the first week she decided that Rhett had told Rosemary how the cow ate the cabbage which pleased her very much.
Emma was not surprised that Rosemary had not joined them on these outings. The day after the supper party Rosemary had visited Emma to tell her how deplorable her behavior was the night before. Rosemary told her that a lady didn't offer her opinion without being asked and if Emma thought she would be able to attract a handsome man like Mr. Fowler she was mistaken. Emma wasn't young enough or pretty enough. Furthermore, Emma had already ruined any chance she had of attracting Mr. Fowler by letting him know how smart she was.
Emma had mouthed some words of being sorry she had behaved badly and sent Rosemary on her way. She did wonder if she had ruined her chances with Mr. Fowler and she knew Rosemary was right she wasn't pretty or young. When Mr. Butler had come to the door to pick her up for the lecture on Electricity, he had told her that her dress was lovely. He had said it in such a way that she felt pretty but not that he was being forward. She had known he was being kind because even though it was her second-best dress it was old. Nonetheless it had given her a boost of confidence. When she got in the carriage the younger Mrs. Butler had told her that her hair was very well done and asked her how she had done it. Yet the biggest boost to her confidence was Mr. Fowler. He had looked at her and smiled and appreciative smile. After the lecture on the way back to her home both Mr. Butler and Mr. Fowler kept asking her opinion about the lecture and they both waited to her what she thought. They paid attention when Mrs. Wilkes spoke also. After she was in her bed that night, she decided that Mr. Butler and Mr. Fowler were those rare men that liked intelligent women. She went to bed hopeful for the first time since her husband and her son had died.
