Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.

Chapter Thirty-five

The next day after they had gotten home, Rhett was going over his accounts when Scarlett entered his office. She was the only person who never knocked. Maybe because she knew she was always welcome. She sat down in his lap and said, "I felt sorry for Emma."

Rhett put his arms around her and remarked, "Because she isn't the lucky woman who gets to be married to me."

Scarlett smiled and said, "No, because she is like all the other women in this post-war time. She is living in shabby gentility and pretending everything is great. So many proper ladies who the only thing they can do is pinch pennies and pretend that they really don't need or want a new coat or a new dress. Like Melly was doing when Ashley was alive."

"Or before she came to live with us."

"Emma must have thought you were a dream come true. You both like to travel. She was well-read and sophisticated. Y'all were compatible."

"Yeah. I had been angry at her because she had tricked me into marriage by professing a love for me she didn't feel. When I saw her right after my father died, I saw her for who she was a kind, nice, proper woman living in poverty who was willing to risk her reputation to have a better life. Isn't that what women have been having to do for ages?"

"Wow that is almost profound." And she giggled.

"She did help me get over Bonnie, she did help me get received into Charleston society, she was a nice traveling companion and when she found out I was dying of cancer she put on a brave face and never complained. Her biggest fault was she wasn't you. So maybe it was better that she didn't love me. It is heartbreaking to love someone who loves someone else."

"Nick was a good husband. He treated me very well. I am happy we matched them up. I didn't like the thought of Nick being alone the rest of his life."

"Do you think Nick will ask Emma to marry him?"

"Yes."

"I thought you said he had said he wasn't going to marry again."

"I have decided that was just something he said to make me feel good. He will probably tell Emma the same thing. You know people lie."

They sat together for a while. They were both thinking of their other spouses with fond memories. They had been good to them. They just hadn't been the one they wanted.

As Scarlett got up to leave Rhett said, "I am going to sell my family's plantation. We are never going to live in Charleston. If we want to live on a plantation it will be Tara. There is no point in keeping it."

"You are right. There is no point in keeping it." She watched as the smug smile spread across his face.

"I always am."

"Not always. You were wrong when you decided to divorce me." She smiled and left the room.

Rhett went back to his ledgers and business accounts but there was a smile on his face the rest of the afternoon.

Scarlett and Melly were watching the boys play on the lawn. Bonnie was with them on the porch and the ladies kept having to bring her back to where they were. Bonnie was pulling herself up and Scarlett thought that by Christmas she would be running. Bonnie was as full of energy as she was at her age.

Scarlett said, "I don't think we have to worry about Rosemary coming to visit."

Melly said, "I don't either."

"Do you want Beau to have his own room?"

"No, I think he needs to be in the room with Wade. I think it gives him comfort."

"I do also." Scarlett wanted to ask Melly what gave her comfort but she couldn't. At that moment Melly looked happy and she didn't want to ruin it.

They went down to Tara to see the new baby. It was a boy and they had named him Gerald William. Careen was doing well. Will was busy with the fields for it was harvest time in Clayton County. Scarlett scolded Careen when she said, "I wanted to name my son Gerald."

Careen said a little impertinently, "But you didn't have a son first. First come first serve."

Scarlett was stunned and then she burst out laughing. Her little sister was coming in to her own and asserting herself. Scarlett was glad. She said, "You are right. I'm taking Mammy back to Atlanta."

Careen laughed and said, "Only if she wants to go. I would like to have Mammy help me raise my children also."

Scarlett smiled. She wasn't sure she like the new assertive Careen. Mammy wanted to go back to Atlanta which was fortunate for Scarlett. Scarlett knew that if Mammy didn't want to go to Atlanta, she wouldn't have gone no matter what Scarlett said.

On the train ride back to Atlanta Scarlett decided that she liked Careen being more assertive. Careen needed to have some assertiveness or the world would run her over. It would just be an adjustment for Scarlett when she dealt with Careen.

Careen was thinking that Scarlett took the news of her naming her son Gerald better than she thought she would. Careen knew Scarlett would have been shocked if she knew that Careen had decided to act more like Scarlett herself. Careen knew that Scarlett went after everything she wanted and never listened when people told her she couldn't have something. Careen was going to do that in her life also. Be bold and audacious. Careen didn't think she would ever be as bold and audacious as her oldest sister but she could try.

In October Careen, Gerald and Gerry came to Atlanta for Ella's third birthday party. The party was well attended but Scarlett felt that was for Frank not for Suellen. Suellen was still not liked by the gentry. Although she had stopped hounding people for money, she would not let Frank give any credit. Rhett and Scarlett gave Ella a dress and matching shoes. Gerald gave his oldest granddaughter a trundle hoop. Careen gave her a frog that Will had carved. The trio returned to Tara on the same day so Careen could take care of Will.

Over the next several months Rhett and Melanie had a few discussions on philosophy of life or the meaning of life. Melanie was a worthy opponent of Rhett on these discussions. Melanie would downplay her intelligence and her knowledge but she always gave Rhett a run for his money. Rhett was very respectful of Melly. He was never sarcastic or rude to her which always made Scarlett smile. The longer Melanie lived with the Butlers the more outspoken she was becoming. Rhett and Scarlett liked it very much.

Elizabeth came over for Christmas. Rhett picked her up at the train station.

Rhett said, "Welcome to Atlanta."

Elizabeth said, "Thank you, son. I am so happy for you. You have a nice wife and a beautiful daughter. I would never have thought it possible that you would be received anywhere in the South."

"I never thought I would want to be received again but my desires changed when Bonnie was born."

Elizabeth thought that was a strange statement. She knew that Rhett had started redeeming himself before Bonnie was born. She replied, "You are lucky that a Robillard married you when you weren't received."

"No, Mother, I am lucky Scarlett married me when I wasn't received."

By this time, they were pulling up to the house on fifth street. "Rhett, your house is beautiful. This covering is nice. Is it so one doesn't get wet when it is raining?"

"Yes, it was Scarlett's idea."

"She is so clever. I wouldn't say smart. Mrs. Wilkes is smart while our Scarlett is clever."

"Yes, she is."

After Scarlett gave Elizabeth a tour of the house Elizabeth said, "I like the way you have decorated your home. It looks like Charleston with some glitz."

"Rhett helped a lot. He does have an opinion on everything."

"Yes, he does."

As Scarlett was leaving Elizabeth at her room she said, "I will let you lay down for a few minutes. Prissy has probably already unpacked your trunk."

Elizabeth laid on the bed and looked around the room she liked the decorating. It was warm and homey without being dull and boring. Every home in Charleston was unexciting and hum drum. They were all the same.

Over supper Elizabeth told them, "Mr. Fowler and Emma got married in a civil service at the court house. They went to New York for their honeymoon. When they get back Emma will move to Macon. She told me she no longer wants to live in Charleston."

Scarlett had remarked, "That was fast."

Elizabeth said, "My dear, remember, Emma, is no spring chicken." Which made everyone laugh at the table.

Elizabeth added, "I don't know what happened but Rosemary and Emma had a big fight and Rosemary is no longer speaking to Emma."

Melly said, "That is sad. They were such good friends."

The supper conversation turned to other topics.

Elizabeth suspected that they had a falling out over Scarlett. Rosemary never spoke of Scarlett but Elizabeth knew that Rosemary hated Scarlett with a passion. Elizabeth thought that was sad considering how much Rhett loved Scarlett and how happy Scarlett made Rhett. Happier than Rhett had been in over twenty years.

Rosemary was in her townhouse eating her supper on Christmas Eve. She thought about her friend. No! Her former friend. Scarlett had ruined Emma. Her and Rhett. They took her to all those educational entertainments like traveling lecturers. They had encouraged her to share her knowledge and Emma forgot all her decorum and let everyone know how smart she was. They had kept pushing Emma and Mr. Fowler together like they were matchmakers. She did wonder why Mr. Fowler had been more interested in Emma than her after all she was much prettier than Emma and at least five years younger. Mr. Fowler was probably intimidated by her beauty. Emma had lost all propriety. When Mr. Fowler had asked her to marry him after only three months of courting Emma had said yes immediately instead of doing the proper thing and turning him down. Everyone knew that a proper young lady was supposed to turn her suitor down at least twice before accepting. Of course, Emma wasn't young.

She and Mr. Fowler had behaved badly again. They had gotten married in a matter of days. Days! The only people who got married that fast where women in a fix. Mr. Fowler had behaved badly by staying at the Ambassador the entire time they had been courting. Who stays in a hotel that long? Now that she thought about it. She had heard that Rhett had stayed in hotels for long periods of time which proved her point. It was vulgar to stay in a hotel for weeks at a time.

She would never speak to Emma again after Emma had laughed in her face when she had pointed out the impropriety of marrying so fast. She could not believe Emma could be so gauche.

Emma had said, "I am fond of Nick. I might even be in love with him. I believe that we can be compatible for the rest of our lives. I am tired of being poor. Nick is very well off and very attractive. I am so lucky he asked me to marry him. I am not going to give him time to change his mind."

She had said, "You have gotten as tacky and ill-mannered as my sister-in-law, Scarlett."

Emma had said, "Good. I like Scarlett. She is a lot of fun. I am marrying Nick for security. After all I don't have a rich brother to live off of."

"You are not supposed to speak of those things.

She would never forget the shame she had felt when Emma said, "How do you reconcile that with yourself Rosemary? Accepting money from a man you despise."

She had stormed out of Emma's aunt's run-down shack of a house. The only thing Emma had done that was proper was offer to have her aunt come live with them in Macon. Really! Like anyone would willingly live in Macon over Charleston.

She thought Emma was silly to marry someone for security and not for love. She had decided that the reason no one had ever offered for her was because of the taint of Rhett's scandal. Now the taint of the scandal didn't matter there weren't any decent men left living because of the war except Albert, of course. She was fond of Albert but she would never marry him because she didn't love him. The only reason to marry was for love.

Rosemary finished her meal and continued thinking bad thoughts about Emma, Rhett and Scarlett. She never saw the two-facedness of her eating food paid for by a man she was thinking unkind thoughts about. She didn't see the hypocrisy of criticizing someone for marrying for security while she was safe and well-fed.

She finally decided that she would finish her needlepoint after supper. Tomorrow she would go have Christmas dinner with Robert and his family. Although she knew it was going to be tedious because of Robert's children. They were always making noise and talking. She would have to talk to Robert about the fact it wasn't proper for his children to be that loud and boisterous. It was not the least bit amusing or entertaining.