Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and all the feedback.
Chapter Seventy-Nine
They had a birthday party for Ella and invited all the students she had gone to school with at the Asylum. There was a girl sitting by herself and Scarlett smiled when Ella went over to start talking to her. Ella could never stand for anyone to be left out.
Henry Hamilton had tied up all of his affairs and he was back in Hartford by the first of November. Rhett felt better with Henry being there. He knew the boys would not try anything with their Great Uncle in residence. Yes, they were good boys but they were boys.
With Rhett's money Scarlett and he were included in the cream of society in Northampton but they didn't attend a lot of parties or soirees. They went to supper and dancing. They attended plays, traveling lectures, the circus, poetry readings and other entertainment. They didn't try to make friends. Rhett still made whispering mocking comments to Scarlett about the other people. She enjoyed his comments immensely. He told her the raunchiest stories. They made her laugh and blush all at the same time. She knew Rhett was making these stories up but they were still funny. They also made her want Rhett very much at the end of the evening which may have been why he was telling her the stories.
Scarlett didn't socialize with any of the women in Northampton. She had accepted a few more invitations to tea hoping that all the women in Northampton weren't overly concerned about reforms and getting women the right to vote but everyone she met was. It was worse than the Old Guard always talking about the war. At the suppers that they attended with Rhett's business contacts she found all the ladies to be engrossed in their causes also. She had murmured words of support for what ever reform they were trying to bring about but when they asked her to participate, she demure saying she was far to busy taking care of Rhett and their children and running her household. She now expected the condescending looks and had never been disappointed by them not appearing.
Between teaching the children, writing letters, reading her books, all the activities Rhett took her to, returning home to Hartford every weekend and all their activity after they retired for the night Scarlett was not bored.
She wrote all her friends in Hartford and most of them wrote back although she saw a lot of them on the weekends. She and Melly didn't write. They knew they would see each other on the weekends. She wrote Suellen and for the first time in her life felt a kinship with her sister. They went back to Hartford every weekend. They went home at Christmas. Elizabeth came to visit in December. She went back and forth with Rhett and Scarlett. It was hard on her bones all that traveling every weekend but she wasn't going to miss a minute of her time with her son and his family.
They had the usual round of birthday parties. Scarlett could not believe how old her children had gotten. Alex was seven, Bonnie was ten, and Wade was seventeen. Wade was the same age she was when she gave birth to him. She wished she could have had more children. She smiled as she thought of the irony of the situation. When she could have lots of children, she hadn't wanted any. Now that she couldn't have any children, she wanted to have lots.
In the spring, Scarlett taught Rachel, Alex and Thomas how to read and do their sums with Prissy's help. Scarlett also taught Ella. Scarlett had Ella taking piano and French lessons. Scarlett could teach her for a couple of more years and then they would have to decide if they wanted her to learn more or not. Soon she would have to start training her on how to run a household. Thomas was five and they were teaching him his sounds. Rhett would come to the playroom/school room and read to the younger children. He didn't have the patience to listen to them try to read. Prissy was the one who had the most patience in regard to the children reading.
One night after they had gone to bed, Rhett said, "I think Alex is the smartest little boy ever?"
"Even smarter than Wade and Beau?"
"Yes."
Scarlett smiled as he had said that one word with so much pride.
He continued, "Of course, Ella and Bonnie are very smart too."
"Yes."
"So are Rachel and Thomas. I will have to see what we can do to get them more education."
"Rhett you are so kind."
"I have always had a soft spot for children."
"It's the only soft spot you have."
Rhett pretended to be offended but he really wasn't. He did start kissing his wife. His desire was not as strong as it once had been but it was still alive and well. Rhett knew he was a lucky man. He had never had a problem with achieving and maintaining an erection. He fleetingly wondered if Scarlett realized how lucky she was that he good still perform at his age. He decided probably not but truth be told he was the lucky one that she was still so enthusiastic about having relations with him. That she still thought herself the lucky one that he had given them another chance when he was the lucky one that she had given him another chance.
Henry Hamilton had found a law firm that wanted him to work as a clerk. He was alright with it. He just wanted to earn a little money. The law firm was very happy with his work. He was the best researcher on the staff. He really didn't want to get involved with other people's problems. He had a lifetime of dealing with other people's problems. Henry Hamilton was too busy with his social life to want to get involved in all that. He was a very popular man amidst the widows. As Henry had told them over the supper table one night, "I have a little bit of money. I have all my hair and all my teeth. I'm a real catch."
Scarlett and Rhett went back to Hartford in June. They just prepared the house in Northampton for a long-term absence.
Bonnie was excelling at the Clarke's school. She was speaking more and more. For the most part she was understandable. She still signed everything she said.
Melanie and Mr. Johnson worked on another book together. Mr. Johnson at first was a frequent caller on Mrs. Wilkes. Soon Mr. Johnson realized that all he was ever going to have with Mrs. Wilkes was a friendship and a professional relationship. Mr. Johnson knew Mrs. Wilkes enjoyed his company and he felt they could have had something special but Mrs. Wilkes would not let go of her dead husband. He also knew that he would never be able to replace her husband. Mrs. Wilkes always talked about her late husband like he had been perfect and Mr. Johnson didn't want to compete against a saint. He continued to work with her on the books and they were popular enough to provide both of them with a small income. The income from the books allowed Mr. Johnson to devote more time to his goal of being a famous painter.
Suellen did get married to John Hammond and according to her infrequent letters she was finally happy. John was a very optimistic person and he would not let her be a negative Nelly. He wanted to enjoy life with her and not think about their pass mistakes. Scarlett was so very happy for her sister.
They had their annual picnic in June on the back lawn of their house. All the children from the Asylum where there. Scarlett smiled as she watched Ella and Bonnie make sure all the children were involved in all the activities. Scarlett knew her youngest daughter would not have done it on her own but Bonnie wanted to be just like Ella. Ella was such a good influence on Bonnie. Scarlett knew Bonnie made Ella do things that she would have otherwise been too scared to do. They were good for each other.
Scarlett looked at her sister of the heart. They were good for each other also. Melly made her a better person and she hoped she had made Melanie a better person. Maybe a happier person would be more accurate. Melanie was so happy being a teacher. Scarlett could tell that Melanie was so dearly loved by all of the students. Scarlett knew this was perfect for Melly. She had so much love to give to children and every year she got a new group to shower with love. Melly referred to them as her children and they were. She loved everyone of them and they all loved her.
Rhett managed to wring more money out of his well to do contacts than he had the year before. He was relentless. Scarlett would smile as she watched him shame man after man into giving huge amounts of money. Yes, Rhett did have a soft spot for children but Scarlett would never say anything about it to him. It would be at odds with his renegade image of himself. He definitely was a horse's behind but he did have some redeemable parts to him but she was a real diva so they worked.
They went to the town picnic. Uncle Henry was practically mob by his devoted lady friends. He had about ten to fifteen ladies chasing him. The ladies would bring him a piece of pie or a piece of cake or a cookie they had baked especially for him. He would take a bite and tell the widow how good it was. He would have a conversation with the widow then walk her back to her blanket. The children would eat the rest of the dessert. Henry could only afford to take one bite from each offering so he would have room for all the other desserts he would have to sample. Afterall he didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings by not trying the dessert they had made especially for him.
He told Rhett one day over a whiskey, "I was so busy mourning my lost love I never looked for another love."
Rhett had topped off their drinks and said, "You are making up for lost time."
"I'm just having fun."
Rhett smiled and sipped his whiskey.
Scarlett had slowed down their social life as she had moved into her thirties. She didn't have all the energy she had in her twenties. Or maybe it was because she was contented in her life. Or maybe she knew that Rhett couldn't keep that pace up but he would never admit defeat. She would rather he had energy for their nightly activities than them attending another soiree.
She socialized with her family, she read books, helped her daughters learn to sew while making quilts, talked to her sons about their particular interest and pretty muchly led a much more sedate life than she ever thought she would. Rhett and she still went to the traveling lectures, plays, soirees, socials and out dancing. She and Rhett still played tennis. They just did less of it.
In August, they all went to a traveling lecturer who spoke on reincarnation. They had allowed Beau and Wade to attend the lecture also. They had quite the lively discussion on the matter in the coach on the way back to their home. Scarlett even participated. The subject matter had fascinated her. So much so that she made Rhett take her to the book store the next day so they could find a book on the subject. She came home with two new books. She read them cover to cover.
The older Alex got the more like his father he was. He could be charming and funny but he could also be surly and rude. Scarlett thought it was because he wanted to be the center of attention or maybe it was because he was bored and wanted to create some excitement. He was a good boy for the most part but then out of nowhere he could be so annoying. Alex and his father had lots and lots of conversations about his behavior. Scarlett had not said anything to Rhett about talking to the boy. He had just done it. Rhett had taken full responsibility for the disciplining of Alex. Rhett would not allow any of the children to have corporal punishment inflicted upon them by anyone. Scarlett knew there was a story behind his adamant refusal. He had said, 'I will never allow my children to have to submit to someone beating them. I will not allow them to be damn victims.' Scarlett just agreed with him. As always, she knew he was deadly serious when he started cussing.
