Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

Chapter Eighty-Five

In November tragedy hit the Butler household. Elsie had just finished preparing supper when she clutched her chest and fell to the floor. When the rest of the kitchen staff reached her side there was nothing to be done but call the undertaker. The kitchen maid told Prissy about Elsie's death. Prissy quickly told Miss Scarlett. At first Scarlett was horrified that Elsie was dead then she was a tiny bit relieved. She was past tired of listening to Rhett sing the praises of another woman even if that woman had been fat, ugly and old. Scarlett felt bad for a moment about being happy that Elsie had passed on but she pushed those feelings away. She dreaded having to tell Rhett that his all-time favorite cook was no longer with them.

She walked back into the dining room and said, "Supper will be delayed. Unfortunately, Elsie has passed away."

Rhett jumped up and walked rapidly with his wife into the kitchen. When he got there, he could tell with one look at the cook's body, that it was true. Rhett was devastated but they had to carry on. Rhett looked at the food already in the serving bowls and said, "I'm sure Elsie would not want her last meal to be ruin by us not eating it while it was hot," He turned to the serving maid and said, "Just bring all the food into the dining room. We can serve ourselves. Then get a sheet to put over her. Once you have done that sit beside Elsie and let me know when the undertaker arrives."

Rhett then escorted his wife back into the dining room with the kitchen staff staring at Mr. Butler's retreating back. Rhett didn't let Elsie's death ruin his appetite nor did Scarlett. Eugenia and Alex proved to be their parents' children for their appetites were not affected either. Henry's appetite didn't seem to be affected either. The only person's appetite affected by Elsie's death was Melanie. She ate her meal nonetheless although she didn't enjoy it as much as she normally would have.

Rhett said, "Eat up. We are honoring Elsie by enjoying this last meal."

Nobody believed what Rhett was saying but Elsie was a good cook and the meal was delicious. At last, the serving girl came to the dining room to inform Rhett that the undertaker had arrived. Rhett said, "I will be right there."

Then Rhett did something that Scarlett would never have thought he would do. He stuffed down the rest of his meal. As nonchalantly as possible Rhett rose from the table and walked into the kitchen. Everyone heard him ask the serving girl, "Did Elsie make a dessert?"

"No Mr. Butler."

"It is just as well. Her desserts weren't usually that good."

As they got into bed that night Scarlett said, "I will hire us another cook tomorrow."

"I already know she won't be as good as Elsie."

"I'm glad Elsie didn't die before Ella's wedding. It might have ruined the event."

"I wish she had waited until after Christmas to die. Her goose was always divine."

They looked at each other and acknowledge the selfishness of their statements. They both shrugged.

"I'm going to miss her."

"Me too."

They both knew they weren't talking about missing Elsie but Elsie's cooking.

Then because Scarlett was beginning to feel bad about being so selfish and self-centered, she kissed her husband and soon they weren't feeling guilty or ashamed in the least.

Rhett paid to have Elsie's body buried and a small tombstone placed on her grave. Elsie's mother had died a few years earlier and no one knew of any relatives she might have. Scarlett didn't remember the woman's last name so all the tombstone said was Elsie – The best cook in the world.

In the next week Scarlett interviewed several ladies and a couple of men. She even had them prepare them a meal. None of them could cook as good as Elsie even in Scarlett's opinion. They finally decided to promote the kitchen maid to cook. Her name was Annie. She had been preparing their meals for the last week. Rhett was satisfied with Annie's cooking. Scarlett had shared that Annie was using all of Elsie's recipes which made Rhett like the food even more.

Wade brought Alice with him for his entire Christmas break. Beau was courting a lot of different women. Eugenia was receiving quite a few gentleman callers. Alex was still at Watkinson and although still doing well academically he was still trying the patience of his teachers. Melanie was still teaching at the school. They had written one more book after Mr. Johnson's marriage but after that book Melanie didn't want to write any more. She and Scarlett talked about writing a book about their years during the war and the year after but they knew they never would. Rhett kept making money although he wasn't trying very hard these days. Gentlemen came to him with proposals and some of the time he invested his money. Rhett was continuing to fund Rachel and Thomas's education with large donations to the school.

When they went to cut down the tree that year all the ladies stayed at the house. It provided a time for Scarlett to get to know her soon to be daughter-in-law. Scarlett looked at Alice. She was a pretty girl. She had pale blue eyes and blonde hair. She must be seventeen. All Scarlett knew about Alice was that Wade had been pursuing her for quite some time.

Alice said, "When Wade started calling on me, I had over five other suitors."

"Before I married Wade's father, I was the belle of five counties."

"It wasn't long before all I wanted to do was spend time with Wade."

Scarlett smiled and said, "Wade usually gets what he wants."

"Do you like living in the North?"

Scarlett said, "For the most part but I still haven't gotten use to how cold the winters are up here even after eleven years. If I didn't have my bloomers I would just die."

Alice said, "You wear bloomers?"

"Under my skirts all winter long."

"I can't believe you wear bloomers."

Scarlett looked at Melanie and she was avoiding eye contact with her. Scarlett knew there was something that Rhett and Melly had not told her. Scarlett continued staring at Melanie and Melanie continued avoiding eye contact.

Scarlett turned back to Alice and said, "Why?"

"Because only suffragettes wear bloomers. I would never have thought you would march for the right to vote. Or that you would be for dress reform."

Scarlett stood up and said, "I would never do anything so unfeminine as to be a suffragette. I would never do anything to unsex myself. Melanie Wilkes may I speak to you in the library."

Melanie did not want to talk with Scarlett in the library. It had been a long time since she had seen Scarlett in full fury. In fact, she hadn't seen her this mad since she had married Rhett. Nonetheless Melanie stood up and looked Scarlett in the eye with all her Hamilton backbone and said, "Of course, darling."

After the ladies walked out of the room, Ella said to Eugenia, "I always thought she knew."

Eugenia replied, "I knew she didn't know because she let us wear them. Our mother would never have worn them herself much less let us wear them no matter how cold it was."

"I have never understood how our mother can be totally unaware of everything going on around her."

Eugenia smiled and said, "Because she is only interested in the things she cares about. Papa, her children, Aunt Melly, Beau, Uncle Henry, jewelry, how her house is decorated, her new buggy, and the latest fashion."

Ella smiled and said, "I guess we can include her in-laws on that list now."

Alice smiled tentatively and said, "I hope I didn't make her mad at me. I do so want Wade's mother to like me."

Eugenia smiled back at Alice and said, "You aren't the one she is going to be really mad at."

Ella smiled and said, "I wonder what Papa is going to buy her to atone for having made her that mad."

Both girls laughed. Eugenia explained to Alice, "Whenever Papa makes Mama really mad, he goes out and buys her a gift. How much money he spends depends on how much he goofed."

Ella said with a questioning voice, "You know Mama never buys Papa anything when she makes him mad. In fact, I haven't ever even heard her say she was sorry. Whatever she does Papa always forgives her."

"I guess we will never know. Maybe she says she sorry after they retire for the night."

"Maybe."

There was no laughter in the library only angry words.

Scarlett said as soon as the door was closed behind them, "How could you not tell me?"

"Darling, you were so cold that first winter. You could never get warm. Then you got your bloomers and you were so happy because you were finally warm."

In an icy voice Scarlett said, "Did Rhett tell you not to tell me?"

"We agreed."

"Which means Rhett said, 'Let's not tell her' and coward that you are you said yes"

"Scarlett, I think you are being unfair calling me a coward. You were so happy with your bloomers. I just wanted you to stay warm and happy. Rhett said, 'It was for your own good."

"You let me dress my daughters in," and she whispered the last word, "bloomers. I am so embarrassed. Now Alice thinks I am one of those kind of women. The kind of woman that would march for the right to vote and do all sorts of unfeminine things."

"Scarlett no one would ever accuse you of being unfeminine."

"The matrons of Atlanta did just because I," Scarlett saw Melanie's puzzled face and stopped herself in time.

"When? No, darling, you must have been mistaken."

Scarlett dashed the tears away because it still hurt for them to have said that about her when she had just been doing what she had to in order to feed all those people. Rhett had called her greedy when he had been making a lot more money than her off the Republican government. She didn't want to remember any of that. All her anger was gone at Melanie. Melanie was just doing what Rhett had told her to do. Rhett had wrapped it up in 'for her own good.' Just like when he had convinced her to take his money so they could buy her out of the sawmills. She just knew that Rhett had convinced sweet Melly by saying it was for Scarlett's own good. She would just have to weather this out because when the men got back with the tree everyone would be in the parlor to decorate it. She didn't want to miss that time with Wade. It may be the last time. Soon he would probably spend all his Christmases in Boston with Alice's family. She wouldn't cry. No matter what.

Scarlett took a deep breath and said, "Come, my dear, let's join the others."

Scarlett and Melanie did join the others and the younger ladies managed to keep the conversation flowing. After a short amount of time Scarlett and Melanie were participating in the conversation. Scarlett was no longer mad at Melanie. No, she had just done what Rhett had convinced her was the right thing to do. He could sell ice to Eskimos. Her last thought was, 'This Eskimo isn't buying any more of his ice.'