Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.
Chapter Forty - Three
By the first of the year Rhett and Scarlett both thought their move to London was a good decision. Scarlett still missed not getting to see Tara, but she did love her children more than she loved Tara. Rhett and Scarlett were received into the finest homes because of Rhett's wealth. If they weren't received it was because they were Americans not because of an incident in their past. They received a slew of invitations to social events. They attended some of them. Ladies came to call on Scarlett and she made some friends. Other ladies called on Elizabeth and she made some friends. Elizabeth never got tired of hearing how wonderful her son was. Rosemary became friends with the wives of the other teachers at the preparatory school. To Scarlett's profound happiness nobody talked about the Civil war or getting the right to vote back.
Through the next several months Melanie kept them updated on the doings of Atlanta but there were no more earth-shattering developments. Rhett knew Scarlett was enjoying other people rocking the boat in Atlanta. Rhett also knew that Scarlett was enjoying living in London were nobody was watching her. There was a lower standard for her behavior in London because she was an American. Not that Rhett ever thought she behaved badly.
Melanie wrote in July of seventy-four that she had finally got India out of her house. Unbelievably Jim Hicks and India had gotten married one afternoon in June at the courthouse. When Scarlett shared that with Rhett he said, "Make an ugly woman your wife and you will be happy for the rest of your life."
Scarlett had laughed and said, "They are moving to Athens in a month. How wonderful for Melanie to not have to put up with that sour puss."
In the fall of seventy-four, Melanie wrote that her cousin Prudence had passed away. It seems she had an undiagnosed disorder of her intestines. When Scarlett read that she said, "She should have gone to see Dr. Meade like I told her too," and giggled. When Rhett looked at her, she said, "You wouldn't find it funny."
Rhett had smiled and didn't ask any more questions. He would let her have her pay back.
Mammy was kind and respectful to everyone but Rhett. He often wondered about that. He had stopped trying to charm Mammy a long time ago. He was polite to her but that was it. When he had made rude comments to Mammy, they had not seemed to bother Mammy. The comments did upset his wife though, so he stopped. He did wonder why it didn't upset his wife when Mammy made snide comments at his expense. When he asked his wife about it, she said, "Those comments are funny."
"Not to me."
"Rhett, she doesn't mean anything by it. That's just Mammy's way."
"If that is Mammy's way then why doesn't she make them about everyone."
"I can't believe you are upset that someone else is making mocking comments. As many as you make all the time."
Rhett gave up and walked away.
The couple had another son, Christopher Robillard, in August of seventy-five. Scarlett was just too fertile for them not to have more children unless they quit having relations. Scarlett wasn't making that mistake again. They tried hard to always use preventatives, but accidents do happen. All Scarlett thought was at least I had a year without being pregnant and I didn't have to go into confinement.
While Scarlett had been pregnant Rosemary had been pregnant also. Rosemary's son was born in September of seventy-five. A boy named Charles Samuel. Mammy had been there to welcome him into the world.
Rhett didn't know how he felt about his sister naming her son after the man that Rhett hated. He finally decided he was alright with it. He had finally decided to forgive the man that had disowned him. His father had done the only thing he could do to save their place in society. The place that the Butlers had barely acquired. If his grandmother and his mother's families had not been so strongly established the whole Butler clan would have gone down the tubes. He knew from what his mother had told him in the earlier timeline that even with his being disowned the rest of the family had not gotten off unharmed.
Melanie wrote in the winter of seventy-five Mrs. Merriwether got pneumonia and died. Maybelle and Rene had taken over running the bakery. They called it Picard's now. Rene had added some French pastries to their menu. Scarlett excitedly walked rapidly to find Rhett.
When she found him, she said, "That old battle axe is dead."
"The dragon of Atlanta has given up the ghost."
"She got pneumonia and died."
"I wonder if she ever paid off that loan, I secured for her. If not, I will have to pay it off because it was a personal loan and I guaranteed it."
Scarlett laughed and said, "Probably not."
A month later Rhett found out that no Mrs. Merriwether had not paid off that loan. She had only been paying the minimal amount. The bank wanted their money. Rhett wired his lawyer in Atlanta the money to pay off the loan. Rhett wondered in passing if he got any points with the man with the long white beard for this incident for, he was having to pay a lot more than the original loan amount because of interest.
They had another girl, Grace Alexandria, in April of seventy-seven and their last child another girl, Faith Louise, in May of seventy-eight. Rosemary had a girl whom she named Elizabeth Rose in November of seventy-seven. Mammy was there to welcome them all into the world.
Scarlett getting pregnant when Rhett was almost fifty made him take care of the problem. He had been considering it for a while. She was just thirty-three that meant that she had at least another ten years of being able to conceive a child. He loved his children but eight was enough especially considering that twice already a child had been conceived by accident. On top of all that Scarlett was never an easy person to live with when she was with child. In fact, he thought she was getting worse as she got older.
Rhett was a member of a gentleman's club. The club had admitted him based on whether he could pay the dues or not. Rhett liked going and having a drink. He met lots of gentlemen and conducted lots of business deals there. When Rhett was bragging on the birth of Grace one of the other gentlemen, Brad Shaw had said, "I say, old chap, why do you have so many children?"
It seemed small families were the norm for the well to do in England. It was basically an heir and a spare. Rhett knew that they got their legal wife pregnant two or three times and from then on used whores and mistresses.
Rhett had laughed and said, "I love my wife so naturally I want to be with her that way."
"I say, how odd, to love one's own wife."
"I don't like using preventative so naturally things happen."
"Go see my doctor. He will fix you right up. It is called a vasectomy. It is quick and easy. It was relatively painless. It will increase your virility."
Brad had given him his doctor's name. Rhett had not really given it any serious thought until he had gotten Scarlett pregnant less than three months after she had given birth to Grace. She had not been happy. In fact, she had been mad. He had been afraid she was going to be mad at him the entire time she had been pregnant with Faith. She had never said anything about separate bedrooms. Worse she had oscillated between being sad and being mad.
There had been the reality of life. He was almost fifty years old and had not lived the healthiest life before he married Scarlett. Scarlett could die in childbirth. Finally, his selfish nature that he didn't want to use preventatives for the next ten years at least rose to the surface.
He had gone to see the doctor and had it done the very next day. When he had told Scarlett what he had done she had not believed him. The rest of her pregnancy he had continued to reassure her this would be her last pregnancy by him. To which she had always replied, "I hope so."
He remembered thinking once that he was shooting blanks. He guessed he would be now. Slowly she began to accept that he was telling her the truth. Of course, not completely. When Scarlett had said when she named the child, "I will have faith you will never do this to me again."
Of course, she had said something similar when she was naming their second youngest child. She had said, "I will give you grace for getting me pregnant."
Both times he had wanted to say, "I didn't make them by myself." He was wise enough not to say that.
Melanie wrote in the June of seventy-eight Dr. Meade had a heart attack and died immediately. Scarlett shared the news with Rhett, and he was almost too gleeful. He said, "I am managing to outlive all those old fuddy-duddies."
"Rhett we are supposed to be trying to be better people."
"I'm sorry, my dear, but I really did despise that pompous ass."
Scarlett rolled her eyes and left the room. Rhett briefly wondered how many points he was losing for being glad that the old fart was dead. He then decided he might as well enjoy himself for the old man could see in his heart.
He was in such a good mood he was going to take his children to the park except Faith, of course. Mammy wouldn't let him take any child out of the house until the child was at least three months old. He went to the nursery. The only children there were Charlotte, Chris, Grace and Faith. He looked at his watch and decided that his children had enough school for the day. He told Mrs. Jones that class was dismissed. All the children were going to the park and probably get a treat. As the children were leaving the room, Tory stood by her mother. Rhett said, "Tory, come on."
Tory looked just like her mother which Rhett decided was a blessing. Tory smiled and it lit up her face. When Rhett got to the foyer. Ella already had Grace. All the children were there and Mammy. Rhett said to Mammy, "Don't you need to watch Faith."
"She is with Miss Scarlett and Mrs. Giles is in the nursery if Miss Scarlett needs any help."
"Vicky take Chris's hand, Kenny take Charlotte's hand and Ella has Grace. Tory, you get to hold my hand. Let us go."
The park was only two blocks away, so it was an easy walk for all the children. They ran and played for about thirty minutes. Rhett bought everyone a fruit ice. By the time they got back to the mansion. The children were all sticky messes except Tory. As they walked into the foyer, Rhett said to Mammy with a smirk, "I'm sorry they made such a mess on themselves."
A straight faced Mammy said, "Don't think anything of it, Captain Butler." Mammy escorted the children up the stairs. Once Mammy's back was to Captain Butler she had smiled. She didn't mind cleaning the children up. They had all enjoyed their ices too much for her to be mad, but she would never tell Captain Butler that.
Two months later in August, Melly wrote that Mrs. Meade had followed her husband into the hereafter in less than six weeks. She had given up the will to live. Scarlett was sad when she read that about Mrs. Meade. When Scarlett told Rhett about Mrs. Meade's death, he was sorrowful also.
He said, "She lost so much because of the war. I always feel most sorry for the mothers who lost all of their sons."
"Me too."
Scarlett sat on Rhett's lap and he pulled her close. They remained that way for quite a while. Both lost in thought of everything the civil war had cost so many both in the North and the South.
In the early spring of eighteen-eighty Wade asked Rhett to go riding with him. Rhett knew that Wade wanted to talk to him privately. After they had ridden for about thirty minutes. Wade took an envelope out of the inside pocket of his coat. He handed it to Rhett. It was his acceptance letter from the Emory University in Atlanta. Rhett said, "Congratulations," as he handed the letter back to Wade.
Wade said, "Will you pay for it?"
"Paying for it is the least of your problems but yes I will be glad to pay for it."
Wade grimaced and said, "I want to go back to Tara. I have wanted to return to Georgia ever since we moved here. Uncle Will is not getting any younger and none of my cousins want to live in the country. I have always thought Tara the most perfect piece of land in the world."
"So does your mother. I don't think your Aunt Suellen wants to live in the country either."
"Someone is going to have to take over the running of Tara."
"Someone will."
"Will you help me convince Mama to be happy with my decision?"
"Your mother will never be happy with you being that far away from her, but I will help you to convince her that this is a good idea."
"Maybe she will accept it because of how much she still loves Tara."
"You can offer to take Mammy with you to take care of you." Even after all these years Mammy had not fallen under Rhett's spell. She still called him Captain Butler. Although fortunately her dislike of him wasn't transferred to his children.
Wade laughed and said, "No, Mammy is your cross to bear. She will never leave mother until the good Lord calls her home."
"I wish He would start calling her."
"Dad!"
Rhett smiled his unrepentant smile and said, "As difficult as it is going to be to convince her to let you go remember it is only difficult because she loves you so much."
"I sometimes think she loves us children too much. You would think with eight of us that the intensity of her love would have lessen."
Rhett smiled a bemused smile and said, "That is the only way your mother can love, with passion."