Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

Thank you to everyone reading and following my story.

Chapter Thirteen

The next Monday Scarlett went to the store and everything was fine. She went to Joe's mill, and everything was definitely fine. He was making almost as much of a profit as Johnny had made and the prisoners were really looking better. That made her happy. She then went to torture Ashley. Rhett was right when he had called the mills her hobby. At least Ashley's mill was her hobby.

When Scarlett walked into the office, she didn't look at Ashley. While looking at the floor, she said, "Where is the ledger?"

Ashley said, "Scarlett, I am so sorry."

Scarlett didn't reply or speak to Ashley she just kept looking at the ledger.

Ashley said, "Please tell me he didn't hurt you because of me?"

"He didn't hurt me physically."

"I'm sorry."

Scarlett didn't reply or speak. She just kept looking at the ledger.

Scarlett finally said, "He said again that if I don't start making a profit at this mill, he is going to make me sell it," She looked at Ashley then with pleading eyes. She continued, "If he makes me sell it, I will never get to see you alone again, my darling."

"I really am trying."

"You really made him mad with just dropping by unexpectedly like you did. When Pork told me, you were in the parlor I wanted to jump up and run in there but when I stood up Rhett said, 'You will finish your meal Mrs. Butler then we will see what Mr. Wilkes wants.' I had to sit down because I already knew he was mad. He doesn't like our time interrupted. Although he has no problem with leaving me to…. Never mind."

"Scarlett, I am so sorry."

Scarlett gave him a sad smile and said, "I know. You can't help being a bumbling fool sometimes, but I love you anyway."

Ashley wanted to get mad for her calling him a bumbling fool but isn't that what he had been. In his excitement of getting an interview he had rushed over to Scarlett's house to be sure he could have the time off. He had been such a fool. Of course, Scarlett would have given him the time off. If he had waited, she would have been so pleased for him. She did so want him to be happy. Ashley felt so bad. Ashley whispered, "What did he make you do?"

Scarlett had quietly closed the ledger and whispered back, "Nothing a lady would ever do. I have to go. He is watching my time even closer now. Good luck on your interview."

With that she had proudly walked out of the office. Ashley followed Scarlett out of the office and helped her into her new buggy. Ashley looked at the bright red, garishly decorated brand-new buggy. Ashley said, "You got a new buggy."

"Yes, Rhett bought it for me. He let me choose everything myself. He said, 'I can't have my wife driving around in a year-old buggy," She smiled an incredibly pleased smile. She continued, "He can be so wonderful sometimes. It certainly is a lot easier being married to him than being married to Old Frank even with…. Never mind."

Ashley felt bad for the rest of the day. Yet he couldn't help but wonder what Butler had made Scarlett do. He thought he knew. He was equally repulsed and aroused by the thought of Butler making Scarlett do that to him. He unkindly thought, 'Scarlett is so stupid that she doesn't even realize that Butler gave her the buggy just like he would pay a whore.'

Scarlett and Rhett's German lesson started off very well. It seemed they both had a gift for learning foreign languages.

That Thursday when they had dinner Scarlett told Rhett to remember every detail three times. Rhett had smiled and was glad that he and Scarlett had found this mutual hobby of torturing Mr. Wilkes. He knew there was more to Scarlett's hatred of Wilkes than the man using whores, but Rhett wasn't a fool. He knew when he had a winning hand. He was fine with pretending it was just the whores. He really was extremely curious though. He had never liked not having all the answers.

Scarlett went out to Ashley's mill. She was almost late which she had planned it that way. She had waited by the bend in the road until it was time to be at the mills. Ashley rushed out in a panic. He said, "Scarlett, you had me in a fright. I thought you had forgotten about my interview."

"Ashley it is not even close to the time you have to leave," She looked at her watch and continued, "Oh, it is later than I thought. Go. Go. We can talk another time. Good Luck."

Ashley leaned forward as if to kiss her in front of everyone. Scarlett stepped back and said, "Ashley, get a hold of yourself." She turned to walk in the office. She was smiling as she did.

She had brought a book with her to read. It was called Frankenstein. Rhett thought she might like it. She thought it was a pretty interesting book but silly also. Whoever heard of building a man from dead body parts.

At five she sent everyone home. They hadn't done any work all day. She didn't care. It was another way to torture Ashley Wilkes.

That evening when she got to the mansion, Scarlett found Rhett in the library. He said, "I will tell you everything after we put the children to bed."

When Scarlett pouted Rhett said, "Do you not want to hear the story without interruptions?"

"Yes."

"Come tell me about your afternoon."

"I sat at the mills and read a couple of chapters of the book Frankenstein. If I hadn't had my book to read, I would have been so bored. There wasn't anyone to talk to. I wonder what Ashley does to entertain himself all day."

They looked at each other. Rhett said, "He is busy reading instead of working."

"That's why he is a bad businessman. He is busy reading instead of trying to make sales."

Rhett said, "I'm sure that's not the only reason."

Scarlett burst out laughing and said, "Hardly. There are too many reasons to name them all."

Rhett was pleased with Scarlett's response and her laughing at Wilkes. Rhett laughed along with her. When Scarlett looked at him his heart skipped a beat. Her expression was true fondness. One might even say love. They forced themselves to talk about other things besides the interview because Rhett wanted to tell it in its entirety. It had been so perfect. The most perfect part was Mr. Wilkes had done it to himself.

Ashley had left the interview and had gone to the bookstore. He found a book on schools of philosophy. He found the passage he needed. He had been wrong. It had been Antistenes not Aristotle.

When he got home, Melanie asked him, "How did the interview go?" Ashley did not answer her. He walked past Melanie and got the swoon bottle. As he was pouring himself a large drink, Melanie said, "What is it, Ashley? Did the interview not go well?"

Ashley looked at her and took a sip of the brandy and said, "It was Antistenes not Aristotle." He walked out of the house to the back yard. He sat on the back porch with his glass of brandy. The only thought going through his head was, 'It was Antistenes not Aristotle.' He sat out on the back porch all night. He occasionally came inside to fill up his glass with more brandy, but he didn't speak. The women didn't speak to him either. After supper, the women sat in the parlor and talked very quietly. Soon they went to bed with Ashley still sitting on the back porch. Late into the night he finally came inside and went to bed.

After the children were in bed and the nursemaid was watching over them. Rhett and Scarlett were in the family parlor. He poured both of them a glass of brandy. He handed Scarlett her glass and said, "It couldn't have worked out better if we had written it ourselves."

Scarlett took her glass and took a sip. She said, "Tell. Tell."

Rhett smiled at her eager excitement. He said, "Stuart does have a teacher that teaches philosophy already, Felix Bosworth. He looks just like his name. He is barely five feet tall and probably weighs only a hundred pounds soaking wet. He wears glasses and has one of those half beards. You know like Jefferson Davis."

"Get to the interview."

"No, this is important. Mr. Bosworth is what you referred to Old Frank as, an old maid in britches. Stuart told Mr. Bosworth that he was thinking of hiring another teacher to teach philosophy and Greek mythology. When Stuart told him this Mr. Bosworth said, 'I teach those.' Stuart didn't know it, but it seems those are Bosworth's favorite subjects to teach. We found that out after the interview."

Scarlett was smiling as Rhett was telling the story. Scarlett thought, "Rhett is such a good storyteller.' Rhett continued, "Stuart told Bosworth to create some questions of his own and we would all ask our own questions. Wilkes gets there. Bosworth and Wilkes are introduced, and I noticed that Bosworth is scowling at Wilkes. I thought he had taken an instant dislike to Wilkes. I know I did," Scarlett giggled. Rhett continued, "Stuart asked him some questions about his background. I didn't know he went to Virginia Military Institute."

"All the Wilkes men have gone there."

"Anyway, I ask him if he has any experience teaching young boys. To which Wilkes says, 'No.' which I already knew which was why I ask the question. Bosworth ask him to name the four main schools of philosophy. Wilkes says there are seven schools and names them all off. Bosworth says like he was speaking to a terribly slow student. There are only four schools, and they are: The Cynics, The Sceptics, The Epicureans and The Stoics. Stuart asked a question about his Grand Tour. I asked a question about what he did before the war started. Bosworth ask him who established the four schools. Wilkes names off the founders and then he says for The Cynics it was Aristotle. Bosworth interrupts him and says it was Antistenes not Aristotle. Mr. Wilkes gets a superior look on his face and says, 'No, it was Aristotle.' The two men argue back and forth for a while. I tell you, Scarlett, I have never seen Wilkes so passionate and angry. Bosworth was equally passionate and angry. I really thought they were going to come to blows."

Rhett paused to take a sip of his brandy and enjoy Scarlett staring at him and waiting for him to speak.

Scarlett said excitedly, "Did they?"'

"No, unfortunately. Finally, Stuart said, 'Let's continue with the interview.' The interview was basically over at that point. Bosworth quit asking questions. At first Wilkes was short with his answers to Stuart and me then he realized his mistake of being short with Stuart and me. He tried to salvage the situation. After about another fifteen minutes, Stuart stood up and said, 'Thank you for coming by Mr. Wilkes. We will let you know.' After Wilkes had walked out of the room, Mr. Bosworth said, 'Mr. Townsend I hope you have learned I am the best teacher for Philosophy and Greek Mythology. Mr. Bosworth stormed out of the room at that point.

Scarlett laughed then Rhett laughed. Scarlett said, "It is so perfect. He ruined himself."

"I know but listen, Stuart and I talked for about thirty minutes. About the students, he told me to tell you that Wade is one of his best students," Scarlett preened. Rhett knew she knew it was Charlie that he got his brains from but that didn't mean she couldn't be proud of him. Rhett went on, "We talked about his relationship with Miss Wilkes. He likes her. Really likes her. He likes her because she is so well-read and always has something interesting to talk about."

Rhett waited for the ugly comment at Miss Wilkes's expense and Scarlett surprised him by saying, "I saw her the other day and she looked like a young belle. I hope he likes her enough to marry her. She deserves some happiness after having had to live with Ashley all these years." Rhett waited for Scarlett to add more, but she didn't.

Rhett said, "Me too. Mr. Bosworth stormed into Stuart's office. He ignored me and handed Stuart a book opened to a particular page. I got up and looked over Stuart's shoulder. It was a page stating who established which schools of Philosophy. Mr. Bosworth jabbed at the page with his finger and said, 'Read it.' It clearly said that it was Antistenes that established the school of The Cynics. Mr. Bosworth said, 'If you try to take Philosophy and Greek Mythology away from me again, I will quit. Those are my favorite subjects to teach. I love the discussions with the young men.' This is so perfect, baby.

"He has nobody to blame but himself."

"Yes."

"Let's retire."

Rhett smiled and said, "Lets."

They hurried up the stairs like a couple on their wedding night. Relations that night were wonderful for both of them. As they laid there in the afterglow. Rhett thought, "This is almost perfect. The only thing that would make it more perfect would be a declaration of love, but this is pretty damn close to perfect, nonetheless. I could live with this.'