Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

Chapter Twenty-Four

One afternoon Scarlett and Melanie went to see Mrs. Browning about India's wedding dress. The ladies flipped through the pattern books and happily chatted to each other. Scarlett talked about her children and Rhett. Melly talked about Beau, India and some of the other ladies they knew. Scarlett did notice that Ashley was conspicuously absent from the conversation. They chose a lovely pattern. It was quite simple in design. They chose white satin and some beautiful lace for her veil.

Scarlett started ordering items for Ashley's mills that weren't needed. She ordered them under the name Ashley Wilkes. The first one was a saddle. Ashley was nonplused and had left it in the office. When Scarlett saw it and that it had been shipped attention Ashley Wilkes, she said, "Why did you order this?"

"I didn't order it."

"It says Attention: Ashley Wilkes."

Sharply Ashley said, "I know what it says but I didn't order it."

Scarlett spoke sharply to Ashley and said, "Just fix it."

"I don't know how to fix it."

"Did you learn anything useful at VMI? Or just a lot of useless information about gods and myths."

Ashley brought himself up to his full height and said, "Scarlett you don't need to talk to me that way. I didn't order this. This is not my fault. How do you propose I fix this mess?"

As if speaking to a particularly slow child, she said, "You write them a letter telling them that this item was ordered by mistake. You are sending it back and expect a full refund. Don't send it back until they write you a letter guaranteeing you the refund."

Ashley was very mad now. No one spoke to him that way especially not this stupid, ignorant, child. In a very tight voice Ashley said, "I understand."

Scarlett sighed, "Ashley, I'm so sorry for speaking to you that way. I didn't get hardly any sleep last night."

Just as Scarlett had hoped Ashley stepped into her trap. Still with a very tight voice Ashley said, "Why didn't you get any sleep last night?"

Scarlett walked over to the desk that held the ledger and without looking at Ashley she said, "Rhett! Rhett and his foolishness."

Scarlett heard Ashley gasped and knew her missive had hit home. She pulled the stool over and sat down then stood right back up. She stood there looking at the ledger. She looked at Ashley and judging by the flush on his face he had noticed what he believed was her inability to sit down.

Scarlett said, "You have covered cost and it looks like you have made a sale or two. That will keep Rhett from making me sell this mill for a month or two. Oh, I almost forgot Rhett said that he knew where the gold was buried."

"Where?"

"On the Victoria River near Norfolk."

"There isn't a Victoria River near Norfolk."

Scarlett stared at Ashley and finally a smile broke out on her face. She said, "The Elizabeth River."

"That river is six miles long. Did he say anything else?

"No, he just said, 'I think we should visit Norfolk and sail up the Elizabeth River." When I said, 'Why?' He said, 'That is where the Confederate gold is. Since everyone thinks I stole that gold I might as well get it'

"Scarlett, I will need a lot more details."

"I will try but Rhett is being very closed mouth about the information. He is afraid someone will get the gold before he does," She stared at Ashley and continued, "I guess he has reason to be fearful."

"Any information will help."

"I will try but I better go. I want to…"

"I know! I know! You want to be home before Captain Butler. Scarlett, I have said it before, but you are practically his prisoner."

As Scarlett walked out the door, she sadly said, "There isn't anything I can do about it. Send the saddle back and don't order something foolish again."

Ashley fumed. He needed that money. Butler was already rich. He didn't need any more money.

That night India and Stuart went to a musical soiree at the Bonners' house. Ashley had been too tired to go. It was the first time Ashley and Melly had been alone in a while. Melly told Ashley, "India's wedding dress is going to be beautiful."

Ashley screamed, "I told India that I wasn't spending a penny on her wedding."

"Do not scream at me. The dress is a surprise from Scarlett. So don't say anything to India about it."

"I'm sorry for yelling at you. You expect me to believe that Scarlett is giving India a dress. Scarlett hates India. Especially…"

"No, Ashley, you are wrong. Well, you may be a little right. It was actually Captain Butler's idea to give India the dress. As Scarlett said, 'Captain Butler can be so sappy sentimental.' Captain Butler told Scarlett that every woman should have a new dress for her wedding dress."

This was just too much! Scarlett's chewing him out, Scarlett alluding to her and Captain Butler's sex life which should have been his sex life, and Captain Butler getting India a new dress. He didn't know how Scarlett was going to be able to ruin India's wedding if Butler kept doing things for the couple. Ashley thought, 'I can spread this sappy sentimental garbage all over town. It will make Butler look less like a man.' Ashley stood up and said, "I'm going for a walk. Don't wait up."

As Ashley walked out the door, Melly wondered, 'Where did my almost perfect life of six months ago go? She looked around the room with the cheap plain furniture and the equally cheap drapes. When she entered her bedroom, she looked at the cheap furnishings. When she put her nightgown on, she noticed it was threadbare. She grumbled to herself, "This is such a step down from being the mistress of Twelve Oaks."

She lit a candle and picked up her book, Emma, and said, "Miss Austin take me away from all this."

Ashley walked to The Painted Lady. The first-person Ashley saw was Hugh Elsing. Hugh was an avid gossip. Ashley grabbed a whiskey and walked over to the booth Hugh was sitting in with another man and said, "Can I join you?"

"Of course. Ashley this is my friend Brad Wilson. We work together at the store."

"Nice to meet you."

"Same here."

"I would have thought you and Mrs. Wilkes would have been at the Bonner's tonight."

"I was too tired then I decided to come have a drink."

"I hear congratulations are in order. Your sister is getting married."

"Yes, she is marrying Stuart Townsend. He runs Townsend School for Boys.

"How did they meet?"

"Through Captain Butler. It seems that Captain Butler and Mr. Townsend were friends back in Charleston. The Butlers had a supper party and India and Mr. Townsend met at the party."

"I've heard of that school. I hear he takes in Yankees."

"He probably does. Although he is much more well-mannered than Captain Butler, he is a greedy man also. They have no shame with lying down with dogs or is it Yankees. It doesn't matter they are one and the same."

"If you don't like Mr. Townsend, why are you allowing him to marry your sister."

"That is simple. India is over thirty. I didn't think she would find anyone who would want to marry her, so I am not going to let this man get away. At her age she can't be picky."

"It's nice that your sister found someone to love her, don't you think?"

"I don't care if he loves her or not as long as he takes her off my hands. Gentlemen, let me assure you she is a bitter old maid. Enough about India," The other men were shocked that Mr. Wilkes could talk about his sister that way. Ashley continued, "Did you hear that Captain Butler is such a sappy sentimental fool that he is going to buy India a wedding dress just because as he says, 'Every woman should have a special dress to get married in?'

The other men laughed but it wasn't a full out laugh like Ashley's laughter was. Hugh said, "He has the money that's for sure. With as much money as Captain Butler has, I don't know why Mrs. Butler is such a hard task master."

"Isn't that the truth. If she tsked over the books one more time, I think I am going to scream. It is all about the profits with her."

Hugh said, "That is true." Although he felt a little guilty for agreeing with Mr. Wilkes for Mrs. Butler had been genuinely nice to him lately. She had even praised him for his fine profit.

Brad said, "She should stay home and take care of that new baby she has."

Ashley took a sip of his drink. He leaned forward and said, "I hear Captain Butler is taking care of the new baby," To stress the inappropriateness of what Captain Butler was doing Ashely whispered, "He insist on bathing the baby and rocking her to sleep. And the baby sits in his lap at mealtimes instead of Scarlett's. He feeds the child!

Hugh said, "That is hard to believe. He has always come across as such a hard man."

Brad said, "Yeah, a coldblooded killer. I hear he killed Mr. Kennedy in order to marry Kennedy's widow."

Ashley said, "I know he has killed before so what would it mean to kill again especially if it allowed him access to the woman he wanted."

Hugh who was a weak man himself said, "He can't be both. He is either a cold-hearted killer or a sissy nursemaid."

Ashley sat back and said, "I vote for sissy nursemaid. Has anyone actually seen Captain Butler kill anyone or is it all rumor and speculation?"

Ashley didn't even notice that he had just contradicted himself, but Hugh was not going to point it out. Hugh said, "I don't know but I still wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of Captain Butler."

Brad said, "You don't even want to get on the wrong side of Mrs. Butler, coward that you are."

Hugh said, "I don't see you standing up to her. When she tells you to do something all I hear is a bunch of 'yes ma'ams.'

Brad laughed and said, "She can be very frightening when she yells at people."

The other men laughed also and agreed. Hugh said, "I heard that Captain Butler stole the confederate gold. That is pretty bold."

Ashley said, "I don't think so. I may have a lead on where the Confederate gold is?"

"What? Are you saying Butler didn't steal the Confederate gold?

"No, he's looking for it too."

"It's in the Elizabeth River near Norfolk, Va. When I get more information, I will share it with you, and we can go get it and leave this life behind."

"That sounds wonderful." Although both men were appalled that Wilkes would run away with the Confederate gold and not return it to the people of the South. They talked about other things then within thirty minutes they were all on their way to their homes. As they left the bar, Johnny Gallagher emerged from the booth next to theirs. He wondered, 'What is that pussy up to? One thing for sure he is trying to blacken Butler's name worse than it already is. How can I use this information to benefit me? If I can inflict pain upon that bitch that would be nice, but my main target is that pussy. If he hadn't gotten that bitch riled up about the prisoners, I could have continued living on easy street. Between what I was stealing from the sawmill and the food I was reselling I had amassed a pretty nice nest egg. A nest egg that I had to eat through while I was looking for another job. Damn that pussy and that bitch. That is certainly interesting about the Confederate gold. If I found the gold I would never have to work again and I damn sure wouldn't share it with anyone else."

Johnny tipped his hat at Belle on the way out. Belle waved and didn't pay the man any more mind. She was tired and her back ached. Maybe it was time to retire.

Meanwhile the Butlers were having a nice evening at home. Rhett had given Bonnie a bath while Wade and Ella got ready for bed. As Scarlett looked at Wade, she knew it was time for him to have his own room. He was eight now. There was almost five years between him and Ella. The children got into their beds and Scarlett sat down next to Rhett on the chair in the nursery. There was barely enough room for the two of them, but they made it work. Scarlett took Bonnie and said, "Wade, tomorrow let's find you a room all to yourself. You are eight now. It is time you slept alone"

"Thank you, Mother."

Scarlett looked at Rhett and he was smiling at her. He said, "Very good idea, my clever bunny."

Scarlett smiled and blushed. She said, "Go on and read the book."

Rhett read the book. They put the children to bed and left them with the nursemaid. Soon after Christmas Scarlett had told Mammy that from now on her day was over as soon as the family sat down for supper. Scarlett had said, "It is time you enjoy some of the benefits of being the head nursemaid."

Mammy had smiled and said, "Yes, Miss Scarlett, I think it is."

Scarlett and Rhett went to the family parlor. Rhett told Scarlett about Elizabeth the first and her empire. Rhett said, "She never married. She is called the virgin queen."

"Why did she not marry?"

"If she married, she would have to give up all her power."

"That makes sense. That would be a nice life. Everyone worshiping her."

"Wasn't that your life before the war?"

"Almost but the women didn't worship me."

Rhett laughed and said, "I understand women didn't like her either." Rhett continued with his mini history lesson. It was a very nice evening for the Butlers.