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Chapter Thirteen

The Christmas of seventy-two was spent in Charleston with Rhett's mother and sister. Elizabeth Butler never mentioned Rhett's visit two years ago. Elizabeth did say, "I do wonder what the next one will look like. Bonnie looks like her mother and Thad looks just like his father."

Elizabeth did enjoy her grandchildren and she included Wade and Ella in that group. Rhett and Scarlett went Christmas shopping for the children together. Rhett wanted to buy out the toy store, but Scarlett only let him get each child three toys. When she said, "Limits, Rhett, Limits"

"For whom? Me or the children?"

"Both"

Rhett laughed and Scarlett smiled.

Rhett showed the family all the sights of Charleston. He told funny stories about his youth but there was also a wistfulness about his stories. Almost like his memories were bittersweet. Scarlett guessed they were

Scarlett made Rhett go with her when she went to call on her aunts when Rhett said, "They will not receive me."

"They received you when you called on them two years ago."

"Hoisted with my own petard."

"Huh?"

"It is a phrase from a play by William Shakespeare. It means to be caught in my own trap."

Scarlett smiled and said, "I like that. I might remember that. Which play was it?

"Hamlet"

"Tell me about the play."

"It is about a Danish prince, Hamlet, whose father was killed by his uncle. Hamlet is visited by his father's ghost and urged to avenge his death by killing his uncle."

"Don't tell me anymore. Let's go see it preformed."

"I'll see if I can find a performance here in Charleston."

Rhett did find a performance and he took Scarlett. She enjoyed the play very much. That night as they were retiring after seeing the play, Scarlett said, "I would like to see more of his plays."

"I will be glad to take you."

On the train ride back to Atlanta Rhett thought, 'Scarlett is sweet, kind and interested in me. She is being a good wife. She rarely talks to Mr. Wilkes anymore and she certainly doesn't look at him with worshiping eyes. It is enough. Probably more than I deserve after everything I have done to her.'

Rhett still wanted Scarlett's love, but he was making himself be content with the affection she was freely giving him. He couldn't make her love him, he couldn't buy her love, and he certainly couldn't seduce her love. He would have to just wait and hope she someday grew to love him.

They had a party for Wade's birthday and everyone in proper society attended which pleased Scarlett immensely. Rhett was making sure all of Scarlett's children were accepted by the gentry. She was fine with not really being accepted herself as long as all her children were accepted.

They had a small birthday party for Thad but only family was invited. They had it after Wade and Beau got home from school. Melly had come over. The night of Thad's first birthday Rhett told Scarlett, "I want another child."

Scarlett knew in that moment that Rhett had never stopped loving her. She didn't understand why he had acted so badly the first years of their marriage, but she certainly did like the way he had been acting this last year. No, she knew why he had acted so badly he was frustrated at the situation. He had been so incredibly jealous of Ashley and couldn't figure out how to break Ashley's hold on her. He also would never understand how she could prefer Ashley to him. There was more and she would think about it later, maybe.

She simply said, "Let's have another child, then."

"Let's go to Paris first."

"And London."

"Maybe Florence."

"I don't want to be gone more than three months."

"We will go in March."

"How about June after Wade gets out of school?"

"I like that idea."

Rhett decided that Scarlett was much more mature now and she would not use his love against him. At least not any more than any other wife did. He wanted to tell her he loved her. He had wanted to tell her for an awfully long time. So that night he told her, he loved her. When Rhett told Scarlett, he loved her she replied that she loved him too without really thinking about it. The next morning in the light of day he said, "I love you."

"I love you, too. I need you. You make me feel safe. I never want to live without you. I never want to sleep without you. I've been able to talk to you about anything. You are my best friend."

Scarlett had not realized it until he had declared his love, but she did love her husband. She wondered how long she had loved him. She stopped wondering for it didn't matter. All that mattered was that she knew she loved him now.

For Bonnie's birthday Rhett bought her a pony. As he was telling Scarlett about the pony he said, "I can teach her how to jump."

"No. No jumping. That is how Pa died."

"I will be careful she doesn't get hurt."

"I don't want her to do that until she is much older and an experienced horsewoman."

"So, I can start teaching her after her next birthday."

Scarlett knew by the twinkle in Rhett's eyes that he was teasing. She said, "How about ten?"

"Ten sounds wonderful to me."

"I'll take the girls down to Mrs. Krause and have riding habits made for them."

"You know Ella is scared of horses."

"Yes, but if Bonnie gets a riding habit Ella is going to want one also whether she ever plans to get on a horse or not. You can certainly afford to buy Ella a riding habit she is never going to wear."

"I will take them down there."

Scarlett smiled at her husband. The man was still so silly about his children. She no longer cared. She said, "Any fabric but velvet. It's too hot."

Two weeks later when the riding habits were delivered Scarlett was not a bit surprised that both of them were made out of velvet. Did the man not have a backbone anymore? She didn't send them back they would just get new ones made when the girls found their riding habits too hot to wear. They could wear them in the winter.

Surprisingly, Ella got on the pony, and she enjoyed riding it, so Rhett bought her a pony also. Rhett took the girls and Thad riding all the time while Wade was in school. Wade felt he was too old to ride a pony and Rhett thought he wasn't big enough for a horse yet. Wade was content to wait until he got older to start riding with the family. Scarlett didn't enjoy riding, so she didn't go with them.

The Butlers left to go to Europe in June of seventy-three. Scarlett refused to let Mammy stay in Georgia. Scarlett wanted Mammy to see the sights of Europe also. Dilcey and Pork were left in charge of the house. They would have taken Dwight and Prissy with them but Prissy was with child, so she had to stay in Atlanta.

When Mammy had tried to say no Scarlett had said, "If you don't come with me, you know I will come back with two little brats. You know Thad is as strong willed as Bonnie. It takes both of us to keep Rhett from giving in to his children and spoiling them."

Rhett knew that his wife wanted Mammy to go with them and he knew that Mammy had to have a reason to go. So, when Rhett heard Scarlett saying that to Mammy, he said, "Scarlett is absolutely right. It does take both of you to rein me in."

Rhett was a much better parent now and he was not going to overrule Scarlett or Mammy. He never wanted to see that brat that was his daughter again.

They went to London, Paris, Florence and Rome. Scarlett had a wonderful time in Europe. She like seeing the sights. What she enjoyed more than seeing the sights was how excited Rhett was about showing them to her.

Rhett took Scarlett to a different play every night while they were in London. There were several of Shakespeare's plays being performed. Rhett genuinely loved how excited Scarlett got while discussing the whys and wherefores in regard to Shakespeare's plays. Rhett smiled. His wife was so very smart. He would have to find a way to get her to read more. When Rhett showed the group the huge clock that had just been built, he said, "It is nicknamed Big Ben."

Wade said, "Why?"

Rhett said, "I don't know."

When both Wade and Scarlett looked so disappointed in him that he didn't have the answer Rhett almost felt ashamed of himself for not knowing.

Rhett got excited when he took Scarlett to a restaurant in Paris and insisted on ordering for her. How he studied her as she took each bite almost as if he was going to be greatly disappointed if she didn't enjoy each and every bite. He enjoyed showing the group the Arc de Triomphe and Notre-Dame. One night in their bed Rhett said, "My dream has finally come true."

"What dream?"

"My dream of showing you Paris."

"How long have you wanted to show me Paris?"

"Probably since we danced together at the hospital bazaar. Of course, then I wanted to show it to you while you were my mistress."

Scarlett was quiet for a long time and Rhett hope that remark about her being his mistress hadn't hurt her feelings.

Finally, Scarlett said, "Rhett, how long have you known you loved me?"

"Since we danced together at the hospital bazaar. I couldn't forget you that first year of the war."

"Why did you not come to Tara and call on me?"

"The same reason I couldn't come to Tara while you were pregnant with Thad. I would have been in a weak position."

"Why did you not tell me you loved me? Why did you deny it so cruelly?

"The same reason. By that time, I knew that you could be very cruel to people who loved you who you didn't love."

"Why did you finally tell me?"

"I knew you had grown up enough to not try to use my love against me. I had been wanting to tell you for so long, so I did."

"Until you told me you loved me, I didn't know I loved you."

"Then I'm awfully glad I told you. Want me to show you how much?"

"Always."

On the train ride to Florence Scarlett thought about Rhett being scared to tell her he loved her, and it just didn't seem possible that her husband could be scared of anything.

Scarlett was amazed by the artwork in Florence and paid attention when Rhett explained the background of the artist.

When they were in Rome, Rhett explained about the Roman Empire.

They returned home in August. Everyone had a good time even Mammy. Despite not wanting to go Mammy had almost as much fun as Scarlett.

Rhett and Scarlett were much better parents now. Scarlett reined Rhett in, and Rhett got Scarlett to loosen up. If they didn't agree with something the other had done regarding any of the children, they talked about it privately in their bedroom. These discussions sometimes resulted in arguments between the couple, but the arguments never escalated into the bloodbaths they had before Thad's birth.

Scarlett found out Melly was pregnant when she got back from Europe. Melly said, "Don't scold me."

"Of course not, you silly goose."

A week later when Melly had a miscarriage Scarlett was with her until the end.

Melly said, "I guess you were right."

"Let's not talk about it."

"I'm going to need you to take care of Beau and Ashley. Ashley won't handle this very well."

"No, he won't. I will take care of both of them. Let me go get him so you can say goodbye."

After Ashley went to be with Melly, Rhett took Scarlett home.

After the funeral Scarlett was busy keeping Kennedy's solvent. Mr. Elsing was a good enough manager when Scarlett was able to keep him on track by visiting the store once a week. She had been out of the country for three months and had been constantly by Melly's side for the last two weeks. With all the financial magazines talking about a depression she knew she had to act fast to keep Kennedy's in business. Scarlett spent long hours checking the stock and finding cheaper merchandise to order. She also had some personnel issues and she had to fire a couple of the clerks. She briefly considered hiring Ashley to work at the store, but she knew better than to ever hire the man again. Besides the fact the man was useless as an employee, Rhett would flip his lid if she did that.

Scarlett couldn't deal with Ashley. He was so pathetic. She asked Rhett to help him. Ashley could hardly function, and he certainly couldn't be a reporter anymore. Rhett got him a job at First Atlanta as a teller. He did fine. Nothing was expected of him. If there was sometimes a hint of whiskey on his breath nobody said anything.

Ashley moved in with India and Aunt PittyPat. Scarlett smiled sadly when she thought, 'India finally has a man and child to take care of."