Chapter 86
Scarlett went up the steps of the Merriweather house and knocked on the door. She looked about the little porch, feeling extremely nervous. She was very much afraid of Grandpa Merriweather and Mrs. Merriweather but she had to risk seeing them if she should meet Maybelle. When she knocked the door again, she heard the sound of another door opening. And some footsteps came around the side. A little boy, Maybelle's son stared at Scarlett before giving a wide smile. He ran back inside calling for his mother. Scarlett followed him in surprise and saw Maybelle looking out of the side door.
"Oh Scarlett! It's you. I locked the front door because both Mother and Father had gone out. I was so busy at home that I couldn't come to open the door. Do come in,dear- mind the door, it's swinging on its hinges. Reene promised to fix it but he never remembers when he has the time. The side passage was a narrow crunch and there were two doors leading out of it. One door led to the old Merriweather family's part of the house and the other led to Maybelle's side. She opened the door to a very cramped little room with an old repaired sofa for visitors to sit on.
Years before, Scarlett would have scorned this lack of comforts and thought herself superior but she could not afford to be so ignorant now. Maybelle had gone into the next room and her son stood staring at her.
"You look very pretty" said Raoul. He looked less like a monkey but he was also fat and podgy looking.
"Why thank you, dear-" said Scarlett. "And when are you coming to my home to learn painting? Ella would love to have your company."
But Raoul simply stepped back into the room after his Mother and never came out again. Scarlett looked around the room. She noticed the little pictures on the tiny shelf and a small china vase with some wild flowers in it. That was the only ornament in the room. There seemed to be water leaking on one side of the walls for the paint appeared damp. And there was a strange musty smell too. Scarlett peered out of the window and saw a line of clothes hanging out to dry. They were mostly calico dresses and several clean white undershirts.
She saw an old black servant, old Jemima who had helped Maybelle and her mother collect bricks to rebuild their home after the war. Jemima adding more clothes to the hot water in the tub outside and swishing the clothes with a wooden ladle. The runoff was collecting in the garden and a stray cat came in to lap up the water.
"I'm sorry for taking so long, Scarlett-" said Maybelle re-entering the room. I was asking the maid to put on some tea." Raoul came up and leaned beside her.
"I was just asking Raoul if he would like to come up and see Ella."
Maybelle grinned and asked Raoul to bring out his drawings. He whispered something into her ear and Maybelle playfully shoved him to the door. "He's very shy, Scarlett. Renee is strict with him nowadays. He and his father go out together, fishing. There is a lonely little brook in a part of the forest only they seem to know and they spend time together-"
Jemima came inside with a tray of small biscuits and tea in very plain but carefully scrubbed china. Her hands shook with age as she set them on the table and wiped her hands on her apron. Scarlett could still smell the soap on her person but was careful not to wrinkle her nose.
"I'd show you the house but it's all being remodelled. Father's come into a little money and he is going to build a room upstairs. Mother and Father plan to live there and give the lower portion to us."
"How lovely" said Scarlett. "And how are Grandpa Merriweather, Mrs. Merriweather and Rene?"
"They are all fine, Scarlett.. err.. How are Ella and Wade?"
"They are doing very well. Wade is going to a law school. He is learning law there under a man recommended by Rhett. And Ella is fine too-"
"And how is Rhett?" asked Maybelle, trying not to appear too inquisitive. Her sensitivity was not lost on Scarlett who despised pretence of any sort.
"Rhett is all right. He came and stayed for a short while a few months back" said Scarlett. "He's never been the same since Bonnie died-"
Maybelle reached out and her hand closed over Scarlett's. "I know the feeling. Rene was very upset when my first child passed away. Men set such a store by babies- he was so upset and when Raoul was born, I was relieved that Rene would be comforted at last."
Scarlett smiled tightly, hoping that Maybelle wouldn't ask her to provide Rhett with another child. But Maybelle never approached the subject. Raoul came back inside and he held out a paper to Scarlett. It had a drawing of the confederate flag along with all kinds of military insignia.
"Why, its very good. You are quite the artist!" said Scarlett, cheerily. She had to admit that it was a good drawing, perhaps a little smudged, but still good. She gave Raoul a pretend handshake and he blushed several shades of red.
"He also caught a huge trout fish last Sunday. You should have seen him coming home- all wet and with muddy boots, trampling mud all over the carpet-" said Maybelle ,in genuine fondness.
When Scarlett saw the camaraderie between Maybelle and her child, she knew that this is how it should be. It seemed to be something she herself had forgotten a long time ago.
She got up to leave and Maybelle protested at once. But Scarlett promised to pay another visit later. As she headed to the door, Scarlett once more inquired after Mrs. Merriweather. "You know, Maybelle- After Bonnie's death, I have been more prayerful and rather hard on myself, you see-"
"Oh, I completely understand-" said Maybelle. "dear Scarlett-"
"Yes, and I remembered speaking rather severely to Mrs. Merriweather when she was warning me about my hasty decision to marry Rhett."
Maybelle's eyes widened. "Mother is always very prying in other people's affairs. But you shouldn't be hard on yourself-"
"I know. I know, dear. But I just want to be right. It was a hasty decision and I didn't have my share of troubles. And I only want to make peace. In hindsight, I think it was very kind of Mrs. Merriweather to take the trouble to caution me. I have nothing but admiration for her judgement and will. And I hope she forgives me too."
"Oh of course she does-" said Maybelle, emotionally.
"Because you see when dear Melly died-"
"Dear Melly!" cried Maybelle, tears springing into her eyes.
Scarlett decided that it wouldn't hurt to cry a few tears too.
When Scarlett returned home, she felt very happy that she had made a good inroad into the Old Guard. If she played her cards right, she would be in their good books in as short a period as a month.
But there was yet another thing she must do. As she walked along the lawns leading to her own house, she saw the place where Bonnie used to jump the hurdle on her Shetland pony. Her new butler, Sam walked up to meet her. "Sam, would you get me my horse? I think I want to go riding!"
Scarlett rode as before down the forest path when she saw a small neglected hedge running around a farm that had been destroyed a long time ago. Her horse came near it and stopped. Scarlett jumped down and kicked the thorny bramble. It wasn't any more than a feet high. A smile spread slowly across her face as she ran her hand across the low grassy wall. "That's what Rhett needs. An added incentive to come after me. If he is running away from pain, I'll give him something to really be pained about!" Mrs. Finch's idea of ensnaring Rhett was good, but it need more emotion, more angst to really be effective. And Scarlett planned a good bluff to give a few sleepless nights to her husband.