Such a long absence. Can't promise anything. But I have something to accomplish in this one, so here we go again.
Canon belongs to MM and her estate. This is a FF…
"Mrs. Butler, a Mr. Butler is down in the lobby requesting your company."
She was sitting in the veranda enjoying a quiet morning after her husband had left to tend to last minute arrangement before they headed back to Georgia on the evening train.
She contemplated if to avoid it, thinking it was once again Rhett's father, but her conscience plagued her and she was soon walking slowly down the stairs to the reception area of the hotel. She smiled when she saw it was Robert, Rhett's brother, thinking of a younger Robert she had waiting with her son for their return back home.
"Mr. Butler, how kind of you to come and call on us. I'm afraid your brother is out on errands."
He seemed uncomfortable for a moment - a posture so unfamiliar to her with his elder brother. The striking semblance could fool me, she thought. He was probably more like her county beaus. Gentle. Attached to rules and norms her husband had long abandoned.
"It may seem presumptuous of me, but I was hoping to meet you."
He seemed at unease and she took pity on him.
"Come, I'll ask for some refreshments and we can talk. Rhett is due in an hour or so."
He looked at her gratefully - "I gather you have met our father."
"For a second time."
"He was rather upset and has been talking badly of you to your aunts. I thought you might want to meet with them."
She smiled at him kindly "May I be frank with you, Robert? I suppose I will shock you a bit, for you seem so kind and gentle, like most of my childhood friends. I was never seen highly by my aunts, and your father is doing no harm. He is simply verifying their suspicions as to the bad effect my Irish father had on my upbringing. Hence, I don't care what your father says about me or my husband. I pity him. He has a wonderful son and he'll never know."
"That is the other reason I came to see you. From the bits father told me I gathered you spoke highly of Rhett. You see, I hadn't talked to him in years."
"I don't understand. What are you asking?"
The man blushed - "I realized that there is so much I'd never know about him, though I wish I could. Would you tell me of my brother? I know you can't right now, but would you agree to correspond with me. I am your brother by matrimony and it wouldn't be improper. I swear, you needn't tell me of his businesses, only of him."
She was moved. None of her sisters ever took interest in her this way. Than again she was never away. She was loved by their parents. She was not banished with nothing but the shirt on her back to the cruel world.
"I will. I'll write you, and you will write to me in return of you. Of your life. I wish to get to know you. But you must wait and allow Rhett to see you, otherwise I will be at loss if he asks of our correspondence."
When Rhett arrived she could see his shoulders stiffen as he recognized her company, but she smiled a happy smile at him and rushed to him grabbing both his hands -
"Darling, Robert heard of our happy news and has offered to replace any position you would have wanted your father to have regarding our child."
Both men were rather amazed from her news. Rhett did not notice his brother's surprise at her announcement but his sibling soon recovered and straightened his gaze to his elder brother - "I can't make up for lost years. I can however try to conduct my present differently. I always felt like a coward for not going with you."
"Father might give you hell for this."
The other man all of a sudden seemed relieved - "I won't die, Rhett. Besides, he won't disown me for caring for his future grandchildren. He was fussing about the prospects that your young Butlers will never have a foot in gentle society".
He touched a nerve. Those were stormy waters for her as well. Her husband was craving for acceptance by what his father called "Gentle Society". She took hold over her emotions and covered her anxiety with a smile "How very considerate of him to worry. Tell him not to trouble himself. He hasn't for two decades, has he?" trying to end the discussion with those words she added "Will you come to visit soon?"
But Robert and Rhett did not follow her second question "It doesn't matter what he's done to me, Scarlett, my children are a different matter."
She stood, suddenly feeling tired, she was contemplating whether she should try to return to the good graces of the dragons in Atlanta ever since the boat - "You will excuse me, gentlemen, won't you? I feel rather tired and we still have a long journey ahead of us today."
"You won't visit your aunts?" asked Robert.
"No. I visited uncle Patrik, on my father's side yesterday morning. He was in town for a few days. He lives in Savannah. He remembered the way my 'lovely' aunts treated both my father and me and my siblings when we were little, as if we were simple peasants receiving their favours. He tried to talk me of Christian acceptance - but- Oh! They are even talking badly of Careen for marrying a 'poor pastor' who's not Catholic."
"Your sister is admired by the congregation of the most esteemed families in this city. I suppose they find it offensive as it isn't their church that she chose, at the end of the day. As have you."
"We both chose our husband's church for the holiest of sacraments" she answered quietly "If you meet my aunts tell them that."