AN: Thanks for all the reviews guys. We are going to pause here until after the holiday. Nijini made a request for holiday fics. So if you are in the mood for a different fic just click on my name over the next week.
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Part Seventeen
August 1872
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"Uncle Rhett?"
He looked down at the little girl he was walking home from school. The gingery braids hanging down her back, the pale blue dress with white smock and most importantly those soft green eyes. Likely the kindest eyes Rhett had ever seen, her eyes might be reminiscent of her mother, but they had the compassion of her Aunt Melly.
"Yes, Ella?"
"Why don't I have a daddy?"
He had been utterly unprepared for such a question on the beautiful late summer day, only a week into Ella's schooling. "Your mother never discussed this with you?"
"Wade said I had a father once, but I don't remember him. Wade knows all about his father and Bonnie has you. All of my new friends have daddies or fathers."
He smiled thinking of Scarlett's worries that Ella wouldn't fit into school, she'd wasted no time making friends of course there was always the possibility that Scarlett was right and Ella hadn't yet noticed her new friends weren't talking back to her.
"They said it's odd that I don't have a father."
"You had a daddy, his name was Frank Kennedy."
"That's what Wade said, but I don't remember him."
"He died while you were still a baby."
"Wade said his daddy died before he as a baby," Ella's eyes were wide at such a thing.
"That's right, Wade's father died before Wade was born."
"Did my daddy do things with me like you do with Bonnie and Nicky?"
"I imagine your father didn't do much more than carry you, you were still quite small," he suddenly scooped her up, "you are actually still quite small."
She laughed with her arms flung around his neck. "It isn't fair Uncle Rhett, all of my friends have daddies."
He laughed loudly, "You know you do have me, Ella."
"But you're my uncle."
"I am your stepfather, surely you've heard someone call me that before."
Her head tilted, but it took a second for realization to come to her eyes, her mouth widened into a circle, "Oh."
He did his best not to laugh at his stepdaughter, but still amusement was clearly written all over his face.
"So you're my father not my daddy?" She questioned.
"I'm your stepfather."
She was puzzled again, "What does that mean?"
"Someone else was your father, but I took on the role when I married your mother."
"So you're my father," she repeated.
"Not through blood, but yes." He felt the urge to say yes coursing through him. He had wanted it since Miss Pitty had walked into the parlor carrying Ella after he arrived home from England, Wade at her side puzzled for a moment before realizing he knew the stranger in his parlor. She'd been such a good natured baby, when she had seen her brother greet the stranger, she'd wanted to be in his arms as well.
"Why don't I call you father?"
Mammy, he thought to himself. "It's never mattered what you call me. No matter what I'll always take care of you as a father would."
"But I should call you, Father, like all my friends. Not Daddy because I already had a daddy and you're Bonnie's daddy and Nicky's, but he can't say that yet."
"You may call me whatever you want, my sweet."
"Father," she nodded, "I was so worried I didn't have one Uncle Rhett, I mean Father, I'd be the only one of my friends. It would be awful."
"Ella, you never need to worry about not having something your friends have. Your mother would never allow such a thing."
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Early September 1872
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"Once Scarlett leaves for the day, have my things moved back into our room," Rhett informed Prissy after he had dropped Nicky off into the nursery to Mammy's waiting arms, she had shot him a glare as Bonnie refused to settle into the room and demanded they go off to the playroom. The older children had gone off to school with Sally accompanying them for their walk. Prissy still had to do Scarlett's hair for the day before she could join Mammy in caring for the younger children.
He had started this morning attempting to awaken Scarlett with less than honorable intentions, but Nicholas had awoken earlier than normal so they had been interrupted.
She had changed and fed the baby while he shaved and dressed. Taking Nicholas downstairs with him where the children were already seated for breakfast. She would dress and join them, leaving the final steps of her morning until after they finished the meal.
He ran a hand along his smooth face, weeks ago, she had suggested he shave in her rooms, it would make the morning move smoother in case the children had to be washed up.
Although he could not imagine what the children would have done in the middle of the night that required them be washed up and the water closet had a sink, while he always shaved in the room that contained the bath since the water was already heated. He had moved all grooming items into their bathroom that day. However, now it was time to be done with it and simply move it all in.
He was well aware the abrupt decision stemmed from his frustration this morning. They were married. They lived an uncomplicated domestic life, minus this one seemingly huge complication. It had been fun to let it play out, to let her tease him into her life piece by piece. He was quite frankly over that. It was time to be done with it. The cloying courtship was over. They were married and married couples shared a room.
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He was practically itching for a fight when he returned home an hour before dinner. They took the meal later now. For years Scarlett had taken it nearly always on her own, soon after her return from town.
Now though with her social obligations and his mornings actually being busy in town, the meal had been pushed back later. He didn't doubt that soon they would push it until the children returned home from school.
He didn't greet the Bonnie as he normally did, knowing that if he did there was a very real chance his daughter would not let him leave her. He was prepared to hand Nicky off to whoever was passing in the hallway.
He was undone by the sight of his wife and child. Scarlett's dress still undone in the front but covering her. Nicholas sound asleep in her arms.
She smiled, "He barely lasted five minutes before he fell asleep. I imagine he'll be more than ready to take dinner with us."
He laughed softly and moved to take the baby from her arms. To go and put their son down in his crib on the wall closest to the hallway.
She was still buttoning up the front of her dress when he turned back.
"You didn't need to do that on my account."
She smirked at him. "The builder was finally here earlier. He said putting in a doorway to the room next door wouldn't be a problem. He'll come out with a few men on Thursday. He suggested we remove what we'd want from the room during the day. I imagine we should remove what we want for the night as well."
She wasn't mentioning it.
He knew for damn certain she had seen his things and had then inspected every wardrobe and chest.
"Why aren't you with Bonnie?"
She truly wasn't going to mention it.
She had removed him from this room over three years prior.
Although he supposed he had actually been the one to remove his belongings. His wife had likely expected him to sleep chastely next to her rather than encourage gossip.
There would certainly be no chaste sleeping in this room unless demanded by Dr. Meade.
"I will see Bonnie later. I believe you and I were interrupted this morning."
"It's the middle of the day," her eyes were wide. They hadn't done that since the start of their marriage when they had managed to sleep until the middle of the day.
"So it is," he began to peel off his coat.
"I just did up my dress."
"I promise to redo them later," he said as he sat to remove his boots after removing his vest.
"My hair."
"Can be brushed, we're hardly receiving any visitors tonight."
"The chil-"
"Nicholas is sleeping quite soundly, Bonnie is unaware I am home, I promise you we will be done well before Wade and Ella return from school."
"It appears you have thought this out Captain Butler," she smirked at him.
"I have thought of little else since 8 this morning," by the time he stood after removing his boots and socks, his neck cloth had already been set to the side along with his cuff links. He was making quick work of the other fastenings on his shirt.
"I would have thought locking the door would have been one of those thoughts, certainly before our daughter barges in and finds you undressed," she smirked.
He nodded at the oversight and stepped to lock the door.
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"Did you have a nice birthday Rhett?" Scarlett questioned as he began to undo her gown. A breathtaking blue creation with an indecent neckline, but as it had been since Nicholas without all the other fineries that screamed of their wealth. Instead, it drew attention to the striking beauty that was Scarlett.
She had thrown a party, it was her fourth since they had created the smaller ballroom, just over half a year earlier. Her guest list had been remarkable since she'd only set out on her redemption just over a year prior. There were only a few hold outs to the old opinion of Scarlett, it had seemed by late spring the Old Guard fell like dominos as they changed their opinion of her. She was also the only one who could give them such a taste of the old ways. They needed each other.
He was familiar with such dependence.
"I did. It was lovely." It had been. The party had been a perfect balance of decadence and modesty. Scarlett had been planning it for months and likely took two opinions on everything before she committed to it, he'd overheard the planning more than once.
Scarlett no longer working, quite frankly, was costing them a fortune. He was more than a little relieved he'd waited to marry her until his finances were so settled and he could do little, but easily earn more with all he had to invest. The dinner parties and late suppers they hosted on a regular basis were more than he imagined most households spent on entertaining in an entire year.
He gave her funds; she gave him fun.
Truthfully, he hadn't a single regret about it since his wardrobe had been moved back into the master bedroom. Pangs, occasionally, but no regret.
He placed a kiss to the back of her neck after they'd gotten her out of her dress as he began to work on her corset.
"Not tonight, Rhett. I'm exhausted."
"You do recall it's my birthday," his brows narrowed.
"If you'd like me as lifeless as the doll I've had commissioned for Ella's-"
He laughed lightly, "Hardly. It was a wonderful party Scarlett, thank you." He placed another kiss along her neck before returning to her corset.
"If you wake me in the middle of the night it will be your last."
He laughed again. "My dear should I remind you that you are 27 to my 44?"
"Seeing as I am a mother of four and two are yours, I can quite honestly say that there is an unnatural amount of energy in your bloodline."
"I thought you wanted to expand that bloodline."
"Not tonight, likely not even tomorrow."
He laughed and freed her from the last of her corset. He could at least enjoy the view of her changing into her nightgown. "Would you like me to bring Nicholas downstairs with me in the morning?" Nicky who now slept in his own room that shared a connecting door with their own.
"Hardly, I'd end up uncomfortable all morning."
She was still nursing their nearly 9-month-old son, she had barely lasted a month with Bonnie.
He watched as she changed into her nightgown, then applied a cream to her face to remove the night from her skin, letting it sit as she began to remove the pins from her hair, then removing the cream with a warm wet cloth from the basin that had been poured by a servant as they retired for the night, before moving onto brushing her hair.
He was changed and settled in a chair with a brandy before she began to remove the night cream. He had learned to pace his brandy for this ritual.
Oh no. He had no regrets about their life, but plenty of pangs.
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December 1872
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There were things he'd never quite imagined doing or had even contemplated being willing to do before Scarlett. He changed his son in the morning. He had seen from afar as servants had done it with Bonnie, but he'd hardly been able to stay back while his wife, a gently bred woman did such a task and she had.
He and Nicholas had some rough mornings since he'd taken over the task as his wife required more rest to recover from their nights. Nights either spent out or enjoying each other in bed. Scarlett's children had now completed the trifecta of indignities. He'd been thrown up on, peed on and had his hand covered in their excrement.
Nicholas had accomplished all three, Ella had thankfully yet to accomplish any of them. He was hoping that at 6, he'd be safe from that.
He'd been a foolish young man to reject the idea of marriage and children. Although perhaps not. He'd been wise enough he would only marry when he wouldn't be able to get the woman any other way. His wife had made his life a living hell, but now, especially now, he couldn't imagine ever having found any type of satisfaction without her and he found a great deal of satisfaction in his life now.
He walked out with the freshly changed baby to find his wife just barely awake. She didn't make any attempts at modesty as she set Nicky to nurse, she hadn't since her husband had first returned to her bed and several comments as she'd attempted to cover herself after spending the night uncovered. Nicky was very nearly over the activity entirely, he only nursed in the mornings or times when he was fussy and wanted comfort. Rhett imagined he would miss it as much as Scarlett would.
He had certainly never imagined that he would take such joy at Scarlett's breasts being used for anything aside from his own comfort and enjoyment. He would watch them for hours if he could. They were a beautiful sight together. The devotion they had for each other.
Oh yes, there was a type of quiet satisfaction in their life. It was subtle, but it surrounded him. A calmness. A slow charm. There was comfort in the familiarity of their lives. The routine.
The life he had scorned for decades was his own now. The life he would live until the end of his time. Oh yes, there was a comfort in that.
Thanks for reading!