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Chapter Fifteen

Scarlett had gone into her confinement at the first of January for the baby was due sometime in April. Admittedly she had gone into it a week or two early because she couldn't take any more of the sewing bees and the committees. There for when Scarlett held a supper for Wade's ninth birthday everyone once again had to enter her home.

Scarlett had only invited the Wilkes and the Hamiltons. Even India came to the party. Scarlett noticed that both India and Melly had new clothes on and was happy for them. She was glad too for their other clothes were getting kind of thread bare.

After everyone had left from the supper and the children were in bed, Rhett said, "Miss Melly and Miss Wilkes looked nice in their new dresses."

"Yes, they did. Ashley was behaving like his old self. His old boring self. Did you understand what he was talking about?"

"Yes, but only because I have read the same old tomes he has. Although I don't know how I got through them. I guess I was afraid of my tutor's switch."

"Did your tutor inflict pain upon you?"

"Yes, freely."

"Your father allowed that?"

"My father probably encouraged it."

"Rhett!"

"Scarlett, my father was not like your father. He was a cold, harsh man. Take that look off your face. I don't want or need your pity."

"It isn't pity. It is compassion."

"I don't want that either."

"Shall I put a worshipping look on my face?"

"Yes, that I do want and need," Scarlett did put a worshipping look on her face and Rhett said, "That's better.

Scarlett said, "Continue reading Hamlet to me."

"Gladly."

None of the gentry could afford to pay for schooling for their children therefore they were all being taught at home by their mothers.

Thus, Rhett had hired a tutor for Wade for he could no longer go to school with Yankees and Scallawags. Despite their wealth they had to be just like everyone else in polite society as much as they could be.

Now Scarlett knew why Rhett had been so adamant that Mr. Duncan would never use a switch on Wade or any other form of corporal punishment. Rhett had also spoken to Wade and told him, "Nobody is allowed to hit you or hurt you. If anyone in my employment does, they will be fired immediately. Do you understand me, Son?"

"Thank you, Uncle Rhett."

At the end of January, Mrs. Merriwether came to call. Scarlett was shocked to see her. After they were seated in the parlor, they made small talk until the tea arrived. After the ladies had fixed their tea and Dolly had helped herself to a couple of cookies, the older woman said, "It seems I owe you an apology. A Rhett Butler did serve in the militia under a Colonel Carrollton."

Scarlett had to fight all her instincts to not say I told you so but instead smiled and said, "Thank you for the apology. So, now you see Rhett is not a traitor to the Confederacy."

"I don't know if I would go that far but he did fight for the Confederacy."

"He also brought in a lot of needed goods to the people of the South during the war years."

"He made a lot of money selling those goods."

"Yes, he did but he was risking his life after all. You are the second person to imply that Rhett was only a blockade runner for profit while George Trenholm who made a lot more money off the good people of the Confederacy is a hero. I am getting very tired of this double standard."

"Maybe because Mr. Trenholm was supportive of the Confederacy while your husband was very vocal of his contempt for the Confederacy. Captain Butler stole the Confederate gold."

"Mrs. Merriwether, you know there was no Confederate gold. Everyone in the South was far too poor by then for there to have been any gold."

"I heard you sold your sawmills and your store."

"Yes, with us planning on being gone from Atlanta for six months I knew they would be in shambles when I got back. Besides, I no longer need to work that hard. I'm just going to stay home and behave myself from now on."

"It is about time you behaved yourself. Do you even know how?"

"Really, Mrs. Merriwether, of course I know how. My mother was Ellen Robillard, after all. As I told you at the committee meeting, I only spent time with the Republicans and Scallawags because they were fun. At that time, I desperately wanted to have fun like I had before the war started. I am still a young woman."

Begrudgingly Dolly said, "I too would like to go back to our life before the war."

Before the old woman went down memory lane, Scarlett stood up and said, "Thank you for coming by and thank you for the apology. Now let me walk you to the door."

After the old woman had left, Scarlett once again rethought the idea of her and Rhett getting themselves received back into Atlanta society. She knew Rhett was right. If they weren't received, then the girls would not be received. Wade might be because he was a Hamilton, and his Hamilton relatives could make people receive him. Ella didn't have anyone of any social prominence to force people to accept her. Of course, Genie and her sisters would never be received if she and Rhett weren't received.

Scarlett thought, 'I did like New York, and I did like the people up there. How many times a year do I visit Tara now? Two, maybe three. I like going there because I get strength from going there but it also saddens me because of what sorry shape it is in now. It also annoys me to have to interact with Suellen and that chip she has on her shoulder. I don't regret marrying Frank to save Tara, but I do regret having to live with Frank and everything that entailed afterwards. I think after I get out of my confinement, I will get Rhett to take me out West. I might like that well enough to leave Tara for.'

Later that night, Scarlett told Rhett of Mrs. Merriwether's visit. She finished by saying, "I don't think it went much better than our original conversation about you. Let's go to San Francisco. I might like it well enough to move there. You did say we could visit Tara as much as we do now."

"Yes, I did. I will be glad to take you out West. We can visit Denver also."

For Genie's second birthday the Butlers had a small party. Scarlett knew that Rhett would have like to have a lavish extravaganza, but they couldn't for two reasons. She was in her confinement and if they did nobody would show up. Melly and Beau were the only guests.

A week later when Rhett said, "I'm going to Belle's to play some cards."

"Is that all you do there?"

"Scarlett, how can you ask me that? You know I couldn't physically do it any more often than I am with you," Rhett paused and gave her a peck on the lips. He continued, "I would never be unfaithful to you."

Scarlett smiled and said, "I didn't mean that. I meant are you conducting furtive deals there."

"You know I am, but I am being very sneaky."

"Why?"

"The thrill of fooling the Old Guard."

"You can't help yourself, can you?"

Without an ounce of shame Rhett smiled and said, "No, I can't. Besides the money is amazing."

"How is your work at the bank going?"

"Good. I have been able to help a lot of Southerners get what they need even Mrs. Merriwether. Although she wasn't gracious in her acceptance of my help."

"I don't know if I can live the rest of my life having to be humble to these people. Having to obey the silly rules."

"I think we are making progress with most of the Old Guard. We will keep working on the project until you decide to leave. I have got to go. I have some fellow businessmen to meet."

Rhett kissed her goodbye and got his hat. Scarlett walked across the foyer with him and kissed him goodbye passionately. Rhett kissed her back and said, "I've got to go."

Scarlett stood in the doorway and watched him go. She then shut the door and locked up the house.

Around the first of March, Genie started getting upset after she was in bed for the night. She would start crying when anyone blew out the candle. At first, Mammy would sit with the child until she fell asleep. Then the little girl started waking up in the middle of the night. When she woke up to a dark room she would start screaming. She would scream loud enough to wake the house.

Genie's screaming was disturbing the entire household. Rhett suggested that they leave a candle burning all night. Genie was still waking up screaming but was comforted by the candle burning until Rhett got there to comfort her. Genie would go to Mammy or Eliza for comfort, but Rhett was the only one who could get her to go back to sleep.

After a candle had been left burning for a week, Mammy told Rhett, "Mr. Wade and Miss Ella aren't getting much sleep because of the candle burning all night."

"Then we will just move her into our bedroom."

"Rhett, come out in the hallway," Once they were in the hallway, Scarlett said, "Honey, that isn't practical. I won't be able to be intimate with her in the room. Besides, you would have to start wearing a night shirt."

"You are right. I don't think I could be intimate with her in the room either. We can do it for a little while to see if this is just a phase she is going through after all we aren't being intimate right now."

"No, Baby, once she thinks our room is her room also it will be almost impossible to get her to accept going back to the nursery. And we both know you would not make her."

Rhett gave a sheepish smile and said, "It is just so damn hard to tell her no."

"For you yes but fortunately not for me or Mammy but that is off subject. We can hire another nursemaid. A nursemaid whose entire job is to sit and watch Genie sleep and to make sure the candle doesn't go out."

"Or get knocked over for some reason. Yes, that is what we will do."

The next day Scarlett had Genie's furniture moved into the bedroom next to the nursery. She hired another nursemaid. Her name was Isabell Jewell. She was fired that same night when she had fallen asleep, and the candle had gone out. The entire household was woken up when Genie started screaming. Poor Isabell was trying to get the candle lit while Rhett was storming down the hallway. Scarlett was a little bit embarrassed that Rhett had not waited to get his robe completely tied up before he left their bedroom. Fortunately, he managed to get it tied before Isabell got the candle lit. Scarlett had put her wrapper on while still in their bedroom therefore Rhett was already in Genie's bedroom before Scarlett had even left their bedroom.

When Scarlett got to Genie's bedroom, it was a very unusual sight to see. Rhett was sitting on Genie's bed holding her while speaking harshly to the poor nursemaid. He had not raised his voice for that would have frightened Genie more, but Isabell was in no doubt that Mr. Butler was extremely mad. Scarlett thought he was madder than he had been in New Orleans.

As Scarlett watched the young woman's face get increasingly more stricken, she interrupted Rhett and said, "Isabell, we don't need your services anymore."

Isabell ran out of the room. Scarlett said, "You calm Genie down and I will make sure Isabell leaves the house."

Scarlett woke their driver, Arthur, up and told him to drive Isabell home in their carriage. Scarlett found Isabell sitting in her room crying which Scarlett could understand. Getting spoken harshly to by Rhett was a frightening experience. The man could be awfully cruel. Scarlett said, "Dry your tears. You had one task and only one task and you failed at that task. Pack your clothes and then go to the stables and wait while Arthur hooks up the horses to the carriage. He is going to drive you to your home."

After Scarlett returned to Genie's room, she found her daughter sleeping in her father's arms. Rhett said, "I will make sure the candle doesn't go out again. I will sleep here."

"Rhett, no."

"Scarlett, yes."

"Then scoot over and make room for me in the bed."

Rhett smiled and scooted over with Genie still in his arms. Somehow a pregnant Scarlett, Rhett who was a large man, and a big two-year-old managed to sleep in Genie's tiny bed. There was barely enough room for all three of them and there wouldn't have been if Genie hadn't been sleeping on Rhett's chest. If Scarlett hadn't been so tired, she would never have been able to go back to sleep with the candle burning.