Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.

Chapter Nine

As soon as Rhett had left, Scarlett told Melanie and Aunt PittyPat, "Rhett is going to be working for the Confederate government. He is going to be living in Atlanta full time starting in January."

Aunt PittyPat and Melly looked at Scarlett. She looked like a girl who had just gotten what she wanted most in the world. There was no doubt in either woman's mind that Scarlett was madly in love with Captain Butler.

Although Melly didn't tell anyone about Rhett Butler's new job PittyPat told everyone she met the next day. Within two days everyone in Atlanta knew about Rhett's new position with the Confederate government. Two nights later when Rhett walked into The Painted Lady, Belle said, "How are you going to make money off the Confederate government?"

"I'm not, Belle. I am just going to be doing my patriotic duty. Give me a whiskey."

"Here. No, really. How?"

"I am just being a good son of the South."

"I will figure out your angle sooner or later."

"When you think you have, keep your thoughts to yourself. Refill my glass."

Once Belle had filled up Rhett's glass, she said, "That will be a dollar."

Rhett smiled and took some coins out of his pocket and laid them on the bar. He then picked up the glass and headed to the poker table. He was in luck. His favorite chair was available.

As Rhett walked away, Belle thought, 'He might be able to fool everyone else by pretending to be a loyal Confederate, but I have known him too long to be fooled by him. He has often said he doesn't do anything if there isn't something in it for him,' Belle paused in her thinking and thought, 'Maybe there is something in it for him. Getting the fair Mrs. Hamilton in his bed. I wish he would at last plow her and get her out from under his skin. Then we can go back to the way things were before he got obsessed with the woman. Of course, I am not selling him back his half of the saloon.' With that thought, Belle went back to socializing with the other patrons.

Rhett was able to win a little bit of money at the poker table but the other men at the table truly had little money to bet with and what's more it was in Confederate dollars. Nonetheless, Rhett enjoyed winning money at playing poker despite the small amount of winnings.

Rhett took Scarlett and Melly out to supper Friday night. The night before he was going to leave. Over supper Melly said to the couple, "Ashley has gotten a Christmas furlough."

"That is wonderful, Miss Melly."

"Melly, I promise my parents to go home for Christmas."

"But, Scarlett, you don't want to miss Ashley's visit."

"I must. My parents are already annoyed at me for not coming home more than I do. The doctors need me so at the hospital. Besides if I am out of the house those two weeks that will be another bedroom for your in-laws."

"That's true."

Rhett resolved to get Scarlett to tell him why she now hated Wilkes. Rhett smiled. He didn't need to get her to tell him why she hated Wilkes. She hated him because he had married another woman over her. Her ego would not be able to handle that. His ego would not be able to handle her preferring anyone to him. He knew in that moment she would never tell anyone first that she loved them again. Not after that horrible rejection by Wilkes. He guessed he would have to screw up his courage and tell her without being sure if she loved him. The rest of the meal was good and the conversation pleasant.

When the trio got to the Hamilton House, Scarlett invited Rhett inside. He said, "Yes. For a minute."

Rhett had said yes so when he got up to leave Scarlett would walk him to the door. There they could say goodbye in privacy.

After thirty minutes, Rhett stood up and said, "It is time to take my leave."

Scarlett said, "Let me walk you out."

At the door Scarlett said, "Please be extremely careful."

"I will. I'm not ready to die."

"I am not ready for you to die either. See you in January."

"With your Christmas present."

"That would be nice."

The second week in December Prissy and Scarlett went to Tara. One day as Gerald and Scarlett were walking around Tara, she said, "Did you give Rhett permission to court me?"

"If he could get himself received in Atlanta."

With a lot of pride in her voice Scarlett said, "He has. He is received into the finest homes in the city. He has taken a position with the Confederate government. He is going to be living in Atlanta after the first of the year."

"That should assure he stays received after the war is over. If he does, I will give my permission for you to marry him."

"Pa, we aren't there in our relationship."

"He may not be there, but you certainly are."

"Pa! I am not."

"Denying it doesn't make it any less true."

"Let us go back to the house."

"Fine."

Scarlett was already several steps ahead of her father and walking fast. Gerald walked back to his home at a leisurely pace. He didn't try to catch up with his daughter. He would let her get over her snit.

Over supper, Ellen said, "Tell us all about your suitor, Scarlett. I understand it is that man Rhett Butler who had gone from unreceived to hero."

"Rhett is not my suitor. He is my business partner. He was kind enough to let Melly, the Hamiltons, and me invest in his ships. The profits from his ships have made it possible for us to put food on the table during this time of high inflation and extreme shortage."

"I have heard that you have been seen all over town with him."

"Melly has always been with us and usually Aunt PittyPat also. He has just been our escort. Rhett is so rarely in Atlanta. He is usually doing his part for the war effort."

"And making a small fortune at the same time."

"That is true that Rhett has profited from his blockade running but he is risking his life every time he runs the blockade. Because of his love for the South, he is going to quit being a blockade runner and take a position with the Confederate government."

"Which I'm sure just happens to be in Atlanta."

"Yes, Mother. It is."

Ellen dropped the subject. Gerald had already told her that he would let Scarlett marry Rhett Butler if he stayed received.

At the end of the meal, Ellen said, "Scarlett your dresses are beginning to look thread bare. You can go back to wearing color since you already own those dresses."

"Thank you, Mother."

Soon Scarlett was back in Atlanta awaiting Rhett's return.

Rhett saw his mother while he was in Charleston at the beginning of January. He said, "I am going to stop running the blockade. I have been offered a position with the Confederate government. I am going to be sure the food and supplies get to the troops."

"Is this position in Atlanta by chance?"

Rhett flashed his mother a confident smile and said, "Of course, it is."

"Have you told her?"

"Not yet."

"You are doing a lot of things to make Scarlett happy while not knowing if your feelings are returned."

"They are returned."

"If you are so sure of that, why have you not told her?"

Rhett laughed and admitted to his mother, the only person on this earth he would admit it to, "I'm so afraid of her rejecting me or worse using my love against me."

"Rhett, trust is key in any happy relationship."

"What do you know about a happy relationship? You and Langston hate each other."

Elizabeth smiled. That was what Rhett did when he felt threatened or cornered – attacked the other person. She said, "I know because although I don't have a happy relationship with my husband, I have one with my three children. I had one with my mother and my father."

"Your father? The same man that married you to Langston Butler."

"Langston appeared to be quite the gentleman before I married him. Just as he appears to be quite the gentleman to all of Charleston. Let's not talk of him. We both know he cares more for his reputation than he does for his loved ones. One good thing that came out of you refusing to marry Sarah was Rosemary never had to marry a man she didn't love."

With regret in his voice Rhett said, "Was there one she did love?"

"Yes, but he died at the first Battle of Manassas. Don't despair Rhett. Rosemary is happy with her books and her committees."

"I'm sorry her love died at Manassas, but I am pleased she is happy with her life."

"She is happier with her life than I am with mine. Now get on the train to Atlanta and tell Scarlett you love her."

"Alright. Give me a hug."

Elizabeth hugged her son and said, "I love you, Rhett."

"I know, Mother, and I love you. Here take this money. Times are just going to get harder until the war is over."

"I know, Dear. Thank you."

Rhett got on the train to Atlanta early the next morning. He would arrive in his new hometown before supper. He would wait and call on Scarlett the next day.

The next night when Rhett called at the Hamilton House, he saw Scarlett in a pretty white dress with a red belt. The dress had ruffles on it, and it was probably a little young for the woman Scarlett now was, but Rhett would never say a word about it. He knew she thought she looked lovely in it, and he agreed. Rhett said, "Does this mean you are officially out of mourning?"

"Yes."

"So, we can go out alone together?"

"Yes."

"Wonderful. No offense intended Miss Melly."

Melly smiled and said, "None taken."

Rhett said, "Let's go out to supper tomorrow night. I will pick you up at six."

"Wonderful."

For the rest of the evening, Rhett had to work at keeping the smile off his face. He failed most of the time.

Later when Rhett walked into Belle's he didn't even try to keep the smile off his face. When Belle saw Rhett's smile, she wondered what Mrs. Hamilton had said. It couldn't have been 'yes.' Or he would be in bed with her right now. Rhett had changed in the last three years. He had God forbid become respectable. Rhett Butler the biggest crook this side of the Mississippi had become respectable. She knew he was still doing deals in the shadows but now he wanted to be a gentleman again.

Scarlett Hamilton had made him want to be a gentleman again. Scarlett Hamilton had softened Rhett also. He still made mocking comments, but they no longer had that cruel bite to them. He still played poker and he still took a man's last dollar. Somethings would never change.

Belle didn't care. In fact, she knew that Rhett wanting to be respectable was why he had sold his half of the saloon. It also pleased her that he had started paying for his whiskey. She couldn't say he was paying for his whores because he hadn't used a whore in the house since before the night of the hospital bazaar. She wondered if he would continue to abstain from using whores here in Atlanta now that he was going to be living here full time. Belle shook off those thoughts and turned her attentions to the other patrons of the saloon.

Rhett came to call almost every evening. He escorted Scarlett, Melly, and Aunt PittyPat to all the social events in the city although there were less and less being held these days. Money was in short supply for everyone.