"Colum?" Rhett asked looking around the grounds of Scarlett's house.
"Oh, I forgot you don't know my cousin Colum do you?" Scarlett asked then continued on not really expecting a answer. "Colum, he reminds me of Pa so much Rhett. He's the only one that knows the truth. I confided in him when I learned of our divorce."
Rhett kept silent knowing he had hurt Scarlett deeply with the knowledge he lived in their old house. He didn't need to, in fact Anne and he had many arguments because of living there. But just like he couldn't explain to Anne the hold that nightmare of a house held over him, he couldn't tell Scarlett either.
It was the place Bonnie had been born, the place she had taken her first steps. The only place his sweet little girl knew as home. How could he sell a piece of his heart? It was all he had left of Bonnie and Scarlett. It was easier for Scarlett to think Anne had her old room then the truth that no one was allowed into her room. It looked as it had the day she left it. Anne had wanted to change the house to her, well their, tastes but he wouldn't allow it. That house, even if it belonged to him, would forever be Scarlett's to Rhett.
"I hope I get to meet him Scarlett, and I'll tell Mother and Anne not to mention about us having been married. "Rhett said as they enter the stables.
"Thank you Rhett, that's kind of you. As for Colum I bet he's dying to meet you." Scarlett smiled then added "He was always telling me how wrong I've been not telling you of Cat sooner."
"Sounds like a smart man, my pet" Rhett said laughing he winced as he saw a look of pain cross Scarlett's face when he called her his pet.
"Colum is a smart man Rhett, he's dare I say it the closer thing I've ever had to a brother and he loves me." Scarlett paused trying not to let the bitterness into her voice at the feelings Rhett's words were causing her. "He accepts me for me. Everyone does here Rhett, not like in Atlanta or Charleston I don't have to pretend to be anyone I'm not."
"That's wonderful Scarlett, everyone needs to be accepted as themselves" Rhett said, how come now Scarlett realized this? When they first were married Rhett had tried to do just that but Scarlett wouldn't have it then.
"Lets stop talking about me and let me show you my stables Rhett." All Scarlett wanted to do know was change the subject and put aside things that hurt to think about, much less talk about. Rhett nodded his head and became the guest as Scarlett showed her stables to him. She was proud of them, he could tell the way her mouth would come up in a smile or the twinkle in her eyes. This was the part of Scarlett he had missed the most.
Smiling Rhett couldn't help but fall in love with Scarlett's stables. As she showed him her horses only picking the ones she thought would impress Rhett. Scarlett had just finished showing Rhett all her prized horses when he stopped in front of a stall that held a pony.
"Who does the Pony belong to Scarlett?" Rhett asked, he looked pale but as he saw the look on Scarlett's face, he started to turn red with anger.
"Who do you think would ride a pony Rhett?" Scarlett asked biting back her tongue. Getting Cat a pony was the hardest, and bravest thing Scarlett had ever done in her life.
"How could you? Wasn't it enough to lose one child already, do you want lose another?" Rhett yelled not caring if anyone overheard them or not. Bonnie taking the last jump clear in his mind.
"Rhett, what happened to Bonnie won't happen to Cat." Scarlett yelled back as she turned her back to Rhett she wouldn't allow him the pleasure of seeing her cry in front of him. How could he say such a thing to her? Didn't he know how much losing Bonnie had hurt her as well as him? But it wasn't fair to Cat to hold her back; she had to learn to ride someday. And when Cat asked for her own pony Scarlett couldn't deny her.
"You don't know that Scarlett." Rhett said looking at the pony with daggers in his eyes. He hated any pony since that day Mr. Butler had thrown Bonnie and brought Rhett's world to an end.
"Cat loves her pony" Scarlett said as she remembered the day Cat had gotten Ree. For the child it was love at first sight. "She's a wonderful rider Rhett, I've made sure of that." Turning around so she could make eye contact with Rhett she whispered, "I haven't allowed her to jump or learn to ride sidesaddle. I won't lose another child."
Rhett broke the glare they shared when he heard a tiny voice yell out "Mommy, Daddy"
Cat came running up to her parents and smiled at them. Then when she saw Ree she climb over the gate that held him and went to pat her pony. Rhett saw the look of happiness in his daughters eyes and knew Scarlett had been right. It wasn't fair to punish Cat for what happened to Bonnie.
"Oh, I forgot you don't know my cousin Colum do you?" Scarlett asked then continued on not really expecting a answer. "Colum, he reminds me of Pa so much Rhett. He's the only one that knows the truth. I confided in him when I learned of our divorce."
Rhett kept silent knowing he had hurt Scarlett deeply with the knowledge he lived in their old house. He didn't need to, in fact Anne and he had many arguments because of living there. But just like he couldn't explain to Anne the hold that nightmare of a house held over him, he couldn't tell Scarlett either.
It was the place Bonnie had been born, the place she had taken her first steps. The only place his sweet little girl knew as home. How could he sell a piece of his heart? It was all he had left of Bonnie and Scarlett. It was easier for Scarlett to think Anne had her old room then the truth that no one was allowed into her room. It looked as it had the day she left it. Anne had wanted to change the house to her, well their, tastes but he wouldn't allow it. That house, even if it belonged to him, would forever be Scarlett's to Rhett.
"I hope I get to meet him Scarlett, and I'll tell Mother and Anne not to mention about us having been married. "Rhett said as they enter the stables.
"Thank you Rhett, that's kind of you. As for Colum I bet he's dying to meet you." Scarlett smiled then added "He was always telling me how wrong I've been not telling you of Cat sooner."
"Sounds like a smart man, my pet" Rhett said laughing he winced as he saw a look of pain cross Scarlett's face when he called her his pet.
"Colum is a smart man Rhett, he's dare I say it the closer thing I've ever had to a brother and he loves me." Scarlett paused trying not to let the bitterness into her voice at the feelings Rhett's words were causing her. "He accepts me for me. Everyone does here Rhett, not like in Atlanta or Charleston I don't have to pretend to be anyone I'm not."
"That's wonderful Scarlett, everyone needs to be accepted as themselves" Rhett said, how come now Scarlett realized this? When they first were married Rhett had tried to do just that but Scarlett wouldn't have it then.
"Lets stop talking about me and let me show you my stables Rhett." All Scarlett wanted to do know was change the subject and put aside things that hurt to think about, much less talk about. Rhett nodded his head and became the guest as Scarlett showed her stables to him. She was proud of them, he could tell the way her mouth would come up in a smile or the twinkle in her eyes. This was the part of Scarlett he had missed the most.
Smiling Rhett couldn't help but fall in love with Scarlett's stables. As she showed him her horses only picking the ones she thought would impress Rhett. Scarlett had just finished showing Rhett all her prized horses when he stopped in front of a stall that held a pony.
"Who does the Pony belong to Scarlett?" Rhett asked, he looked pale but as he saw the look on Scarlett's face, he started to turn red with anger.
"Who do you think would ride a pony Rhett?" Scarlett asked biting back her tongue. Getting Cat a pony was the hardest, and bravest thing Scarlett had ever done in her life.
"How could you? Wasn't it enough to lose one child already, do you want lose another?" Rhett yelled not caring if anyone overheard them or not. Bonnie taking the last jump clear in his mind.
"Rhett, what happened to Bonnie won't happen to Cat." Scarlett yelled back as she turned her back to Rhett she wouldn't allow him the pleasure of seeing her cry in front of him. How could he say such a thing to her? Didn't he know how much losing Bonnie had hurt her as well as him? But it wasn't fair to Cat to hold her back; she had to learn to ride someday. And when Cat asked for her own pony Scarlett couldn't deny her.
"You don't know that Scarlett." Rhett said looking at the pony with daggers in his eyes. He hated any pony since that day Mr. Butler had thrown Bonnie and brought Rhett's world to an end.
"Cat loves her pony" Scarlett said as she remembered the day Cat had gotten Ree. For the child it was love at first sight. "She's a wonderful rider Rhett, I've made sure of that." Turning around so she could make eye contact with Rhett she whispered, "I haven't allowed her to jump or learn to ride sidesaddle. I won't lose another child."
Rhett broke the glare they shared when he heard a tiny voice yell out "Mommy, Daddy"
Cat came running up to her parents and smiled at them. Then when she saw Ree she climb over the gate that held him and went to pat her pony. Rhett saw the look of happiness in his daughters eyes and knew Scarlett had been right. It wasn't fair to punish Cat for what happened to Bonnie.