Rhett waited for the train to stop, anxious to be on his way to Anne's
house. He had gotten the divorce pages this morning. And planned on having
them signed by dinner and himself back on the train to Atlanta where he
could file them.
Henry Hamilton was shocked to say the least when Rhett had walked into
his office asking for his help in getting a divorce. The old man had at
first refused out right until Rhett had told him, his reason for waiting
to end his marriage.
Hearing how Anne had treated Scarlett's child, Henry agreed but swore
Rhett to never tell anyone he had helped. Rhett had promised, and watched
as the older man got to work on getting Rhett his freedom.
The train stopped and Rhett got up off his seat and headed for the
exit. Hoping Anne didn't have a change of heart, Rhett barley noticed his
sister Rosemary setting waiting from him as he left the train. What the
devil was she doing here? Rhett hadn't spoken to his sister since before
he left to meet Cat. Rosemary had been visiting friends in Savannah at
the time and Rhett hadn't even gotten the chance to tell her about her
niece yet.
"Rosemary it's a pleasure to see you. How did you know I was coming in
today?" Rhett asked as he hugged his baby sister.
Rosemary smiled but Rhett could see there was fear behind it.Whatever
could Rosemary have to fear from him?
Perhaps she was here in Anne's place to plead for their doomed
marriage. After all Rosemary and Anne we're as close as sisters.
"Anne told me, Rhett. She told me everything." Rosemary said pulling away
from her brother.
"Did she?" He asked. Rhett should have known Anne would have. Was it to
much to think Anne would have kept her mouth shut about his daughter? If
she had spread some awful rumors about Scarlett or Cat, Rhett would not
hold his temper any longer. The only reason he hadn't touched her, was
because he needed Anne to sign the divorce pages.
"She did Rhett, please don't be mad at Anne. I forced it out of her."
Rosemary knew from the look on her brother's face he didn't like the
idea of Anne telling anyone about his daughter.
"I see" Rhett replied.
"I truly did Rhett, Anne was so upset but wouldn't tell me why." Rosemary
said as she linked her arm through Rhett's. "Anne told me about what she
did to Cat, and I know she regrets it."
Rhett didn't reply to that. As much as he wanted to believe Anne was
sorry for ever laying a hand on his daughter he still wanted to kill
her for doing such a thing. Cat is nothing more then a baby, how Anne
could hurt her was beyond reason to Rhett. Yes, he had pushed Anne to the
breaking point, but it should have been him not his child who paid the
price.
"Since you've seen Anne, then you must know why I'm here today?" Rhett
asked as they passed through the train station. Having planned on only
spending the day here Rhett didn't have any trunks with him.
"She mentioned you we're bringing the divorce pages for her to sign
today. "Rosemary stated biting her lower lip. Something Rhett had never
seen his sister do before. Whatever it was she had to speak to him about,
must be very upsetting to her. "Rhett, if you think I'm here to try to
talk you out of divorcing Anne, I'm not"
"That's good to know" Rhett said as he hailed a cab. He didn't have time
to just wait for Rosemary to make up her mind if she was going to tell
him whatever was on her mind or not. If he wanted to make the late train
to Atlanta tonight.
As Rhett helped his sister into the carriage he asked her "Why are you
here then Rosemary?"
"Rhett I've done something at the time I thought it was the right thing,
but now I see how wrong it was of me." Rosemary couldn't look in Rhett's
eyes once he learned what she had done he would hate her.
"Please tell me you didn't allow yourself to be compromised? And I have
to fight a duel in your honor?" Rhett jested knowing if Rosemary had he
would never learn of it.
Laughing, Rosemary watched her brother take the seat across from her. She
was glad he had. It would be easier this way, when she told him. "No my
honor isn't in question."
"Rosemary whatever it is you've done, no matter what I could never be
mad at you." Rhett said trying to ease Rosemary's troubled mind.
"Yes you will. Rhett when Scarlett left she didn't just go without
telling anyone." Rosemary could see Rhett's dark eyes grow hard as she
continued to talk.
"Scarlett gave me a note to give to Mother. I was angry with her, I
blamed her for your leaving the way you did. So I burned her note and
never told anyone that I saw Scarlett leave."
Rhett turned his head, he wouldn't look at his sister now he couldn't
not with the anger in his eyes. Scarlett hadn't left him high and dry
without a clue as to where she was. She had left a note with Rosemary,
knowing Scarlett the note had in it where she was going. It only he had
known. The only reason he had divorced Scarlett, was to punish her for
leaving him. Then when she hadn't returned, he had figured Scarlett
didn't love him any longer, and to prove he didn't love her, he married
Anne.
Scarlett's letter informing him about Cat, told a story along the same
lines. Scarlett had believed he had known she was in Savannah with her
Aunts. So when she went on her trip to Ireland Scarlett never dreamed he
was going to divorce her and be remarried before she could return and
tell him about their baby.
Rhett closed his eyes to block out the guilt he was feeling for what
pain Scarlett must have felt learning he wasn't her husband any
longer. Then to learn he had married someone else so soon, had to have
made her feel like he hadn't cared for her at all.
If only Rosemary had given the note to their Mother none of this would
have happened. Rhett would have, after much soul searching, ran after
Scarlett.
Rhett opened his eyes and found he couldn't blame Rosemary she looked so
afraid he would. It was his fault, he shouldn't have told his sister
about his problems with Scarlett. Rosemary was only trying to look out
for him, and for that he couldn't be mad at her.
"You hate me now, don't you Rhett?" Rosemary cried out holding her tears
no longer. Because of her Rhett had lost years with his daughter.
Rhett moved so he was now setting next to his sister taking her into his
arms he whispered "I don't hate you Rosemary, I never could. Don't cry
everything is going to work out in the end."
Rosemary's eyes locked onto her brother's and she knew what he meant. It
looked as if Scarlett was once more going to be her sister in law if
Rhett had any say in the matter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anne walked around her small house. Rhett had just left with their signed
divorce pages. Rosemary had tagged along and wanted to stay with her,
but Anne hadn't felt up to company.
She had just signed a big part of her life away. Yes, it had been a
unhappy part of her life but a big part none the less.
Atlanta and the people there were probably calling Rhett the divorced
man by now. Two divorces, no one had ever heard of that before. When he
returned there married to Scarlett and with Cat in tow. Perhaps then
Atlanta would understand better. After all wasn't it there where he
courted, later married, and lived with Scarlett?
Anne was looking forward to walking down the street and not be compared
to Scarlett. To talking to people and wondering if they had like Scarlett
better then she?
To living a life free of ghost from the past. But most of all to live
life as a Hampton again. Anne had asked Rhett to see to it that she got
back her maiden name. It would be to much to bare being called Mrs. Butler
everyday knowing she truly wasn't any longer .That that name now, as it
always had, belonged to another.
Anne just smiled as the sun started to set. There was no use looking back.
Pain was all she would find. The future was bright and it didn't hold a
promise of heart break like her past had.
Anne silently whispered "I hope Scarlett, Cat and you make a happy family,
Rhett I truly do"
house. He had gotten the divorce pages this morning. And planned on having
them signed by dinner and himself back on the train to Atlanta where he
could file them.
Henry Hamilton was shocked to say the least when Rhett had walked into
his office asking for his help in getting a divorce. The old man had at
first refused out right until Rhett had told him, his reason for waiting
to end his marriage.
Hearing how Anne had treated Scarlett's child, Henry agreed but swore
Rhett to never tell anyone he had helped. Rhett had promised, and watched
as the older man got to work on getting Rhett his freedom.
The train stopped and Rhett got up off his seat and headed for the
exit. Hoping Anne didn't have a change of heart, Rhett barley noticed his
sister Rosemary setting waiting from him as he left the train. What the
devil was she doing here? Rhett hadn't spoken to his sister since before
he left to meet Cat. Rosemary had been visiting friends in Savannah at
the time and Rhett hadn't even gotten the chance to tell her about her
niece yet.
"Rosemary it's a pleasure to see you. How did you know I was coming in
today?" Rhett asked as he hugged his baby sister.
Rosemary smiled but Rhett could see there was fear behind it.Whatever
could Rosemary have to fear from him?
Perhaps she was here in Anne's place to plead for their doomed
marriage. After all Rosemary and Anne we're as close as sisters.
"Anne told me, Rhett. She told me everything." Rosemary said pulling away
from her brother.
"Did she?" He asked. Rhett should have known Anne would have. Was it to
much to think Anne would have kept her mouth shut about his daughter? If
she had spread some awful rumors about Scarlett or Cat, Rhett would not
hold his temper any longer. The only reason he hadn't touched her, was
because he needed Anne to sign the divorce pages.
"She did Rhett, please don't be mad at Anne. I forced it out of her."
Rosemary knew from the look on her brother's face he didn't like the
idea of Anne telling anyone about his daughter.
"I see" Rhett replied.
"I truly did Rhett, Anne was so upset but wouldn't tell me why." Rosemary
said as she linked her arm through Rhett's. "Anne told me about what she
did to Cat, and I know she regrets it."
Rhett didn't reply to that. As much as he wanted to believe Anne was
sorry for ever laying a hand on his daughter he still wanted to kill
her for doing such a thing. Cat is nothing more then a baby, how Anne
could hurt her was beyond reason to Rhett. Yes, he had pushed Anne to the
breaking point, but it should have been him not his child who paid the
price.
"Since you've seen Anne, then you must know why I'm here today?" Rhett
asked as they passed through the train station. Having planned on only
spending the day here Rhett didn't have any trunks with him.
"She mentioned you we're bringing the divorce pages for her to sign
today. "Rosemary stated biting her lower lip. Something Rhett had never
seen his sister do before. Whatever it was she had to speak to him about,
must be very upsetting to her. "Rhett, if you think I'm here to try to
talk you out of divorcing Anne, I'm not"
"That's good to know" Rhett said as he hailed a cab. He didn't have time
to just wait for Rosemary to make up her mind if she was going to tell
him whatever was on her mind or not. If he wanted to make the late train
to Atlanta tonight.
As Rhett helped his sister into the carriage he asked her "Why are you
here then Rosemary?"
"Rhett I've done something at the time I thought it was the right thing,
but now I see how wrong it was of me." Rosemary couldn't look in Rhett's
eyes once he learned what she had done he would hate her.
"Please tell me you didn't allow yourself to be compromised? And I have
to fight a duel in your honor?" Rhett jested knowing if Rosemary had he
would never learn of it.
Laughing, Rosemary watched her brother take the seat across from her. She
was glad he had. It would be easier this way, when she told him. "No my
honor isn't in question."
"Rosemary whatever it is you've done, no matter what I could never be
mad at you." Rhett said trying to ease Rosemary's troubled mind.
"Yes you will. Rhett when Scarlett left she didn't just go without
telling anyone." Rosemary could see Rhett's dark eyes grow hard as she
continued to talk.
"Scarlett gave me a note to give to Mother. I was angry with her, I
blamed her for your leaving the way you did. So I burned her note and
never told anyone that I saw Scarlett leave."
Rhett turned his head, he wouldn't look at his sister now he couldn't
not with the anger in his eyes. Scarlett hadn't left him high and dry
without a clue as to where she was. She had left a note with Rosemary,
knowing Scarlett the note had in it where she was going. It only he had
known. The only reason he had divorced Scarlett, was to punish her for
leaving him. Then when she hadn't returned, he had figured Scarlett
didn't love him any longer, and to prove he didn't love her, he married
Anne.
Scarlett's letter informing him about Cat, told a story along the same
lines. Scarlett had believed he had known she was in Savannah with her
Aunts. So when she went on her trip to Ireland Scarlett never dreamed he
was going to divorce her and be remarried before she could return and
tell him about their baby.
Rhett closed his eyes to block out the guilt he was feeling for what
pain Scarlett must have felt learning he wasn't her husband any
longer. Then to learn he had married someone else so soon, had to have
made her feel like he hadn't cared for her at all.
If only Rosemary had given the note to their Mother none of this would
have happened. Rhett would have, after much soul searching, ran after
Scarlett.
Rhett opened his eyes and found he couldn't blame Rosemary she looked so
afraid he would. It was his fault, he shouldn't have told his sister
about his problems with Scarlett. Rosemary was only trying to look out
for him, and for that he couldn't be mad at her.
"You hate me now, don't you Rhett?" Rosemary cried out holding her tears
no longer. Because of her Rhett had lost years with his daughter.
Rhett moved so he was now setting next to his sister taking her into his
arms he whispered "I don't hate you Rosemary, I never could. Don't cry
everything is going to work out in the end."
Rosemary's eyes locked onto her brother's and she knew what he meant. It
looked as if Scarlett was once more going to be her sister in law if
Rhett had any say in the matter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anne walked around her small house. Rhett had just left with their signed
divorce pages. Rosemary had tagged along and wanted to stay with her,
but Anne hadn't felt up to company.
She had just signed a big part of her life away. Yes, it had been a
unhappy part of her life but a big part none the less.
Atlanta and the people there were probably calling Rhett the divorced
man by now. Two divorces, no one had ever heard of that before. When he
returned there married to Scarlett and with Cat in tow. Perhaps then
Atlanta would understand better. After all wasn't it there where he
courted, later married, and lived with Scarlett?
Anne was looking forward to walking down the street and not be compared
to Scarlett. To talking to people and wondering if they had like Scarlett
better then she?
To living a life free of ghost from the past. But most of all to live
life as a Hampton again. Anne had asked Rhett to see to it that she got
back her maiden name. It would be to much to bare being called Mrs. Butler
everyday knowing she truly wasn't any longer .That that name now, as it
always had, belonged to another.
Anne just smiled as the sun started to set. There was no use looking back.
Pain was all she would find. The future was bright and it didn't hold a
promise of heart break like her past had.
Anne silently whispered "I hope Scarlett, Cat and you make a happy family,
Rhett I truly do"