Suellen had remained quiet during dinner, letting Scarlett answer the
children's questions about Ireland. Cat seemed like a well-behaved child,
which surprised Suellen greatly. She had figured the little girl would be
just as spoiled as Scarlett had been.
Suellen almost laughed at out loud when she seen the small child. She looked just like Scarlett's husband. There was no doubt the child was Captain Butler's daughter.
Scarlett disappeared with the girls upstairs for it was far beyond their bedtime. Wade remained with them downstairs and was in deep conversation with Rhett and Will.
Suellen left to see that the plates were cleared away from dinner. When she returned Scarlett was just making her way into the parlor.
The smile Scarlett received from Rhett brought anger out in Suellen. It would take a blind person not to see the pair was in love. Scarlett had stolen looks like that from her, when she tricked Frank into marrying her.
"Captain Butler, if I may ask seeing as this is the first time I've ever seen you. How did you and my sister meet?" Suellen asked.
Rhett was so lost in thought at how beautiful Scarlett looked that it took him a second for Suellen's question to take hold.
"I met Scarlett at Twelve Oaks the day the war was announced." Rhett replied, not liking the look in Suellen's eyes.
Suellen smiled then turned to look at Wade and asked "Why, that's the day Scarlett became engaged to Charles. How ever did you meet her then?"
Wade looked past his aunt to his mother who was sitting next to Rhett. He had never heard this story before. Wade had thought his stepfather had met his mother at the bazaar in Atlanta when he was just a baby.
"It's a funny story actually, Scarlett was in the library and I heard a noise as I was passing by" Rhett looked to Scarlett and was touched at the look of trust burning in her eyes. She knew he wouldn't say anything that would hurt Wade. "You can imagine my surprise to find a Southern
Belle standing over… a broken vase I think it was. Scarlett stormed out of the room right after that."
"You broke something of the Wilkes' Scarlett? And I bet you never told anyone did you?" Suellen asked, questioning Rhett slipped her mind at the thought of making Scarlett uncomfortable.
"I got engaged to Charles right after that and never thought of it again And, Rhett, it was a bowl not a vase" Scarlett stated, smiling at Rhett, not letting Suellen get a rise out of her temper.
"Thank you, Scarlett, for clearing that up. I've always wondered just what it was." Rhett said, taking control of the conversation. "Will, how is the cotton crop coming along this year?"
Will looked at Rhett and so did Wade. Both knew Captain Butler had already asked them that question earlier and both knew why he asked it again. He was trying to be the peacemaker. But, between Suellen and Scarlett, Will didn't think that was possible. When one was nice, or trying to be, the other always seemed ready for a fight.
"It's coming along" Will replied.
Suellen looked at Scarlett and a thought hit her, one that would take the smile right off Scarlett's face.
"Forgive me if I'm wrong but didn't you, Captain Butler, remarry after you divorced Scarlett?" Suellen asked. Wade and Will both sent looks that could kill her way. But Suellen just smiled cruelly at Scarlett.
Rhett balled his hands into fist. How could his sister in law ask such a question? There was no reason to, other then to hurt Scarlett.
"Yes I did." Rhett said taking Scarlett's hand into his. "It was a mistake that cost me four years of my daughters life. One I don't like talking about."
Suellen was about to ask another question on just where Rhett's former wife was now. Before she could, though, Wade spoke up "Mother, Uncle Rhett you both must be tried from you're trip?"
Scarlett smiled at her oldest child. "You're right Wade, I am tired. Rhett will you be joining me upstairs or are you going to stay in the parlor a bit longer?"
"I'm tired as well my pet," Rhett said, faking a yawn "I'll accompany you upstairs."
Scarlett walked quickly over to Wade and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you in the morning Wade."
"Good night Mother sleep well" Wade replied as Rhett walked up to the pair.
"Goodnight Wade" Rhett said as he followed Scarlett towards the stairs, never looking back at Suellen. Suellen was exactly as Scarlett always said she was.
As they headed up the stairs Rhett and Scarlett called out together "Goodnight Will"
Suellen almost laughed at out loud when she seen the small child. She looked just like Scarlett's husband. There was no doubt the child was Captain Butler's daughter.
Scarlett disappeared with the girls upstairs for it was far beyond their bedtime. Wade remained with them downstairs and was in deep conversation with Rhett and Will.
Suellen left to see that the plates were cleared away from dinner. When she returned Scarlett was just making her way into the parlor.
The smile Scarlett received from Rhett brought anger out in Suellen. It would take a blind person not to see the pair was in love. Scarlett had stolen looks like that from her, when she tricked Frank into marrying her.
"Captain Butler, if I may ask seeing as this is the first time I've ever seen you. How did you and my sister meet?" Suellen asked.
Rhett was so lost in thought at how beautiful Scarlett looked that it took him a second for Suellen's question to take hold.
"I met Scarlett at Twelve Oaks the day the war was announced." Rhett replied, not liking the look in Suellen's eyes.
Suellen smiled then turned to look at Wade and asked "Why, that's the day Scarlett became engaged to Charles. How ever did you meet her then?"
Wade looked past his aunt to his mother who was sitting next to Rhett. He had never heard this story before. Wade had thought his stepfather had met his mother at the bazaar in Atlanta when he was just a baby.
"It's a funny story actually, Scarlett was in the library and I heard a noise as I was passing by" Rhett looked to Scarlett and was touched at the look of trust burning in her eyes. She knew he wouldn't say anything that would hurt Wade. "You can imagine my surprise to find a Southern
Belle standing over… a broken vase I think it was. Scarlett stormed out of the room right after that."
"You broke something of the Wilkes' Scarlett? And I bet you never told anyone did you?" Suellen asked, questioning Rhett slipped her mind at the thought of making Scarlett uncomfortable.
"I got engaged to Charles right after that and never thought of it again And, Rhett, it was a bowl not a vase" Scarlett stated, smiling at Rhett, not letting Suellen get a rise out of her temper.
"Thank you, Scarlett, for clearing that up. I've always wondered just what it was." Rhett said, taking control of the conversation. "Will, how is the cotton crop coming along this year?"
Will looked at Rhett and so did Wade. Both knew Captain Butler had already asked them that question earlier and both knew why he asked it again. He was trying to be the peacemaker. But, between Suellen and Scarlett, Will didn't think that was possible. When one was nice, or trying to be, the other always seemed ready for a fight.
"It's coming along" Will replied.
Suellen looked at Scarlett and a thought hit her, one that would take the smile right off Scarlett's face.
"Forgive me if I'm wrong but didn't you, Captain Butler, remarry after you divorced Scarlett?" Suellen asked. Wade and Will both sent looks that could kill her way. But Suellen just smiled cruelly at Scarlett.
Rhett balled his hands into fist. How could his sister in law ask such a question? There was no reason to, other then to hurt Scarlett.
"Yes I did." Rhett said taking Scarlett's hand into his. "It was a mistake that cost me four years of my daughters life. One I don't like talking about."
Suellen was about to ask another question on just where Rhett's former wife was now. Before she could, though, Wade spoke up "Mother, Uncle Rhett you both must be tried from you're trip?"
Scarlett smiled at her oldest child. "You're right Wade, I am tired. Rhett will you be joining me upstairs or are you going to stay in the parlor a bit longer?"
"I'm tired as well my pet," Rhett said, faking a yawn "I'll accompany you upstairs."
Scarlett walked quickly over to Wade and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you in the morning Wade."
"Good night Mother sleep well" Wade replied as Rhett walked up to the pair.
"Goodnight Wade" Rhett said as he followed Scarlett towards the stairs, never looking back at Suellen. Suellen was exactly as Scarlett always said she was.
As they headed up the stairs Rhett and Scarlett called out together "Goodnight Will"