Chapter 9
Ashley watched as Scarlett's face changed expression several times. Finally she spoke again "Dear God, it had to be Rhett, Ashley".
"Now Scarlett darling, it could have been someone else" he was only saying that to comfort her though. The moment the description came out of Duncan's mouth, he had realized it was Rhett.
"No it could not. Think about it. It all fits." As she spoke Scarlett paced the length of the porch.
"Alright, even if it was Rhett, so he knows your back and that you have a daughter. That should give him no reason to be suspicious, should it?"
Scarlett stopped and thought for a moment "Well, I guess not." Scarlett then added mentally, "I wonder what he thinks of me having another child? I wonder if he's thinking that I'm married again.' Then something Duncan said came to mind.
"Damn"
"What Scarlett, what is it?" Ashley asked trying to figure out what she had been thinking.
"Duncan told him Katie's name, Katie's full name. So he knows she's an O'Hara. I'm sure he thinks I had some illicit affair and had her well...out of wedlock."
Ashley stood there for a moment, confused by why that thought was upsetting to Scarlett. "Why does it matter what he thinks, for all he knows it's none of his business." He could not hide his dislike for Rhett. He had never liked him, had always thought him a scoundrel. And what Rhett had done to Scarlett had just proven those feelings right in his book.
Scarlett looked at Ashley like he had lost his mind. She started to fire into him but then stopped. Why did it matter what Rhett thought. He had his own life and had done with it what he pleased. Hadn't he proven that by divorcing her and marry Anne?
"Well I really don't know. I guess it doesn't. As long as he never sees Katie, well I guess we're fine. And how would he ever see her. He's in his precious Charleston with the ninny of a wife and I'm sure a pacel of brats."
Ashley was taken back by the acid in Scarlett's voice. That's when the realization hit him, why it mattered to Scarlett what Rhett thought. 'My God she's still in love with him. After all he's done to her and after all these years she's still loves him.'
He was amazed as Scarlett's expression changed yet again and her normal calm persona came back "Well, I guess you're right, it doesn't matter". As she walked up to Ashley and took his arm she added "Let's go finish our supper. That was very rude of me running out like that. I'm just dieing to try Harriet's lemon meringue tart".
As they entered the house Harriet, Katie and Duncan looked up. Katie was the first to speak "Mother, are you alright?"
"Yes my dear, I'm fine. I'm sorry for my display just then. I hope I haven't ruined everyone's evening." Scarlett said calmly making sure to smile.
Harriet spoke up trying to get things back to normal "Well, now that everyone's back, I'll get dessert".
As Ashley was passing out dessert plates, Duncan spoke up "Mrs. O'Hara I hope it was not I who upset you early."
Scarlett thought for a moment on how to answer that. "No Mr. Shierfield it was not you. It was just that the description you gave of the gentleman from your lawyer's office was, well I believe it was someone I once knew."
Katie watched as her Mother spoke. There was a very odd expression on Scarlett's face. One Katie did not understand. "Mother, who do you think it was?"
Scarlett sat for a moment wondering if she could really say the words she needed to say. Turning to look Katie in the eyes she said quietly "Katie, I am almost positive that the man that Duncan spoke to was Rhett. It was your father."
Three separate 'Ohs' came from around the table. Duncan tried to speak but being so badly shaken only managed to stammer out "Oh..Mrs. O'Hara..I'm so sorry....".
Katie just sat there with her hands up to her mouth. Scarlett watched as Katie's eyes grew large. "Katie, darling are you alright?"
Finally Scarlett taking hold of Katie's hands brought her out of her shock "Oh Mother" she cried as she leaned forward. Scarlett took her in her embrace "It's alright dear. It's alright" she repeated as she patted Katie's back.
After a few moments Katie sat up "I'm sorry everyone. It's just that well that shocked me. I'm so sorry."
Ashley spoke in a kind soothing voice "That's quite alright. Katie I'm sure it does shock you, but know we're all family here and we are here for you."
Katie just nodded and quietly played with her dessert. Her father. Duncan had actually seen him. He was still alive. And he knew, well in a way that she existed. He knew that her Mother had a daughter, but he did not realize she was his daughter too.
After seeing Duncan to the door Katie retired to her room. As she sat brushing her hair she heard a knock at her door and then her Mother's voice.
"Katie, it's Mother may I come in?"
"Of course Mother" she replied as she laid down her brush on the stool beside her and turned toward the door.
Scarlett came in and crossed the room. Reaching down she took the brush from the stool and started brushing Katie's long dark hair. For quite some time neither spoke, it was Katie that finally broke their thoughtful silence "Do I really remind you of him?"
Scarlett looked at her daughter reflection with her beautiful black hair and those eyes so much like his. "Yes, darling sometimes you do." Laying down the brush and pulling something from the pocket of her dress Scarlett added "Would you like to see a picture of him?"
Katie looked at Scarlett for a long moment and then nodded. Scarlett handed her the one picture of Rhett she kept and said "This was taken the year we married, but knowing Rhett, I'm sure he hasn't changed much."
Katie stared at the photograph. The edges were ragged and it had begun to fade, but she could still see his face clearly. She looked up at the mirror for a moment then back down at the picture.
"Mother, if he was to ever see me and realize I'm your daughter, well do you think he'd realize that he is my father?"
Scarlett did answer right away because honestly she didn't know the answer. She tried to pick her words carefully so not to hurt Katie.
"I'm really not sure Katie. I don't know if the possibility would even cross his mind. I guess the only thing that might make him suspicious would be if he found out when you were born." Then Scarlett added quietly "And I'm not sure he'd believe it anyway". After saying those last words Scarlett wished she hadn't.
The look on Katie's face was one of confusion and hurt "Why would he not believe I was, if you told him so?"
Scarlett said down beside Katie and softly stroked her face "I really don't know Katie. It's just that at one point in my life I would have used anything to get what I wanted. Rhett has no idea that that was a different me. That I'm no longer like that. So I couldn't blame him if he didn't."
Katie saw the sad expression on her Mother's face. Reaching up she put her hand on her Mother's hand and said "Well I guess we'll just cross that bridge if we ever come to it, won't we. For now I have you and all my new family at Tara and Uncle Ashley and Harriet. And well of course Duncan. And that's all I need"
Scarlett smiled at her daughter's resilience "Yes we're all here for you. In fact we need to get started helping Duncan get his shop opened soon or you two will never get married by next spring."
Katie blushed, "Oh, Mother. Of course we'll get him going. Like Uncle Ashley said Duncan has one of the smartest business people ever helping him."
At that Scarlett smiled again saying "My dear, flattery will get you everywhere". Then she stood up kissed Katie on top of the head "Good night, dear. I hope you have pleasant dreams."
"Good night Mother, I hope yours are pleasant too."
Ashley watched as Scarlett's face changed expression several times. Finally she spoke again "Dear God, it had to be Rhett, Ashley".
"Now Scarlett darling, it could have been someone else" he was only saying that to comfort her though. The moment the description came out of Duncan's mouth, he had realized it was Rhett.
"No it could not. Think about it. It all fits." As she spoke Scarlett paced the length of the porch.
"Alright, even if it was Rhett, so he knows your back and that you have a daughter. That should give him no reason to be suspicious, should it?"
Scarlett stopped and thought for a moment "Well, I guess not." Scarlett then added mentally, "I wonder what he thinks of me having another child? I wonder if he's thinking that I'm married again.' Then something Duncan said came to mind.
"Damn"
"What Scarlett, what is it?" Ashley asked trying to figure out what she had been thinking.
"Duncan told him Katie's name, Katie's full name. So he knows she's an O'Hara. I'm sure he thinks I had some illicit affair and had her well...out of wedlock."
Ashley stood there for a moment, confused by why that thought was upsetting to Scarlett. "Why does it matter what he thinks, for all he knows it's none of his business." He could not hide his dislike for Rhett. He had never liked him, had always thought him a scoundrel. And what Rhett had done to Scarlett had just proven those feelings right in his book.
Scarlett looked at Ashley like he had lost his mind. She started to fire into him but then stopped. Why did it matter what Rhett thought. He had his own life and had done with it what he pleased. Hadn't he proven that by divorcing her and marry Anne?
"Well I really don't know. I guess it doesn't. As long as he never sees Katie, well I guess we're fine. And how would he ever see her. He's in his precious Charleston with the ninny of a wife and I'm sure a pacel of brats."
Ashley was taken back by the acid in Scarlett's voice. That's when the realization hit him, why it mattered to Scarlett what Rhett thought. 'My God she's still in love with him. After all he's done to her and after all these years she's still loves him.'
He was amazed as Scarlett's expression changed yet again and her normal calm persona came back "Well, I guess you're right, it doesn't matter". As she walked up to Ashley and took his arm she added "Let's go finish our supper. That was very rude of me running out like that. I'm just dieing to try Harriet's lemon meringue tart".
As they entered the house Harriet, Katie and Duncan looked up. Katie was the first to speak "Mother, are you alright?"
"Yes my dear, I'm fine. I'm sorry for my display just then. I hope I haven't ruined everyone's evening." Scarlett said calmly making sure to smile.
Harriet spoke up trying to get things back to normal "Well, now that everyone's back, I'll get dessert".
As Ashley was passing out dessert plates, Duncan spoke up "Mrs. O'Hara I hope it was not I who upset you early."
Scarlett thought for a moment on how to answer that. "No Mr. Shierfield it was not you. It was just that the description you gave of the gentleman from your lawyer's office was, well I believe it was someone I once knew."
Katie watched as her Mother spoke. There was a very odd expression on Scarlett's face. One Katie did not understand. "Mother, who do you think it was?"
Scarlett sat for a moment wondering if she could really say the words she needed to say. Turning to look Katie in the eyes she said quietly "Katie, I am almost positive that the man that Duncan spoke to was Rhett. It was your father."
Three separate 'Ohs' came from around the table. Duncan tried to speak but being so badly shaken only managed to stammer out "Oh..Mrs. O'Hara..I'm so sorry....".
Katie just sat there with her hands up to her mouth. Scarlett watched as Katie's eyes grew large. "Katie, darling are you alright?"
Finally Scarlett taking hold of Katie's hands brought her out of her shock "Oh Mother" she cried as she leaned forward. Scarlett took her in her embrace "It's alright dear. It's alright" she repeated as she patted Katie's back.
After a few moments Katie sat up "I'm sorry everyone. It's just that well that shocked me. I'm so sorry."
Ashley spoke in a kind soothing voice "That's quite alright. Katie I'm sure it does shock you, but know we're all family here and we are here for you."
Katie just nodded and quietly played with her dessert. Her father. Duncan had actually seen him. He was still alive. And he knew, well in a way that she existed. He knew that her Mother had a daughter, but he did not realize she was his daughter too.
After seeing Duncan to the door Katie retired to her room. As she sat brushing her hair she heard a knock at her door and then her Mother's voice.
"Katie, it's Mother may I come in?"
"Of course Mother" she replied as she laid down her brush on the stool beside her and turned toward the door.
Scarlett came in and crossed the room. Reaching down she took the brush from the stool and started brushing Katie's long dark hair. For quite some time neither spoke, it was Katie that finally broke their thoughtful silence "Do I really remind you of him?"
Scarlett looked at her daughter reflection with her beautiful black hair and those eyes so much like his. "Yes, darling sometimes you do." Laying down the brush and pulling something from the pocket of her dress Scarlett added "Would you like to see a picture of him?"
Katie looked at Scarlett for a long moment and then nodded. Scarlett handed her the one picture of Rhett she kept and said "This was taken the year we married, but knowing Rhett, I'm sure he hasn't changed much."
Katie stared at the photograph. The edges were ragged and it had begun to fade, but she could still see his face clearly. She looked up at the mirror for a moment then back down at the picture.
"Mother, if he was to ever see me and realize I'm your daughter, well do you think he'd realize that he is my father?"
Scarlett did answer right away because honestly she didn't know the answer. She tried to pick her words carefully so not to hurt Katie.
"I'm really not sure Katie. I don't know if the possibility would even cross his mind. I guess the only thing that might make him suspicious would be if he found out when you were born." Then Scarlett added quietly "And I'm not sure he'd believe it anyway". After saying those last words Scarlett wished she hadn't.
The look on Katie's face was one of confusion and hurt "Why would he not believe I was, if you told him so?"
Scarlett said down beside Katie and softly stroked her face "I really don't know Katie. It's just that at one point in my life I would have used anything to get what I wanted. Rhett has no idea that that was a different me. That I'm no longer like that. So I couldn't blame him if he didn't."
Katie saw the sad expression on her Mother's face. Reaching up she put her hand on her Mother's hand and said "Well I guess we'll just cross that bridge if we ever come to it, won't we. For now I have you and all my new family at Tara and Uncle Ashley and Harriet. And well of course Duncan. And that's all I need"
Scarlett smiled at her daughter's resilience "Yes we're all here for you. In fact we need to get started helping Duncan get his shop opened soon or you two will never get married by next spring."
Katie blushed, "Oh, Mother. Of course we'll get him going. Like Uncle Ashley said Duncan has one of the smartest business people ever helping him."
At that Scarlett smiled again saying "My dear, flattery will get you everywhere". Then she stood up kissed Katie on top of the head "Good night, dear. I hope you have pleasant dreams."
"Good night Mother, I hope yours are pleasant too."
