Chapter 16
Rhett sat there looking at Katie. He could see the pain in her eyes when she told him her Mother had been calling for him. 'I don't blame her for not wanting to tell me. I'm sure she thinks all I've ever done is hurt Scarlett' Rhett thought to himself as he tried to take it all in. Scarlett was seriously injured and was still not out of the woods. Although Rhett had told himself, since leaving Atlanta all those months ago, that he despised Scarlett and wanted nothing more to do with her, he knew that was untrue. He could not get her out of his mind or his heart.
Just then Harriet came down the stairs "Katie, I think your Mother is trying to come to. I thought you'd want to be with her when she does."
Katie immediately jumped up from the settee and practically ran up the stairs. As she entered her Mother's room she could see Scarlett's eyes flutter open.
"Katie?" Scarlett whispered in a dry voice.
"Yes Mother I'm here" Katie almost cried as she sat down beside the bed and took her Mother's hand.
Katie sat there looking at her Mother. It was still a shock every time she looked at her. Katie had never even seen Scarlett sick before, so to see her like this was very unnerving.
Scarlett coughed which caused her to cry out in pain. After the coughing spell passed Katie tried to make her Mother more comfortable by putting more pillows behind her head. When she finished she sat back down. Scarlett who was still very groggy noticed her daughter's distraught expression. Using all the energy she could muster she reached out and took Katie's hand. "I'm sorry for giving everyone such a scare."
Katie carefully leaned forward and hugged her Mother "Oh, Mother. It's not your fault. I was just so scared when Uncle Ashley brought you here. You looked so lifeless. And then to watch you toss and thrash about deliriously last night, knowing there was nothing we could do."
Another coughing spell hit Scarlett just as Katie finished speaking. Katie tried to give her a drink of water, but Scarlett was coughing too violently.
Katie was terrified because she could tell that Scarlett was having trouble getting any air. Frantically she ran to the door and yelled "Uncle Ashley, please hurry!"
Ashley ran up the stairs two at a time. Harriet, Duncan and Rhett who were right behind him stopped in the hallway as he ran into Scarlett's room. Realizing what was going on Ashley carefully leaned Scarlett forward and started patting her on the back.
Eventually her coughing spell subsided. Ashley laid her gently back against the pillows. "Are you alright, Scarlett darling?"
Scarlett nodded her head and closed her eyes. Trying to calm down from the excursion of the spell, she lay there for a few moments. That's when she heard it. She heard Rhett's voice. 'No I have to be hallucinating' But then she heard it again.
Opening her eyes, she looked at Katie "Who's..out..there?" She slowly whispered. Her throat made even more raw from her latest spell.
Ashley spoke "Harriet and Duncan and...Rhett".
"Rhett...how..why?"
"We wired Duncan in Savannah of your accident. He ran into Rhett at the station." Ashley answered as he watched Scarlett carefully.
A calmness came about Scarlett as she said "I want to talk to him".
"Are you sure Mother? Shouldn't you rest?"
"Please Katie, I need to talk to him.". Each word was an effort for Scarlett, but she knew she had to tell Rhett. To let him know about Katie. Now that she had this chance. She was no fool. She was seriously injured. She needed to tell him, just in case...
"Alright Mother. I'll get him" Katie said as she walked up to Scarlett's bed. She leaned over and kissed her. "I'll be back later".
Ashley then took Scarlett's hand "Do not let him upset you. You need your strength to get well again. I'll be right downstairs if you need me."
Scarlett just nodded.
Katie and Ashley walked out into the hallway "She's alright now, just very weak. She's still awake though, and she wants to see Mr. Butler". Katie said as she eyed her father.
Rhett just nodded and went to walk past. Katie knew that what she was going to do was not polite nor was it socially acceptable but she did not care. That was her Mother in there and she would not let Rhett upset her. So she reached out and touched his coat sleeve "Please do not upset her, she's already been through enough."
Again Rhett nodded. He smiled thinking of how much Katie was like her Mother. However when he got to Scarlett's bed the smile on his face was replaced by a look of shock. He was shocked at how pale her skin was. Her face was bruised badly and one of her eyes was black. Her left arm was in a sling. She looked so fragile lying there. He had never seen her like this before. 'Not even when she fell..'he thought to himself 'and lost the baby after Bonnie and I came back from England'.
Rhett sat down in the chair and took Scarlett's hand.
"Scarlett? Scarlett, my pet, open your eyes for me." He said in an almost pleading voice.
Scarlett's eyelids fluttered but her eyes did not open "Please Scarlett, open your eyes for me. Let me see those beautiful cat eyes of yours. Let me see the fire in them".
Again her eyelids fluttered, but this time she managed to open them slightly.
Rhett brought her hand to his lips, softly kissed it and whispered, "There you are, my love. I knew that strong will of yours would pull you through". Then he kissed her hand again and gently laid it back down on the bed.
"Rhett" Scarlett whispered so quietly that Rhett had to lean forward to hear.
"Yes, Scarlett I'm here. Katie said you were calling for me. I'm here my love".
"I want to tell you something" Scarlett slowly said having to stop between each word.
"Alright, I'm listening, but can't it wait until you're stronger?" Rhett could see what a toll each word took on her.
"No, I have to tell you now, in case..."Scarlett closed her eyes again.
Rhett watched as a single tear ran down her face. He had never seen Scarlett cry. Even after all their years together. Seeing her so emotional and hearing her words scared and startled him.
"In case nothing my pet. You'll be back to yourself before you know it."
"Please, Rhett."
"Alright, my love I'm listening"
Scarlett opened her eyes and focused on Rhett "Remember our talk in Harriet's kitchen?"
Rhett nodded. How could he forget?
"You asked why Katie got upset. Do you remember my answer and what you asked me after that?" Scarlett took a deep breathe after speaking and started to cough violently again.
Rhett immediately rose up out of the chair and sat on the side of the bed. Gently taking Scarlett into his arms, he sat her up. Eventually the coughing stopped. Rhett laid Scarlett back but stayed beside her on the bed.
"Scarlett, please you need to rest, we..."
Scarlett didn't let him finish "No now"
"Alright. You asked me if I remembered your answer to my question about Katie being upset. Yes I do, you said it was because she knew I was your ex husband. And then I asked you why that would bother her, was it because you were talking with someone other than her father and you said something like that. Is that what you mean?"
Scarlett nodded. "That was not exactly the truth."
Rhett was confused. Why was she talking about this? Why was this so important that she had to talk to him about it right then? "I don't understand, Scarlett darling. Why is this so important?"
Scarlett closed her eyes again so scared to see the look in his eyes when she finally told him her secret. Finally she spoke again "Katie was not upset because I was talking to some one other than her father, Rhett. She was upset because I was talking TO her father."
It seemed like an eternity to Scarlett. Finally she opened her eyes. Rhett was setting there just looking at her "What are you trying to say Scarlett?"
"I know you may not believe me Rhett but Katie is YOUR daughter, too."
"How...when.."Rhett couldn't think straight.
"The day we went boating Rhett"
"The beach" he mumbled his mind in a whirlwind.
Scarlett watched as his mind cleared. Black eyes looked into her green eyes "Why did you not tell me?"
"Because I didn't discover I was expecting until I was on a ship on my way to Ireland"
"Ireland?"
"Yes, Ireland. I decided I wasn't going to let you make love to me and leave me waiting for you like you did before. So I packed my things and went to Savannah to visit my family. That's when I met my cousin Colum. He convinced me to go to Ireland and visit my grandmother, the original Katie Scarlett. I thought that I'd go and visit and then you'd come for me. On the way to Ireland, on the ship is when I discovered that I was expecting. I was so excited. I just couldn't wait to tell you. But I decided to go on and visit my Grandmother. I thought I had plenty of time. But not long after I arrived there I received your divorce papers. I was do upset, but then Colum pointed all I had to do was come back and tell you."
"So I booked passage back to America. While I waiting to leave I received the newspaper clipping. The clipping that told of...of your wedding to Anne." The last few words came out in whisper.
"I knew then I had lost. Our baby and I had lost you forever." Scarlett stopped, took a breathe and finished. "So I decided to stay in Ireland. I knew I could not come back here in my condition. No one would believe that the baby was conceived in wedlock. So I decided that I could hit you harder than you had me. I would raise our child alone then one day..one day I'd let you see her."
Scarlett waited for reply, not getting one she continued "The baby wasn't due until the first of November, but on All Hallow's Eve, I went into labor. If it hadn't been for Grainne." Scarlett noticed the odd expression on Rhett's face "She the wise woman that lived near me. If it hadn't been for her, Katie and I would have both died."
"Why?" was all Rhett said.
"When my water broke there was a lot of blood. I'm sure if I had tried to have Katie normally it would have killed us both. But Grainne... well she born Katie by the knife."
Rhett just stared at Scarlett. He didn't know what to say. My God what she had been through. Finally he spoke "Does Katie know who I am?"
"Yes she found out last spring, right before we came back here."
Neither said anything for several minutes. Finally Rhett spoke "I should let you rest now, my pet. You have had an eventful few days."
As he started to stand Scarlett took hold of his sleeve "Are you leaving?"
When Rhett looked down at her, he could see the innocent young girl he fell in love with. And yet all the years of their life together, with all that he just learned weighed heavy on him. "No my love I'm not leaving. I'll be back tomorrow to see you." With that said he leaned down and kissed her forehead.
Scarlett was asleep before he had even left the room. She could now at least rest easier, now that he knew.
Rhett sat there looking at Katie. He could see the pain in her eyes when she told him her Mother had been calling for him. 'I don't blame her for not wanting to tell me. I'm sure she thinks all I've ever done is hurt Scarlett' Rhett thought to himself as he tried to take it all in. Scarlett was seriously injured and was still not out of the woods. Although Rhett had told himself, since leaving Atlanta all those months ago, that he despised Scarlett and wanted nothing more to do with her, he knew that was untrue. He could not get her out of his mind or his heart.
Just then Harriet came down the stairs "Katie, I think your Mother is trying to come to. I thought you'd want to be with her when she does."
Katie immediately jumped up from the settee and practically ran up the stairs. As she entered her Mother's room she could see Scarlett's eyes flutter open.
"Katie?" Scarlett whispered in a dry voice.
"Yes Mother I'm here" Katie almost cried as she sat down beside the bed and took her Mother's hand.
Katie sat there looking at her Mother. It was still a shock every time she looked at her. Katie had never even seen Scarlett sick before, so to see her like this was very unnerving.
Scarlett coughed which caused her to cry out in pain. After the coughing spell passed Katie tried to make her Mother more comfortable by putting more pillows behind her head. When she finished she sat back down. Scarlett who was still very groggy noticed her daughter's distraught expression. Using all the energy she could muster she reached out and took Katie's hand. "I'm sorry for giving everyone such a scare."
Katie carefully leaned forward and hugged her Mother "Oh, Mother. It's not your fault. I was just so scared when Uncle Ashley brought you here. You looked so lifeless. And then to watch you toss and thrash about deliriously last night, knowing there was nothing we could do."
Another coughing spell hit Scarlett just as Katie finished speaking. Katie tried to give her a drink of water, but Scarlett was coughing too violently.
Katie was terrified because she could tell that Scarlett was having trouble getting any air. Frantically she ran to the door and yelled "Uncle Ashley, please hurry!"
Ashley ran up the stairs two at a time. Harriet, Duncan and Rhett who were right behind him stopped in the hallway as he ran into Scarlett's room. Realizing what was going on Ashley carefully leaned Scarlett forward and started patting her on the back.
Eventually her coughing spell subsided. Ashley laid her gently back against the pillows. "Are you alright, Scarlett darling?"
Scarlett nodded her head and closed her eyes. Trying to calm down from the excursion of the spell, she lay there for a few moments. That's when she heard it. She heard Rhett's voice. 'No I have to be hallucinating' But then she heard it again.
Opening her eyes, she looked at Katie "Who's..out..there?" She slowly whispered. Her throat made even more raw from her latest spell.
Ashley spoke "Harriet and Duncan and...Rhett".
"Rhett...how..why?"
"We wired Duncan in Savannah of your accident. He ran into Rhett at the station." Ashley answered as he watched Scarlett carefully.
A calmness came about Scarlett as she said "I want to talk to him".
"Are you sure Mother? Shouldn't you rest?"
"Please Katie, I need to talk to him.". Each word was an effort for Scarlett, but she knew she had to tell Rhett. To let him know about Katie. Now that she had this chance. She was no fool. She was seriously injured. She needed to tell him, just in case...
"Alright Mother. I'll get him" Katie said as she walked up to Scarlett's bed. She leaned over and kissed her. "I'll be back later".
Ashley then took Scarlett's hand "Do not let him upset you. You need your strength to get well again. I'll be right downstairs if you need me."
Scarlett just nodded.
Katie and Ashley walked out into the hallway "She's alright now, just very weak. She's still awake though, and she wants to see Mr. Butler". Katie said as she eyed her father.
Rhett just nodded and went to walk past. Katie knew that what she was going to do was not polite nor was it socially acceptable but she did not care. That was her Mother in there and she would not let Rhett upset her. So she reached out and touched his coat sleeve "Please do not upset her, she's already been through enough."
Again Rhett nodded. He smiled thinking of how much Katie was like her Mother. However when he got to Scarlett's bed the smile on his face was replaced by a look of shock. He was shocked at how pale her skin was. Her face was bruised badly and one of her eyes was black. Her left arm was in a sling. She looked so fragile lying there. He had never seen her like this before. 'Not even when she fell..'he thought to himself 'and lost the baby after Bonnie and I came back from England'.
Rhett sat down in the chair and took Scarlett's hand.
"Scarlett? Scarlett, my pet, open your eyes for me." He said in an almost pleading voice.
Scarlett's eyelids fluttered but her eyes did not open "Please Scarlett, open your eyes for me. Let me see those beautiful cat eyes of yours. Let me see the fire in them".
Again her eyelids fluttered, but this time she managed to open them slightly.
Rhett brought her hand to his lips, softly kissed it and whispered, "There you are, my love. I knew that strong will of yours would pull you through". Then he kissed her hand again and gently laid it back down on the bed.
"Rhett" Scarlett whispered so quietly that Rhett had to lean forward to hear.
"Yes, Scarlett I'm here. Katie said you were calling for me. I'm here my love".
"I want to tell you something" Scarlett slowly said having to stop between each word.
"Alright, I'm listening, but can't it wait until you're stronger?" Rhett could see what a toll each word took on her.
"No, I have to tell you now, in case..."Scarlett closed her eyes again.
Rhett watched as a single tear ran down her face. He had never seen Scarlett cry. Even after all their years together. Seeing her so emotional and hearing her words scared and startled him.
"In case nothing my pet. You'll be back to yourself before you know it."
"Please, Rhett."
"Alright, my love I'm listening"
Scarlett opened her eyes and focused on Rhett "Remember our talk in Harriet's kitchen?"
Rhett nodded. How could he forget?
"You asked why Katie got upset. Do you remember my answer and what you asked me after that?" Scarlett took a deep breathe after speaking and started to cough violently again.
Rhett immediately rose up out of the chair and sat on the side of the bed. Gently taking Scarlett into his arms, he sat her up. Eventually the coughing stopped. Rhett laid Scarlett back but stayed beside her on the bed.
"Scarlett, please you need to rest, we..."
Scarlett didn't let him finish "No now"
"Alright. You asked me if I remembered your answer to my question about Katie being upset. Yes I do, you said it was because she knew I was your ex husband. And then I asked you why that would bother her, was it because you were talking with someone other than her father and you said something like that. Is that what you mean?"
Scarlett nodded. "That was not exactly the truth."
Rhett was confused. Why was she talking about this? Why was this so important that she had to talk to him about it right then? "I don't understand, Scarlett darling. Why is this so important?"
Scarlett closed her eyes again so scared to see the look in his eyes when she finally told him her secret. Finally she spoke again "Katie was not upset because I was talking to some one other than her father, Rhett. She was upset because I was talking TO her father."
It seemed like an eternity to Scarlett. Finally she opened her eyes. Rhett was setting there just looking at her "What are you trying to say Scarlett?"
"I know you may not believe me Rhett but Katie is YOUR daughter, too."
"How...when.."Rhett couldn't think straight.
"The day we went boating Rhett"
"The beach" he mumbled his mind in a whirlwind.
Scarlett watched as his mind cleared. Black eyes looked into her green eyes "Why did you not tell me?"
"Because I didn't discover I was expecting until I was on a ship on my way to Ireland"
"Ireland?"
"Yes, Ireland. I decided I wasn't going to let you make love to me and leave me waiting for you like you did before. So I packed my things and went to Savannah to visit my family. That's when I met my cousin Colum. He convinced me to go to Ireland and visit my grandmother, the original Katie Scarlett. I thought that I'd go and visit and then you'd come for me. On the way to Ireland, on the ship is when I discovered that I was expecting. I was so excited. I just couldn't wait to tell you. But I decided to go on and visit my Grandmother. I thought I had plenty of time. But not long after I arrived there I received your divorce papers. I was do upset, but then Colum pointed all I had to do was come back and tell you."
"So I booked passage back to America. While I waiting to leave I received the newspaper clipping. The clipping that told of...of your wedding to Anne." The last few words came out in whisper.
"I knew then I had lost. Our baby and I had lost you forever." Scarlett stopped, took a breathe and finished. "So I decided to stay in Ireland. I knew I could not come back here in my condition. No one would believe that the baby was conceived in wedlock. So I decided that I could hit you harder than you had me. I would raise our child alone then one day..one day I'd let you see her."
Scarlett waited for reply, not getting one she continued "The baby wasn't due until the first of November, but on All Hallow's Eve, I went into labor. If it hadn't been for Grainne." Scarlett noticed the odd expression on Rhett's face "She the wise woman that lived near me. If it hadn't been for her, Katie and I would have both died."
"Why?" was all Rhett said.
"When my water broke there was a lot of blood. I'm sure if I had tried to have Katie normally it would have killed us both. But Grainne... well she born Katie by the knife."
Rhett just stared at Scarlett. He didn't know what to say. My God what she had been through. Finally he spoke "Does Katie know who I am?"
"Yes she found out last spring, right before we came back here."
Neither said anything for several minutes. Finally Rhett spoke "I should let you rest now, my pet. You have had an eventful few days."
As he started to stand Scarlett took hold of his sleeve "Are you leaving?"
When Rhett looked down at her, he could see the innocent young girl he fell in love with. And yet all the years of their life together, with all that he just learned weighed heavy on him. "No my love I'm not leaving. I'll be back tomorrow to see you." With that said he leaned down and kissed her forehead.
Scarlett was asleep before he had even left the room. She could now at least rest easier, now that he knew.
