Thanks for the reviews, all of you who reviewed! Anyways, when we left off,
Scarlett and Rhett had just gotten to the barbeque, and there was a
collective silence.lets see what happens next.
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Suddenly, everybody began speaking at once, and the O'Haras and Butlers look worried. Scarlett moved closer to Rhett, and then, silence again as Ashley and Melanie moved through the crowd towards Rhett and Scarlett. A few boys and girls inquired loudly as to what was happening, and were shushed by their mothers.
Melanie reached out her hands for Scarlett's and smiled sincerely. Ashley stood a few feet back, looking from Rhett to Scarlett and then at Scarlett's left hand.
"Scarlett, darling, your gown is lovely! It brings your eyes out, makes them look so pretty! I just wish that I had your eyes. My eyes are so plain, and yours are amazing. Who-who is this man who is with you?" exclaimed Melanie, talking so that everybody could hear and then smiled at Rhett, looking timid and a little bit of color rising in her too pale cheeks.
"This is my husband, Rhett Butler. Rhett, darling, this is Miss Melanie Hamilton, from Atlanta." Scarlett sounded dignified, as a matron should, and there was light laughter in her voice as she looked around at everybody's faces. Charles and a lot of Scarlett's other ex-beaux looked angry, almost as if they could kill. Rhett returned their looks, and Scarlett, seeing the silent feud, put a hand protectively on Rhett's arm, a gesture noted by all adults present, agreed with by the ladies, and reluctantly followed by the men.
"Well, Mr. Butler, you may call me Melly, all my friends do. And I am sure," she paused, letting a slight emphasis go on sure, "that everybody will agree that you and Scarlett look handsome together, and we all," she paused again, "will want to wish you congratulations as soon as possible."
Knowing that Melanie had made up her mind, Ashley set an example for the stunned crowd by going forward and kissing Scarlett on the cheek.
"Scarlett, my dear, you were beautiful before you married-and now that you are married, your beauty surpasses all." A comment, the crowd decided, that could be taken either way. Seeing, however, the look that passed between Melanie, Ashley, Scarlett, and Rhett, they all took it to mean that Ashley simply was fond of Scarlett, felt as though it were his duty to protect her.
Next, the matrons came forth and dragged her away from Rhett, telling her that they would have to help her out when the first baby came, no ifs, ands or buts about it. Scarlett agreed with them and laughed about such matters, and as Ellen and Eleanor exchanged a look of triumph, the barbeque really began, the arrival of Rhett and Scarlett pushed behind the thought of food and other pleasant things like that. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Scarlett, sitting with the matrons in the parlor, thought that she had never felt so completely at home during any of the sixteen years of her life. The women of the county had accepted her as a lady, not yet a Great Lady, like Ellen and Eleanor, but, still definitely not as bad as other members of the matronly group were. Scarlett noted who was not talked to very often and who was talked to the most, and she tried to do as the other matrons were doing. She sincerely hoped that Rhett was having a better time than she, being as he was out in the yard talking with the county men, and was able to relax.
In fact, Scarlett couldn't have been more wrong. Rhett was not enjoying himself and covered it by an air of cool contempt for the North Georgians. The men were avoiding him, but only when Ashley came and stood by his side did they pay him the cold courtesy due an outsider. He, too, was hoping that Scarlett was having a good time.
When it was time for the girls to take their naps, Scarlett started towards the doors of the parlor, and Ellen quickly got up to stop her from making a fool of herself and whispered "Scarlett, dear, usually the matrons go home during this part of the afternoon, while the men talk and the younger girls rest. But we shall stay here, unless you want to go home and do house work for a while..."
"Of course Mama, I was just going to find Rhett."
Just as Scarlett said his name, as if by magic, Rhett peeked into the parlor and called out softly for Scarlett. When she turned, her face lit up as if by magic, he motioned for her to come out into the hallway so that they could talk.
Once out in the hallway, Scarlett wrapped her arms around Rhett's neck, but before she could kiss him, he unlinked her arms and shook his head.
"No, Scarlett."
"But, Rhett..." Scarlett was at a loss for what to say. Remembering the previous night, the numerous I-love-you-s that were whispered in her ear, the utter security of having Rhett near her, knowing that he loved her.
"I know your little game, Scarlett. I know that you love Ashley Wilkes. How do I know? I'll tell you how, my pet. Because I just overheard Gerald and John Wilkes talking about it. And I heard Mammy talking to you last night about it. You lying little bitch, I even know that you were thinking about Ashley when you accepted my proposal. And I know that you were pretending I was your precious darling Ashley when you said your vows and last night, when we were alone together."
Scarlett was speechless. In her wildest thoughts, she had never dreamed Rhett knew about Ashley. Moreover, Scarlett loved Rhett. Oh, this couldn't possibly be happening. 'I have to tell him...even if he doesn't believe me, I have to tell him.' Even as she thought this, he began walking away. She called out his name and he stopped and turned, his anger evident in his pose and his face.
"Rhett, darling, listen, please, I love you. Yes, I may have been thinking of Ashley when I accepted your proposal, but...I swear, I want you, only you, always you. You can't be leaving me, you can't! I am your wife! Please, let the past be past and done with. Do you think I could possibly love anybody but you after...after last night? Of course not! I couldn't, not even if I wanted to! Oh, Rhett!"
Neither of them noticed the three figures standing on the stairway. But Rhett, looking past Scarlett slightly, saw them, and a slow, malicious smile spread over his face. Standing on the stairs were none other than Melanie, India, and Honey. And from the looks on their faces, they had overheard the whole conversation.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~* Tee-hee like the ending to this chappy? Next one soon, Girl Scouts Honor. Like.tomorrow, soon.I promise
Suddenly, everybody began speaking at once, and the O'Haras and Butlers look worried. Scarlett moved closer to Rhett, and then, silence again as Ashley and Melanie moved through the crowd towards Rhett and Scarlett. A few boys and girls inquired loudly as to what was happening, and were shushed by their mothers.
Melanie reached out her hands for Scarlett's and smiled sincerely. Ashley stood a few feet back, looking from Rhett to Scarlett and then at Scarlett's left hand.
"Scarlett, darling, your gown is lovely! It brings your eyes out, makes them look so pretty! I just wish that I had your eyes. My eyes are so plain, and yours are amazing. Who-who is this man who is with you?" exclaimed Melanie, talking so that everybody could hear and then smiled at Rhett, looking timid and a little bit of color rising in her too pale cheeks.
"This is my husband, Rhett Butler. Rhett, darling, this is Miss Melanie Hamilton, from Atlanta." Scarlett sounded dignified, as a matron should, and there was light laughter in her voice as she looked around at everybody's faces. Charles and a lot of Scarlett's other ex-beaux looked angry, almost as if they could kill. Rhett returned their looks, and Scarlett, seeing the silent feud, put a hand protectively on Rhett's arm, a gesture noted by all adults present, agreed with by the ladies, and reluctantly followed by the men.
"Well, Mr. Butler, you may call me Melly, all my friends do. And I am sure," she paused, letting a slight emphasis go on sure, "that everybody will agree that you and Scarlett look handsome together, and we all," she paused again, "will want to wish you congratulations as soon as possible."
Knowing that Melanie had made up her mind, Ashley set an example for the stunned crowd by going forward and kissing Scarlett on the cheek.
"Scarlett, my dear, you were beautiful before you married-and now that you are married, your beauty surpasses all." A comment, the crowd decided, that could be taken either way. Seeing, however, the look that passed between Melanie, Ashley, Scarlett, and Rhett, they all took it to mean that Ashley simply was fond of Scarlett, felt as though it were his duty to protect her.
Next, the matrons came forth and dragged her away from Rhett, telling her that they would have to help her out when the first baby came, no ifs, ands or buts about it. Scarlett agreed with them and laughed about such matters, and as Ellen and Eleanor exchanged a look of triumph, the barbeque really began, the arrival of Rhett and Scarlett pushed behind the thought of food and other pleasant things like that. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Scarlett, sitting with the matrons in the parlor, thought that she had never felt so completely at home during any of the sixteen years of her life. The women of the county had accepted her as a lady, not yet a Great Lady, like Ellen and Eleanor, but, still definitely not as bad as other members of the matronly group were. Scarlett noted who was not talked to very often and who was talked to the most, and she tried to do as the other matrons were doing. She sincerely hoped that Rhett was having a better time than she, being as he was out in the yard talking with the county men, and was able to relax.
In fact, Scarlett couldn't have been more wrong. Rhett was not enjoying himself and covered it by an air of cool contempt for the North Georgians. The men were avoiding him, but only when Ashley came and stood by his side did they pay him the cold courtesy due an outsider. He, too, was hoping that Scarlett was having a good time.
When it was time for the girls to take their naps, Scarlett started towards the doors of the parlor, and Ellen quickly got up to stop her from making a fool of herself and whispered "Scarlett, dear, usually the matrons go home during this part of the afternoon, while the men talk and the younger girls rest. But we shall stay here, unless you want to go home and do house work for a while..."
"Of course Mama, I was just going to find Rhett."
Just as Scarlett said his name, as if by magic, Rhett peeked into the parlor and called out softly for Scarlett. When she turned, her face lit up as if by magic, he motioned for her to come out into the hallway so that they could talk.
Once out in the hallway, Scarlett wrapped her arms around Rhett's neck, but before she could kiss him, he unlinked her arms and shook his head.
"No, Scarlett."
"But, Rhett..." Scarlett was at a loss for what to say. Remembering the previous night, the numerous I-love-you-s that were whispered in her ear, the utter security of having Rhett near her, knowing that he loved her.
"I know your little game, Scarlett. I know that you love Ashley Wilkes. How do I know? I'll tell you how, my pet. Because I just overheard Gerald and John Wilkes talking about it. And I heard Mammy talking to you last night about it. You lying little bitch, I even know that you were thinking about Ashley when you accepted my proposal. And I know that you were pretending I was your precious darling Ashley when you said your vows and last night, when we were alone together."
Scarlett was speechless. In her wildest thoughts, she had never dreamed Rhett knew about Ashley. Moreover, Scarlett loved Rhett. Oh, this couldn't possibly be happening. 'I have to tell him...even if he doesn't believe me, I have to tell him.' Even as she thought this, he began walking away. She called out his name and he stopped and turned, his anger evident in his pose and his face.
"Rhett, darling, listen, please, I love you. Yes, I may have been thinking of Ashley when I accepted your proposal, but...I swear, I want you, only you, always you. You can't be leaving me, you can't! I am your wife! Please, let the past be past and done with. Do you think I could possibly love anybody but you after...after last night? Of course not! I couldn't, not even if I wanted to! Oh, Rhett!"
Neither of them noticed the three figures standing on the stairway. But Rhett, looking past Scarlett slightly, saw them, and a slow, malicious smile spread over his face. Standing on the stairs were none other than Melanie, India, and Honey. And from the looks on their faces, they had overheard the whole conversation.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~* Tee-hee like the ending to this chappy? Next one soon, Girl Scouts Honor. Like.tomorrow, soon.I promise
