Reparations
Chapter Three
SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1876
THE BATTERY
ELEANOR BUTLER'S HOME
"Hello Tessa. Could you please inform Mrs. Butler that her son has finally come home?"
The woman grinned good naturedly at Rhett. Tessa was a fair skinned mulatto whose father was Grandfather Butler's child. They were exactly the same age, down to the month, and had grown up together at Dunmore Landing. But while Rhett had been outcasted by the family, Tessa had moved through the ranks of servitude to be the head of household, and had been the only servant who had stayed with the family when the Landing burned.
"I'll tell Miz Eleanor that yore here, Mist' Rhett," she determined, turning to go back to her mistress. Rhett caught her by the arm.
"Now, wait just a darn minute, Miss Tessa. What is all this "Mist' Rhett" business? You don't have a proper hug for your best cousin?" Grinning wryly, Tessa embraced him firmly.
That was the beauty of their relationship. Since Grandfather Butler had chosen to formally recognize Tessa as his granddaughter in his will, the whole of the Butler family were obliged to do the same. Tessa Butler, Negro and servant as she was, was considered an equal by law among all of the grandchildren. Not that everybody agreed- Ross refused to speak to the woman, and Rosemary was quite shy around her, but Rhett loved her like the cousin she was.
"It's good to see ya in a better mood, Rhett. You were mighty pore spirit'd last I saw."
"That's true," Rhett agreed, "But my mood has improved thanks to some news I received when I was away."
Scarlett and Cat took cautious steps toward the porch, careful to move as calmly as possible. Cat, not aware of the circumstances of their situation but aware that she must be quiet, clung to her mother's hand. Could it get any hotter? thought Scarlett with despair under her velvet bonnet. My poor Kitty Cat is almost dying of heat, and it's only the beginning of June! No wonder lowlanders abandon the city in the summer!
"Scarlett," said Rhett lowly, without turning around when Tessa left to announce his presence.
"Yes?" She crept closer.
"I want you to wait in the hallway until I can judge Mother's mood."
"Is Abby here?" she questioned anxiously.
"Her card is on the tray in the hall."
"Good. We'll need her support."
"Play it by ear, my pet. I know you've never been a good liar, so I'll try to keep you out of that sort of situation."
"Rhett?" she said, worry choking out his name.
"Yes, Scarlett?"
"Good luck," she muttered, swallowing hard. I love you! she added in her head.
"Why, thank you," he said, fixing his infamous, incorrigible grin on his face and ducking into the house.
Abby fluttered her fan a little faster without realizing it. All of Charleston was silently suffering under the unusually intense heat, and as such even the genteel Charleston ladies were a bit snappish and petulant with each other. Not the best time for Scarlett to make her reentrance into Charleston society, but what was one to do?
"More lemonade, Miss Abby?" asked Miss Eleanor carefully.
"Why, thank you, Miss Eleanor," said Abby with equal care, making sure to pour only a mouthful into her glass.
In this delicate dance of overlooking shortages of nice things, each would pretend there was plenty when there was little. Abby knew of course that Rhett supplied his mother with a continuous stream of money, but Miss Eleanor had the good grace not to flaunt this. So, as in the homes of the lesser fortunate, Miss Eleanor provided only one small pitcher of the lemon drink.
Scarlett, on the other hand, knew nothing of the deeper mannerisms of the Society. She had had no hand to guide her on how to be genteelly poor, so she was mostly ignorant. That was why Abby had paid her first call on Eleanor Butler on the same day that Scarlett would make her presence known. Abby hoped to give Scarlett a head start. She had gathered from her seemingly random conversation topics that Scarlett's aunts Eulalie and Pauline were no longer friends with Miss Eleanor.
It seemed that when Rhett divorced Scarlett, the women had actually grown a bit of a spine and had defended their niece. Of course Miss Eleanor had defended her son's choice, unhappy as she was about it (because she "truly had liked and admired the spirited little thing"), and the trio had separated on bitter terms.
When Scarlett returned to Savannah with her ex-husband on her arm again, Eulalie and Pauline had not bustled off to inform Eleanor Butler. They, being the richest women in Savannah, had a cushion of friends to support them when they chose not to tell their former companion.
"Miz Eleanor, ma'am, thare is somebody importan' ta see you," intoned Tessa in the doorway.
"Send them in Tessa," said Miss Eleanor nonchalantly.
Rhett paused for a moment, out of view of his mother, and glanced to Abby. The fan was folded up and dropped on her lap. That was the signal- Eleanor Butler was not in a totally pleasant mood this afternoon. Rhett sighed, gathered himself, and made his presence known. "Hello Mother!" he said warmly.
"Why Rhett!" Miss Eleanor gasped, springing from her seat to greet her oldest son. Then she pretended to frown. "Why have you waited so long to come see me? Your boat landed two weeks ago."
His smile stiffened. "I was tied up a bit in Savannah, Mother. I met some old friends with old business I could not drag myself away from."
Miss Eleanor turned to her guest, aware of her breach in conduct. Hastily repairing the breach, she added, "Rhett, this is Mrs. Abby White, eh, junior. She's from Savannah."
"Ah, Mrs. White," said Rhett, all charm.
"Why, Mr. Butler, I believe we've met."
"We have?" asked Rhett, noncommittally.
"Yes, at the train station this morning. I believe we took the same train to Savannah." Abby's voice was lilting and mellow, utilizing the tone that her mother had trained her to.
"Ah, yes," said Rhett carefully.
"My husband is the son of a classmate of yours," prompted Abby.
"Oh, of course, you're Joseph White's daughter-in-law. Fie on me for forgetting such a beautiful face!" Abby blushed on cue, and covered her face with a fan.
"How have you been, Rhett?" said Miss Eleanor in a low voice, suddenly filled with a sense of worry. The two were acting strange, and she didn't know what to make of it.
Rhett snapped back, the grin on his face remarkable. "I have a surprise for you, Mother. In fact, I have two surprises for you."
"Really?" brightened Miss Eleanor.
"Oh, do let me see them Mr. Butler," gushed Abby. "Surprises are always so lovely."
"Especially Rhett's surprises," agreed Miss Eleanor.
"I'll be right back then," laughed Rhett, ducking into the hallway. "Scarlett?"
"Yes?" Scarlett whispered hoarsely from near the door. She was sitting on the floor with her back to the parlor. She was leaning heavily against the hall table.
"Are you alright, honey?" he said with love in his voice.
"Hot," she admitted, she wiped beads of sweat from her forehead.
"Where's Cat?"
"In the kitchen. Tessa promised a big bowl of ice cream to 'her Rhett's only chile.'"
"Why aren't you with her? I'm sure you could have enjoyed some too."
"I didn't want to be a bother," said Scarlett in a small, pathetic voice.
His voice was heavy with loving humor. "Well, straighten yourself out while I go fetch Cat from Tessa's clutches. Next thing I know and Cat will be calling her Aunt Tess."
"I'll be right back then," laughed Rhett, ducking into the hallway.
That was the second cue, this one for Abby. Here I go, she thought calmly.
Abby stood shakily, glass in hand, swaying slightly. Her face turned very white as she bit her lip until it bled a little. "Abby?" questioned Miss Miss Eleanor worriedly.
Abby grimaced and dropped her tall crystal lemonade glass. It shattered into millions of pieces on the floor. "Oh, my," she gasped, clutching the edge of the table for support.
Miss Eleanor leapt to her feet. "Oh, Abby my dear, are you alright?"
"Just... just a little dizzy," Abby whispered. "Perhaps I should step outside and get some fresh air."
"Yes, of course," said Miss Miss Eleanor distractedly. "It is very warm in here."
Abby minced her way out of the parlor and out the door, giving an exaggerated wink to Scarlett. They owe me one for that performance, Abby told herself. Every woman in Charleston would cluck like hens over her for the next three weeks with "Are you feeling all right Mrs. White?" It was enough to drive a girl to distraction.
But it would be worth it. Scarlett was her closest friend, and Abby was sure she could arrange her return into Society.
Rhett scooped up his three year old daughter and wiped the ice cream mustache off her face.
"Cat's not finished yet," protested the child.
"I know, Kitty Cat, but it's time for you to meet your grandma."
"Grandma?" asked a suspicious Cat.
"Yes, honey chile, Miz Eleanor is your grandma," explained Tessa. "Remember the nice lady I tole you about?"
"Yes," said her little voice, convinced.
"Let's go visit her now, Kitty Cat," coaxed Rhett.
"Will Mama come too?"
"Yes, your mama will come too," assured Rhett. He took a look at the front of her dress. Little dribbles of melted ice cream had formed dark stains on her red dress. "Oh, Tessa, it's a good thing you're not a mammy."
"Why's dat?"
He gave her a serious look. "The whole front of Baby's dress is covered in ice cream."
Tessa laughed. "Well, Rhett, I may be no mammy, but I's a momma."
"How so?"
"Ma husban' Marcus has a little boy name' Moses."
"And you let Moses run around with ice cream dribbled down his shirt?"
"Well, seh, Moses don't get no ice cream." She said this with a regretful air.
"Is that so? Moses don't get no ice cream?" His eyes were kind.
"Yesseh, that's ta truf."
"Well, you take this here ice cream and get it to your little boy with my complements."
Tessa grinned gratefully. "Well, thank ya Mist' Rhett. If'n I remember right, you always was one ta get me ice cream when we was chiles."
"That's the truth. And no more of this "Mist' Rhett" business. It makes me feel old when you say it, Tess."
"Fair," agreed Tessa.
"Come on Cat," instructed Rhett as he led his little daughter down the hallway back to the parlor.
"Cat's going to see her grandma," commented Cat offhandedly.
"Is that so?" said Rhett playfully. "Now you wait here for just a moment, Cat. I want to tell Grandma that you're here."
"Okay."
"Mother? What happened to Miss Abby?"
A maid was sweeping up the broken glass. Miss Eleanor looked a little shaken. "Well Rhett, I guess the heat got to her a little. She dropped her glass," she gestured to the floor, "and decided to go outside and get some fresh air."
"It's even hotter outside," said Rhett stiffly. They hadn't intended to alarm his mother.
Miss Eleanor brightened. "Where are those two surprises you promised me?"
Rhett smiled back stiffly. "Well, here's the first one." He ducked out and returned in a flash, holding Cat's hand tightly. Cat smiled boldly and clutched the edge of her skirt to perform a three-year-old's curtsy.
Miss Eleanor turned very white. She looked hard at the child, from her dark features to her fearless little eyes, and knew at once that the girl was her grandchild. She had jet hair and bronze skin but these amazing cat green eyes that reminded her of someone... Her mind could not escape the fact that the child's existence was impossible but could not shake the feeling that the little girl was clearly the child of her son.
"Well, Rhett," said Miss Eleanor weakly. "she's yours?"
Rhett's face was somber, but the edges twitched with nervousness. "Yes," he said weakly.
"Cat," explained Cat.
"What?" said Miss Eleanor sharply.
Rhett explained gently, "Her name is Cat."
"What sort of a name is Cat?" said Miss Eleanor with curiosity that she could not stifle.
"Her full name is Katie Colum."
"Katie Colum?" repeated Eleanor, unsure what to make of the name. It was Irish, no doubt. Which could only mean... "Where is her mother?" she asked carefully.
"That's my second surprise," admitted Rhett, smiling grimly.
Scarlett walked slowly into the parlor, smiling her bright, unmistakable smile. Although nobody had ever told her, Scarlett could smile just as infuriatingly as Rhett could.
A truth unfolded before Eleanor Butler, one that no decent woman would ever dream of unless it was thrown right in her face. The numerous trips to Ireland to buy horses. The little girl with the Irish brogue and Rhett's dark face. Scarlett in the doorway.
A lesser woman would have fainted at the revelation that her favorite son had created a façade of a marriage when he was still in love and in touch with the woman he had so scandalously divorced. And that they had had a child together. "What about Anne?" was all that Eleanor could ask.
"I never hurt her," said Rhett honestly, a look of pain on his face.
Scarlett saw the hurt between mother and son. Hell, she thought miserably, I'm already a fallen woman. Too many have 'cloaked my sins.' I'll be honest and take the blame for this one.
"Miss Eleanor, may I talk to you? Alone?"
Scarlett sat in the big arm chair and told her all that she could. How relations between her and Rhett had fallen apart (without mentioning the name of Ashley Wilkes) in Atlanta and she had come to fix things in Charleston. How she went to Savannah to celebrate Pierre Robiliard's birthday (including how she had left a note with Rosemary), and how she had been invited to take a little vacation to Ireland by her O'Hara cousins, and how Rhett divorced her and married Anne before she could tell him that she was pregnant. (At this Eleanor blanched a little. No lady ever talked about pregnancy like this.)
"I spent nearly four years in Ireland trying to make a life for myself and for my daughter. Frankly, I never expected to see America, or Rhett, ever again. But after Anne's death, things changed. Rhett finally forgave me for my past... transgressions. We're going to get married soon... again. But I thought you should know everything first."
All her life Eleanor had been sheltered from the harsh realities of the world. Not that she didn't know about them- it was just that people tended to avoid that line of subject around a true lady like Miss Eleanor. When the War came, she witnessed these realities. And in ways she was worldlier than Scarlett ever could be.
But at no time in her life had she ever been told every detail, the whole story, not just the watered down gossip. This intimacy suddenly and completely bonded her to her ex-daughter-in-law, tighter than blood.
"Well," Eleanor said tranquilly, "when's the wedding?"
Author's Note:All recognizable characters from the two books, Gone With the Wind and Scarlett, belong to Margaret Mitchell, the Margaret Mitchell Estate, or to Alexandra Ripley.
This chapter is quite a bit shorter than the last two, but the next one will be longer.
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