Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.

Chapter Thirty-One

Three days later Melanie brought Beau over to the mansion for a play date. The ladies had talked for about fifteen minutes and Melly had talked about how wonderful Ashley was. Scarlett had a thought, 'How can she talk about how wonderful he is when they are living in shabby gentility? At the party it was plain to see everything the Wilkes own was dilapidated. Why don't they live at Hamilton House with Aunt PittyPat. It would be cheaper, and Aunt PittyPat needs someone to live with her.'

Scarlett said, "I am going to sell the mills. I have already told Mr. Powe, Rhett's lawyer, to find a buyer for my part of them. I'm sure the new buyer will keep Ashley on as an employee. I am going to keep the store for the security, but truly Rhett is all the security I need."

Melanie Wilkes then said something that change Scarlett's world. She said, "Darling, I know it isn't right to talk about these things, but I thought you should know. Oh Darling, I have tried not to tell you this. It isn't anything a wife ever wants to hear. It isn't something that a lady should ever speak about but…."

"But what?"

"It has been rumored that Captain Butler has been seen on many occasions entering and leaving a brothel."

Scarlett's face turned into one of pure hatred. She asked, "Which brothel?"

Melly was pleased with the anger on Scarlett's face, but she was startled by Scarlett's question. Therefore, she said the first thing that popped into her head. She said, "The Satin Slipper."

"This is embarrassing. I can't believe that Rhett would do something like that. You are going to have to leave."

"Of course. I'm sorry for upsetting you, Darling, but I thought you would want to know."

"Of course. Let me get Beau for you."

"You can bring him home later."

"Of course. I wouldn't want to spoil the boys' fun together."

As Melanie drove away from the mansion, she was gleeful. Soon her world would be restored to its normal boundaries. Scarlett would kick Captain Butler out of her bed for using whores. Captain Butler would turn to whores for comfort. Then Scarlett would turn back to Ashley for love and comfort. Scarlett would change her mind about selling the mills because she would want the constant contact with Ashley. Yes, once again everything would be perfect. Well, as perfect as it could be in their new world. When Scarlett brought Beau home Melly would stoke Scarlett's anger even more. Scarlett was an easy person to get to lose her temper. When she was mad, she acted first and thought second, if she thought at all.

Melanie had always known Ashley was a weak man. She knew that her Uncle John had browbeat Ashley into marrying her because she was so much more respectable than Scarlett O'Hara. The truth was that Uncle John and Uncle Henry had tried to browbeat Charlie into not marrying Scarlett, but Charlie would not give Scarlett up. Melanie admired Charlie for that determination. She wondered how much different and probably better their lives would have been if Charlie had lived. She sighed. He hadn't so there was no point thinking about it.

In passing Melanie wondered if Scarlett had ever realized what a strong person Charlie was. Probably not. Melanie hoped that Scarlett never saw what a weak person Ashley was. What a wishy-washy man he was. There were so many times that Melly just had to tell her husband what they were going to do. Then she had to pretend it had been all his idea.

After Melly had left Scarlett poured herself a brandy. This was going to probably be a three-brandy night, but she didn't care. She needed the calming influence of the liquor while she thought about what she was going to do.

After an hour, Scarlett had gone up to Wade's room. Scarlett let the boys play in Wade's room so the girls would not annoy them. She said, "Beau, it is time for you to go home. Your mother had to leave early so Wade and I will take you home. Come along."

"Yes, Aunt Scarlett."

Scarlett looked at the boy. She could see Ashley in the boy. Beau resembled his father a lot, but she could also see Melanie in his features.

Scarlett and the two boys got into the carriage. When they got to the Wilkeses' home, she said, "Wade walk with Beau to the front door to make sure he gets in the house."

"Of course, Mother."

"Mama."

Wade smiled really big and said, "Mama."

While Wade was out of the carriage, Scarlett was imagining how she would wreak havoc on someone's life. She had been having some extremely malicious thoughts.

When Wade got back in the carriage his mother had an expression on her face that scared the boy. It was the expression she had on her face the entire time his mother was married to Uncle Frank. After Mama had married Dad, she had lost that expression. It was part anger, part fear, and part Wade didn't know but that part scared him. Hopefully, Dad would fix what was wrong with Mama.

After Wade had joined his mother in the carriage, she looked at his frightened expression, an expression she hadn't seen in so very long because Rhett had made them all feel secure, and said, "I am not mad at you little one. Someone I thought I could trust above all others has betrayed me."

Scarlett and Wade chatted happily all the way home. She let Wade's gentle conversation soothe her. She could not lose her temper. She had to get all the facts first.

Wade knew better than to ask his mother who had betrayed her. He knew she would not answer him. He told her about a book he was reading, and his mother had pretended to be interested in the book.

When Wade and Scarlett got to the mansion, she was glad to find that Wade's gentle words and inane conversation had indeed soothed her. She looked at her son that she loved so very much and said, "Wade, your father was a fine man that died too early. He went to Harvard, and he was a lawyer. Your Hamilton relatives are going to try to force you to go to Harvard and be a lawyer. If you want to – fine. If you don't then you can do and be whatever you want. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Even a professional poker player." Wade smiled at his mother. Scarlett continued, "Now let's get down."

"Yes, ma'am."

For the rest of the day Scarlett fumed over what Melly had told her. She would talk to Rhett about what Melly had said this evening after supper after the children were in bed. She would point blank ask him about it.

Scarlett was cheerful and happy over supper. Rhett would never have suspected the anger burning in Scarlett's heart at the situation. Finally, the children were in bed and the couple was in the family parlor. Rhett said, "I need to go out for a little while. I have a business deal to conclude. I will be home fairly early."

Scarlett smiled at the way Rhett had said his statement. It had sounded so very suggestive. If he didn't answer the questions correctly, he might be very disappointed. She said, "Alright. Where are you going?"

"To the Bluebird of Happiness."

"Is there an establishment called the Satin Slipper?"

"No but there is one called the Silver Slipper. It is a seedy little dive that I would not even risk walking into because I would be afraid of catching some disease in there."

"Is it a brothel?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Melanie said that you have been frequenting The Satin Slipper. She told me that she was only telling me so I would know what people were saying about you."

Rhett felt his anger beginning to boil and he said tersely, "That God damn bitch! I have not been frequenting any brothel."

"Quite often according to Melanie."

"That bitch. Scarlett, I have not ….."

"Yes, she is a God damn bitch. I know she lied about you. I know you haven't, especially not frequently because most nights you are with me. The few nights you go out alone when you get home you are always romantic. I know you haven't been using the services of a brothel. Why would you? You have access to my body so why would you pay to use another body."

Rhett sat down next to her and said words he knew he would have to say to get out of this situation. He said, "I married you not just for access to your body but because we are compatible. Because I loved you. I had hope you would grow to love me."

"We have always gotten along. I grew to love you because you treat me like a queen. You take care of me. You are the only one who does. Everyone else is an ungrateful parasite."

"Taking care of you is easy. It is my pleasure."

"Rhett, why did Melanie lie to me about you? I am so hurt that Melanie of all people would tell me that lie."

"I don't know. I wish I did. If I didn't know better, I would think she was trying to cause trouble between us."

"That is what I think too, but why would she do that?"

"Maybe she is just a little bit jealous of everything you have compared to how little she has. Wasn't she from a well-to-do family before the war?"

"I don't know if they were well-to-do, but they unquestionably weren't poor. She had grown up expecting to be the mistress of Twelve Oaks and now she is living in shabby gentility.

"Maybe just maybe Miss Melly isn't as perfect as everyone thinks she is."

"No, she isn't. It makes me wonder what else she has been lying to me about."

"There is no telling."

"Rhett, do you think she knew about my feelings for Ashley?"

"Probably, you haven't ever tried to hide them."

"Not until you made me."

"You understand why, don't you."

"Yes, I understand that it is disrespectful to you for your wife to be mooning over another man. As it would be disrespectful to me for you to be mooning over anyone else."

"Like I would ever notice anyone when you are around."

Sourly Scarlett said, "Except maybe Genie."

Rhett smiled. He said, "I love you more than anyone else. I love her because she is a combination of you and me."

"No, you love her because she is a miracle."

"Yes. I think so too."

Rhett stood up and walked over to where Scarlett was sitting. He pulled her to her feet and kissed her passionately. He leaned his forehead on her forehead and said, "Can we finish this conversation later? I really need to conclude this business deal. There is a lot of money on the line."

"Yes, go. I knew it wasn't true, but I needed to hear you deny what she said."

"Scarlett, I would never be unfaithful to you."

"I wouldn't be unfaithful to you either," With a smile Scarlett said, "Not with my mind or my body."

Rhett kissed Scarlett and said, "Thank you. I should be back in an hour or so."

"I want a new parure."

"I want another child."

"If I get what I want you can try to get what you want."

"Then let me go so I can make a lot of money to buy you a new parure."

"Emeralds."

"Alright."

"And diamonds."

"Don't get greedy, my love."

"Alright."

Rhett kissed her again. He then walked out of the parlor and the house. His entire ride to the saloon, he was having murderous thoughts about that bitch Melanie Wilkes. He had been correct. She had been the greater threat. Luckily, he had spent most of his time with Scarlett. He wondered if Miss Melly had told Scarlett about his activities with Belle in the previous timeline. Probably. Supposedly so Scarlett would know what people were saying about her husband, but he suspected it would have been so Scarlett would feel the pain and shame that her husband was being unfaithful to her with an old whore no less. Furthermore, Scarlett would know that everyone knew about her shame. All that pain and shame would have kept her firmly believing she was in love with Wilkes.

When Rhett got to the saloon, he pushed all thoughts of Miss Melly out of his head. With the men he was doing business with he had to have all his wits about him.