Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Thirty-Two

Scarlett spent most of her night thinking about Melly. The thoughts that she kept repeating were 'Why would Melly want to cause trouble between her and Rhett?' And 'How dare she try to ruin her relationship with Rhett.'

Scarlett had some murderous thoughts regarding Melly. Admittedly Scarlett had often wished Melly would die but now she was thinking of torturing Melly before she died. Scarlett could admit that she was wrong to be coveting the other woman's husband, but Scarlett had never intentionally done anything to damage Melly and Ashley's relationship. Her conscience said, 'Except encourage Melly's husband to be emotionally unfaithful to his wife.'

By the time Rhett got home, Scarlett was in the bed with her magazine and her glass of brandy. As he started to get undressed, he said, "What are you going to do about Miss Melly?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing until I figure out why she did it. I suppose she could have unknowingly been passing on information that she didn't know was false."

"But you don't believe that do you?"

"No, I believe she intentionally did it. When she saw the anger on my face, she got a smirk on her face which was quickly gone. At first, I was mad at the matrons or whoever was making up lies about you, then I realized who was making up lies about you."

"Not to look a gift horse in the mouth but you usually aren't that observant."

"I know! But I just saw it all unfolding before my eyes and I just knew it was Melly that was lying about you."

"I'm certainly glad you did," By this time Rhett was getting in the bed and he said, "I am feeling romantic."

"So am I."

There was no more discussion about Melanie Wilkes that night. There were words of love. There were words calling out to God. There was a whispered sentence that made Rhett's heart soar. Scarlett had whispered, "Don't pull out."

When the family went to church the next day, neither Scarlett nor Rhett were listening to the sermon. Rhett was thinking about the miracle that Scarlett had realized that Miss Melly was lying about him. It is hard to prove that one didn't cheat on one's wife. He also wondered if this would drive a wedge in between Scarlett and Miss Melly. Rhett hoped so. He had considered killing Miss Melly to prevent her from doing them any more harm but had decided against it for two reasons. She could not hurt his and Scarlett's relationship with her lies and if Miss Melly died Scarlett would feel obligated to take care of Mr. Wilkes and Beau. Furthermore, it would be harder to kill Miss Melly and get away with it. People would care about her death.

Scarlett was marveling that she a fairly unobservant person had just known Melly was lying to her. Maybe she was becoming more observant or maybe she hadn't trusted Melly. In her opinion, nobody could be as good as Melanie Wilkes pretended to be. Scarlett was going to give Melly some distance until Scarlett knew she had her emotions under control.

Melly would never know how badly her plan to cause trouble between Rhett and Scarlett had failed. Instead of driving them apart, she had managed to drive them closer together.

The one thing that Rhett had truly done over the last three years was work hard at getting Scarlett to think of him as her best friend. He had cemented himself into her heart as her best friend. As the person Scarlett could turn to for help and security. The person that was always on her side. The person who would never judge her.

Now that Rhett and Scarlett had declared their love to each other, there wasn't enough dynamite in the world to blast Rhett out of Scarlett's heart.

The next several evenings the couple talked about what they should do about the Wilkeses. Temporarily they decided for Scarlett to sell the sawmills and act like she was mad at Rhett until they figured out their plan to serve up justice to Melanie Wilkes.

Rhett took Scarlett down to Tara and they walked around the grounds. Scarlett didn't even get her usual joy out of besting Suellen in a verbal battle.

Scarlett did not call on Melanie in the next couple of days.

Rhett took Scarlett to the jewelry store and bought her an emerald parure. When Scarlett pouted that the parure didn't have diamonds, Rhett said, "Give me a third child and I will buy you a diamond parure."

"I think not. One more and that is it."

Rhett had gone ahead and bought the parure because he knew Scarlett was with child. Besides, she had said that he could start trying if he bought her a parure.

As the couple walked out of the jewelry store, Scarlett thought about the fun she was going to have with her new parure.

After a week, Melly sent a note to Scarlett asking, 'Can Beau come over to play?'

Scarlett sent a note back saying, 'Of course, we will expect you around three-thirty after Wade gets home from school.'

When Melly and Beau showed up at the Butler mansion, she was excited to see how well her plan worked. She just knew it had worked beautifully. As soon as they walked in the mansion, Beau ran up the stairs to Wade's room. Melly walked to the parlor to wait for Scarlett. She sat down on the sofa across from the divan that Scarlett always sat on. She looked around the parlor and wondered how a Robillard could have such bad taste.

After about five minutes, Scarlett entered the parlor with every piece of jewelry in her parure on. It was a necklace, earbobs, a bracelet, and a tiara. As she entered the room, she said, "Melly, I just had to show you the jewelry Rhett bought me."

"What?"

"He bought it for me so I would forgive him. I told him I forgave him, but I really didn't. I figure I am still having to live with him whether he is faithful or not so I might as well get some jewelry out of him being naughty."

"My dear, you will never be able to trust him ever again."

"Melly, I have never expected Rhett to be faithful to me. He has no honor."

"What are you going to do when the matrons and everyone else start talking about him using harlots?"

"They are already talking about him, or you would never have found out. I have an incredibly good life and if Rhett wants to visit a harlot every now and then so much the better. I really don't enjoy performing my wifely duties and furthermore I don't want any more children, so all is good."

"When I told you the news, you were so mad."

"I was mad that everyone knew about it but after Rhett gave me the jewelry, he promised to be more discreet in the future so all is good. Melly, I don't want to talk about it anymore. Tell me what about Ashley and what he is doing. Did Ashley like his party?"

In a daze Melly started telling Scarlett everything that had happened in the last week. She lied about what a good time Ashley had at his party and how surprised he had been.

Rhett got home an hour later with the girls. He took Ella and Bonnie for a walk every afternoon. Not to schmooze with the matrons but because he liked walking with his daughters. When Rhett heard Miss Melly's voice, he took the girls upstairs to the nursery. He returned to the parlor. As he walked in the room he walked over and bent to kiss Scarlett's cheek. She grimaced. Rhett said, "Considering you are wearing my gift, I would expect at least a smile."

Scarlett gave Rhett a tight smile which made Melly happy. Melly thought, 'Despite Scarlett's words there is trouble in the Butler marriage.'

The three people had a stilted conversation for about fifteen minutes. Rhett was making no secret of his anger at Melly. Scarlett was ignoring Rhett as much as possible. Melly was wondering if this would be enough to send Scarlett back into Ashley's arms. She hoped so.

Finally, Melly stood and said, "It is time for me to take my leave."

Rhett said, "Let me go get Beau."

As Scarlett and Melly waited for Beau, Melly said, "Scarlett…"

"No, don't speak about it."

"Of course, Darling, but remember Ashley and I are here for you if you need someone to talk to."

"Of course. Dear."

The ladies heard a small boy hurrying down the stairs therefore the ladies didn't say anything more. Rhett and Scarlett walked Beau and Melly to the door. The ladies hugged and then the Wilkeses were out the door.

As soon as the Wilkeses were out the door, Scarlett turned to Rhett and said, "Now give me a real kiss."

"Certainly."

Rhett kissed Scarlett passionately. Scarlett pulled back and said, "Thank you again for the parure."

"It looks beautiful on you. Tell me about your conversation with Miss Melly."

The couple walked up the stairs while Scarlett told Rhett about her conversation. When she had finished, she said, "At first, I could tell she was extremely disappointed that there wasn't more discord between us. Our performance when you entered the parlor gave her renewed hope that there was turmoil between us."

"Remember she has to believe that we are unhappy because we don't know what she would do to cause trouble between us."

Scarlett sighed and said, "I know I am a fool, but I had so hoped that I had been mistaken about Melly. I thought she was my best friend."

"I am your best friend."

"Yes, I thought I could trust her to the moon and back which is strange to say considering I thought I was in love with her husband and had wished her dead on many of an occasion."

"Yet you stayed with her in Atlanta when her own aunt abandoned her."

"That was for Ashley."

Rhett and Scarlett were at their bedroom door. Rhett waited to respond until they were in the room and the door was closed. He said, "No! You stayed for Miss Melly. If you hadn't loved her, you would have abandoned her when Miss PittyPat was abandoning her."

"I tried to, but she reminded me of the promise I had made to Ashley to take care of her."

Scarlett who had her back to Rhett for him to unbutton her dress turned and stared at him.

Rhett said, "What?"

"I just realized she shouldn't have known about the promise I made to Ashley. I made it to him as he was walking out the door to go to the train station."

Rhett opened his mouth to make a snide comment about her having given away his gift, but thirteen years of training came to his rescue. He didn't let that poisonous dart out of his mouth. That had hurt him because he had wanted her to cherish all of his gifts. To her they were gifts from a friend and not that special. He knew now that if he gave her a gold shawl, she would cherish it until the end of time.

Rhett said, "How did she find out?"

"She either knew he was going to ask me, or she snuck to the head of the stairs to listen to our conversation. Rhett, I have been such a fool."

In truth, Rhett thought she had been a foolish fool, no a foolish child but with his love and security she had begun to grow up. He said, "No, you are just too trusting and too loyal, Scarlett."

"Not anymore. I will only trust you from now on."

"No, Baby, go ahead and trust people. I will be here to make sure they don't take advantage of you. I am too old and bitter to trust anyone any more except maybe you."

"Thank you, Rhett. Thank you for protecting me and trusting me."

"Do you want to…?"

"No, we don't have time before supper."

Rhett smiled. Scarlett had recovered her equilibrium. She was her feisty self again. She said, "Where are we going for our anniversary tomorrow?"

"Main St. Bistro. It is your favorite restaurant."

"Thank you, Rhett."

"You know how you can thank me."

"Rhett! Sssh."

"We are in our bedroom. There is no Ssshing."

Scarlett and Rhett continued talking until they were changed and went down to supper. Supper was normal. Loud and chaotic. Toward the end of the meal, Scarlett looked at Rhett and knew he was enjoying every minute of it. Yes, she would give him another child. He did love his children so much.