Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Thirty-Three

The next night the couple went to supper. Scarlett wore her emerald parure. She had a sapphire parure also that Rhett had given her on the birth of their daughter. She thought she looked good in her jewelry. Judging by Rhett's appreciative looks she figured she looked good in her dress also. She looked at Rhett while he was studying the menu. She saw that he had a little bit of gray at his temples. He also had a few more wrinkles but overall, she liked the way he looked. She would keep him. She smiled it didn't really matter they were stuck with each other now. Ever since that day in April so long ago.

Rhett did not get oysters as an appetizer. He said, "We don't need all that."

Scarlett had smiled and said, "No, we don't."

After Rhett and Scarlett had ordered their entrees, he said, "Do you have any ideas what you are going to do about Miss Melly?"

"In a way. You are going to take me back to Paris."

"I am alright with that, but you are just postponing dealing with the problem."

"That is the problem, Rhett. I don't know how to deal with the problem. If we go to Paris, then that will give you six months to figure out what I need to do."

With a smile on his face, Rhett said, "Why would I do that?"

"Because you will think of a way to torture her while it will appear like we haven't done anything."

"I will certainly put my mind to the assignment. When do you want to leave for Paris?"

"As soon as the mill is sold."

"I could start the rumor that he has been seen frequenting brothels."

Scarlett laughed and said, "I'm surprised he doesn't, considering Melly's condition and all."

Rhett laughed and said, "It wouldn't be proper."

"No, it wouldn't which would make it that much funnier."

"I would like to especially since that is what she said about me."

"Unfortunately, I don't think anyone would believe you but go ahead and spread that rumor any way."

The couple laughed. Finally, Rhett said, "I will think on how we are going to pay Miss Melly back for her lies later. Right now, I would rather not think about the Wilkeses at all."

"Me neither."

"Since you will be feeling good, we can do a Grand Tour of Europe."

"You plan where you think we should go."

"Alright. I will hire a tutor to travel with us."

"Good idea. I don't want Wade to fall behind."

"Nor do I."

For the rest of the evening, Rhett told Scarlett all about the sites they were going to visit in the next coming months. They had a bottle of champagne to celebrate and a piece of pecan pie that they shared. After they were intimate and Scarlett was asleep, Rhett reflected on the fact that they had left Atlanta in his earlier timeline about this same time. He thought that was strange, but he wasn't going to dwell on it too long. He was simply happy to get Scarlett out of Georgia and away from the Wilkeses.

The rest of the month it was easy to make Melanie think Rhett and Scarlett were an unhappy couple. The only time Melly and Scarlett interacted was twice a week when Beau and Wade had their biweekly playdates. Any time that Melly hinted at the trouble between Rhett and Scarlett, Scarlett shut the conversation down with a cold, terse statement. She would say, "I don't want to talk about it. I have to live with him and his activities. It is easier if I don't think about it."

"Of course, Dear."

"If you ever want to talk, Ashley and I are available."

"Of course, you and Ashley have been a great comfort to me during these trying times. I don't know what I would do without you and Ashley."

When Scarlett saw Melly's quick smirk Scarlett knew she had fooled her Judas.

A week later when Melanie and Beau came to visit Scarlett put her new plan into motion. She had thought of a way to torture Melly. She said, "I think I am with child again."

"But I thought….."

"You thought Rhett and I weren't because he was using harlots," Here Scarlett laughed a mean laugh and added, "I wish. No, Rhett has an extremely… Well, it wouldn't be proper for me to say anything more."

"I don't know what to say."

"Now you understand why I am so accepting of Rhett using harlots. It is nice to get a break every now and then. Melly, you don't know how lucky you are that you don't have to endure performing your wifely duties. Much less have to suffer through carrying another child. And we aren't even going to talk about labor and delivery."

"I would gladly suffer through carrying another child to be able to have more children."

"Isn't it a shame how life is? I don't want any more children and can have as many as I want, and you do want children and can't have any more because something is broken inside you."

"Scarlett! How can you say that?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I was just speaking the truth."

Shortly thereafter Melly left the mansion. She was fuming all the way home. That would just be like life. Ungrateful Scarlett would get another child and she would get nothing. The only part that made her happy was that at least Scarlett was having to still perform her wifely duties.

As Melly looked at their buggy and their old horse, she was furious. Just last week, Scarlett was bragging about her new buggy and how wonderful it was that Rhett had bought it for her. Melly had not detected a touch of anger in Scarlett's words. That would be just like shallow Scarlett. To be more concerned about what she could get out of a situation than what was right and proper.

After a month of her sawmills being on the market, Mr. Powe contacted Scarlett. He had received a good offer on her part of the sawmills. The next day, Scarlett and Rhett went to the lawyer's office. She signed the papers and just like that she was no longer a sawmill owner. As they got in the carriage, Scarlett said, "Let's go out to the sawmills and tell my managers that I am no longer their boss."

"You bet."

After Rhett and Scarlett got to Johnny's mill, they walked in the office. When Johnny saw them, he stood up and said, "What do you want?"

"To tell you that I am no longer your boss, I sold the sawmills to Lorne Greene."

"When does he take over?"

"Tomorrow morning. Come on, Rhett, let's go."

"Goodbye, Mrs. Butler."

"Bye."

Rhett helped Scarlett into the carriage. After they were settled, he said, "I don't think he is going to miss you."

"I don't think he is even going to notice I am gone."

Rhett and Scarlett laughed. They happily chatted on the way to Ashley's sawmill. They talked about their trip to Europe. At last, they arrived at Ashley's mills.

As Rhett helped Scarlett down, she gave him a quick hug. She said, "No matter what he says remember I love you."

"No matter what he says I love you."

Rhett and Scarlett kissed although it was inappropriate. They didn't care.

Gus saw Scarlett getting down from her carriage. There was a large man with her. Gus knew without being told that the man was Mrs. Butler's husband. It was the possessive way the man was behaving towards his wife. Not just possessive but protective also. Gus smiled.

Scarlett wave Gus over. When he reached the couple, she said, "Gus, I would like for you to meet my husband, Rhett Butler. Rhett, Gus Walton."

"Nice to meet you, Sir."

"You too, Gus."

"Gus, we are out here to tell Ashley that I have sold my part of the sawmills."

"I will miss having you as a boss. Even though I don't plan to be in Atlanta much longer."

"Where are you going?"

"I have family in Arkansas. My brother. He has a general store that he needs help running. I just need to save up about another twenty dollars to pay for the trip."

Rhett got his wallet out and took two twenties out. He said, "Here."

"I can't accept your money."

"How about you think of it as payment for protecting Mrs. Butler's reputation. That action was priceless."

Gus really didn't want to take the money, but he knew it would be at least another year before he could manage to save twenty dollars, much less forty dollars. He wasn't going to let his pride get in the way of his future. That was just poppycock. He reached out and took the money. He said, "Thank you, Sir."

Scarlett said, "Good luck. I will miss you."

"Thank you."

As Gus watched the couple walk away, he decided that Mrs. Butler knew that sooner or later Mr. Wilkes would do something inappropriate. Gus decided that she was smart to not take any chances with her reputation and her marriage.

Ashley was shocked when Scarlett and Rhett walked into the office. He recovered his wits quick enough to say, "Scarlett, Captain Butler. What brings you out to the sawmill?'

"I just wanted to tell you personally that I have sold my part in the sawmill."

"Why? Why did you do that? Why didn't you talk to me about it?"

"Why would I?"

"I am your partner."

"You were my partner. I have already signed the papers. I sold my part to Lorne Greene. He will take over tomorrow."

Ashley was desperately trying to think of something to stop this from happening. As he looked at the couple's faces, he knew that there was nothing he could do to prevent Scarlett from selling her part of the sawmills. In truth judging by the expression on Scarlett's face, she no longer even thought of him as a friend anymore. Therefore, she would not tolerate his mistakes or his lack of effort anymore.

"I don't think I know a Lorne Greene."

"Probably not. He is a Yankee."

"You sold your part of the sawmills to a Yankee?!"

"Why wouldn't I? He offered me an exceptionally good price for them."

"They are the enemy."

"No, they aren't. They are the ones with the money. No Southerner would have been able to meet my asking price. Besides, the war is over. We lost. We have to move on. There is nothing left of our old world."

"Scarlett, there are the mores and standards that remain."

Rhett said, "You mean an antiquated, rigid, cruel system that severely punishes anyone for going against the norm no matter what the circumstances are."

"Captain Butler, you are wrong. The mores and standards of Southern society are what separate us from the uncivilized people."

"Uncivilized people are some of my best business partners."

"You should have higher standards if not for yourself for your wife and child."

"Children. All Scarlett's children are my children." He said to Scarlett, "Are you ready to go?"

"Not quite. I want you to know that Saturday Rhett and I are leaving to go on a tour of Europe. We don't know when we will be back. That was another reason I had to sell my part of the sawmills."

Inanely Ashley said, "Have fun."

"Thank you. Now I am ready to go, Rhett."

As Rhett and Scarlett left the office, he couldn't stop himself from smirking at Mr. Wilkes. After the door was shut Ashley thought, 'I, indeed, have lost Scarlett completely. She now looks at Butler the way she once looked at me.'

When Rhett and Scarlett got in the carriage she said, "Have you been spreading the rumor about Ashley using whores?"

"Yes, it seems I am not the only person who Mr. Wilkes irritates. A lot of people are annoyed by how proper he pretends to be. They absolutely loved hearing some dirt on Wilkes. One of them being Johnny. I think he told every person in the Blue Bird of Happiness. I told Johnny that Wilkes frequents the Silver Slipper which Johnny loved even more," At Scarlett's confused look, Rhett added, "Remember me telling you what a dive it was?"

"Oh yes."

Scarlett burst out laughing and Rhett joined her.