Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Forty-Seven

After the couple had left the Grand Opening, Scarlett said, "It is so nice to not be received. I don't have to talk to anyone I don't want to talk to."

"True. You did a good job of spreading the word about the opening of the store. I saw a lot of the wives in the store today."

"They alone will be able to keep Fanny and maybe Rene in business."

"I think you are well on your way to becoming an investor."

"I think so too. How do you feel about investing in a horse farm?"

"I have no feelings on it whatsoever."

"I am going to invest in a cotton gin or two and I want to invest in a horse farm. No, that isn't quite right. I want to start a horse farm. I will not have enough money for the horse farm therefore, I will need you to invest also."

"Tell me more, my love."

On the way back to their home, Scarlett told Rhett about the Tarletons, Henry Stanley and David Livingstone. Mr. Stanley and Mr. Livingston owned cotton gins in Clayton County. Scarlett believed there was money to be made in the ginning business.

After Scarlett had finished speaking, Rhett said, "We will not make a fortune, but I don't think we will lose money. We will be doing someone a good turn."

"Yes, Rhett, we will. I don't know why you loaned me the five hundred dollars but nobody else would have."

"I loaned you the five hundred dollars to stay in your life."

"I'm so glad you did for so many reasons."

Scarlett squeezed Rhett's arm. He gave her a quick kiss and because they were in their open buggy in the middle of the afternoon, he made himself stop. He changed the subject by saying, "Let's go to Clayton County next week."

"Yes! That sounds wonderful. I am going to start Ella on music lessons. She will need to learn how to play the piano and learn how to sing to be a proper lady."

Rhett burst out laughing and said, "You are going to make your daughters behave like proper ladies?"

"I am going to teach my children the rules so they can function in the society that they will grow up in. Whether we live here in the South or in the North or out West or in Europe there will always be rules of behavior and expectations. There will always be matrons. There will always be people gossiping. If they break the rules, then that will be their choice. I just want them to know the rules."

"You are right. We know the rules, we just choose not to follow them."

Scarlett looked at Rhett with all her love on her face and Rhett's heart soared. It soared because no matter how many times she told him she loved him; it would never be enough. He knew he didn't deserve this woman's love but somehow, he had gotten it. He would fight with everything he had to keep that love.

Rhett marveled that he had actually listened to himself. That he had actually believed what his older self had said. That he had changed his ways so completely. That he had stopped hurting the woman he loved just because she didn't love him. Now he had all this. It truly was a miracle.

The Wilkes were completely moved into the Hamilton House. They had sold most of their furniture. It wasn't worth much, but they could use the little money they received from the sale of their household items.

Ashley had already received an incredibly good offer on the house on Ivy Street which he had accepted. The papers had not been signed but that was just a mere formality. Ashley had put the house out of his mind. To him it was no longer relevant.

To Melanie it was one more time that her dreams had been dashed. Nothing had changed since she married Ashley. She was still living at Hamilton House. She was still occupying the same room she had grown up in. No, that wasn't right. Lots had changed for the worse. They were no longer well to do although they were doing better financially now. She now knew that all the other women in her age group only tolerated her. None of them trusted her. Beau was the only child she was going to get and while she loved Beau, she had wanted so many more. The worst insight she had was that Scarlett O'Hara who she had always felt so superior to in brains and in husbands was far better off in this world than she was. Scarlett's husband loved her with a passion. Her husband loved her enough to kill for her. She doubted that Ashley would even raise a stink if someone hurt her.

This was Melly's lot in life now. One child, a husband who was just a teller, a husband who used whores, none of the women in her age group would ever be her friend because they didn't think she was a trustworthy person, and the worst possible reality – it was never going to get any better than this. She smiled a cynical smile when she thought, 'I can't forget my bitter sister-in-law and my dingbat of an aunt who will round out my pathetic life. I am going to stop pretending to be friends with Scarlett. I don't want to have to witness her incredible life. Maybe I will make some new friends although I don't know who they would be.'

That evening as the family was sitting in the parlor which was as shabby as the parlor of the house on Ivy Street, Melly smiled. It hadn't taken a week for Ashley to quit joining them in the parlor in the evenings. He had taken to sitting on the porch supposedly to catch a breeze, but Melly knew it was to get away from Aunt PittyPat. She was letting the conversation flow around her without really paying attention. India and PittyPat were talking about the brave thing that Hugh Elsing had done. He had opened another store which was wonderful even if the store was on the side of town that the Yankees lived on. They talked about how they thought Fanny was spending too much time at the store. They were also talking about the delicious food that Rene and his cousin had cooked up, although being a chef certainly wasn't gentlemanly. Melly thought, 'I guess we are all leaving the old ways behind. At least, now I am getting enough to eat, a new dress every now and then, and I don't have to perform my wifely duties.'

The next Monday, Rene and Claude called at the mansion at nine. Claude's last name was Picard also therefore he was happy with their business being called Picard's French Bistro. The building that Fanny was buying had once been a house therefore it had a kitchen. For now, Rene and Claude were going to work out of that kitchen. Fanny was happy with them working out of her store.

Scarlett said, "That would be beneficial for both of you. You would pull in customers and Fanny will pull in customers. Smart thinking."

Rene said, "We need one hundred dollars for supplies and another two hundred dollars for the steam oven."

Claude said, "When we can afford our own place the steam oven can move with us."

The trio talked some more about all the details. This was going to be a leap of faith for Scarlett, and she normally didn't have faith in other people, but Rhett had encouraged her to invest in Picard's French Bistro, so she was going to do it. If Rhett thought it was a good idea, then it probably was.

Finally, Scarlett said, "I don't need to know all the details. I will get a contract drawn up and we will sign it. I will be loaning you the money at three percent interest."

"Thank you, Scarlett."

"What does Mrs. Merriwether think of all this?"

"She is pretty mad about it. She will now have to hire someone to sell her pies. She blames it all on you."

"Of course, she does. Don't you know I am to blame for anything bad that happens in Atlanta. I have even heard there are people who blame me for starting the war," Both men laughed while Scarlett checked her watch. She stood up and said, "Can you see yourselves out? I must go. I have another appointment."

"Of course."

"Of course."

While Scarlett was completing her negotiations with the Picards, Rhett was reading a letter from his mother. She had written to thank him for the pictures. She wrote in her letter that Gerry looked just like him. That Rhett had a nice family, and he should be proud. Then there was the sentence that made Rhett's blood boil. Elizabeth had written – We are barely able to make ends meet on the amount of money you send us every month. Is there any way you could raise our support check?

Rhett wrote back – No, I will not raise your support check. My advice is to stop putting so much in savings. You are just God damn lucky I don't stop your support check all together, you bitch. Yet because of you trying to cheat me out of more money that you don't need, I will be reducing your support check by twenty-five percent.

He wrote Mr. Mobbs a letter also telling him of the change. Rhett took the letters to the post office and mailed them before he changed his mind. He spent the rest of the morning riding his horse. When he returned home, he had gotten his temper under control, but he was no less mad.

Later that night when Rhett was reading Scarlett a story while she was nursing Gerry, she interrupted him to say, "What is wrong?"

Rhett smiled. No Scarlett was no longer obtuse. At least as far as he was concerned. He replied, "I will tell you when he is finished."

"Alright. Continue reading."

After Rhett had put Gerry in his bassinet, with his back to Scarlett he said, "My mother wrote me to thank me for sending her the pictures."

"That's wonderful, isn't it?"

Rhett turned around to face Scarlett and she was sitting at her vanity table with her back to him brushing her hair. He said, "She asked me to raise her support check."

"And."

"Don't ask me how I know this, but I know that she puts half of her support check in the bank. She was trying to get more money out of me that she doesn't need."

"How…." After looking at Rhett's face Scarlett knew he wasn't going to tell her how he knew that fact, but she was sure he had gotten the information from a reliable person. Instead, she said, "The witch."

"My sentiments exactly."

"What are you going to do?"

"I wrote her back and told her I would not be raising her support check."

"And?"

"But because she tried to take advantage of my generosity, I would be reducing her support check by twenty-five percent."

Scarlett smiled and said, "Now there is the cold, hard man that I married."

Scarlett stood up and walked over to the bed. She removed her dressing gown. She then had nothing on. As she climbed into the bed, she said, "Come to bed, Baby. I will make you forget all about that awful woman."

"Gladly."

Rhett was soon in the bed also. Scarlett did make Rhett forget all about his mother. Actually, she made him forget about everything else. She had pleasured him orally. By now she was quite talented at the act. She would get him extremely excited then back off over and over again until he couldn't stand it anymore. At that point he would take control of the situation and find his satisfaction. Of course, she was getting her satisfaction also.