Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

Chapter Two

Rhett, Melanie, and Scarlett's conversation ceased when Dr. Meade started talking about everything the hospital needed and was going to need in the near future. He then looked at Mrs. Meade who gave him a nod of encouragement. Dr. Meade said, "It is always a sought-after position to lead the reel therefore we are going to auction off that position. Gentlemen offer your bids and the lady you would like to dance with."

Rene Picard shouted out, "Five dollars for Miss Merriwether"

Tommy Welburn shouted out, "Ten dollars for Miss Elsing."

There was a quiet and Dr. Meade said, "Gentlemen, are you going to let the most prized position be won for just ten dollars."

Another gentleman shouted out, "Eleven dollars for Miss Whitaker."

It was quiet again and Rhett Butler strolled into the middle of the dance floor and said, "One hundred and fifty dollars in gold for Mrs. Charles Hamilton."

"Mrs. Hamilton is in mourning. Would you care to choose another of our lovely ladies?"

"No, just Mrs. Hamilton."

Scarlett had been busily thinking. How could she accept the offer to dance but still maintain her reputation? She looked at Melanie and knew how. She whispered to Melanie, "That is so much money that the hospital could use. With that much money think of how many men they could save. Men like Charlie."

"That is a lot of money."

"Too bad I can't accept the dances, but I would not dishonor Charlie's memory that way."

Dr. Meade said, "She will not accept."

Scarlett heard Melanie say, "Yes, she will. For the cause."

It made Scarlett smile. Melanie was so easy to manipulate. Scarlett said, "No, Charlie..."

"Would understand. Go!"

"If you think I should. I will."

Scarlett hurried down the aisle to join Mr. Butler on the dance floor. Rhett said, "Thank you for accepting."

"I didn't accept Melanie did."

Mr. Butler smiled like he knew she had manipulated Melanie. Yes, she could not underestimate this man. He could see too much. Probably because he was so cynical. She wasn't going to worry about it right now. She was getting to dance. She so loved to dance. Mr. Butler was a great dancer. They danced the entire set.

When Rhett walked the fascinating young woman back to her booth he said, "Can I call on you?"

"Of course not, Mr. Butler. You are not received."

"Of course, Mrs. Hamilton."

Rhett went and found the young soldier who was carrying the basket around. He offered him a five-dollar gold piece in exchange for the two wedding rings. The soldier had quickly accepted. The soldier had even helped Rhett find the rings.

When Scarlett was back at her booth she thought, 'Mr. Butler is such a show-off. He bid that much money to dance with me to let everyone know how rich he was. That he was so rich that he could spend a hundred and fifty dollars just to dance with a girl. I am glad he did. That amount of money was what enabled me to manipulate Melanie.'

Rhett and Scarlett had danced two more sets which Rhett had bid money on her in order to get to dance with her. Scarlett smiled. He was unquestionably enthralled by her. She knew he was the kind of man that would deny having any feeling for her, but he had already given it away when he told her he wanted her to tell him the same thing she had told Wimp. That she loved him. Nobody cares what another person feels unless they already have feelings for that person.

She had pretended to be mad when he had called her out on rubbing her body against him. He had said, "I am not some wet behind the ears boy. I am a man who has control over his body."

Scarlett had forced herself to smile like she knew he was lying. She had seen his eyes tighten just slightly and knew then that he had been lying. She had gotten to him. She knew she had. He was a man wasn't he.

As Scarlett watched Rhett Butler walk away after their last dance, she wondered how he was going to get himself received into the Hamilton House. He was a war hero now so maybe people will overlook the fact that he was not received. She looked at her sister-in-law. Yes, through Melanie was how he was going to get into the Hamilton House.

Mr. Butler escorted the ladies to their coach. Scarlett got in first then Melanie. After they were seated, Rhett handed Mrs. Wilkes their rings and said, "Some things are too great a price to pay."

"Mr. Butler, thank you so much. How?"

"I bought them back with a twenty-dollar gold piece."

Scarlett cynically thought, 'It probably really was a five-dollar gold piece.'

"You must come to dinner tomorrow at noon so I can thank you properly. I won't take no for an answer."

"If you won't take no for an answer then I guess I must say yes. What is your address?"

"409 Pecan Street."

"I will look forward to it."

Rhett looked at Scarlett and smirked. Scarlett rolled her eyes and turned away from him. She had to turn away so he wouldn't see the smile on her face. She was beginning to think they were just alike. Ruthless.

Rhett went to the Hamilton House the next day. As he was riding over there, he wondered what the hell he was doing. He had never wanted to have anything to do with proper society since his father had disowned him. Before his appearance at the barbecue, he could not remember the last time he had been to a gentry social event. When Mr. Kennedy had invited him to attend the barbecue, he had almost reflexively said no. He remembered he had nothing else to do that day until after six when he could take money off fools who should never play poker. A memory from his youth flashed through his brain. A memory of roast pig, potato salad, baked beans, and rolls. He wanted to taste those dishes again. The food certainly had been good and Miss O'Hara so very entertaining. He had not known how entertaining she was going to be. He could have continued lying there even after she had thrown the vase at the wall, but he couldn't control what happened next. He had popped up. He had to see her. He had to tease her.

Once he saw her, he had instantly imagined her in his bed and her underneath him. He had never thought to see her again, so he wanted a full and luscious memory of what she had looked like, so he continued to speak to her. He had dreamed about her many of a time. He had on several occasions imagine the whore he was with was her. He had certainly thought about her when he had masturbated on the ship going to and from France. Now because he was a war hero, he might have an opportunity to seduce her. Although he knew she was a lot more aware of her sexuality than most women of her station. He had definitely been surprised when she had known he had been lying about his body not reacting to her closeness. He would have to watch his step with her.

Rhett stopped thinking about seducing Mrs. Hamilton. If he didn't his body would betray him again. It seemed around Mrs. Hamilton he could not control his body.

Sunday dinner at the Hamiltons was delightful. The conversation was nice. Rhett entertained the ladies with stories of his adventures. He kept the ladies laughing the entire meal. As Rhett got up to leave Melanie said, "When do you leave to return to France?"

"In a week."

"Next Saturday morning."

"You will have to come to call next time you are in Atlanta."

"I would be honored, Mrs. Wilkes."

On Wednesday, Scarlett got a telegram from her parents telling her that her Pa would be in Atlanta on Friday morning. He would be there to buy supplies. Scarlett's first thought was, 'What busy body wrote my mother about me dancing? Hopefully, Pa will buy my story about Melanie accepting the dances.'

Scarlett met her father at the train station on Friday morning. They went to Edwards' General Store. Gerald talked pleasantly on the way to the store. Gerald said, "Mrs. Meade wrote Mrs. O'Hara a lovely letter about your sacrifice at the Hospital Bazaar. She wrote that you alone raised three hundred dollars that the hospital desperately needed. That you put your grief aside and danced with the blockade runner Rhett Butler just to earn money for the cause."

"It was Melanie's idea."

"As Mrs. Meade also wrote in her letter. I know it made it easier for you to do because of Mrs. Wilkes support."

Scarlett put just enough emotion in her voice and said, "Charlie would have wanted me to do it."

"Indeed, he would."

Scarlett marveled at the adamant way her father had made his statement. He had not known Charlie personally which again made her wonder why he had approved the match. Scarlett knew why. It was an incredibly good match for a half Irish girl of peasant descent. Her father would know the liability he had bestowed upon his daughters. She smiled sweetly at her father. He was as ruthless as she was. Afterall, he had gotten a man drunk and basically stolen his plantation away from him. He had taken advantage of a heart broken fifteen-year-old girl of exceptionally good breeding to get her to marry him and come to the back woods of Georgia. He had used the scandal that the girl was involved in to convince the girl's very proper father to approve the match so the entire scandal could be swept under the carpet. Scarlett knew her father loved her mother which was probably how he justified his actions to himself. Then again, he might not have felt the need to justify his actions to himself. He might be as amoral as his eldest daughter.

Father and daughter had a lovely day. Gerald ordered all his supplies which would be delivered within the week. Gerald had a lengthy conversation with the shop owner about the merits of the war. Scarlett had coerced her father into going by Henry Hamilton's office and drawing up a will. She had used Charlie's unexpected death to support her plan for Gerald to draw up a will. Gerald had left everything he owned to his eldest daughter. He knew that Katie Scarlett was not a very compassionate person, but he hoped she would take care of her mother and sisters. Gerald believed that she had enough Irish in her to feel the need to take care of one's family. When they left Mr. Hamilton's office, Scarlett had the will in her purse.

While they were at Uncle Henry's office, Scarlett had asked about the rental properties she had in Atlanta. Charlie had left her some cash money but not a lot. He had left her two plots of land and half of the Hamilton House. Both plots of land had businesses on them, so they were bringing in some income to her. That was good because Pa didn't have a lot of cash money right now. He would have to sell his cotton but in order to sell his cotton he had to find someone to buy it. None of the cotton brokers were buying cotton because they had warehouses of it that they could not get to England.

Scarlett vaguely remembered her father and other men talk about how England would support them for their bid for independence because of England's need for their cotton. She knew nobody was supporting the Confederacy, so she guessed England's need for cotton wasn't that great.

Father and daughter had dinner at the Hamilton House with Melly and PittyPat. Gerald entertained the ladies with stories of his youth. By three o'clock Gerald was on the train to Jonesboro.

As Scarlett had ridden back to the Hamilton House, she marveled at her good luck that Mrs. Meade had written to her mother praising her actions. Scarlett felt sure that at least one busy body had written her mother also but with Mrs. Meade praising her actions and writing that it had been Melanie's idea her parents weren't going to censure her or worst make her return to Tara.