Well I tried to make this longer and it took an extra week for 700 more words…Lol. Fail. They brought nothing more to the chapter aside from more words.


-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Part Twelve

Tara

September 11th

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Scarlett took the stairs at Tara for what she imagined was for one of the last times as a resident of the house. They had arrived at Jonesboro just after seven pm and Wade had been half asleep during the wagon ride back to Tara. Scarlett certainly understood what the boy had been feeling for even after freshening up, she was weary herself, but she was a newlywed and she had left Rhett entertaining Suellen and Ella still had to be put down, if the toddler could fall asleep after all of the naps she had taken during the train ride. Their wedding night would likely still have to wait, there was a good chance Ella would be in the bed with them tonight.

"Wonderful news my dear," Rhett said turning as Scarlett walked into the parlor where he was seated on the sofa, leaning back with Ella atop of him playing with his neckcloth.

"Do be careful with Ella before she chokes you and makes me a widow for the third time." Scarlett gave him a look, he let that baby get away with everything.

"I'm glad you're still concerned about my well-being after two days of marriage," he made only a cursory attempt at getting the baby to stop.

"What is this news?" Scarlett questioned and took the baby from him before she sat next to him on the sofa.

"Suellen," he smiled at his sister-in-law.

"Captain Butler's going to take you to New Orleans for a honeymoon. The children will stay with Will and I."

"New Orleans!" Scarlett's eyes went wide.

"A week of uninterrupted fun," he grinned at her, "There are still a great deal of things we'll need for the house and you, my pet need an entire new wardrobe to fit your grand house, we wouldn't want the house outshining you. I've been thinking that plum fabric you bought for the windows would look far grander in Tara's formal parlor, I do believe it's time we began setting that room to rights."

Suellen's eyes beamed.

Scarlett shot a dirty look at her sister, she imagined Suellen would have let her sleep with Rhett under their parents' roof from day one if she had known how greatly it would benefit her. Tara had thrived greatly from Rhett's stay. Slowly pieces trickled into the house, a few new pieces of furniture to suit Rhett's size. A piece of art to hang upon the walls every time Rhett left town. A plush new rug for the parlor because his darling Ella could hardly be expected to play on such a threadbare rug. There wasn't a window, or a floorboard or a wall that had gone unrepaired, Rhett and Will together had finally accomplished the long line of repairs that the house had needed. Somehow Rhett had even talked Will into allowing his workers into the kitchen and there was no trace of the fire that had nearly taken her, Wade and Beau's life.

"Is that your kind way of saying you dislike the plum brocade I selected for the first floor?" Scarlett questioned.

"You meant to dress all of the windows in that?" Rhett turned in shock.

"The fabric is beautiful," she defended.

"In small doses, I suppose, I imagine you wanted a swag over the panels, valences and cornices all on one window making every window your stage."

She said nothing.

"We'll not do such a thing, you wanted a 360-degree view from the house, I'll not let you block it with ornate window treatments. I tolerate wine, I certainly do not want to live inside of the grape."

She tightened her jaw.

"Now Scarlett, I do not mean to offend your taste, the house is turning out lovely, but it already has a lot of personality on its own, we can't mean to keep heavily layering more on."

"So you wanted my input with the house before you married me and now that it is to actually be my home, my opinions no longer matter?"

"Of course, your opinion matters my dear, but the children and I must live there as well. You may block out the sun in your office, but not where the children and I will spend our time."

"The children will not be in the formal parlor," she pointed out.

"Yes, but the plum with clash horribly with the sofa I already purchased."

"You didn't purchase a sofa for that room."

"Of course, I did, last time I was in Atlanta, did I not mention it?" His mind had begun to formulate a plan the moment she showed resistance to gifting the plum fabric to the betterment of Tara.

"Where is it?"

"They're holding it for me until the house is done, the current house is nearly overflowing, why we would have had to carry it upstairs."

"Oh really, what does it look like?"

"It is a cream and maroon, a striped pattern, I like the proper refinement to identify what the actual pattern is called."

"Oh really, what of the wood, the style-"

"Walnut, it's a good large piece, I can sit comfortably upon it, it had something that resembled shells on the arms, Biederman style."

"Biederman, why Rhett that's so outdated and plain."

"Oh Scarlett, your ideas of simple and plain, I have already purchased the sofa my dear. I will go with you to help select fabric for the window treatments since I have seen the sofa and you have not. It shall be one of our activities in New Orleans."

The mention of New Orleans drew Scarlett's attention to Ella practically bouncing off her breasts as she amused herself, it was remarkable what Scarlett had gone numb to since having children. "I can hardly leave Ella, she has yet to fall asleep without nursing." Her daughter was so clingy, Scarlett was aware she had likely kept the baby with her far too often in order to prevent her from being called to do something else.

"Mammy can settle her if you're not there to interfere," Suellen informed her sister. Ella cried for her mother because Scarlett would always end up coming and would do anything to silence the baby.

"There it's settled. We will take our honeymoon and Ella will be fully weaned," Rhett smiled.

Scarlett felt an odd need to pull the baby in closer to her, "The children have never been without me." She had spent a handful of nights away from Wade, but that had been so very long ago. "Why are you both looking at me so?"

"We're in awe of your maternal devotion," Rhett smoothly supplied.

Scarlett scowled at him.

"The children will be fine Scarlett; they'll be with Will and I. Mammy won't let anything happen to them."

"Mammy likely won't let them go when I return," Scarlett frowned as if the old woman had any right to comment on who she married or how often she married. If Mammy hadn't liked Rhett before, she certainly hadn't liked him once he swept into Tara and began to take over the children.

"The children will be moving with us to Calvert, Mammy may move with them, but our children our coming."

Our, the word rang out in Scarlett's head, he was such a good daddy and he had only been their daddy for a matter of days. He had been preparing for it since Frank's death though, the myriad of gifts he had brought back from England had certainly signaled that. "Wade enjoyed playing with Lawrence, are you sure we shouldn't bring the children?"

"I don't imagine we'll see much of Lawrence."

"We can hardly go to New Orleans and not see your ward."

"It is our honeymoon Scarlett. There will be no children."

Her mouth opened.

"We will schedule one afternoon to go out and see Lawrence at his school, but that will be all."

"Please don't tell me we're setting off tomorrow."

"No. We'll take a few days and get the children settled back here. We'll go through Calverton and make notes of what we'll need."

"We could get everything in Atlanta," she offered, loathing the idea of more travel.

"You'll prefer New Orleans, trust me."

Scarlett sighed and looked around the room, "Wasn't Prissy going to bring tea?"

"I had them lay out a late supper in the dining room," Suellen nodded.

"Oh thank heavens. I'm ravenous."

Rhett stood and took Ella from Scarlett before offering her his hand.

o-o-o

Scarlett nursed Ella by candlelight in the nursery. The little girl had half fallen asleep against Rhett's shoulder as they took the late meal. The children it seemed would allow her a wedding night, although at the moment all she wished to do was fall asleep upon Rhett's shoulder just as her daughter had done.

She thought about pleading off another day due to her courses. She took in a deep whiff of her mother's scent and knew she couldn't begin her marriage with a lie.

No she wouldn't lie. She wouldn't manipulate. She would be a good wife this time.

She likely wouldn't participate, but she would let her husband do whatever he wanted with her body tonight.

She laughed lightly at herself, imagining Rhett would be like Charlie or Frank for even a moment. No she imagined Rhett would make it his mission to make her respond, she'd likely end up even more exhausted if she tried to conserve energy.

o-o-o

He was seated by an open window smoking a cigar as she entered her room. He was simply casually sitting in a white nightshirt. No shimmering robe or ornate trim. Simply a white nightshirt. She knew when she got closer to it that it would be made from the finest of linen with stitches so minute she'd loath to repair the shirt.

There had been such an ease to the last two days, while it was disconcerting to have Rhett in her room and Rhett joining her in bed, it didn't feel unnatural or awkward. He hadn't given her a second look as he changed for bed the night before, he hadn't stolen away behind the folding screen.

"Did Ella go down alright?" he asked standing.

"Without a peep," she answered, nearly holding her breath as he crossed the room to her.

"I'm hardly going to fall upon you my dear, I told Prissy, I'd help you undress."

"Thank you," she nodded, "I don't know what I was thinking to travel in this."

"Likely that you looked very fetching and respectable." He smiled as he went to start at the pale blue buttons at the base of her neck, the silk collar went halfway up her neck and did wonderful things to her eyes.

"Thank you for the fabric." He had gifted her bolts of the most exquisite fabrics since he had talked her into their trip. Gifts she shouldn't have accepted especially since they hadn't even been engaged at the time, but she had.

"I did promise to spoil you," he said dropping a kiss to her lips as he reached the last of her buttons on the bodice.

"I don't need you to spoil me," she forced herself to say.

"Then you shall never expect it, but regardless I will always do it," he said as Scarlett stepped out of the top.

Her breath froze for a second as his hands went to her waist to undo her skirt. "I expect we're about to be well and truly married."

He let out a light laugh, "My dear, we have been well and truly married for some months now."

She stepped out of her skirt. "Don't be crass Rhett."

"I was hardly being crass my dear. Frankly, I imagine we were married well before our bodies joined." His hand went to the small fabric bustle meant for travel.

"I don't know what you mean."

He laughed and placed a kiss upon her neck. "Oh my dear, you truly do not. Do you?"

She frowned up at Rhett, he could sometimes make her feel so obtuse or provincial.

As he often did, she was swept up into his arms and he then dropped their bodies down onto a chair. "My dear, what did we do the very first day I arrived at Tara."

"What do you mean?"

"What did we do?"

"Are you trying to get me to kiss you?"

He laughed. "We kissed, yes. What else did we do?"

"We saw Pine Bloom, we got Wade from school, we had dinner."

"You planned out our home, we got our boy from school, you insisted that I move in to Tara. My dear since that very first day, you've been binding us together. We've repaired Tara, we've built up Calverton, we've cared for the children." He laughed at her, "Oh my sweet, we have been married in all but name for some time. Your mind and your body have certainly known for some time. There has simply been some block in your mind from you actually realizing such a thing. I quite assure you, you're the last one, likely in all of Clayton County to realize."

She frowned.

He laughed some more. "My dear, I know you didn't wish to marry again. Trust me, I never wished to marry. I certainly fought against it far longer than you and certainly made both of our lives considerably harder than needed. We were simply meant to marry. I imagine we've been bound together since the moment we first danced. We are simply too alike you and I. It's how alike you and I are that I know we'll have a good marriage."

"Will we?" she asked suddenly nervously, the ever-present fears suddenly returned.

"We will my brave girl," he said stroking her cheek, "I know the courage it took for you to decide we should marry in Charleston."

"Are you finally going to make love to me slowly?"

He smirked, "No my dear. Why in fact I imagine every time I make love to you tonight will be swift as I will be awaiting Mammy to come charging into the room with a skillet for debauching her sweet lamb."

Scarlett laughed, "Every time?"

"I hardly imagine I'll allow you more than a moment or two of sleep when we are finally allowed to lay skin to skin-"

"I bought such beautiful nightgowns."

"You may wear them in the evenings before we retire to bed, when we sleep though it will just be us in bed."

"You can't mean to make love every night."

"Every night, every morning and I imagine at least once during the day. We have several years to make up for."

"Starting now?" she smirked as she felt Rhett's hand upon her breast.

"Starting now," he said capturing her for a kiss.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

She awoke as she had awoken the day before, on Rhett's chest. Only today she did not awaken to see Rhett's smirk and darkly glimmering eyes. Rhett for once was asleep past her, for as she had learned while he lived with them, he required far less sleep than the rest of them. He would stay awake with her, but awaken with Will. Seven hours even working a full day on the farm left Rhett refreshed, they'd likely find Will asleep in the field if he tried to take on the farm with only seven hours of sleep. When the work was truly exhausting, Will could sleep as long as the children. Scarlett wondered what it would take to get Rhett Butler to sleep for eleven hours.

"Are we going for round number four or five?"

Her husband was apparently not asleep. "Neither," she answered. "I imagine we've slept well past the children."

"We should settle the task of more staff before we leave, especially if we're to take Mammy and Prissy."

"We can leave Prissy."

"As trying as you find the woman, I imagine the children would be devastated."

"Yes because she plays with them instead of works unless she's being watched over."

"We'll have Estelle and Mammy."

Scarlett sighed.

He laughed lightly, "Your last good deed at sixteen will haunt you for some time more."

"It was hardly my last good deed, although it certainly reminds me why I do not go out of my way seeking out good deeds."

He laughed again. "I suppose we should rise, we've quite a few tasks to attend to if we're to leave for New Orleans in a few days."

"What have we to do?" she was loathe to leave the comfort of his chest, despite knowing she had children to attend to.

"See to Calverton, any problems that have arisen, get it settled for another week without us. Go through the house make a list of any changes that need to be made for the children and what we'll need to make it comfortable until the new house is done. I need to go into Atlanta, settle matters related to our marriage," acquire that sofa he'd seen his visit before.

"What matters?"

"My current last will and testament is hardly fair to you and the children considering our change in our status. Seeing as you and the children were already named and I made no mention of changes in case of a future marriage, I'd feel far more comfortable having it settled before we travel."

"What type of a place is New Orleans that you feel the need to get your affairs in order?"

"A lovely place, you'll have more fun than you ever imagined, it will put all the barbeques and bazaars to shame. Still I'd feel better settling it now, make sure you and the children, even the future one or two."

"Don't you dare bring up the idea of twins again."

He laughed, "My dear, I'd not if you didn't have the most endearing reaction to it."

"I can hardly figure why you'd consider me terminating your marital rights, endearing."

"You'd never do such a thing."

"Try me."

"I'd never let you," he said moving over her.

She hated herself and him how quickly she was lost, the faintest whisper of what was to come caused her body to respond. "Only one and in the far future," she reminded before she was totally lost, having already forgotten about the two she already had.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Whatever is this list?" Rhett questioned two days later as he stood by Scarlett's secretary as she did the books for Tara, having spent most of the day away from her in Atlanta.

"I told you Suellen and I went to Calverton to go over what we'd need."

"That hardly explains what this is, is this Suellen's handwriting? I know it's neither yours nor Estelle's. Please inform me this is Mammy or Prissy."

"You know neither of them can read or write."

"Neither apparently can your sister."

Scarlett was greatly relieved doors could finally be shut while she and Rhett were in the same room.

"Pour-cil-en Pich-er and Bae-sin."

"Rhett did you keep the ones from the Calverts?"

"They were in fine condition."

"There are only two and they both have chips."

"They were fine for me, you are more than welcome to replace them as soon as you explain to me what happened in regards to your sister's education."

"I certainly don't know," Scarlett shrugged, "we attended the same schools and had the same teachers. That list is rather atrocious even for Suellen. I don't believe she can spell and have emotions at the same time."

"Is this why you always write the menu and shopping list?" Rhett looked up baffled from the list again.

"That and she wouldn't write down what we agreed upon."

"If it weren't for the other children, I'd suggest we hire a tutor to instead educate Iris."

Scarlett laughed.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"I believe we're in need of a nap like Ella," Rhett said softly rubbing his thumb across his wife's palm as they sat in the parlor of Calverton after having finished taking tea with Ella.

"Rhett, we've accomplished practically none of what we need to in order to leave." The first day they'd spent most of it riding and then in the bedroom at Calverton before they'd returned to Tara for dinner. The second, she had gone through the house with Suellen. This was now the third and he'd spent the morning with the trainers, while she finally got around to returning correspondence. "Bishop is still being completely unreasonable about Zeus."

"You and that Arabian," he smiled.

"I cannot believe I wasted the last two months on this horse. Do we present the remaining mares to Thunder Lightening? If it takes then we won't be able to breed them next year."

"No, we kept those mares apart for a reason." He smirked, "We'll keep them chaste until next April. My dear are you planning on keeping me chaste until next April?"

She rolled her eyes, "This is serious Rhett."

"I'll send Franklin to talk to Bishop. He wants that stallion just as much as you."

"I'm going to accept the counteroffer up in Pennsylvania. He'll have to-"

"Go up and retrieve the horse before inclement weather hits the north. I will talk to him before we leave for the day. My dear, should I remind you we are newly married?"

"You're the one that wants to leave in two days and we-"

"You have made your point, we will remain an extra day or two. I have no interest in working ourselves to the bone."

"Rhett, we have barely worked. We've taken care of practically nothing, I don't even know what type of people are around we'll get to replace Mammy and Prissy. Why they might even make Prissy look like a hard worker."

"My sweet, put that out of your mind for now. We will find quality servants for Tara, I am sure I can convince Will to allow me to pay the difference in wages if need be."

"But-"

"My dear, you must put this all out of your mind. Your days of struggling are over. The mares not being bred this year makes no difference in our financial security. We are more than secure. Calverton is no longer your livelihood, but a hobby. You want the Arabian, buy the Arabian at Mr. Bishop's ridiculous asking price. You want the lineage that Zeus will create. We can lose money for years for you to create the desired stock, what puts Calverton on everyone's mind and lips."

"How rich are you?"

"Considering we are talking about Zeus, I suppose the most apt description would be richer than Croesus."

"He was a king."

"Do recall my middle name," he smirked and tugged his wife towards him.


Thanks for reading!