Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.
Chapter Fifteen
Scarlett stood up and said to Mammy, "I know you don't approve. I know you think he is a jackass dressed up in a horse's harness but there is a bond between me and Rhett that will never be broken. Do you want to travel with us? We are going to New Orleans then on to Europe. If you choose not to go, I will buy you a ticket to Tara. I would like you to go but you must behave yourself and show Rhett the proper respect."
"Of course, I am going to go. Someone must take care of Miss Ellen's grandchildren."
"That is the first thing we need to get straight right now. They are not Miss Ellen's grandchildren, but my children and I love them."
"Yes ma'am."
Scarlett handed Ella over to Mammy and said, "Go take the children back to the house and start packing everyone's belongings. Rhett will be here tomorrow at nine to take us to the courthouse."
Scarlett looked at Melanie and smiled. Scarlett said, "Let's sit down," The ladies sat in the parlor. Scarlett continued, "I know Ashley is still recovering, but will you be able to go to the courthouse with me? You were at my first wedding. It would be nice if you were at my last wedding. I will never marry again if something happens to Rhett. Melly, I know it is awful to admit but I have been in love with him since he brought me the green hat."
"I know, Darling. The matrons are going to rake you over the coals and there is only so much I can do."
"By the time we return maybe it will have all blown over and they may have found someone else to talk about."
"You know the talk will start back up when you return."
"Do not worry, my sister, they will always find a way to talk badly about me. I was running a sawmill – bad but nobody but you ever mentioned how many people I was feeding with that money. Danced at the Hospital Bazaar while having just gotten out of deep mourning – bad but I alone made three hundred dollars for the cause. Clan raid went horribly wrong – bad but I never asked anyone to defend my honor, in fact, if they had asked me, I would have told them to, not be stupid. They were just going to bring the Yankee's rath down on us. And it did. They would have lost everything if Rhett hadn't been smart enough to come up with an alibi, sordid though it may be.
The women laughed. Melanie said, "Of course, I will go with you. Ashley would want me to go."
Scarlett stood up and said, "And bring Beau with you."
After Scarlett had returned to Hamilton House, she found Mammy. She was going to straighten Mammy up. She was no longer going to tolerate Mammy lecturing her and treating her like a child. Scarlett found Mammy in the nursery. She said, "Mammy, would you step into the hallway."
As soon as they were in the hallway, Mammy said, "Miss Scarlett, …"
"Mammy don't say what you want to say. You are not my mother, and you are not my conscience. I'm a grown woman of twenty-two with two children. I am, in fact, the matriarch of my family. I have been married two times and to put it bluntly I have been to hell and back. The year and a half after the war and the year and a half of being married to Frank were three years of hell. You know it is true."
"Yes ma'am."
"Rhett loves me, and I love him. We finally have the same goals. You will treat him and me with respect or I will gladly buy you a ticket back to Tara."
"Yes ma'am."
"Please pack my dresses and everything to go under them. For Wade pack his newest clothes also but only things that you think he will be able to wear in three months. Pack all of Ella's clothing. Thank you."
"Yes ma'am."
"Now, come give me a hug and we will not speak of this again."
With a smile Mammy said, "Of course, child
As Mammy watched Miss Scarlett walked into her room, she wondered when the child had grown up. She guessed with Mr. Kennedy's death.
Over supper, Scarlett told PittyPat, "Rhett and I are getting married tomorrow at the courthouse."
"Dear, you can't marry Captain Butler. He isn't received."
"He is received by me."
"Dear, you can't marry him tomorrow. Mr. Kennedy hasn't even been gone for a week."
"Aunt PittyPat, you know I didn't love Frank."
"Are you and Captain Butler going to live here?"
"No. I don't even know how much time we will be spending in Atlanta."
The rest of the meal, PittyPat tried to talk Scarlett out of marrying Rhett. Scarlett calmly finished her meal. Every time PittyPat took a breath Scarlett asked Wade a question. Scarlett finally said, "Aunt PittyPat, stop. You aren't telling me anything I don't already know. Rhett and I love each other. We have for a while. I have finally decided to be married to him despite the damage it will do to my reputation. Are you finished, Wade?" With the boy's nod, Scarlett stood up, and said, "Let's get you ready for bed."
Mother and child left the dining room. PittyPat was beside herself with despair. She decided to have a sip of brandy. After she finished the brandy, she knew there wasn't anything she could do to stop Scarlett. She was glad Scarlett wasn't going to be living with her anymore. All her inappropriate behavior had been a great source of embarrassment to Sarah Jane.
That night in her bed, Scarlett thought about Rhett's utter confidence in his sexual ability. She decided that Rhett had never been with a proper lady, or he would never have made that statement about not doing it again if she didn't have fun. She smiled.
She now knew what had happened in New Orleans. When she wasn't responding and behaving the way he expected her to behave in his egotism he could never accept that he was the problem or that his skills were lacking. Scarlett smiled when she thought, 'The truth was that his skills were not lacking. It was what I had been through and what had been drilled into me. What ladies did and didn't do. He must have decided that I must be holding myself back which would make sense to him since he was holding himself back. I know now he was so confident in his ability that would be the only thing that made sense to him. He had formed that conclusion and then never questioned it. She knew now Rhett never questioned his decisions. My sigh that night had confirmed what he believed.'
When Rhett got to the Hamilton House at nine the next morning, Scarlett greeted him at the door in a pretty cream dress. He said, "You look lovely."
"Thank you. You look very handsome.
Indeed, Scarlett could tell that Rhett had taken special care with his appearance. He was wearing a gray suit with a green waistcoat and a green and gray ascot. It looked like he had gotten his haircut the day before. On top of his head was that ridiculous top hat. She knew now that Rhett had planned on asking her to marry him that afternoon in Frank's store. He must think that he looked very debonair in the top hat. She was going to have to accidentally destroy that hat.
Rhett said, "Is everyone ready to go?"
"Yes."
"We have an appointment with the judge for nine-thirty."
"Perfect. Let's go," After everyone was out the door, Scarlett turned to PittyPat and said, "Auntie, go have a glass of brandy to settle your nerves. You can cheer yourself up with the knowledge that soon I won't be your responsibility."
As everyone left the house, PittyPat stood in the foyer wringing her hands. Before Rhett had arrived, she had begged Melanie to help her convince Scarlett not to marry Captain Butler or at least not this quickly. Melanie had said, "Auntie, once Scarlett has her mind made up nothing will change it."
Scarlett had laughed and said, "My greatest asset and my worst fault."
The carriage was full between Mammy, the children, Melanie, Scarlett, and Rhett which made it easier for Scarlett to sit awfully close to Rhett. He took her hand and said, "I will buy us rings when we get to London."
"You are going to wear a wedding ring."
"Of course. Why wouldn't I wear one? I like wearing jewelry. I imagine not as much as you, but I do like wearing rings, bracelets, and necklaces."
Scarlett smiled at Rhett. He smiled back.
The group got to the courthouse and the judge was available to perform the service. The last time they had gotten married it had been in the Hamilton House, but they had a judge perform the service then also.
Scarlett said her vows first. They were the same vows she had spoken before but this time she meant every word. The time before she hadn't even thought about the words she was saying. She said, "I, Scarlett, take you Rhett to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward; for better or for worse; for richer; for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish from this day forward until death do us part."
When Scarlett was finished, she thought, 'We have already had the 'for worse.' Let's hope we get it right this time.'
Rhett recited his vows second. Again, they were the same vows he had spoken before but this time she could see the hope and happiness in his eyes. The love. He said, "I, Rhett, take you Scarlett to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward; for better or for worse; for richer; for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish from this day forward until death do us part."
The judge pronounced them husband and wife. Rhett paid the man and the group left.
They went to the portrait studio and had pictures taken. One of Rhett and Scarlett. One of Rhett, Scarlett, and the children. One of Scarlett and Melanie. One of Melanie, Scarlett, Beau, Wade and Ella.
When the photographer told Rhett the pictures would not be ready until the next week, Scarlett said, "Melly, will you pick them up for us. Then I can get them from you when we return."
"Of course, Darling."
Soon the group was returning back to the Hamilton House to drop Melly, Mammy, and the children off. When they got there Scarlett said to Rhett, "I need to get my carpetbag and talk to Wade. I need to explain to him that I am spending the night with you, and I will return in the morning. He is very anxious about me these days. He is afraid he is going to lose me too."
"Alright."
As they all walked into the house, Scarlett took Wade's hand and said, "Let's you and I talk for just a second."
"Alright."
"I am going to spend the day with Uncle Rhett. We are going to go out for supper, and we will be out extremely late, so I won't see you until tomorrow morning. I will bring a nice surprise for breakfast tomorrow morning. I don't want you to worry about me. I will be back in the morning. You are going to spend the night with Beau and Aunt Melly. Ella is going to stay here with Mammy."
"I understand."
Scarlett hugged her son and said, "You are such a good boy."
Wade beamed.
Scarlett thought, 'It takes so little to make him happy.'
Scarlett hugged and kissed her daughter. When the child smiled at Scarlett, she saw that Ella wasn't as unattractive as she had been when she was first born. The child had her green eyes, her smile, and her dimples. Scarlett thought, 'I can work with this.'
Scarlett told everyone goodbye. She linked her arm into Rhett's and said, "It is time to go, my husband."
Rhett smiled and said, "Then come along, my wife."