Chapter 28
"It will be all right" said Scarlett to herself. "Wade doesn't look very bright and sometimes he act all timid and quiet but he can be a lawyer if he really wants to. He can. It's the interest that matters, isn't it? And Melly was so encouraging. She must have known Wade better than herself. Melly understood him and she wanted him to do law. So, Wade will find a way. He will be a lawyer and a good one at than..even if he looks so quiet and moody now.."
Scarlett wiped some sweat off her forehead, feeling uncomfortable and vaguely irritated. She glanced at Rhett. He'd always told her that she had only a peasant's crude intelligence but here she was.. able to read into the future and pick up abstract patterns. She was able to do it.
She could be highly intelligent too.. if she wanted to.
But she hadn't wanted to.
Because if she had tried to think like this, she would have known instantly that her mother did not love her. Ellen didn't love her precocious nature. Her eyes never shone with pride when Scarlett, as a child, had climbed trees, won races, collected rocks and things from the gardens, splashed and tore her frocks by clambering on the rocks across the river..etc.. Ellen had only looked and disapproved because it did not align with her vision.
That's why Scarlett had shut down this ability to note nuances, expressions and predict future outcomes.
And as she stood in the sun, watching her barbeque party, the old fear of running through the mist gripped her in a frenzied hold.
Things appeared enveloping and frightening to her. Some children were clamouring for their parents to mount them up on ponies.. but the ponies were meant for older people, weren't they? Why were the children asking for them? Why was Ashley looking at her as if she had some rules to say? Why was Suellen talking for her and calling for the house servants to help the children up on the ponies?
What was the meaning of all this?!
Scarlett began to feel flushed and terrified.
There was Rhett. But what good was Rhett? Look at him, picking a quarrel with Mrs. Anderson- or is it.. is she picking a quarrel with him.. what is she doing?
Why was she praising the Old South to the skies?
What was she actually saying?
What was Mr. Anderson saying? Something about being near the swamp, the mosquito problem, the trappers who were constantly getting their chickens from the coops and the isolation from the main town..
Now, why is everyone looking so shocked?!
What did Rhett say?
Something about Southerners being old faithful dogs who other people think can't learn new tricks but once they do.. the world beware..
And the Yankees were like cats.. biting off more than they can chew and then struggling to swallow it.
Very clever of Rhett to say that. But how very horrible.
He has offended the Andersons.
He had offended Suellen and Will. Could anyone offend Will? Was he really offended?
What was the meaning of all this?!
Why was Rhett walking away?
She's seen that look on him before.. Some great meaning locked in the impatience of his eyes. What was it?!
Scarlett clutched her head in fright and despair.