Chapter 42

For the next few days, Scarlett's mind worked in a frenzy. She had to make a strong impression and she didn't have much time. She wanted to show that she too could live unselfishly. Now that she realized Rhett was soon coming to Atlanta, she remembered several of his stinging words. This one especially stood out:

"...when you are forty-five, perhaps you will know what I'm talking about and then perhaps you, too, will be tired of imitation gentry and shoddy manners and cheap emotions. But I doubt it. I think you'll always be more attracted by glister than by gold"

Whenever Scarlett remembered these particular lines, she balled her hands into tight fists in anger and an odd feeling of being provoked and rising to the challenged burned in her. "If Rhett thinks I am going to wait till I am forty-five to try and get him back, he's mistaken!" she said grimly and triumphantly. "Forty-five indeed!"

She stamped her foot in anger as she set to work. "Why must she wait till she was an old woman to get sense?! Why, she was Scarlett O' Hara! She was always the one who was blessed with an extra dose of sense in her family, wasn't she? Now that she knew she loved Rhett, she was no longer afraid! And she had learnt so much in these past few months. No doubt, she could be unselfish and kind if she tried. But she would take one step ahead. She would be noble and illustrious. She would become the best she could possibly be- completely competent in everything and Rhett would have no choice but to love her and come back to her."

She planned a grand campaign, almost one as grand as her barbeque party. She first bought a fine chaise and four and four strong horses. She chose the best driver who could drive that chaise across the county. Next, she wrote several letters and by the time the week was out, a line of former house servants lined at her door for jobs. Scarlett grinned in delight.

Next, she bought herself fine clothes. They were sturdy, hardy clothes made for travel.

Soon, she rode cross country, a little wild and reckless in her journeys. She placed people in good jobs wherever she found the opportunity and when she found none, she created them. She went to every dreary social outing, seeking people out, enjoying her new found fame. She read their feelings and used them to her advantage. They were all inclined to think that she was making amends for her past sins. She encouraged them in this. Let the old cats think that if they liked. Meanwhile, she utilized their feelings to the best of her abilities. She inquired after possible contacts, their family details, their earnings and ability to afford servants. She maintained a diary and listed her appointments and details of various families. And she maintained another, rather private diary. Wherever she went, she liked to keep a small clipping of what she thought of the landscape. Somehow land attracted her. She was constantly amazed by vast stretches of land the roads that wound through them. She seemed to have a natural talent to navigate and understand the potential of different types of land. She wrote these diaries as she travelled. She couldn't bear sitting still and making notes. Her writing was erratic from the jolt of the carriage but she didn't mind. She was finally on the move and she was happy.

Soon she began to make quite a name for herself. Not only could she easily convince people but she found she could also suggest jobs depending on the land available to the family. Thus, she found jobs even for entire black families.

Now all that remained was to ensnare Rhett!