Chapter 123
Scarlett's days at Tara were pleasant. With the discovery of unexpected loyalty and friendship of her younger sister, Scarlett relaxed and went along with the daily routine of the farm and country life. Every week, she expected news of Rhett's relatives arriving at Jonnesboro station. But as the days flew by, even that worry faded away. It was impossible to worry on such a sunny and busy farm.
And yet one night, a queer incident took place that captured Scarlett's heart and attention. She had complained of a stomachache that day from eating too much pie. Still feeling queer, she took a long walk in the late evening and was returning to the house. Along the way, she thought she saw someone walking through the bushes. At first the thought crossed her mind that it might be a stray cow or sheep. Then she heard the unmistakable sound of a laughter - it was accompanied by the jangle of jewelry. Scarlett followed the shadow with her eyes and then saw the person or rather people- emerging from the trees a mile away.
They looked like two young girls dressed in huge cloaks. Under the heavy wool of their cloaks, poked out several layers of their gaudy gowns. For a moment, the image of Belle Wattling crossed Scarlett's mind and she began to walk toward the figures with greater interest. Suddenly one of the girls turned and saw her. Scarlett stopped in her tracks with a look of surprise and disgust at the girl's heavily powdered face. She knew at once that these girls were bad and they were apparently out for a night of "fun".
"What are you both doing here on this property?" cried Scarlett, her voice strict and grim.
This time both girls stared at her and then quickly took to their heels till they came to a fence. They both climbed up the rock that jutted out from a grass mound nearby and hopped over. Then they continued laughing and talking as they half ran and half walked across the slope towards what used to be the Macintosh property and the river beyond.
Scarlett stared after the two girls for a long time. She jumped when Suellen came up behind and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Those girls were trash! Trespassing through our property as if it were their own!" she snapped, irritated.
"It's been going on for some time, Scarlett. I meant to tell you-" replied Suellen, sheepishly. "Ever since they built that bawdy house across the River-"
"What?!" cried Scarlett, in disbelief.
"I know-" said Suellen, with a sigh. "If the Mackintoshes were still there, they might have objected- Anyway it's across the River."
"But how do they get across it? I thought it wasn't possible."
"There's a boat service that take people across. It's become necessary for people to travel across the water because of the encampments there-"
"What encampments?"
Suellen looked even more uncomfortable. "For now, the government has allowed young soldiers who were stranded during the war to occupy the land there- they have makeshift log cabins and I guess- they would develop those areas into proper houses- I don't know-"
"But the bawdy ho- the saloon?"
"It's the same as Atlanta, Scarlett- There are too many soldiers there and they have brought their families too- These are young men, Scarlett- they married during the war- Remember... those boys who were only 16 or 17? The ones from proper families aren't wholly bad. But some have lost their morals completely- and what with the Yankee girls parading about-"
"Isn't Will going to do anything about this? We can't allow-"
Suellen nodded in agreement. "Will will bide his time. Many of our neighbors have the same feelings- Together we-"
Scarlett clicked her tongue in impatience. "Someone has to do something about right now! What with Rhett's family coming here- We can't have those trollops galivanting about- We've got to do something!"
Suellen's cheeks flushed but she didn't say a thing. They both walked back to the house through the moonlight.
That night, when Scarlett peered out her window past the magnolia trees, she thought she saw lights flashing gaily on the opposite banks of the River. She strained her eyes and ears- even imagining she heard music and laughter. Bending down, she quietly put on her softest shoes and wrapped the thickest cloak she could find about her. She sneaked out the kitchen door, through the back garden and unbridled her horse and rode off into the night.