Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the many reviews and the feedback.
Chapter Eight
Scarlett had been beside herself with despair. After everything that they had endured this was one more blow that they didn't deserve. Damn Jonas Wilkerson. Damn his wife, Emmie. How dare she survive when she killed Scarlett's mother. She had gone to see Ashley about the taxes. She had gone to him hoping for sage advice. With all his schooling and knowledge, she had hoped he would offer a practical solution. She knew nothing about how to get a loan or how to get money.
Ashley talked about things she didn't understand. Something about them being gods and the War was the destruction of the gods. Something about Grecian urns. It had all been poppycock. Scarlett smiled as she remembered listening to Ashley ramble on about things that were no longer important. She thought, 'Ashley is such a dreamer. I know I will have to take care of him or Melly and Beau will starve.' As she had looked at Ashley, she wondered why she had ever thought she had loved him. Because before the war he had been handsome, rich, suave and well-educated everything that was needed to dazzle her naïve heart. He had come to call on her every week. He had read her romantic poetry. He had been about five years older than her other beaus and she had admired that maturity. He had been going to be the master of the biggest plantation in the county yet now he was nothing. Nothing but a hopeless dreamer. Scarlett had smiled when she thought, 'He was always a hopeless dreamer.' Ashley had been no help except to remind her that Rhett Butler was in Atlanta.
Scarlett had gone back to the house knowing she would have to get to Atlanta and find Rhett Butler. He was her only answer. She would agree to become his mistress for three hundred dollars. Then she would just renege on the deal. She would stay here at Tara. If he came to Tara, she would run him off with Charlie's gun. She would be happy to put a bullet in him.
She had looked at herself in the mirror and knew that if she wanted to get three hundred dollars out of Rhett Butler, she would have to look like she was worth three hundred dollars. She couldn't do that while being in rags. In the mirror she saw her mother's drapes. She guessed they were her drapes now. She was fortunate they were green that was her best color.
Scarlett had made a dress out of the drapery fabric. She would look good for that jackass. She had tried to convince Mammy to stay at Tara, but Mammy refused to stay. As Mammy had said, "It wouldn't be proper for you to travel without a maid."
As she sat on the train Scarlett knew her biggest problem would be to get away from Mammy. That was going to be hard for Scarlett knew that Mammy was suspicious.
The next morning Scarlett pretended to be sick. Mammy left her alone. Scarlett had dressed herself and snuck out of the Hamilton House. She had walked all the way to the Fire House. She told the soldier at the front desk, "I would like to see Rhett Butler."
"I will see if he will see you. What is your name?"
"I'm Scarlett Hamilton. I'm his sister."
The soldier had look appraisingly at her and said, "Just a moment."
When the soldier returned, he said, "Captain Butler says he will see you."
Scarlett was shown into an office to wait for Rhett. After Rhett arrived and the soldier had closed the door, he said, "Sister? It would be a sin to have the thoughts I have about you about my sister."
She forced herself to smile at him and she said, "Oh how you do go on," She moved to where she stood right in front of him. She smiled up at him and said, "Rhett, I was just filled with misery when I heard you were in jail."
When she placed her hand on his chest, Rhett took it. He took her hand, and he could feel the callouses on her palm. He smiled down at her. He was already suspicious when she had called him Rhett. He said, "How are things at your plantation?"
"Just wonderful. When I heard that they might hang you, I took the first train to Atlanta. I couldn't let you hang without seeing you one last time."
"My dear Mrs. Hamilton, you can stop simpering like an empty-headed belle. Nothing is wonderful in the South. What do you want?"
Scarlett scowled and said, "I need your help. I need you to loan me three hundred dollars. They raised the taxes on Tara, and I need the money before the end of the month."
For a brief moment, Rhett considered telling Scarlett he had two hundred dollars in profits for her and all she needed to find was one hundred dollars, but his baser instincts rose to the surface and instead he said, "What is your collateral?"
"Tara."
"What am I going to do with a plantation? No. What else do you have to offer?"
"Myself."
Rhett smiled and said, "I'm not sure you are worth three hundred dollars."
"Please, I need it to save Tara. I have to get three hundred dollars before the end of the month. You are the only person I know with that kind of money."
"Alright."
"You are agreeing?"
"Yes. After I get out of here you will be my mistress for at least three months. Longer if you like the position."
Scarlett ignored his other statement and stuck out her hand and said, "It is a deal."
"No, that is not how we are going to seal the deal."
Rhett proceeded to start kissing her. Scarlett tried to resist. She said, "No, Rhett. Not here."
"Yes, here. I want a physical commitment before I give you the money. I am afraid you will renege on the deal once you get the money."
Since that was exactly what Scarlett had been planning on doing, she couldn't really object. She would have to do it this once but that was it. She simply said, "Alright. How?"
"Just enjoy yourself."
Soon he had her pressed up against the wall. Scarlett again really didn't know what was going on. She was overwhelmed by all the sensation she was feeling. She felt those wonderful feelings again and again.
Once the act was completed and they had straightened their clothing Scarlett said, "Let me have the money."
Rhett burst out laughing. He said, "You are so ignorant. I don't have the money on me, and I can't get to the money until I get out of here. I should be out before the end of the month though according to my lawyers. I hope for your sake they are right."
"God's nightgown! You black hearted bastard! You tricked me."
"I didn't trick you. I just didn't tell you when I would be able to get you the money."
"I need the money now!"
"Then I hope you find a man that can give you the money today."
Scarlett screamed and she attacked Rhett. Rhett had still been in post coitus bliss and when Scarlett attacked him in an extreme frenzy he had certainly not been prepared. Scarlett got several lucky blows in before he could defend himself. She had kneed him in his solar plexus and had knocked the air out of him making it harder for him to defend himself. Rhett even at the time had known she had been aiming for lower on his anatomy.
The soldier came in response to Scarlett's scream which was lucky for Rhett. When the soldier pulled Scarlett off of Rhett, she was in the process of trying to gouge his eyes out with her fingers. If the soldier hadn't rescued Rhett, Scarlett would have killed Rhett with her bare hands. Finally, she got herself together and left the room. As she was leaving Rhett had recovered his equilibrium enough to yell out, "As soon as I am out, I will find you, Mrs. Hamilton. We will talk about our arrangement."
Scarlett never even looked back.
As Rhett watched her walk away, he smiled. He knew he loved her now. She was a woman so full of passion and unladylike actions. Yes, he would marry her.
As she walked down the street Scarlett didn't know how or where she was going to get the money. She heard Frank Kennedy calling out her name. She smiled sweetly up at him and accepted his offer of a ride. At first, she was just grateful for the ride home. When Scarlett heard Frank say something about five hundred dollars she started listening more carefully.
Two weeks later she was Mrs. Frank Kennedy. While she was at the courthouse, she had a moment of conscience, but she pushed it aside. She felt bad for what she was doing to Suellen but because Tara was going to be completely hers after Pa died, she knew without a doubt Suellen would not use Frank's money to save their family plantation. Although Frank seemed to be in a hurry for them to get married also. Almost like he thought she was going to change her mind.
Rhett had gotten out of jail on the last day of January. He wasn't worried he would just out bid anyone else bidding on the property. He wanted her to be grateful for him for saving Tara. Relations would be so much better if she is grateful although he doesn't know how they could get much better. He was going to marry her because he certainly wasn't going to let her go. He loved her. He went to the National Hotel and got a suite. He ordered a bottle of champagne brought to his suite. He got all cleaned up and went to call on the delectable Mrs. Hamilton.
When he arrived at the Hamilton House, he got a rude awakening. Scarlett was no longer Mrs. Hamilton but she was now Mrs. Kennedy. He found out that Mr. Kennedy was sick in bed while Mrs. Kennedy had gone to check on the store for him. Rhett was furious. He had told her he would get her the money.
When Rhett Butler walked in the store Scarlett groaned, she said, "Get out. I never want to see you again."
"Ah my dear Mrs. Kennedy, I have come to pay off my debt to you."
"I won't be your mistress while I am married to Frank."
"I would not want you to be. That is just a messy business."
"Then explain what you are talking about."
"We did make an agreement and we consummated that agreement. Therefore, I will give you the three hundred dollars and once you are a widow again, you can honor our agreement.
With the three hundred he was going to give her she could buy the sawmill. Maybe she could talk him into loaning her another two hundred dollars then she could buy all the things she needed to make the mill a success. Maybe by the time Frank died she would be so old Rhett would not want her anymore. She said, "Alright. Give it to me."
As Rhett sat down, Scarlett knew she was going to have to be patient. The jackass was going to drag this out. He said, "Come sit down and let's talk for a few minutes."
Scarlett sat down. She would be pleasant to the man for she wanted him to loan her the rest of the money she needed. She said, "Talk."
"My dear Mrs. Kennedy, your warmth overwhelms me. Why did you marry Mr. Kennedy? Please tell me it wasn't for the money. I told you I would give you the money."
"But not soon enough. Today would have been too late."
"If you could have just waited you would have had access to all of my money."
"Yes, but we suddenly discovered that we loved each other."
Rhett roared with laughter. When he could speak, he said, "Wasn't Mr. Kennedy your sister's beau?"
"Yes, that was why we tried to fight our feelings, but we couldn't. We were married at the courthouse a week ago."
"What about the honorable Mr. Wilkes?"
"He is happy for us also."
"Just curious, what made you come see me for the money."
"When I talked to Ashley about where we could get the money for the taxes he said, 'The only people who have that kind of money are Yankees and Scalawags like Captain Butler.' That is when I remembered Aunt PittyPat writing us to inform us that you were in Atlanta. Two days later I was on the train to Atlanta to ask you for a loan."
"Do you still think Mr. Wilkes loves you?"
"Of course, Ashley loves me."
"You believe that even after he let you come into Atlanta with the intent of selling yourself to me."
"He didn't know what I was going to do."
"If the woman I loved was going to sell herself to another man I would have done anything possible to prevent that including kill her."
"Like I said he didn't know."
"Yes, my dear, he did." Rhett stood up. He said, "Here is the money I owe you and another two hundred dollars I owe you in profits. Good night Mrs. Kennedy."
Rhett strolled out of the store before Scarlett could reply. He was so very mad. How could she not see the truth about Wilkes? How could she have married an old man like Frank Kennedy? That one was easy, for his money. He was going to Belle's and make nice with her. He played cards, drank whiskey, then took himself upstairs. He had a good time. Not as good a time as he had planned but good enough.
Scarlett was so incredibly happy. She had the money she needed to buy the sawmill. She paused in her mental celebration when she realized that when she went to see Jackass at the Fire House, he knew that he owed her two hundred dollars and hadn't said a word about it. She went back to her celebration because she wouldn't have been able to find one hundred dollars any easier than three hundred dollars. Then she really started mentally celebrating for because he had withheld that information, she had five hundred dollars.
She knows he will be gone before too awfully long. Jackass never stayed in one place awfully long. What's more if he ever returns, she won't receive him into her home.
The next day Scarlett bought a sawmill from Mr. Johnson. Frank was not happy, but Scarlett didn't care.