Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for all the many reviews and the feedback.

Chapter Nine

Two weeks later, Rhett left Atlanta. Despite what he had told Scarlett about her becoming his mistress after Kennedy died, he was thinking he may never return.

He rethought that idea for Frank Kennedy was an old man. He would probably be dead in the next five years. He would just stay in Scarlett's world.

A month later when PittyPat informed Scarlett in hushed tones that Captain Butler left Atlanta, Scarlett was relieved. She never wanted to see Jackass again. Ever!

After she bought the sawmills Uncle Peter would drive her around Atlanta and out to her mills. One day one of those Yankee women had insulted him. Scarlett had not defended him because she was too scared of losing a sale. She had just started to make a profit and she needed all the sales she could get. Unfortunately, after that incident Uncle Peter refused to drive her around Atlanta.

For two weeks she had driven herself around. Finally, Melanie convinced Scarlett to let Archie, the murderer who stayed in her basement, drive her around. They had a falling out at the end of May when she told Archie she was going to use convict labor. After that she got Charlie's gun and drove herself around.

Four months later Rhett returned to Atlanta, and he stopped by the Hamilton House, but Uncle Peter informed him that he will not be received into the home. Rhett laughed. He will have to find another way to seduce the alluring Mrs. Kennedy.

He went to Belle's, and everyone was talking about Mrs. Kennedy buying another sawmill. Which was scandalous in itself but Mrs. Kennedy was with child. It seems Old Frank got a bun in the oven on their wedding night. They were also talking about how much money she was making and how she was doing business with Yankees.

Rhett was so proud of Scarlett. He would never have thought she could accomplish all that. He decided she was more than just a girl with a pretty face and great body. He found out where the mills were located, and he decided to pay her a call at her mill the next day.

When Scarlett saw Rhett walk through the door of the office of the sawmill, she said, "You are not welcome here. Get out."

"Even if I want to buy a lot of lumber."

"I'm willing to do business with Yankees and Scallawags, but I draw the line at doing business with scum like you."

Rhett laughed, "Is that anyway to talk to one of your most intimate friends?"

"Don't talk that way. Someone might hear you."

"That is my point. I would be so heartbroken if you ended our friendship that I might drown my sorrows in whiskey. Unfortunately, when I am drunk who knows what might come out of my mouth."

"You really are a black-hearted bastard."

"Ah yes. I get what I want. I shall be by this evening after seven. Please be sure and tell Uncle Peter that you have changed your mind about receiving me."

Scarlett hissed, "Get out, you piece of white trash."

Rhett laughed and said, "Ta Ta. See you tonight."

Just as she had suspected that unreceived jackass would use knowledge of them having been intimate to get his way. Scarlett had to take better care of Frank. She had to make sure Frank didn't die any time soon. Even though Frank was sick all the time she thought his illnesses were in his head. She smiled when she thought, 'Frank will hopefully out live Jackass.'

Later that afternoon, Scarlett said to Frank, "Captain Butler and I were business acquaintances during the war. He is back in Atlanta. I ran into him today and invited him to call on us tonight. Afterwards I realized that would not be proper since I am a married woman. If you want to refuse him entry into the home, I am alright with that."

"No, Sugar, it is alright. Captain Butler and I were business acquaintances before the war. I would like to visit with him."

Rhett did call on the Hamilton House that evening. Scarlett was so glad that Frank was feeling well enough to remain in the parlor with them and Aunt PittyPat the entire visit. Scarlett was amazed at Frank's level of excitement. He was acting like a young belle who was receiving her first gentleman caller. As Rhett was leaving Frank was happy to walk him to the door.

Rhett was spending a lot of time in Atlanta making money off the Republican government. He called at the Hamilton House quite frequently but always in the evenings when Frank was there. As much as Scarlett would like to not stay in the parlor while Jackass was there, she was afraid of what he might say if she didn't stay the entire time he was there. Rhett was pleasant company. He often entertained them with stories of his travels. Frank and Rhett talked politics. Frank never seemed to mind that Rhett had come to call. In fact, Frank almost seemed excited about Rhett's visits. When Scarlett told Frank, "I won't get upset if you want to ban Captain Butler from the house for after all he is a Scallawag."

Frank had smiled and said, "Sugar, I would never ban Captain Butler from the house. He brings excitement to our humdrum lives. I would think you would enjoy his company. He is always telling exhilarating stories. He never talks about the war."

Rhett never said a word about her expanding waistline. Although Rhett did feel that Scarlett was too thin. He started ordering groceries to be delivered to the house anonymously. Aunt PittyPat was beside herself with these deliveries, but she didn't tell anyone because they did need the groceries. After the grocery deliveries started Scarlett did seem heavier to Rhett. Rhett had arranged it with the grocer for it to be a weekly delivery. The grocer was paid a little something extra for his silence. The grocer was happy for the extra money, but he would have done it for free because he needed the steady business.

Every now and then Scarlett did have a nip of brandy but not very often. She was afraid the brandy would loosen her tongue and she would say something she would regret.

One afternoon in June as Rhett was walking in the park he ran into Scarlett and Wade. Scarlett had relaxed completely about Rhett ever figuring out that Wade was his son because Rhett had seen the boy so many times.

Rhett had a bag of candy, and he offered the boy a piece. The boy smiled up at him and said, "Thank you, sir." When Wade smiled at him, he knew he was looking at his son. Scarlett had missed the astonished look that quickly passed over Rhett's face because she had been smiling down at her son and his good manners. Rhett knew that was not his smile. No, it was his mother's smile. His mother's eyes were the same color as his. With the boy smiling at him it was like looking into his mother's face. Suddenly the phrase 'a passel of brats' passed through his brain. Rhett talked to the boy and studied his face. For the first time Rhett Butler truly studied the boy. The boy had his nose and eyes were the same color as Rhett's eyes. He knew that Wade was his son. The thing that sealed it for Rhett is the way the boy was holding himself. The boy was holding himself in a proud and arrogant manner. Rhett knew without a doubt that Wade was his son. He bade Scarlett goodbye.

He went to his room at the National Hotel and thought about what he was going to do. He should have at least wondered when he 'first heard about Wade. All he had thought about then was that 'Mr. Hamilton must have gotten a bun in the oven on their honeymoon.' But in typical male arrogance he had dismissed any consequences from his tryst with Scarlett. Yes, the mother of his child was a very clever, resourceful cool-headed woman. He stopped and thought about the phrase 'a bun in the oven.' Now he knew why she had married Frank Kennedy. She had needed a name for his other bastard. Yes, an incredibly clever, resourceful, cool-headed woman. He loved her so much in that moment. When he decided on his plan, he laughed out loud.

Rhett waited for Scarlett at the bend of the road. He had with him a new horse for Mrs. Kennedy. He stopped her and changed out the horse right then and there. Scarlett said, "I can't afford a new horse."

"I don't want anything to happen to you while you are carrying my child."

"It isn't your child."

"You are a lousy liar. I also know Wade is my son."

"No, he is Charlie's son."

Rhett tied his horse and the other horse to the back of the buggy. He said, "Scoot over so I can get in. I will get you home safely each and every day."

"No, you can't people will talk about us."

"Probably but I am going to make sure you stay safe as long as you are pregnant. After that we will talk about my visiting with my children."

"They aren't your children."

"We are not going to argue about that right now. I know Wade is my son. His eyes are the same color as mine. He has the Butler nose, and my mother's smile. Probably my arrogance and desire to aggravate people. I know that is my child also," As he pointed at Scarlett's abdomen. He continued, "I don't know if I will forgive you for keeping this from me."

Angrily Scarlett said, "You didn't seem very concerned about them when you left them with me."

Rhett laughed and said, "Guilty. We will be married as soon as Old Frank dies."

"I don't want to marry you."

"I believe you don't have any choice. I will live with my children."

After a few minutes, Rhett said, "Have you even been intimate with anyone but me?"

"Rhett Butler don't speak of those things."

"You have to get used to me speaking of the most improper things. We are going to be together for a long time," He pointedly looked at her abdomen and said, "For at least the next sixteen years. If not longer."

Rhett had gotten her through Shanty Town, and he said, "I will see you tomorrow. Same time. Same place. Don't try to avoid me. I will have no problem embarrassing you to get my way."

When Scarlett got home, she had a nip of brandy. Scarlett was fit to be tied. She had known this was another of Jackass's bastard children. How had he figured it out? Wade's eyes had darkened over the last year and they were the same color as Jackass's now. She knew that wasn't all it was. It had been when Wade had smiled at him yesterday. The smile and the eyes had given it away. He had known Wade was his son. She and Frank had relations once on their wedding night and that was it. So, it could be Frank's child but like with Charlie she had already been late by the time she and Frank had married. She had felt a few minutes of conscience right before she married Frank, but she had needed the three hundred dollars and a name for her baby. Frank had never acted like he wanted to do it again. She had never wanted to do it again. It had been awful. It had lasted so long, and she had felt nothing but humiliation and disgust.

When she was six months along with her child, she got a telegram with awful news. Pa was dead. The funeral was the next day. Although she was barely twenty-one years old, she truly was the matriarch of her family now. Scarlett sat there for a minute thinking about how much her life had changed in the past five years. She tried to remember the girl she had been that had gone to the barbecue at Twelve Oaks the day the war started. The girl with her silly plan. She smiled a sad smile. She had been so extremely naïve but in her defense nothing bad had ever happened to her. She wasn't proud of all the things she had done to survive but she was proud of having survived. She got up and started making her plans. First things first. She needed a dress to wear to the funeral. She just needed the dress for one day. Proper or not proper she wasn't spending a bunch of money on mourning clothes. She smiled as she thought, 'Pa would understand. Besides, I am going into my confinement in a week or two. By the time I come out of my confinement my mourning period will be over.'