Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

I certainly loved all the reviews to the last chapter. Some people thought he shouldn't have told her his net worth and some people thought is was good that he told her.

Chapter Sixteen

After Scarlett locked the front door, she went upstairs and poured herself a glass of brandy and pondered her future. Although she had racked her brain, she had never thought of a way to escape. Her reputation was in tatters, yet she knew she would not be received if she married Rhett. Although she knew that Melly could make people receive her and therefore her children. The truth was those people probably wouldn't receive her when she was married to Frank except to make Frank happy. She had scandalized all of them by running a sawmill and doing business with the Yankees and Scallawags while she was with child.

She took another sip of brandy and thought about Rhett. He would be in his children's lives. He might not be forcing her to marry him, but he also would not let her marry anyone else. He would definitely kill any man she got to the altar. He would not tolerate another man raising his children. She would talk to Melly about it tomorrow. Melly was so wise as far as social situations were concerned.

The next afternoon while they were having tea, Scarlett said to Melanie, "I am going to marry Captain Butler."

"Are you sure, Darling? What about your reputation?"

"I don't have much of a reputation anyway. I had thought he was being so kind to ride back from the mills when I was pregnant with Ella. He was so much fun and amusing. He was so very charming."

"He has been trying to win your affections since that night at the Hospital Bazaar."

"Yes, during the war I was still grieving so for Charlie that I guess it made me immune to his charms."

"He was very kind to us throughout the war."

"I guess with everything I had on my shoulders it was nice to forget my cares for a few minutes every day. I just never thought anyone would find out. By the time I knew everyone knew it was too late especially with his reputation."

"Yes, dear. It was too late then. At least he is willing to marry you."

"Which do you think would be worse? Me marrying him or not marrying him."

"I think it would be worse you not marrying him especially since he has been referring to you as his fiancé this entire year. If you don't marry him everyone will think of you as a loose woman. If you marry him, everyone will think of you as a respectable woman who married the wrong man.

"Promise me you will continue to receive me."

"Always."

As Scarlett was pondering her decision, she remembered her conversation with Mrs. Merriwether. The conversation had gone a lot better than Scarlett led Rhett to believe. When Mrs. Meriwether came to call on her about her wedding to Rhett Scarlett used all her tact on the older woman. Scarlett had blushed and said in a whisper, "I let him sway me with his good looks and his charm. I thought he was being so nice to care about my safety when I was pregnant with Ella and afterwards, but I know now he was just compromising me. I just wonder how everyone found out about us."

"Oh, you foolish thing. Everyone always finds out these kinds of secrets."

"I just hope Frank never knew. He was such a good husband."

Mrs. Merriwether lied and said, "I'm sure he didn't."

"If I don't marry him now, I won't have any reputation because he has compromised me. Yet, Mrs. Merriwether, it will be nice to lay this burden down and have a strong man to take care of me."

"You are lucky he is willing to marry you. He wouldn't do that with the last woman he compromised."

"Yes, I am lucky in that respect. I am also lucky he is rich."

Mrs. Merriwether refrained from saying anything about the questionable ways Captain Butler had gotten his wealth.

Scarlett continued, "He did fight for the confederacy in the end."

"I'm sure he did."

When Mrs. Meriwether left, she understood that Scarlett like so many other young girls had been led astray by an older, much more worldly man. She also understood the Scarlett was tired of struggling and she was marrying Captain Butler for his money. This fact was not something that the older woman would condone but it was something she could understand. There had been many times in the last couple of years she wished she had someone she could have laid her burdens on.

As Scarlett thought about it, she did want a strong man to lay her burdens on.

While still trying to decide she went to see Uncle Henry. She asked him how she could protect her assets from her next husband. She didn't tell Henry who her next husband was going to be although judging by the pinched look on his face he already knew. He put all her assets in a trust fund with him as the executor. Henry assured her that she could revoke the trust anytime she wanted to with his permission. She didn't even try to avoid Rhett getting custody of Wade and Ella. He would fight to the ends of the earth with her on that one.

The day before Scarlett's wedding, Mammy found Scarlett in her room sitting on her bed. She was staring out into space thinking about her decision.

Mammy heard she was marrying Captain Butler and she had to talk Miss Scarlett out of this idea. Mammy had said, "I thought you had wised up and told Captain Butler to never come back. Now I hears you are going to marry him tomorrow."

"That is true."

"Miss Scarlett, you can't marry him. He isn't received and he never will be. My little lamb your behavior this last year since Mr. Kennedy died has been so improper but marrying Captain Butler will ruin you forever. You should tell that man to never come to your house again."

"I know Mammy. Mother would be so ashamed of me. I can never tell Rhett not to come to the house."

"What do you mean Miss Scarlett?"

"It doesn't matter, Mammy.

Mammy didn't understand why Miss Scarlett had tolerated Captain Butler practically moving into the Hamilton House when it was obvious to everyone, she hated the man. She didn't understand why Miss Scarlett was marrying a man that she hated. She really didn't understand why Miss Scarlett had let Captain Butler interact with her children so much although it was clear to Mammy that the man already loved the children.

Suddenly Mammy knew the children were Captain Butler's bastards. Her spirited, impulsive, little lamb had gotten taken advantage of by Captain Butler. Not once but twice. For a brief minute Mammy wondered how that had happened but she knew how. Her naïve, innocent little lamb had trusted the experienced, deceitful rake. Mammy knew that Captain Butler was blackmailing Miss Scarlett into marrying him.

When Scarlett started crying Mammy sat down next to her and wrapped her up in her arms.

Scarlett sobbed out, "I will need you more than ever after my marriage to Rhett. Tell me you will stay with me."

"I do have to take care of Miss Ellen's grandchildren."

"And Miss Ellen's daughter also."

Mammy had smiled at Scarlett and said, "That I do."

Mammy held Scarlett for a while until the girl got herself together. At last, Mammy made a decision. Mammy said, "When your mother was fifteen, she fell in love with her cousin and wanted to marry him."

"Was his name Phillipe?"

"How did you know?"

"She was calling for him on her death bed. I had forgotten all about that."

"Let me tell you the entire story. Your mother was her father's favorite. He had always given her everything she wanted so it never entered her head that he wouldn't let her marry her cousin. Your Grandpere said, 'No' which shocked your mother."

"Why?"

"Mr. Pierre thought he was just a fortune hunter."

"Oh."

"Miss Ellen thought she had figured out a way to make Mr. Pierre give his approval. She threatened to compromise herself with Mr. Phillipe but even so Mr. Pierre would not give his approval. He barred Mr. Phillipe from the house. They saw each other at social events and your mother behaved badly trying to talk to Mr. Phillipe. Everyone in Savannah was talking about it. Finally, Mr. Pierre gave Mr. Phillipe some money and made him go away. Mr. Phillip got a message to Miss Ellen that although he had taken the money it was only because he needed a stake so he could make a lot of money. He would then come back for her. Miss Ellen tried to run away with him, but her father caught her before she could leave the house. The day before your father asked Miss Ellen to marry him, she had gotten a letter telling her that Mr. Phillipe was dead. She gave her father an ultimatum. Either let her marry Gerald O'Hara or let her go into a convent. If he didn't let her do either one, she would compromise herself. Mr. Pierre chose for her to marry Gerald O'Hara. Mr. Pierre could not stand for his family name to be shamed."

"I can hardly believe that my mother would do something like that. She was always so proper and demure. She always treated Pa with such respect, deference, and kindness. Do you think Pa knew?"

"Yes, your Pa was not stupid. He would have known that there had to be a reason why a fifteen-year-old girl from a very respectable family would marry a middle-aged Irish man and move to the backwoods of Georgia."

"Your right Mammy. Pa would have known."

"I still think he was happy and thought himself lucky that your mother married him no matter what the reason was."

"Pa was happy, and he was so proud Mother was his wife."

"When your mother moved to Georgia, she put the past behind her and never looked back. You can do that. Whatever mistakes you have made, whatever reason you are marrying Captain Butler, whatever you have done to survive put it behind you and move forward. You can't undo the past."

Scarlett looked into Mammy's face. There was no censor there. All that was there was compassion. Scarlett knew that Mammy knew about the children, but they would never speak about it. Mammy would let Scarlett retain as much dignity as possible.

"Thank you, Mammy, that is what I will do."

As Scarlett watched Mammy leave the room she thought, 'I always thought I got my spirit from Pa but I guess I got it from my mother,' Scarlett smiled and thought, 'Maybe I got it from both of them.'

The night before her wedding she poured herself a glass of brandy and thought. She had not seen Rhett the entire last week, and bizarrely she had missed him.

The man that had been following her during the day stopped following her and just watched the house. If she went out with Wade and Ella, he followed her but if she was alone or only had one of the children he stayed at the house.

After supper, Scarlett sat in her room with a glass of brandy. She knew she wanted to continue living in Atlanta and continue living close to Tara. She didn't want to leave Melly either. Melly was her only friend. Therefore, she had to choose which was her best option for her continuing to live in Atlanta.

She would follow Melly's advice for Melly was so smart about social situations. Melly had urged her to marry Rhett. As Melly had said, 'She would be a respectable woman who married the wrong man.' If she was going to have to put up with him, she might as well get all the perks of the association. As he had said that day when he told her he knew Wade was his son, 'they were going to be together for the next sixteen years.'

She would follow her mother's example and treat Rhett with respect and kindness and maybe they could have a good marriage. She would put all her mistakes behind her an embrace her new life.

She got up and started packing her trunk. She would have to leave Mammy here to take care of the children so the dresses she chose were ones she could get in and out of herself. They were all black which was what was proper at this stage of her mourning. If Rhett didn't like them, he could buy her some new ones.

She still hated him for taking advantage of her but that was what he did. Took advantage of every opportunity that came his way. He wouldn't be so rich if he hadn't.' She snorted and thought, 'Like Sue said, 'he was just an amoral man' but at least he would always be able to provide for me. Actually, he would provide for her quite nicely. If he had behaved honorably, he would be as poor as everyone else.'

She smiled when she thought, 'I have not exactly behaved morally these last few years either. I condoned Pork stealing chickens from other people in the county. I married Frank for his money and to give my baby a name. I ran that other sawmill owner out of business then bought his mill from him.'

Then she thought, 'Rhett is not blameless, but it was Ashley that is responsible for my being in this predicament. If he had not called on me every week for two years and read me romantic poetry, I would not have thrown myself at him. If he had the common courtesy to tell me before hand, I would not have been alone in the library with him. If he had not trifled with my affections, I would not have been alone and vulnerable. I would not have needed someone to comfort me. Yes, it is that rat bastard Ashley Wilkes's fault. And Rhett too. But that is what Rhett does. He takes advantage of every opportunity that comes his way. He is wanting to take responsibility for the children, he will be a good father, and I will have all the luxuries of life. Hopefully, we can form a partnership like Will and Suellen did.

She swallowed down the rest of her brandy. Yes, she would meet him tomorrow at the courthouse.