Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW
Author's Note: As always, all reviews and inputs are appreciated.
Chapter Four
Rhett was still going to the bank every afternoon and was getting a feel for the gossip going around town about his wife by the number of sympathetic looks he would get from the women. Rhett didn't want their pity and every time one of them looked at him that way he wanted to scream. Every time a lady gave him one of those sympathetic looks, he wanted to take Bonnie and leave town. He would have except that if he did run away, he would be branding his child a bastard. There would be nothing he could do to undo the damage so he stayed and endured the looks. He endured his male acquaintances being a little too jovial and a little too chatty. He endured the not too subtle sly comments about his wife and Mr. Wilkes from his enemies. Rhett could always think of something mocking to say back to them but he was definitely tired of it all.
At times he would feel anger at Scarlett for getting him in this situation after all they wouldn't be in this situation if she hadn't been obsessed with Mr. Wilkes. At first Rhett had stood by Scarlett's side for his children's sake but these last two months there had been a softness to Scarlett that he had found incredibly endearing. For once she was acting like she realized what he was doing for her and was grateful. For once she was treating him like someone wonderful while treating Ashley like he was something she wanted to scrape off her shoe. He knew if he had any chance of a successful relationship with Scarlett this was that opportunity. Therefore, he never let her see his frustration or anger at the situation. As time was going by, he was getting less and less of the sympathetic looks from the women which made him happy and he was getting more and more grateful looks from Scarlett.
Archie, the murderer who Miss Melly had befriended, had dropped by the bank a couple of times for the sole purpose of telling Rhett again what Archie had seen that fateful afternoon. Rhett wanted to tell him to go to hell but everyone was watching his every move waiting for a chink in his armor. Rhett could always think of something mocking and insulting to say to Archie. Archie wasn't the smartest man in Atlanta so it wasn't hard for Rhett to get the better of him. The Old Guard were watching Rhett almost as closely as they were watching Scarlett. They were trying to decide if he really did believe Scarlett's story that nothing had happened. Everyone knew that Melly didn't believe what India had told her. Everyone knew that Melly believed it was nothing more than an innocent embrace between friends. Melly was a little bit naïve where Scarlett was concerned. Everyone knew that Captain Butler was not naïve about his wife and her behavior at all so if he believed his wife that it was an innocent hug between old friends then it probably was innocent. The biggest mystery was Ashley Wilkes' behavior and the anger radiating off of Scarlett at Mr. Wilkes. The big questions were … What had Scarlett done before Ashley put his arm around her? Had she thrown herself at him? Had he rebuffed her? Or could it be that Mr. Wilkes was not the gentleman that everyone thought he was? Could it be that Scarlett was an innocent victim? Could it be that Mr. Wilkes had taken Scarlett's constant flirting as more than what it was; her being improper. One thing for sure was Scarlett was clinging to Captain Butler and for once behaving with proper decorum. Most telling was that Captain Butler was standing by her side and declaring her innocence. The ladies of polite society were quick to notice that Captain Butler was not declaring Mr. Wilkes's innocence just his wife's.
Scarlett never left the house alone these days. She was either with Melly or Rhett or the children. Upon several occasions when she urgently needed to go to the store or Johnny's mill and nobody else was available, she would take Prissy with her.
After their encounter with Ashley four days after the party Rhett offered to go to Ashley's mill for her and check the books and make sure everything was running properly until the mills were sold. Scarlett gladly accepted. Sometimes Scarlett went with him but most of the time Rhett went alone. Rhett was not going to let Mr. Wilkes have an opportunity to talk Scarlett back into believing herself in love with him. Rhett was going to make sure Scarlett was never alone with Mr. Wilkes until the day one of them died. Rhett had never understood Mr. Wilkes hold on Scarlett and he probably never would so he was going to monitor their interaction from this day forward.
Rhett had gotten in touch with his Yankee friend, Tom Motts, about him buying the mills. Mr. Motts had heard the gossip about Mrs. Butler from his wife. His wife Martha had heard the gossip from one of the Scallawag wives, Betsy Trueblood. The Old Guard was not the only group talking about Scarlett Butler and Ashley Wilkes. The Scallawag wives were happy to hear some dirt on Scarlett. They thought she had always thought too highly of herself. She had been rude and sarcastic to them on more than one occasion. They also had never figured out what Rhett Butler had seen in her. They had all known Butler for many years and had always thought of him as a confirmed bachelor. He had always said he wasn't a marrying man. The group was shocked when they heard he had married. They were all a little disappointed when they met Scarlett Butler. As far as they could tell she wasn't that special but it was clear that Rhett and Scarlett both thought she was a very exceptional woman.
Mr. Motts thought Captain Butler would be anxious to sell the mills because of the gossip. Rhett was not in any hurry to sell the mills. Rhett knew what they were worth and he was going to get as much money as he could for them. Rhett would not let Scarlett be taken advantage of. She didn't want to sell the mills in the first place and if he made her sell them at a loss, she would never forget that fact. She would forget why she had sold them at a loss but not that she had sold them at a loss. Besides he wanted to drag this out. Every time she thought about her having to sell her mills because of Ashley it made her mad at him again. Finally, after two months of negotiating Rhett got a very nice price for her mills.
After supper while Rhett and Scarlett were in the library together, Rhett told Scarlett how much he had sold her mills for. She jumped up and sat on his lap. She hugged him and said, "You really are an amazing business man."
Rhett said, "We will sign the papers in three days. I asked your Uncle Henry to draw up the papers."
"Oh. That quickly."
Rhett smiled down at her and hugged her. He said, "It's the right thing to do."
Scarlett laid her head on Rhett's chest because she didn't want him to see the tears in her eyes. She was so sad about selling her mills. Rhett continued to hold her until he knew she had composed herself. When she started talking about the supper party, they were going to attend at the end of the week he knew she had herself collected.
Scarlett asked Rhett to go with her to the signing of the papers to sell the mills. She was never going to give people an opportunity to gossip about her and Ashley again. In this scandal she knew she was being portrayed as the aggressor while people were talking about Ashley like he was an innocent victim. That wasn't really the way people were seeing Ashley but it was what Scarlett believed they were thinking. She would have been surprised at how many people were thinking that she was a victim of Mr. Wilkes's ungentlemanly behavior although not innocent, a victim none the less. Her belief that Ashley's behavior was making her look worse was really making her mad at Ashley. It was his behavior that was making her look so bad. Thank goodness for Rhett and Melly.
Rhett knew what Scarlett thought about Ashley and his behavior and had not corrected her thinking because he wanted her to blame Mr. Wilkes for all her problems. He certainly wasn't going to take the chance that she might feel sympathy for Mr. Wilkes although he really didn't think it possible as mad as she was at him. Rhett was not taking any chances in regard to Scarlett's feelings for Ashley. She had stunned him with her justification of his actions before.
As Scarlett and Rhett walked into Uncle Henry's office Ashley and Tom Motts were already there. Ashley wouldn't look at her. That actually not only made Scarlett mad it made Rhett and Henry mad also. All three of them were thinking what a spineless creature. Mr. Wilkes not being able to look at Mrs. Butler had amused Mr. Motts and he couldn't wait to tell his wife about Mr. Wilkes's behavior. Mr. Motts was sure Martha would tell Betsy and Betsy would tell the rest of the Scallawag wives and they would all have a good laugh at Mr. Wilkes's expense.
After the papers were signed, Mr. Motts asked, "When can I take control of the mills?"
Scarlett said, "Tomorrow." And handed Mr. Motts her keys.
Ashley said, "Do you want me to stay on as the manager of the mill on Decatur Road?"
Mr. Motts said, "Yes. At least for a little while."
Rhett was pleased that Mr. Wilkes was still going to be employed for Miss Melly's sake although he didn't know how long he would remain employed. Mr. Motts was not going to tolerate his mistakes like Scarlett did.
As they left Scarlett had linked her arm with Rhett's arm. She sat close to him in the buggy but she didn't say anything. He knew she was sad because she really hadn't wanted to sell the mills. She kept rubbing her abdomen the entire trip back to the mansion. Rhett was glad she was selling her mills especially if she was doing it for their child's sake.
After two months of going to another room every night to have relations Rhett was past ready to move Bonnie back into the nursery. Rhett wanted to have relations with Scarlett in the middle of the night and in the early morning. The one time he had woken her up and suggested they go down the hall had not worked out very well. He was not going to do that again. She had been very receptive until he had suggested they go to his old bedroom.
She had hissed, "No! The servants might see us." Which Rhett knew really meant Mammy might see them.
When he had tried to continue in their bed Scarlett had then hissed, "No! Bonnie might wake up."
Rhett had whispered, "She won't be awake for at least another thirty minutes."
Scarlett had hissed, "No! We aren't exactly quiet while we are doing it. We will wake her up."
A very frustrated Rhett had sighed and let his wife go back to sleep.
It was wonderful with her now. She was welcoming and encouraging which made him want her that much more. He wasn't holding himself back anymore. He was completely involved in the act.
She had made up for telling him no by suggesting later that morning they go to their office when the children were napping after dinner. She had often made that suggestion. He had always pretended that he didn't know why she wanted to go to their office at nap time but he never made her actually say what she wanted to do there. Once they got there, he always took control and led them to a fun time. They did have a delightful time that afternoon but Rhett still wanted to have relations in their bed in the morning. He wanted to have relations with Scarlett in their bed at night, in the middle of the night and in the morning. He had to think of some way to get Bonnie back into the nursery.