AN: Thanks for all the great reviews guys. This has been a great ride with you guys.
Sarah S: Rhett would never hurt Scarlett and she knows that, but the memory of such intense fear stays with a person. It wouldn't be something that would come up in their daily life because that night overall was the ultimate declaration of how incredibly deeply Rhett's love for his wife went. Rhett mentioning an affair in combination with a man striking his wife would be a cue, a straight flash to what she felt would happen to her because of the gossip surrounding her and Ashley and what she had felt for Ashley for the 3 years of her marriage. Lol. Just so you don't think Scarlett's actually afraid of Rhett in this.
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Part Twenty Four
Mid-April 1872
Charleston
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Rhett returned to the Robillard sisters' parlor having just seen his mother and sister out after an evening meal with just the adults on their first night in town, adults only including Teddy, who had thankfully slept through most of the meal. His wife and her aunts had retired for the night as soon as they had said their farewells.
"Oh Captain Butler, I feel just terrible. If I hadn't come there would have been room enough for the family at your mother's," Melly greeted him upon his entrance to the room.
"Nonsense Miss Melly, if you hadn't come Wade would have had a room away from his sisters. I am more than sure that the inclusion of Beau more than makes up for that inconvenience."
"Scarlett would have surely-"
"Scarlett wanted to stay at a hotel," Rhett smiled and picked up the glass he had left behind. "So it is I who must thank you, for forcing my wife to have manners."
"Has she ever told you what happened to her the last time she was here?"
"No," Rhett focused on his sister-in-law, "I wasn't aware that something happened."
"I don't know if it did, she'd written about being excited to visit here, her sisters had written to me to say that her parents were sending her off to visit family because-"
"Because what?"
"She wasn't being Scarlett, I mean it was hardly surprising with Charles dying so quickly after they married and Scarlett hadn't even been 17 when Wade was born. They sent her to Savannah, Miss Pauline's plantation and then Charleston-"
"To Atlanta," Rhett supplied.
"I would have invited her anyway," Melly smiled. "I tried to ask what happened and she would never say anything more than she didn't fit in with Charleston society. I always thought that was so odd. Since she was 14, Scarlett always fit in so lovely to any situation."
"Scarlett's charms were certainly unparalleled at 16."
"Charles never had a chance," Melly smiled, "I imagine if he had to die so young, it was a great kindness that the world gave him, to let him be loved by Scarlett. To have the thought of her waiting at home for him be with him for those last months."
Rhett imagined it was also significantly kinder that Charles Hamilton had not returned home and faced Scarlett as a wife.
"I wish Scarlett and the world could see her the way we do. The world did us a great kindness as well, letting us be her family."
"That it did Miss Melly and we are equally grateful to have you as our family."
"You as well Captain Butler," Melly smiled, "I should retire. I imagine we'll be all over Charleston tomorrow."
"Goodnight Miss Melly."
"Goodnight," she smiled and stood.
o~o~o
Rhett walked into their room to find Scarlett already in bed with a sleeping baby nestled beside her. "He will not be sleeping in our bed, there is a point where I draw the line."
She smiled, "He was fussy and didn't want to go down, you can settle him down for the night once you change."
Rhett began to remove his clothing. "Did something happen to you last time you were here?"
"Did my aunts tell you?" Scarlett looked visibly concerned.
He briefly shook his head, "No Miss Melly and I were talking and I recalled you saying how you had loved it when you were a girl-"
"Because I was a girl and unaware of everything going on around me."
"What did you overlook as a girl?"
"That to others my Pa wasn't the greatest man in the world that he'd been an Irish immigrant, he'd come here as a poor Irish immigrant, who spoke an English most didn't even consider English."
"What happened when you were here?"
"I was rude to some of my aunt's guests. It was so stifling and confining. It was so much worse here than in Savanah or Aunt Pauline's. I just couldn't take it anymore."
He watched her as he did, as he'd been doing for years. Ten years ago, she'd still been a child. He'd known she was still a child when he encountered her at Twelve Oaks. Oh she'd been on the verge of womanhood, her body had certainly progressed that far, but she'd still been a child. He'd almost wanted to pull her through the last steps, but he knew the wait, the anticipation would make it even better. Instead the war had pulled her through so abruptly.
"My life was that black widow's crepe without a drop of fun. It would have been better if they'd sent me to war."
"We'd have likely won if they sent you to war," Rhett smiled at her.
He walked to the bed with his drawers still on, gently lifting the baby from her side.
He turned back to her and smiled, lifting her side of the bedcovers.
"Rhett, what are you doing?"
"I'm about to remind you just how much fun you still have in your life."
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Rhett waited until his mother's servant had set a breakfast plate for him and left the room before discussing more than pleasantries with his mother. "You aren't displeased that we are staying with Scarlett's aunts, are you?"
"Not in the least. Of course, I would love to have you and your family with me, but I can certainly recognize why your wife would be more comfortable with her own family."
"Their house is simply larger," Rhett supplied.
"I am a stranger to your wife; they are her aunts. You don't need to make excuses when the truth is reasonable."
"I simply didn't want you to think poorly of Scarlett-"
"Your wife is lovely just as you and her aunts have always said."
"Have they always said that?"
"Of course, the only thing they never understood was why Scarlett was continuing to manage her businesses while you were more than capable of it. I imagine now that you're-"
"Oh Scarlett started seeing about her businesses a few weeks back, she takes Teddy with her now that it is warmer." Business at Kennedy's had been booming for the town folk to see Scarlett Butler behaving as a mother with her dark haired and dark eyed child.
"Perhaps you don't bring that up with her aunts," his mother offered.
Rhett laughed slightly.
"I am delighted that your marriage is going as wonderfully as you said, I must admit I had concerns when you came to visit last year and stayed so long."
"I did tell you that my marriage was fine," Rhett reminded her. There was a pull inside of him to confess the truth to his mother, just as there had been last year. However, just as always, just as he had for decades he pushed that away. A charming smile, an unconcerned attitude, he had perfected the mask quite some time ago. He would let it down for Scarlett now, a small sacrifice to show his wife that she was needed and mattered to him. He had nearly destroyed his marriage and any hope of happiness by clinging to the mask before. He had asked his wife for a divorce, after she had given herself over to him, after their son already began to grow within her.
He wanted to confess his fears to his mother. That it was all too good. It had all been too easy. After a decade, it had taken so little for their life to be that of dreams. His wife's love, her contentment, her interest in the children and four healthy and happy children. In a life where he had planned to remain a bachelor, he had a wife, two sons and two daughters.
He woke up in the mornings pressed alongside his wife. He tended to be the one to gather Teddy up out of his bed and change him before handed him off to his wife to be fed, a kiss on her lips as he placed the baby in her arms.
He would ready for the day before going to greet the older children. Ella would likely rattle on about a dream she had or plans for the day, Bonnie would rub her eyes and burrow into his shoulder as they headed downstairs. Wade would nearly always be seated at the breakfast table before them, ready to head out and join up with Beau before heading to school.
Rhett would always head back to their bedroom after finishing breakfast, to discuss with his wife any upcoming plans for the day as she ate in bed. He would kiss her and Teddy goodbye before heading out to the bank.
He enjoyed the bank far more than he should. He supposed the investments allowed him some of the thrill and challenge he used to get taking on new card games or seeking out some new venture.
There would be no new boats to captain, no new mines to strike, land to claim. They would all be done through intermediaries now. He had been away from his home and family for 9 days since their return to Atlanta on two different trips and they had both felt intolerably long. He had longed more than anything to take Scarlett with him, but with Teddy's arrival, Rhett had been reminded just how tiny and fragile new life was. He had taken Wade and Beau with him on one trip, much to the delight of Melly and the worry of Scarlett. He hadn't noticed that before, for all of Scarlett's disinterest in the children, they had never been far from her, aside from their honeymoon. If she were going out of town for a night or two, she would always take them with her. The only place she had ever left the children was Tara. So for his trip with Wade, Rhett had somehow found himself taking not just Prissy, but also Pork.
Aside from missing his wife, it had been great fun and the pride that had coursed through him as he'd gotten to introduce his boy to new people…It had been a feeling Rhett still savored. His boy. Wade was finally well and truly his, granted the boy would always belong to his mother first. But Rhett no longer felt as if he needed to ask permission to do things with his son, he had an input in Wade's future, he got to help shape the man that their boy was becoming.
Rhett's life was good, it was too good. It simply couldn't have been this easy after it being so hard for so long. How could they have gone from scornful looks, jeering words, a life lived divided…to this?
He enjoyed the routine, he enjoyed the sweet simplicity of their lives. The warm welcome he received every time he walked through their front door. He still had no idea what held it together, oh his wife said she loved him and he suspected she did, but what fragile step had caused such a love?
Had caused Scarlett to love him, to trust him, to care for him. Sometimes it felt as if not knowing would drive him mad. It remained in the background of his life, far away, but always there. The dark storm cloud in the distance threatening to bring havoc to their wonderful life.
"So you did," his mother smiled, "you also told me not to worry about Bonnie's behavior that she would outgrow it."
"Mother on that one I will fully admit I was wrong. It has taken considerable effort from the entire family, governesses and servants," Rhett gave her a chagrined look.
"Well seeing how much Bonnie looks like her mother, I could see how you might have ended up spoiling her."
"Mother did you just imply Bonnie's poor behavior was my fault?"
"I have met your wife and your stepchildren, I have no doubt it was your fault. Especially having raised you."
He laughed slightly.
"They truly are a credit to the Butler and Robillard name."
"We are rather fond of them," Rhett smiled.
"They are wonderful children as is my newest grandson."
"Teddy has been a wonderful addition to the family," Rhett's son was certainly more than that, but saying otherwise would be admitting too much to his mother.
"He is certainly the light of his mother's eye."
"I do apologize for how rarely you will get to hold him during this visit. I find it works best to keep Scarlett occupied to allow for others to hold him," Rhett explained.
"She is certainly a devoted mother," she commented.
"She is different with Teddy than she was with the others," Rhett found himself confessing and then suddenly worried it would make his mother think less of his wife.
"Different how?"
He hesitated and then decided to confess. Regardless of what he said, what his mother would think of Scarlett, she would never allow it to show, if anything she would use it to help her daughter in law. Hopefully to help her son understand the change that had taken place in his wife. "Teddy was the first of her children she wanted. I imagine the first three were simply requirements of marriage."
"She is certainly in a much different position in life. I imagine it was easier to finally want a child when she didn't need to worry about caring for the rest of her family."
"Perhaps."
"It certainly doesn't seem to have affected the children."
"I imagine only Wade will retain any memories from before his mother's sudden interest in them."
"Considering how devoted he is to her, I imagine the actual shift wasn't quite as great as you perceived it to be," his mother suggested.
"Wade was always incredibly devoted to Scarlett." Rhett suddenly recalled that young boy just three years ago worried that his mother would die.
"I imagine that they went through a lot together."
"Indeed they did," Rhett nodded. They had before Scarlett and Rhett's marriage when Scarlett suddenly had a plethora of servants to care for the children instead of doing it herself.
"Your wife is strong, your children are strong, your marriage is strong. Don't borrow trouble."
"I'm not Mother, I'm quite happy in my marriage."
"You should be," his mother nodded, "your wife is devoted to you, your daughters adore you and your son looks at you as I imagine your father always wanted you to look at him."
"I had looked at him that way and then I learned better," Rhett clarified.
"I suggest you keep that in mind and worry about yourself rather than your wife," she said before going to continue eating her meal.
o~o~o
"I shouldn't have asked Mammy to come with us," Scarlett spoke as she lay with her face on her husband's bare chest, her leg draped in between his.
"Has something happened?"
"I think there are too many ghosts."
"Ghosts?" Rhett questioned.
"Yesterday when were getting the children settled in the nursery with the aunts, I think Ella reminded her of my mother or the past or I don't know Rhett. I don't think I realized just how old Mammy is until that moment."
"She certainly loved your mother."
"She stayed with her for 35 years and then she stayed with me, after slavery ended. No one will ever convince me that Mammy doesn't love us."
"You are her family." Rhett wondered if Scarlett even noticed how she had behaved with Mammy the last year. Rhett had noted that Mammy's chair for the nursery had been specially ordered as had one for the kitchen and Mammy's room. Her bed and bedding far nicer than any of the servants, the drapes thicker, a rug on the floor. Scarlett adored her mammy and thankfully her outbursts had been decreasing with her age, for the old woman never deserved Scarlett's temper. The household at Peachtree Mammy's to control, as was Bedford, as was Tara. Scarlett's mammy was more of an odd mix between housekeeper and grandmother, Rhett recalled a dowager duchess in England that behaved similarly to Mammy, albeit with less yelling.
"Is she too old to still be minding the children?"
"She has Prissy and Estelle, I don't believe Mammy is doing anything she doesn't want to."
"Suellen wants Mammy with her at Tara, I'm scared that one day I'm going to have to let her go."
"One day you will Scarlett," Rhett said with a hand running along his wife's arm, "that is life."
"I lost nearly everyone else, I shouldn't have to lose her too."
"Don't borrow trouble Scarlett, Mammy is still well and with us."
"I don't know what I did without you for so long," Scarlett said wrapping her arms further around her husband.
He kissed the top of her head, "I was there. You knew I would have always been there."
"To lord things over my head," Scarlett smirked.
"Regardless, I was still there."
Thanks for reading!