Chapter Three

Melanie Wilkes knew more but right or wrong she wasn't telling anyone that Scarlett was pregnant. Scarlett had sent a note to Melanie also. Scarlett had told her that Melly was the greatest gift that God had ever given her. Scarlett would always love her and would always be honored to call her sister. They may never see each other again but Melly would always be in Scarlett's heart. Once Scarlett realized that Ashley was just a fantasy of a 14-year-old child she felt all the love she had for Melly.
Rhett went to the National Hotel and got a room for the night. He didn't want to face all the questions from Belle and everyone else. He opened the envelope a key fell out and Scarlett's engagement ring. Rhett took the letter out of the envelope and decided he was going to need a drink before he started reading it. Rhett went down stairs and bought a bottle. On his way back to his room he thought he would find Scarlett of that he had no doubt. Even with a three-week head start her trail would be easy to find. He didn't think Scarlett was worldly enough to know how to cover her trail. Rhett knew he was going to punish her for this escapade.

August 1871

Dearest Rhett,

What a funny way to start a goodbye letter but you will always be my dearest Rhett. I am going to be totally honest in this letter because if I fail in my escape then you will make my life a living hell anyway. I can't continue living the way we are living. I can't continue living in Atlanta. Everyone except Melly thinks I'm a whore. The reason Ashley had his arm around me was to comfort me. He had made me cry with all his talk of the past and naming all of the dead from the war. It is sad the way society always judges the woman so much harsher than the man. I'm a whore but he is the poor misguided man enthralled by my "charms."

Where did we go wrong?

Marrying you while believing I was in love with someone else was wrong. I should have realized that your ego would never be able to tolerate something like that. We want all of our spouse, heart, body and soul.
I know I should not have kicked you out of our bed. I regretted it immediately but I really didn't want any more children. You were right that what spurred me on was something I heard Ashley say. I don't even know if he said anything or I heard what I thought was a romantic gesture. I am such a child sometimes. Six months after we had been sleeping in separate bedrooms Mamie told me about prophylactics. And I thought it is too late now he is happy with his whores. If I say anything about him moving back in, he would just mock me and ridicule me. I ended up hurting myself with that idea. And what sadden me the most was when I realized that Ashley hadn't given up anything to fulfill this silly romantic gesture. (If there was even a romantic promise.)
The night of Ashley's party after you carried me up the stairs was the best night of my life. You were so amorous and forceful. I was in the moment. You were in the moment. You told me over and over again that you loved me. The next morning, I thought we would really talk but you had left to go to Belle's. I was so worried about you and you came back and mocked me for being worried. The best night of my life for you was nothing special. I guess I didn't hear you say you love me. Or maybe it was just something you say when you get really drunk.
The last two and a half years have been like living in a war zone. No matter what I say or do you mock me or criticize me. You know how to tweak my temper and no matter how hard I try you manage to rile me up. You gave me this house and told me I could design it anyway I wanted then criticized it almost every day.
You bought me a ring knowing even I would find it vulgar but I wore it anyway.
You took me to New Orleans and showed me a wonderful time but when we got back you became a sullen man. Whatever was it that I did that made you so mad? I still don't know.
Then there was your joke with the sign for the store. You wanted to make me the butt of a joke for all Atlanta. Everyone laughing at me for my stupidity even though they wouldn't have known what the sign actually said either.
Encouraging me to jettison my reputation then being mad at me for having done it when you realized our lack of reputations would hurt your daughter's chances in society.
You repaired your reputation by destroying mine even more.

Did you know that after you started working at the bank in the afternoons, I would always come home for dinner so I could spend time with my children? I was able to be with them without anyone judging me. They didn't care that I wasn't a good mother they were just happy to be with me.

I would have shelved all my escape plans if I had seen even a tiniest spark of affection in your eyes when you returned from Charleston. I saw more affection for me in the Yankee deserter's eyes than I saw in yours.

I miss my friend. The one that teased me good naturedly. The one that brought me gifts from Europe. The one who cared enough to ride back with me from the mills. The one that saved Ashley Wilkes's life because he cared so much for Melanie. The one who went with me to New Orleans. The one who could always make me laugh. The one who dances better than anyone else.

I love that man.

Sincerely,

Scarlett.

P.S. All of your items were to be packed up and stored at your warehouse on Tribute Street.
Your horse should be at Belle's.

Tonight Rhett was going to get drunk. Tomorrow he would find Scarlett and make things right with her.

He was worried about where his family was tonight. Worried about his precious Bonnie. Most of all he couldn't stop thinking about her having saved the green hat all these years.

After a week Rhett knew all about her activity in Atlanta the three and a half months he was gone. If Scarlett was out of the house Melanie was by her side. Scarlett went to the mills, the store, the bank, Uncle Henry's and round and round on social calls. Everyone said Scarlett stuck to Melly like glue. After two months she had told Uncle Henry to sell everything she could sell. Rhett was frustrated with dealing with Henry Hamilton. The lawyer was obeying the laws of the state of Georgia. Rhett was entitled to know about Scarlett's properties and money. Henry didn't have to tell Rhett what they talked about while she was in his office unless Rhett specifically asked.
Rhett finally asked what he really wanted to know. "Did she ask about a divorce?"
Henry smiled a mean little smile, "Yes. She did." He then added, "But I advised her against it."
"Thank you." Rhett said leerily.
"Because she didn't have a strong case. A lot of judges wouldn't think you being a whoremonger anything for her to be upset about. She has an expensive house, lots of clothes and lots of jewelry why is she complaining. They probably would blame her for you wanting to visit those places especially since it is common knowledge y'all have separate bedrooms." Henry snarled.
Rhett choked back all the words he wanted to hurl at the man. It was her fault he had been using whores. If she hadn't thrown him out of her bedroom, he wouldn't have started using them again. He knew his pain at her rejection was why he never tried to seduce his way back into her bed. He also knew she had regretted it almost immediately but no he had to have his pound of flesh first. She had to humble herself and ask him back.
Rhett asked, "What did she say to that?"
Henry said, "Then sell everything I can legally sell. And with that she thanked me and left. And I was able to sell her entire portfolio except the Hamilton House. That is in trust for Beau and Wade." Henry omitted how she had broken down and cried and cried. Henry didn't know what to do. Fortunately, Melly had been in the waiting room. Henry called her in to comfort Scarlett. After she regained her composure, she told Henry, "You should have told me I would lose everything if I remarried. I would have never gotten married again. It wasn't worth it. Everything I worked for is gone. Sell everything I can legally sell. Melly, Ask Ashley if he wants to sell his half also."
Rhett asked, "Who bought her half of the mills?"
Henry said, "Lloyd Thomas. He owns the mill on Decatur Avenue. Ashley sold his half also so they made a nice profit."
Rhett laughed and said, "The Yankee?" And Henry just nodded. And with that Rhett left. ,
He visited the bank to look at his accounts. The last two months she had withdrawn a thousand dollars from two of their four accounts they had at the bank. He talked with the clerk who had helped her every time. The clerk's first question made Rhett smile. He asked, "Did you find Mrs. Butler's bookkeeping mistakes?"
Rhett replied, "Yes. I found them. Did she confide in you?"
The clerk beamed and said, "She is such a pretty thing but so scatterbrained." While giving Rhett a knowing smile. He continued, "She was so upset the first time she was here. She didn't know what was wrong but she didn't have enough money to cover payroll. She knew she had made a mistake somewhere but couldn't find it. Usually she just turns these problems over to you and you fix everything in no time. But you were in Charleston with your sick mother
She didn't want to bother you with this when your mother may be dying. I didn't know you had been separated from her for over 20 years. So, she asked me to let her withdraw a thousand dollars from two separate accounts. I did because there was nothing in the rules against it. You said not to let her withdraw over a thousand dollars at one time. When she came back in, I could tell she was really upset. She told me it had happened again. She didn't have enough money for payroll and she didn't know what to do. She said, "If only Mr. Butler was here to help me." She certainly has a lot of faith in you. I told her we could do the same thing we did last month but she had to tell you all about it as soon as you got home. I did offer to look at the books and see if I could find her mistakes. She shook her head and told me; Mr. Butler wouldn't like that at all.
Did you find her mistakes?"
Rhett had been doing a lot of head shaking and eye rolling while the clerk was telling his story. Scarlett had picked her mark well. He was young, unattractive, and a little bit fat. He wasn't going to tell the man he had been used. He was so proud of himself. He had been a willing victim in Scarlett's hands. Rhett replied, "Yes. As usual she had made some simple addition mistakes. It's all taken care of now. Thank you for helping her while I was with my mother in Charleston. My mother made a full recovery. I see the bank president waving at me. Goodbye."
Rhett walked over to the bank president. The bank president said, "Mrs. Butler closed all of her accounts. When I talked to her about it, she said she was investing in a cotton gin. Are you investing in the venture also?"
Rhett replied, "No. But I will be selling my shares in the bank. We will be leaving Atlanta with no plans to return."
"Sorry to hear that Butler. See you soon."