Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Chapter Four

Within the next week Scarlett had sold the mills and moved her accounts to Rhett's lawyer, Charlie Burns. He was a Hamilton cousin but he was not very close to Ashley. Beatrice and Jim Tarleton came to Atlanta to sign the papers to start the horse breeding business. Unlike when Rhett lent Scarlett the money for her mills Scarlett was half owner of the business. Scarlett decided that most of the profits would probably go back into the business. They all signed the papers because as her husband Rhett had to approve her investing in a business. This irked Scarlett. After the papers were signed the Tarletons came to the Butlers' suite and discussed their path forward. Rhett joined into the discussion and made some valid points. Soon the Tarletons were on the train to Jonesboro.

After they left Rhett said, "Do you think they would have been your in-laws if the war hadn't happened?"

Scarlett said, "Not mine but probably Careen's."

At supper Scarlett was dressed in her favorite new dress she had gotten in New Orleans. She had on jewelry that matched the dress perfectly. As Rhett looked at her, he thought she really is beautiful even if she is preening a little bit. Her clothes were flashier than he would have chosen for her but they looked right on her. She would never look right in staid colors and styles.

As they were sitting there Rhett acknowledged several people in the dining room.

Scarlett said, "How do you know them?"

Rhett said, "I am doing business with them."

Scarlett looked at him and again saw traces of that scary man. She knew he had done things that weren't right or at best questionable. She saw the women whose conversation she had overheard and Rhett acknowledged one of the men with them. These were not people Ellen would have ever sat down to dinner with. As fun as the women may seem to be Scarlett knew her mother would not approve. The men looked hard and cold. If she hadn't been with Rhett, she would have left the dining room. One of the men and his wife came over to their table. Rhett introduce Scarlett to them. They were Harold and Mamie Barnes. Scarlett smiled politely. She looked at the couple and wondered if Mamie's hair was dyed.

After they left Scarlett asked Rhett, "Was that woman's hair dyed?"

Rhett didn't turn to look at the woman but said, "Yes." Strangely the woman was looking back at them with a smirk on her face.

Scarlett looked at Rhett and said, "Where do you know her from?" with a hint of jealousy in her voice.

Rhett smiled his smug smile and said, "She ran a very high-class whore house in New Orleans. You could say I was one of her customers."

Scarlett's eyes got as big as saucers. She said, "They let her in here?"

Rhett said, "They don't know she once was a madame. She is holding herself out as a respectable Scallawag."

Scarlett said, "Is that where you met that Belle creature?"

Rhett had a very mischievous smile on his face and said, "Do you mean my business partner Ms. Watling?"

Scarlett stared at Rhett until Rhett started laughing the laugh that made her feel like a small naïve child. He said, "Yes. I met Belle in a whore house in New Orleans but not the one Mamie owned. Belle mentioned that she was getting too old for the business and she would have to find another way to support herself. I suggested she move to Atlanta and I would help her establish a brothel there. That was several years before I met you. After she moved here, she stopped servicing customers unless they were very special to her." And he smirked.

Scarlett knew that Rhett was implying that he was a very special customer to Belle. Scarlett was fascinated and hurt all at the same time. She looked at her husband for a long time and then said, "I'm no longer hungry." She put her napkin down. Rhett was staring at her with a look that was becoming very familiar. It was like a cat looking at a mouse hole anticipating the mouse appearing. She just smiled at him. She would think about what she was feeling later. She just wanted to leave now but she would have to wait until Rhett was ready to leave and it appeared, he wasn't going to be ready anytime soon. Maybe she would think about what she was feeling now. No! Whatever she thought Rhett would know it because it would show on her face. She would think about it tomorrow.

Scarlett was wrong on one-point Rhett didn't know what she was thinking he just knew that several different thoughts had raced through her head until she settle on postponing what she wanted to think about. It appeared that the last comment he made had hurt her feelings. Could she be jealous of him and his relationship with Belle? He would test this theory later. He knew she hadn't been thinking about Ashley in a long time. She hadn't gotten that dreamy look on her face in a while. The last time he remembered her having that look on her face was when they were in New Orleans. The night he had gotten so mad at her. She began staring at all the other diners but he didn't think she was seeing them.

Finally, he said, "Are you ready to go, my pet?"

Scarlett put a smile on her face and said, "Yes." She once again was in a cheerful mood.

The next day as she returned from shopping, she saw Mrs. Barnes in the lobby. Mrs. Barnes said to Scarlett, "So you are the woman who tamed the great Rhett Butler."

Scarlett was startled that she had spoken to her and wondered who else knew she was a madame. She was trying to repair her reputation. She was tired of being ostracized. They were peahens but her mother wouldn't be happy with the state her reputation was in. She so wished she hadn't married Rhett. He was fun, rich, handsome and exciting but her marriage to him had further ostracized her from society. Especially since everyone knew he was doing business with the Republicans and the Scallawags. Scarlett conveniently forgot that her reputation was not in good shape before she married Rhett because she had done lots of business with the Yankees. Now that she no longer owned the mills, she felt like she could restore her reputation. Everyone would just forget what she had done while married to Frank. Those were dire circumstances after all.

Scarlett looked around and didn't see anyone she knew so she said, "I don't know about taming him. I don't think any woman could tame Rhett."

Mamie said with a knowing look, "He told you what I use to do for a living. Did he tell you he was one of my best customers?"

Scarlett said, "Yes."

Mamie said, "I always knew he would one day return to his roots. I guess by marrying you he's getting ready to restore his reputation."

Scarlett said, "I don't think Rhett wants to restore his reputation. I think he enjoys being a renegade."

Mamie said, "As soon as his first child is born, he will decide that y'all need to be respectable for the sake of the children. He will want his children to be very much part of respectable society. Mark my words. I have seen it happen again and again. Men can be the worst reprobate but as soon as their child is born, they become boring respectable men. And here is the worst part they will get mad at you because you have a less than pristine reputation. Suddenly all their children's problems fitting into society will be your fault especially if they are the one that led you astray."

Scarlett looked at her and said, "Rhett won't be like that."

Mamie gave her a knowing smile and said, "I've seen it happen time and time again."

Scarlett said, "I have to go" and she left the hotel. She had to go talk to Melly. Melly would know if this was even possible. Scarlett was seeking out Melly opinion more and more. Scarlett wondered when Melly had gotten so wise. Scarlett completely forgot that three months ago she had told Rhett Melly was a ninny.

Scarlett took a cab to Melly's house. Fortunately, Melly was home and alone except for Beau. Beau was down for his nap. Melly looked so happy to see her and Scarlett felt so much better just being here. Melly always made her feel better.

Scarlett sat on the sofa and they made small talk. Melly told her how much happier Ashley was working for Uncle Henry than at the lumber yard. Scarlett told her she was happy Ashley had found a better fit with working at the law office. Then Scarlett said, "Do you think that if we have a child Rhett will try and regain his reputation?"

Melly said, "Definitely."

Scarlett was shocked at the adamant way Melly had spoken. She said, "But Rhett doesn't care if he has a good reputation. In fact, he revels in not being accepted by society."

Melly said, "Men change when they have children. Men love their children differently than they do themselves or their wives. They want their children to have everything. They don't want any doors closed to them. All the things they scoffed at suddenly become important because now they are fathers. I have seen it happen time and time again. That is one reason rakes make the best fathers because they will fight to make sure their children get everything."

Scarlett said, "Rhett has always encouraged me to break the rules of society. Do you think he would get mad because I did that when he is trying to get back into society?"

Melly looked at Scarlett with sympathetic eyes and said, "Yes. He won't want to take all the blame for the situation y'all will be in."

Scarlett said, "What can I do?"

Melly said, "Do everything you can now to restore your reputation. Don't do anything else to make it worse. I will help you."

Scarlett reached over and hugged Melly and almost felt like crying which was silly. She never cried. She did say, "Thank you, Melly. You are the best."

Melly wondered if Scarlett knew she had gotten more demonstratively loving in the last several months. She doubted it but she was enjoying this new side of Scarlett. This side of Scarlett that cared about things and asked for help in solving her problems. As she was getting ready to leave Scarlett said, "I wish Charlie hadn't die."

This surprised Melanie for Scarlett never talked about Charlie or had ever expressed sorrow at his passing. All she said, "Me neither," and hugged her again

And Scarlett left and found a cab to take her back to the hotel. Scarlett's head was buzzing. She had too much to think about and she didn't like thinking about things. She just wanted to have fun but she didn't think she would be having fun any time soon. When she got back to the hotel, Rhett was there and asked where she had been. Scarlett told him she had been at Melly's. Then with an insight rare to Scarlett she grasped that she needed to go to Charleston. She knew that part of the reason she hadn't wanted to build the house was because Rhett didn't like her taste and he would be constantly ridiculing her for the way she had decorated their home which would always hurt. She had wanted it to be so big that everyone would be pea green with envy now she wasn't sure about that. She wasn't going to change her style of dress but she wouldn't buy any more clothes for a while. Not until she was accepted back into society.

Scarlett said, "Rhett, are you ashamed of me?"

Rhett looked truly startled. He didn't even try to hide it. "No. I am very proud that you are my wife."

Scarlett said, "Then why haven't you taken me to meet your family in Charleston?"

Rhett said, "It was my belief that you found Charleston a very boring city."

Scarlett said, "That has nothing to do with me meeting your family. You didn't even invite them to our wedding."

Rhett said, "I thought it was a long way to come for a 15-minute ceremony."

Scarlett knew she had him on the defense and said, "Why don't we go now? I can get Wade and Ella and we can go. I don't have anything keeping me in Atlanta."

Rhett just looked at her wondering what she was up to and said, "I'll contact my mother to see when it would be convenient to visit."

Scarlett came over and kissed him on the cheek and said, "Thank you." And went over and picked up one of her magazines. She sat down and started reading. Rhett understood that in the last several months he had been wondering what she was up to several times but never found out an answer. He sat down and wrote his mother a letter.