Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Chapter Five

The next week Scarlett went to see Uncle Henry and asked him if there was any way she could find out more about Rhett's past. He was very closed mouth about his activities and she wanted to know what he had done in the fifteen years between being outcast from Charleston and the start of the war. Uncle Henry said she could hire someone from the Pickerton Agency to investigate him.

Uncle Henry said, "I will contact them for you and have them send me the report. I will tell them a hundred dollars is the most we will authorize at this point."

Scarlett said, "I know he went to New Orleans, California, and Cuba. And have them find out if his ward is his child."

Uncle Henry said, "I have a cousin who lives in Charleston I will get her to tell me all about the incident with the girl and the duel."

Scarlett said, "And find out if she knows anything about the West Point incident." She left Uncle Henry's office feeling better about Rhett in a long time. She needed to know what her husband would or wouldn't do.

That night at dinner she told Rhett she was going back to Tara for Wade and Ella the next day. She had missed them.

Rhett said, "You have missed your children?"

Scarlett said, "Amazing huh?"

Rhett said, "Don't be gone long. I miss you," And when Scarlett brightened, he added, "when you are not in my bed." Scarlett gave him an ugly look and huffed. Rhett laughed that superior laugh he had.

Scarlett stayed four days at Tara. She had planned to just go down one day and return the next day but she had to punish Rhett for his comment. While she was there, she checked with Beatrice on their horse farm. Beatrice had bought four mares and a stud horse. They would know if any of the mares were pregnant in the next couple of months.

Wade and Ella were happy to be back in Atlanta where Beau, Aunt Melly and Uncle Rhett were. Prissy came back with them to help with the children. When they moved into a house Mammy said she would come to Atlanta.

Wade and Ella found that their mother was easier to be around. She didn't seem so touchy lately. Wade actually started a conversation with her about the book he was reading. The next day their mother suggested that they take a trip to the book store. She bought Wade several books and Ella some picture books and herself a book titled Little Women. She then took them to her store where she picked up the ledgers and told them to pick out a toy. Scarlett took them back to the hotel.

Rhett heard back from his mother. She wrote, "Any time in the next three months is good." He started making arrangements to be out of town for a month or so.

Within two weeks they were on the train to Charleston. It was an eighteen-hour trip but Rhett had gotten them a private car so the trip was comfortable. Elizabeth Butler met them at the train station. She was just like Scarlett had imagined she would be. She was tall, with salt and pepper hair, blue eyes and a lovely smile. Rhett didn't look anything like her. She had brought her daughter Rosemary with her. Rosemary looked like a younger version of Elizabeth but not quite as pretty. Scarlett was aghast at their horrible matronly clothes. Scarlett looked around and discovered she was the only woman with any color in her clothing. Everyone else's was brown, gray, black or maroon. For some reason that Scarlett didn't understand she scooted closer to Rhett. Rhett put his arm around her and she felt better immediately. He may be a blackguard but he would protect her.

Rhett made the introductions and they all got into Miss Elizabeth's carriage. The carriage was old and one of the wheels squeaked which made Rhett wince. They got to her home which was on The Battery. The décor was very bland and boring. Scarlett knew it had cost a lot of money but there was not any sparkle to it. It probably looked the same as every other house in town. There was nothing in it that said this is Elizabeth Butler. This made Scarlett sad. She suddenly recognized that to be a proper southern lady, she would have to keep her personality hidden. The last six years she had been able to let her personality show and she had enjoyed that freedom. Rhett had encouraged her to let her personality show no matter what the consequences were. She could tell that Rhett wanted her to "behave" while they were in Charleston because he didn't want her embarrassing his mother. That's why he had never suggested them coming to Charleston. She knew he would become just like Mamie and Melly had said once a child was born, respectable.

Scarlett said, "What a lovely home, Mrs. Butler. You can tell that it belongs to someone of breeding." Rhett looked pleased with her statement. Rosemary and Elizabeth looked pleased also but not the same way Rhett did. He looked pleased like his pet had done just what he had wanted it to do.

Elizabeth said, "Thank you my dear," as she looped her arm into Scarlett's arm. "But you must call me Mother."

Scarlett smiled and said, "Of course."

Elizabeth said, "Let me show you to your rooms."

They all walked up the stairs. At the first door on the right Elizabeth said, "This is Rosemary's room," at the first door on the left she said, "This is Rhett's room where you will be staying, of course."

They walked down the hall to the next door on the left and Elizabeth said, "This is my room." Scarlett's only thought was 'How thick are these walls?' because she often got carried away when they were having relations and made a lot of noise. Rhett knew exactly what she was thinking and smiled his mischievous smile. He would do his best to make her make a lot of noise because it would embarrass her so. On second thought he wouldn't do that. He enjoyed the way she enjoyed relations and he didn't want anything to ruin that. He took her hand and smiled reassuringly at her. Scarlett smiled a grateful smile at him.

Elizabeth had already continued down the hallway. She opened the door to the next bedroom on the right. She said, "I thought we could put the children in this room across the hall from me. Do you want your darkie to sleep in here with the children or outback with the others?" Scarlett looked at Rhett and said, "In here."

There was one final room on the floor and Elizabeth said that it was empty right now but she could turn it into a nursery when the first Butler baby arrived. Scarlett just smiled. Elizabeth said, "Let me give you a chance to clean up. Supper is served at 6:30."

Over the next four weeks Scarlett truly found out what it was like to be a proper southern lady. She attended teas and sewing bees with Rhett's mother. She took walks with the children and Rosemary. She liked her sister in law and found her very entertaining. Maybe I will find some other friends among the society ladies in Atlanta. Rhett was the same charming person. He took her dancing, dining, to soirees, to concerts and sailing on a boat he had borrowed. He told her stories of his life in Charleston but nothing about the scandals. She thought it was sad that about half the people still snubbed him. He never acted like it bothered him. They visited her aunts. They snubbed Rhett. She reassured them that she was no longer a woman of trade. She had sold the mills and the only reason she was keeping the store was because of Ella. Scarlett wanted her to have something that had belonged to her father. Afterwards as Rhett was helping her in the buggy he said, "You're getting rather good at pretending to be a proper lady." Scarlett said, "That's all it is a big game of make believe." They visited her sister, Careen. Scarlett could tell that Careen had found peace and contentment as a nun.

Scarlett suggested that they drive around Charleston to see if they could find a house, they wanted to live in. The next afternoon they found one. It was in a new style called Queen Anne. It was flashier than Rhett liked but Scarlett was a flashy woman. He agreed. He was glad that she would start building her home.

They arrived back in Atlanta and returned to the National Hotel. They were given the same suite. It was the largest in the hotel. The next day Scarlett went to check on the store and look at the ledgers. She took the ledgers home and stopped by Uncle Henry's on her way back home. She hoped he had the report on Rhett. She was surprised she didn't feel guilty about spying on Rhett. She needed to know how bad her husband was. How dangerous he was. Had he just appeared scary dangerous that night in New Orleans or was he really scary dangerous. Uncle Henry gave her the envelope then walked her to an unused office. She spoke to Ashley as they were walking by his office. Before Uncle Henry left, he told her what his cousin had written him about Rhett and the girl. It wasn't anything Scarlett hadn't heard before. Why Rhett got kicked out of West Point was because of an incident that involved alcohol and women. That's all anyone knows. When Uncle Henry left her in the office, she locked the door. She didn't want anyone else reading this file.

Rhett Kennesaw Butler

Date of Birth: 4/15/1828

Mr. Butler was kicked out of his father's home on May 23, 1846. He was thrown out with the clothes on his back and the money in his pocket.

Mr. Butler arrived in New Orleans on June 13, 1846. He became a regular at saloons and brothels. He supported himself by playing poker and other games of chance.

In the winter of 1847, he was in Cuba doing gun running and working for wealthy Americans who were living there. It is not clear exactly what he did while in Cuba. It is believed he amassed a sizable amount of money at that time.

He was in San Francisco in the summer of 1848. He mined for gold and amassed some money but he made most of his money by running a general store. He continued to spend time in saloons and brothels. He was knifed in the winter of 1849. The reasons were not clear but it involved a man who accused Mr. Butler of having relations with his wife. After Mr. Butler recovered, he sold his store and left San Francisco he returned to New Orleans. In questionable circumstances the man who knifed Mr. Butler was found dead six months later. He was shot to death with one bullet in the heart.

Mr. Butler traveled in Europe from 1850 to 1856. We have no information. We would have to travel to Europe to investigate.

In 1856 in New Orleans he was living with a woman and the woman bled to death after an unknown procedure. The woman had a four-year-old son and Mr. Butler became the child's guardian. He has supported him ever since. The child is definitely not Mr. Butler's child.

From 1856 to 1860 Mr. Butler travel the North and South preparing for the war. He bought ships and made contacts. No nefarious business was discovered.

In 1861 he bought all the cotton he could and shipped it to Liverpool, England and stored it in a warehouse.

1861 to 1864 Mr. Butler was a blockade runner and a food speculator. He was entrusted with some of the Confederate gold but he never delivered any goods for that money. He has been pardoned for all crimes committed during the war.

1865 He shot and killed a negro man. Why is still questionable. All he said about it was the negro man was looking at a white woman wrong.

If more information is needed contact us at our home office.

Scarlett got up and walked over to the fireplace and lit a match and burned the entire report. She unlocked the office door. She said goodbye to Ashley and Uncle Henry and left the premises.

Ashley asked Henry, "What was that she got in the envelope?"

Henry being a good lawyer said, "I don't know. Get back to work."