Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

Chapter Three

Instead of Scarlett scowling at him. She smiled at him and said, "Good morning, Mr. Butler." He looked around and didn't see anyone else or a wagon. He asked, "Where is our ride to Tara?"

Scarlett looked straight at him and said, "We are not going to Tara. We have said "Goodbye" to everyone there already. We can return to Atlanta as soon as the next train arrives in thirty minutes."
Rhett said, "I would have thought you would want to show Tara off."
She smiled, "You can see it some other time when there aren't any judgmental people there."
Rhett said, "What do you mean?"
Scarlett looked pointedly at Wade and said, "Later! Do you want something to eat or drink? We can't get a meal but we can get a drink or snack."
Rhett said, "No. I am fine. Scarlett, is anyone else coming with us? Like Mammy or Prissy?"
Scarlett said angrily, "I don't want Prissy and Mammy won't come with us."
Rhett decided to leave the matter alone until later. "I guess I can play ladies' maid for a little while." He laughed at Scarlett's expression.
All she said was, "I guess until we can hire someone."
Suddenly Wade couldn't wait any longer and burst out, "What am I supposed to call you now?"
"You can call me Papa." Rhett offered. Rhett nearly started laughing because Wade and Scarlett had the same shocked expression on their faces. Then Rhett said, "Yes. That is what you will call me. You are my son now and we are a family." Surprisingly Wade and Scarlett again had the same expression on their faces, one of gratitude.

They were on the train to Atlanta within the hour. Scarlett was happy and relaxed once the train pulled out of the station. She snuggled in Rhett's arms.

When they got to Atlanta Rhett took them to his suite at the National Hotel. Rhett stopped at the desk and got his room key and messages. He asked them to send up a bath for Mrs. Butler.
Scarlett enjoyed the bath very much then Rhett helped her get dressed in some new clothes he had gotten her. He could tell she was incredibly embarrassed but he promised not to look on his word as a gentleman.

She laughed and said, "I would rather have your word as a cad."
To which he heartily laughed but didn't promise anything. She didn't like the clothes at all. They were very matronly and drab. He saw her unhappy look and said, "These clothes are for you to wear while we are in Charleston. They are very strait laced in that town. I don't want people talking about your flashy clothes and embarrassing my mother."
Scarlett looked at him to see if he was serious and said, "I guess there alright then but I like my flashy clothes."

Rhett put his arms around her and said, "I will get you some more new clothes in Charleston but most of your new clothes will be purchased in Paris once you put some weight back on." Scarlett started to get mad and Rhett enjoyed the fire in her eyes for a minute before he said, "Calm down, my love, you know you are way too thin because of all the meals you have had to miss. And I wouldn't be surprised if you were giving away part of your food to Wade."
Scarlett turned to look at Rhett and said, "How did you know?"
Rhett whispered in her ear, "Because that is the kind of mother you are."
Scarlett looked up at him and he could see the tears in her eyes when she said, "Oh Rhett! Thank you for saying that." He felt like a jerk for all the unkind comments he had made about her mothering ability. He knew she loved her children. She showed it by actions not by words.
He recalled how she wouldn't take off her wedding and engagement rings when she was swollen from her pregnancy with Bonnie. At the time he had thought it was because she wanted to continue showing off her diamond but that wasn't correct. She wouldn't take them off even when she was in her confinement and he and Melly were the only ones who would see them. The rings meant something special to her.
Over supper which they had in their suite Rhett asked her why Mammy didn't come with her.

Scarlett huffed and said, "She doesn't approve of my marriage to you. She called you a low life shifty notorious blackguard. I told her you were a wonderful man and I was lucky that you married me. She then said that we were like a pair of mules. We can dress ourselves up in horse's harnesses but we were still mules." Rhett had forgotten all about this comment that Mammy had made but he remembered how much it had hurt Scarlett. Last time he had told Scarlett he agreed with Mammy in order to get Scarlett's goat.

This time he said, "I'm sorry she feels that way but I'm even more sorry she is not coming with us. I have always liked Mammy even if she does think I'm a low life shifty notorious blackguard of a mule."

This made Scarlett laughed and she said, "I don't think that."

Rhett smiled at Scarlett and asked her "Is there any one, you would like to see before we leave Atlanta?"

She said, "No but I would like to get some things from Frank's store. Would you set-up a line of credit so Pa and Will can get supplies at Frank's store. We will pay you back when we sell the cotton. I left all the extra money you gave me with Will. Of all the people at Tara he is the most responsible except for Melly. Melly would just give the money to Ashley. Who knows what he would buy with it? I also would like to go to a book store and get some magazines and a book."

After supper Rhett poured Scarlett and himself a brandy while she put Wade to bed. When she came back to the sitting room, he could tell she was nervous. Rhett walked over to her and handed her the brandy and took her other hand and led her to their bedroom. Scarlett quickly drank her brandy while Rhett lit the lamp. Rhett then said, "Scarlett, just relax. We are going to have fun. There will be no pain and hopefully extreme pleasure. I want to explain the type of pregnancy prevention we will be using so you will know that you are not going to get pregnant for a while. I don't want to have a child for about two years. I want us to have some fun first. When we do start trying to conceive you will know it will soon be happening so you won't be surprised. Are you okay with this course for our lives?"
All Scarlett could do was nod her head.
Then Rhett said, "Scarlett, this is our sex life not just my sex life. I want you to fully participate, I want you to receive as much pleasure if not more from the activities, I want you to ask questions if you don't understand, and most importantly I will be very happy if you initiate activities. Do you have any questions now?"
Scarlett shook her head no while she was staring at Rhett. Her mind was in a whirl. But one thing stuck in her head... a woman could receive pleasure from relations?
Rhett stood her up and started to undress her while kissing her and she stopped thinking and just started feeling.

When they were finished all she could think was some of those activities had to be either illegal or immoral or both.
Rhett leaned over her and asked, "Did you enjoy yourself Mrs. Butler?"
Scarlett blurted out, "Oh yes. When can we do that again?"
Rhett laughed a truly happy laugh that Scarlett did not think she had ever heard him laugh before. He said, "Maybe tomorrow morning."
Scarlett's eyes got very big and she said, "Rhett, I just remembered that Wade has terrible nightmares and he usually gets in bed with me. Please don't make him go back to his bed."
Rhett was really beginning to see that those two years she was married to Frank were when she lost her kindness and her humanity. Scarlett just closed those emotions off because she saw it as a weakness in her battle to survive and excel. It was when she became a bully. All Rhett said was, "Then let's gets some clothes on so we don't shock him.
Sometime during the night Wade did come get in their bed. Rhett just pulled him into the bed and rubbed Wade's back until he fell back to sleep. The next morning after breakfast they picked up some books for her and Wade at the book store and proceeded to Kennedy's General Store. Rhett did set-up the line of credit for Will and Mr. O'Hara. Scarlett bought miscellaneous items that she had not been able to have since the early years of the war. She bought several ribbons and several new outfits for Wade from Kennedy's. Both she and Wade got new shoes. In the afternoon Rhett thought they should walk around the town spending as much time as possible outside. They would be on the train to Charleston for almost eighteen hours. They did stop by Aunt Pittypat's house to update her on the residence of Tara. They confirmed that they were married which put Aunt Pittypat into a swoon. A little brandy later and she was fine. When they left Rhett and Scarlett did something for the first time. They looked at each other and knew what the other was thinking. It gave Rhett a warm tingly feeling.

They were leaving that evening at ten thirty. Scarlett was surprised they were leaving Atlanta so quickly. Scarlett asked, "Where are we going to live?"
Rhett wished she hadn't asked him that yet. He responded, "London, England.
She surprised him when she said excitedly, "Really! That is wonderful. I can't wait to get away from all this destruction, everywhere I look is devastation."
Rhett smiled and told her, "That's where I can make the most money."

Scarlett smiled and said, "I never knew before how important the ability to make money is." Truth be told he could probably make a little more money here but he wanted her away from Ashley Wilkes and the Old Guard.