WBG Chapter 7

Not sure which direction to go? I just started writing it again, and it sort of told itself! tell me what you think!

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The next day as the sun came up on 1874, the Butler house was quiet, and the turmoil from the night before was a memory. It was Scarlett who had inquired about Rhett the morning after she ordered him out of the house to Mammy, "Mammy, has Captain Butler left for the station?"

"No, and I aint reckon he is."

"Mammy, I told him-"

"Miss Scarlett, you can't put a man out of his own house. He is going to stay out of the way and visit with the children. Don't forget who pays for this house."

"Do not talk to me like this, I am the lady-"

"You married to him, and if you don't start behaving, you gonna find yourself, unmarried!"

"I guess I'm the villian!"

Mammy looked at Scarlett pouting, and touched her hand, "I done talked with Mr. Rhett, too. I tole him to treat you nice, and he said he is going to try."

"I don't want to see him."

"Now, Miss Scarlett, he came all the way back here, you need to at least have dinner with the family."

Scarlett set her jaw, seething.

Mammy walked out with the tray, and caught a glimpse of Rhett and the children hurrying out the front door, and breathed a sigh of relief. Prissy was sauntering up the stairs to the nursery.

"Where is you going, gal?"

"I'm going to the nursery-"

"The children are gone-"

"I knows, Mr. Rhett, he take them to the park with the bow and arrows. I'm gonna wait for them to come home."

"Git yo'self in Miss Scarlett's room, she needs to get dressed, go on, get in there and then come down, you got work to do."

Prissy scurried into Scarlett's room, as Mammy's booming voice sent her flying.

It was well after two o'clock that Rhett and the children returned and Wade carried two stiff squirrels into the kitchen. Rhett sat in the dining room and saw that the table was set for quite a feast, no doubt COokie and Mammy had prepared for the new year celebration of 1874.

Scarlett looked in as Ella prepared for her bath, and Wade was ushered into his room to get cleaned up. She was dressed, but she dared not go down and face that hateful Rhett.

The day was cool, and cloudy, but the weather had been more like early spring than January, so Scarlett took a walk in the garden, looking over at the yellowing lawn, and the dirt track, Bonnie had made with her pony. 1874, in just a few months, Bonnie would have been six years old, ready to start school with Ella and Wade. Her thoughts were broken by the sound of buggy wheels in the driveway, and looking over Uncle Peter was helping PittyPat and India down from the buggy.

Scarlett hurried over to the hedge and waved them over, "I'm over here, good afternoon."

India motioned for Pitty to sit back in the carriage, and India met Scarlett halfway in the driveway.

"Oh, Scarlett, I'm so sorry to interrupt your day."

"It's no interruption, the children are getting cleaned up and I'm waiting for dinner."

"I heard Rhett was home?"

Scarlett looked at her, no doubt Merriweather's gossip, "Yes, he's resting. He and the children had an early morning outing, what's the matter?"

Pitty was sniffing smelling salts as Uncle Peter patted her hand.

"Well, Ashley was brought home last night by a hired rig, he was quite ill."

Scarlett wanted to add"intoxicated", but didn't.

"Well, did you call Dr. Meade?"

"No, er, he got better, and you see after dinner, he left the house saying he was taking Beau and coming to your house."

"Here?" Scarlett felt her cheeks flush, "WHy?"

"He said you invited them to dinner, and the children missed Beau."

"I never, Where is Beau?"

Pitty called out, "Tell her, tell her what he did!"

Scarlett's heart started to beat faster, "Is Beau safe?"

India looked down quite embarrassed, "Yes, he's fine. Hugh walked him home with a few dollars left , and he had quite a stomach ache from all the candy he bought at the store."

"Where's Ashley?"

India shook her head, "We don't know. he told Beau to buy whatever he wanted, and wait for him at your store. Hugh was closing for the day, and Beau insisted he was meeting his father."

Scarlett stomped her foot, "How dare he!"

"Scarlett, I'm so worried-"

"India, he's at the saloon. Rhett saw him there last night, and sent him home."

Pitty cried out, "I can't go there and get him, it isn't proper."

Scarlett looked at India, "Well, I'm not going either, don't worry, they will send him home when he's run out of money."

"But, Scarlett-" India's eyes filled with tears, "He needs to come home, he can't continue on this road."

Scarlett looked at Uncle Peter, "Send him, I cannot leave my family's dinner to tend to Ashley."

Rhett stood behind her, and smirked, "What is this I hear? Mr. Wilkes needs help?"

India turned purple, and Pitty stuck her head back in the carriage.

Scarlett turned to him, "Uncle Peter is going down to the saloon to get him."

Rhett looked at India who had now sobbed, "Miss WIlkes, you are quite worried about your brother?"

"Yes, he was so sick last night. Thank you for sending him home safely."

"No, I was only thinking of poor Beau."

Scarlett stood like a statue staring at Rhett playing the hero, "Well, we were just about to eat dinner-"

"Scarlett, take these ladies in, and get them some tea. I'll go down with Uncle Peter and fetch Mr. WIlkes."

Scarlett motioned for Pitty and led the two sobbing women into the library, ringing for Mammy to bring tea.

Rhett caught her arm, as she passed him, "Scarlett, have some places set for our guests. When I return, we will sit down for our dinner."

Scarlett nodded, and joined the group in the Library, holding her tongue to prevent any more gossip to leak out to Atlanta's old guard.

It was well after four o'clock, when Rhett came back to the house. The children had enjoyed leftover cheese and crackers as they waited for Rhett to return.

Scarlett and India met Rhett in the foyer.

"He's home and quite the worse for wear. He is sleeping it off in the cellar with Uncle Peter, and I checked on Beau. DIlcey said he was feeling better, enough to have a cup of soup. Now, ladies, join us for dinner."

India, tried to make an excuse, and Rhett held up his hand, "Miss WIlkes, I insist, and will not take 'no' as an answer. Everything is quiet at your home, and you need a good, relaxing dinner."

India conceded, and tried to smooth out her tacky black dress, which next to Scarlett's navy velvet looked like a ragamuffin.

Scarlett sighed to herself, "Now, she had to pretend not in front of her children, but guests that everything was fine with Rhett." SHe knew India would exchange this delicious gossip with Merriweather.

Only Wade and Rhett noticed Scarlett's quiet demeanor and knew, she was about to explode. All the while, watching Rhett smile, and act the perfect husband and her thoughts repeated, "Well, I'm sure this stunt will keep gossip down!"

India and Pitty took her silence that she was worried about Beau or upset that Rhett had offered to help. So, all were in agreement after the dinner which included a few stories from Rhett, and some flusters by AUnt Pitty and a sleepy Ella yawning at the table, which was the only time Scarlett tugged on the child's shoulder and hissed, "Ella, not at the table."

All were in agreement to leave directly after dessert. Pitty and India hurried home to check on Beau and Ashley, and ELla was escorted upstairs with her brother. WHich left Scarlett and Rhett alone in the dining room.

Rhett had been pleasant at dinner, and even now, his eyes were blank, and he studied the last of his pie he couldn't finish, why was it he never finished dessert, when Scarlett scraped the plate. She wanted to get her barb in about his spectacle with the two biggest gossips in Atlanta, but she didn't want to be the one to start the argument tonight. She wanted to escape to her bedroom, she felt her nerves and her temper brooding at the surface. So, once they were alone, she quietly said, "Thank you, Rhett for bringing Ashley home. You didn't need to do that."

"I did, Ashley is ruining his family, and everything that Mrs. Wilkes believed in, I did it for her."

Scarlett winced as though he slapped her in the face, "I know, poor Melly would be devastated." she whispered.

"Well, I can promise you, he won't do that again."

Scarlett lifted her head slowly, and stared at Rhett, "How do you figure that?"

Rhett lit his cigar and stood up, "Come out on the porch, it's a nice night, and I'll tell you about our 'tete a tete'."

"WHat?" Scarlett asked, as he took her arm and walked out on to the back porch overlooking the gardens. As soon as they were outside, Rhett shut the french door, and laughed, "Wade Hampton has become quite a eavesdropper. He's taken after you, with his nerve."

Scarlett's face crimsoned, "Well, I never was an eavesdropper, not like you. I'm not watching what i say in my own house, I'll speak to him-"

"Don't 'speak' to him with your hand, Scarlett. The boy is very defiant, and if you push him hard, you'll lose him. I know, that's what my father did. Let me handle him."

"Really, Rhett, whispering in our own house?"

"Sit down, and I'll tell you my interesting "discussion" with Mr. Wilkes."

Scarlett sat in the chair, feeling the last rays of sun on her face, as Rhett stretched out across from her. She sat silently, waiting for Rhett to start his story.

"Well, I found him alright, face down in the water closet, he could barely get up without any help. I had one of Belle's girls put him in a cold tub of water and wake him up. I sat next to the tub, and how I wanted to ring that scrawny pitiful neck."

"Rhett, please, Ashley is-"

"Grieving? Well, his type of grief is going to kill him, and Beau is going to grow up without any morals, watching his father, and that is just what I told him."

"Did he even understand you?"

"I think he did, he smirked and said I had room to talk. I guess I deserved that, but I'm not going to watch Beau get disgraced by his father, and grow up with a drunk, all the teachings and upbringing that Beau had with his mother, be forgotten now that his father is a selfish bastard."

"Rhett, really?"

"He's selfish, very selfish. I told him, he always wanted to have his way, have everybody fawning over him, but didn't have any guts, no gumption to speak his mind. I told Belle, she is not to allow him in her saloon, and if any money is taken from him, for anything, I was closing the saloon down."

"For one, drunken, sadden man?"

"No, for Mrs. WIlkes and Beau. I shook that stupid excuse for a fool, and slapped his face. I said,'You aren't grieving your wife, you're grieving yourself, and your life. Today is the last day you disgrace Melanie Wilkes, for I have loved her like a sister, and if you were my brother in law, I would have punched you out, your lucky you got a few slaps."

"I thought you didn't approve of such discipline?" Scarlett sneered, as the darkness brought on a chill.

"Not for helpless children who need to learn, but for a grown man who is so selfish and disgraceful, I would have loved to get a few punches in, but I feared I would kill him," Rhett flexed his fists, and Scarlett knew the jealousy brooded right under the surface.

Scarlett stood, "Well, I hope your "talk" does something to help him. I figure if he can't get drinks in the saloon, he'll go elsewhere. Good night, Rhett."

Rhett met her at her seat, "Don't you want to know what he said about you?"

"Me? WHy would Ashley Wilkes say anything about me?"

Rhett snickered, "Why wouldn't he? Didn't you all share the purest of chivalrous love, up until a few weeks ago? On your side?"

Scarlett's eyes flew up to Rhett's face, "Don't, Rhett, don't bring this up."

"I didn't bring this up, Ashley did, do you want to know what he said about you?"

"I'm cold, Rhett, and I want to go to bed, I didn't sleep-"

"Oh, it would behoove you to hear it, it may give you pleasant dreams."

"Tell me, and get it over with, what?"

"Ashley moaned, quite as if in emotional pain, 'Oh, if I only had Scarlett by my side, she would help me, she would know what to do!'"

Scarlett gulped, "I have helped with Beau's gifts, clothes, and included them in any Christmas celebrations."

"Yes, like a generous godmother, as you are, but I think Mr. Wilkes is looking not for a godmother, but a second wife."

"You are vile, how did you get this revelation out of Ashley crying for help?"

"Because, last night he asked me to divorce you, and today he muttered to the dark haired girl who cleaned him up and brought him coffee,'Scarlett, my dear, is that you?' and the girl laughed, 'Mr. Wilkes, you can only call me that name after you pay me." Ashley hung his head and cried,'It's no use, you are not the woman I love.'"

Scarlett sat back down, in spite of the cold and clenched her chest, as heavy breaths escaped her lungs, she was speechless.

Rhett watched her, and offered his hand, "May I walk you back inside, my pet?"

Scarlett could not even hear Rhett's request, her ears were blurred with ringing as she tried to regain her composure, all she was able to say, "I don't believe, He can't be-"

Rhett smirked, as he saw the wheels rolling in her head, and a streak of fear hit his heart, but he shook her shoulders, to get her back, "Scarlett? Are you ill?"

Scarlett felt his warm strong hand on her shoulder and looked up at his face slowly, unable to speak, her face was deathly white in the early evening, and then she blurted out, "What did you tell him?"

"About the girl? I don't even know-"

"No, about the divorce?"

Rhett smirked, "Well, I said I would have to think about it."

"Think about it?"

"Yes, it would be an answer to all our problems, I mean if you agree?"

"Agree!" Scarlett screamed and stood up clenching the table.

"I know you say that it is the past, but if you agree to a divorce, to be with Ashley, I wouldn't have a problem." Rhett lit a second cigar, watching her from under his lashes, the darkness made it hard to notice her expression. Scarlett walked to the french doors as fear and cold air overwhelmed her into trembling, she opened the door and looked over her shoulder, Rhett sat there puffing his cigar, how she wished he would swallow it, and then she turned to face him fully, "Your right Rhett," Scarlett said, as Rhett removed his cigar and his sneer shrunk into a frown, "This is something, we both need to think about, especially me."

Rhett sat up, "Is that so?"

"Yes, I mean everybody I seem to love, seems to run away from me, now I have one person running back. This is certainly something, I need to "think" about. Good night."

Scarlett closed the door behind her, and left Rhett to his cigar that he threw to the ground and smashed under his shoe.

Wade was walking across the hall to his bedroom as Scarlett made it to the top of the stairs. Her heart was beating fast, and her bold was chilled. She saw her son lurking in the hallway, and she snapped, "Wade, get to your room and stay there!"

Wade didn't answer but the door closed with a thud, and Prissy poked her head out of the nursery, "Miss Scarlett, you need something?"

"Is Miss Ella asleep?"

"Yes, she is, and Master Wade finished his book, so he went to bed, too."

"What are you going to do watch her sleep all night?"

Prissy stood there, gaping, "Well, I-"

Scarlett ordered her, "Go get me a hot cup of tea, and I need to get into to bed, now. I'm exhausted!"

Prissy muffled a "Yes, ma'am." and hurried down the steps to the kitchen.

Alone in her room, Scarlett lounged on her chaise lounge, and held her head that had started to pound, as the door opened, she snapped, "Well, it good to see you getting here fast-"

The silhouette in the doorway was slight Prissy, but a dark hulking one of Rhett. His face was stormy, and his eyes black and blank.

Scarlett was on her feet and prepared for a fight, "What are you-"

"Think about it, are you?" Rhett's voice was a deep growl, and his hands shook with anger as he grabbed waist, "Think about this!" he shouted in her face, as he grabbed her head in his other shaking hand, and kissed her hard and brutal on her lips, causing tears to spring from her eyes, as his tongue brushed her lips the heat from his body pushing against her sent the coldness in her body evading a hot streak, making her moan against his lips.

The sound of tea cups crashing, and Rhett pulling away from Scarlett's kiss, left her confused and dumbfounded as he stormed over to Prissy standing in the doorway, her eyes huge, and mouth open to protest. Rhett kicked the tray and tea cups in the hallway, and slammed the door in Prissy's face.