A/N Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, more reviews inspires me to write more chapters, and also there is an except from Uncle Tom's cabin, no infridgement intended.

Rosemary Butler

Rosemary Butler had finally gotten a copy of the book everyone was talking about. Ms. Stowe's 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' that she had heard all the boys talking about, although they would become quiet when they realized she was in the room, and become very closed-mouth about the topic. She knew that the book told the story of slavery. She didn't see what made slavery so bad, it was the way things had always been, and had been a source of contention between her brother and her father. There were many secrets in the Butler's closet, why it was told that her own great- grandfather had pushed for slavery to be added to the Declaration of Independence, that part of his ill-gotten gains had been in the transportation of slaves between the United States and Africa, Rosemary didn't know if it was true or not, but it was one of the rumors about the Butler family that Charleston ate up.

Rosemary fit into Charleston society much better than her elder brother Rhett ever had even if sometimes she wanted to scream over society's idea of a woman's place, in this she and Scarlett were of the same heart. Rosemary understood Scarlett and enjoyed her conversations with the girl immensely, it was as if she was a kindred spirit with similar thoughts and ideas as her own, though Rosemary never voiced them to anyone other than Scarlett. And Scarlett always brought up Rhett in some way, Rosemary was dreadfully afraid that her father would come down the stairs and say in his cold way that Rhett was part of the Butler family and that his name was not to be brought up in this house, after all he wasn't received. It was only Rosemary and her mother that loved and cared for Rhett, her other brother Ross pretended Rhett had never existed, as if there hadn't been a fifth member to the Butler household. Rosemary felt chills fill her as she thought of the day their father had marked Rhett's name out of the family bible as if he didn't exist.

At first, Rosemary had thought that Scarlett O'Hara had only befriended her to get to Rhett, and even if that had been her intention, Rosemary now counted on Scarlett's opinion more than she did her own mother. Personally, both she and her mother believed that Rhett and Scarlett would make a striking couple and that Southern society would never be the same again if they were to unite. However, there was the problem of Scarlett's engagements and her nagging aunts pushing for the wedding. Rosemary didn't know if Scarlett loved Charles Hamilton or not, but from the letters Scarlett had showed her that Charlie was enamored with the beautiful plantation princess; Katie Scarlet O'Hara. Rosemary put aside 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' although she had been yearning to read it and put quill to parchment as she wrote in neat handwriting.

'My obtuse older brother, Rhett

Is it true that you are enamored with Scarlett, the princess of Tara? For all that I know that she has the tiniest waist and is the belle of five counties, I would not have thought of you to turn tail and run just because of a few misspoken words. I fear that Scarlett may be rash, and is ready to marry Charles Hamilton. I know that your happiness hinges on this event, some foresight, or some ancestor of ours that may have been a gypsy, gives me this knowledge. Scarlett asks about you even in the midst of her wedding plans to Charles Hamilton. Please do not miss the opportunity to set things right. I do not believe that your reputation matters to Tara's princess, please consider both yours and her reputation when you arrive. Do not take too long and miss your chance. I only wish that I felt for someone the way that you and Scarlett feel for one another, it doesn't take a moron to see what is between you. Please, you know I mean this in the kindest way possible. In other news, I have finally procured a copy of 'Uncle Tom's Cabin, have you read it, Rhett? I look forward to discussing both this and your relationship with Scarlett when you arrive.

Your nosy sister,

Rosemary Butler

Rosemary found Hercules, a slave that had always been with her family and gave him the letter to address, he always seemed to know where Rhett was. "Make sure this gets to Rhett, please, it is a matter of dire importance," she told Hercules, narrowing her gray eyes, eyes inherited from her father on him.

"Yes'm Miss Rosemary, I's git it to him as soon as Ah kin. You kin count on me, Ms. Rosemary." Rosemary smiled at him.

"I know, Hercules, it's a matter of dire importance, that's all. Lives hang in the balance, afterall," she told him before giving him leave. She settled into the book and Hercules looked back at her.

"Ma'm, wut you doing reading that there book?" he asked her, since Rosemary had been the one to teach him to read, he could understand the words, Rosemary although not opposed to slavery believed it was in everyone's best interest black or white to learn to decipher the words on a page. "Ah've heard 'em talkin' bout that there book. When your finished with it might Ah read it. 'Course it's no book for white ladies, ma'm."

"You may read it when I finish, and hush up all books are worthy of the information within them," Rosemary said, as she turned the page, as she read 'But now what? Why, now comes my master, takes me right away from my work, and my friends, and all I like, and grinds me down into the very dirt! And why? Because, he says, I forgot who I was; he says, to teach me that I am only a nigger! After all, and last of all, he comes between me and my wife, and says I shall give her up, and live with another woman. And all this your laws give him power to do, in spite of God or man. Mr. Wilson, look at it! There isn't one of all these things, that have broken the hearts of my mother and my sister, and my wife and myself, but your laws allow, and give every man power to do, in Kentucky, and none can say to him nay! Do you call these the laws of my country? Sir, I haven't any country, anymore than I have any father. But I'm going to have one. I don't want anything of your country, except to be let alone,-to go peaceably out of it; and when I get to Canada, where the laws will own me and protect me, that shall be my country, and its laws I will obey. But if any man tries to stop me, let him take care, for I am desperate. I'll fight for my liberty to the last breath I breathe. You say your fathers did it; if it was right for them, it is right for me!'

Rosemary put the book down and contemplated what she had read. She could see now why this was the book on everyone's tongues and she now thought about the meaning against the ideals she was raised against. It was with relief that Hercules came to tell her that Scarlett O'Hara had come to call on her. "Yes, show her into the parlor," Rosemary responded as she looked over at the pretty girl, who had fast become her best friend.

"What am I going to do, Rose," Scarlett, said wringing her hands, as she shortened her friend's name in distress. "Charlie's coming home, they've given him leave from the War. He's coming here to Charleston, and he will be here by the end of the month. He's written that his sister, Melanie and Aunt Pitty will be arriving before him, in two weeks time, and my aunts have already opened their home to Melly and Aunt Pitty. What am I to do?" Scarlett asked.

"Do you love Charlie?" Rosemary asked her.

"Rose, I don't KNOW Charlie!" Scarlett all but screamed, seemingly on the verge of hysteria. "You don't understand, he wasn't supposed to live this long," she said as big, fat tears escaped to run across her cheeks as she collapsed on Rosemary's couch. Rosemary's eyes narrowed, but she didn't comment. She grabbed a hankercheif and handed it to Scarlett. It was monogramed with Rosemary's initials, of course all the Butler children had the same initials. Scarlett fingered it. "It this Rhett's?" she asked.

"No, it's mine. Rosemary Kaitlyn Butler, at your service," Rosemary said with a bow as she imitated her brother. Rhett's middle name was our mother's maiden name," Rosemary explained. "Rhett Kenshaw Butler, and my other brother is Ross Kinkaid Butler," Rosemary finished, Scarlett giggled a little.

"And I thought my family had strange names," she said, cheered out of her mood momentarily.

"Scarlett you have a beautiful name, why just imagine if you had ended up with a name like Pansy, your life would never be the same!" Scarlett smiled at Rosemary before the smile disappeared.

"Oh, Rose, what will I do."

"You will just have to tell Charles that you don't love him, unless of course you do. Although many couples are rushing into marriage because of the Cause," Rosemary said, "You could explain that when there isn't a war looming overhead and you are able to get to know him better then that would be a better time to expect a marriage, why rush into a marriage that may not last?" Rosemary asked.

Rosemary's advice was so simple, so considerate that Scarlett smiled and found herself embracing her friend. "What did I ever do without you?" she asked, vowing that this time she would show emotion, that she would let people know just how much she cared before it was too late, and that included her parents, her child, her husband, her friends, and her new friend Rose.