The Journey Home

Chapter Thirty

No Surrender

Rhett and Eli entered a dim, shadowed dilapidated barn next to the livery. Each man took a seat on a bale of hay and assessed his wounds and injuries. Rhett took his handkerchief, poured whiskey over it to doctor his face and mouth. The tangy, bitter smell of it revived his senses. He glanced over at Eli who was flexing his hand while staring at the bruised and busted knuckles.

"I'm waiting for your answer, Barrett. How do you know those men?" Rhett asked while placing the cloth to his forehead.

Eli looked at him and shrugged. "I grew up around them, well, a couple of them anyway."

"Interesting," he nodded. "So, is that why you're here? You're involved in their activities?"

"No," he laughed and leaned back on the bale. "No, Mr. Butler, I am not involved in their activities. I was hoping to lay low, you know, hoping they wouldn't know I was here. You see, Mr. Butler, the man you're really looking for is my brother, Cain Barrett."

"Your brother?" Rhett's questioning eyes cut to him.

"Yeah, my brother. Let's just say, my brother and I are, and have been, on opposing sides of the law for quite a while now. It was the war that did it. He came out of it bitter and angry, I came out of it lucky and thankful to be alive."

"How am I to believe that's the truth?"

"You don't, but I'm telling it to you anyway. I had heard he might be around these parts, but I never really expected him to be here, right where I am. I haven't seen him in a better part of seven years now."

Rhett's wary gaze never left his face and for once in his life he had to admit that he may just be wrong about something. He wasn't sure why, but he believed Eli and that was a bitter pill to swallow.

"You don't have to apologize to me," Eli continued. "I know how it looked and why you suspected me of being part of Olson's murder, but now that I know it's my brother and his men, I can only do one thing."

"And that is?" Rhett asked.

"I have to leave here immediately. I've told you who he is but I won't be responsible for his capture. He is my brother regardless of what he's done."

Rhett gave no response, but only nodded. He couldn't blame him for feeling that way. Blood was blood even if the blood was bad. He placed the cloth back to his mouth and grimaced.

Eli suddenly reached over and extended his hand to Rhett. "Truce?"

Looking over at Eli, Rhett broke into a resigned smile. "Truce," he gripped his hand. Eli grinned and then stood, running his hands through his thick, brown hair.

"Good luck, Mr. Butler," he said sliding his hat on his head.

"Same to you, Barrett."

With a final wave, Eli slipped from the barn leaving Rhett alone to contemplate all he had learned. It was time to visit Byron and give Cain Barrett up for the murder of James Olson, after that he didn't know. But, his heart knew.

Atlanta… his mind called out. She's in Atlanta…

After Scarlett had taken care of Aunt Pittypat and Uncle Henry, she finally found time to visit her store. She took Darcy with her to show her all that she had done. Once they stopped in front of it, Scarlett smiled with pride at her accomplishment. Not many men, much less women had done what she had done with so little. Of course, she didn't let the fact of HOW she had gained it filter through her mind. No, Scarlett wasn't one to be bogged down in things that no longer mattered, not even a little thing like tricking Frank Kennedy. Besides, Frank would have never done what she had, she reasoned.

Since marrying Rhett, however, she was able to do more and more and her store had grown to double its size. She was even considering opening another one across town since Atlanta was growing and spreading out so quickly. Why, just think of the money she could make if she opened another store.

"Another store?" Darcy asked surprised.

"It's just a thought," she nodded and stepped down from the carriage.

"Scarlett, I just can't believe how much you've accomplished. I never knew a woman could do so much."

"A woman's got just as much sense as a man, sometimes more," she answered but Darcy merely frowned.

"You do say such bold things, Scarlett. A man wouldn't appreciate having things like that said about him."

"Fiddle dee dee! I'm not afraid to speak the truth when it is the truth. Besides, I didn't say men were idiots, only that WE weren't. Women have brains too, don't we?"

"Of course we do, but Scarlett, women just don't say those things."

Scarlett opened her mouth to protest but thought better of it. Darcy was obviously not of the frame of mind that she was about independence and men in general. Her ideas about the opposite sex would no doubt send the woman into a tailspin. Except for her Pa and Rhett, she thought most men to be foppish fools with no head for anything but their own pleasures.

Several people passed by them as they stood on the sidewalk, but none except a northern woman whom Scarlett knew frequented her store, even tipped their heads at her. So, she was getting the cold shoulder was she? No doubt the Old Guard was hard at work since finding out she had returned.

Let them ignore me, I don't care, she thought uncharitably. I'll find a way back into their good graces and when I do, they'll beg and plead for my forgiveness. It was with this thought in her mind that followed her to the door.

Lucas Maloney greeted them when they entered the confines of the store, his red hair gleaming along with his smile. "Mrs. Butler, I'm so glad you're home," he took her hand.

"Hello Lucas," she smiled back. "I can see things look very neat and in order. You've done a fair job with that I must say."

"I've tried, Mrs. Butler. I know how you are about having everything neat and orderly and where the customers can reach what they need. Let me show you what I've done over here by the nail bins," he motioned for her to follow him. But Scarlett didn't move right away for she had seen Maybelle Picard near the back looking over bolts of material. Eyeing her, she left Darcy and Lucas and walked purposely to her.

"Well, Maybelle Picard, what a surprise to see you in here," Scarlett tipped her head in smug smile.

"Scarlett, I had heard you were back in Atlanta," Maybelle reached for her hand and held it gently. "I'm so sorry for your loss. Bonnie was such a lovely little girl, my little Phillipe just adored her."

"Oh," Scarlett's smile evaporated at Maybelle's unexpected kindness. "Thank you, Maybelle."

"I know things have been hard on you, Scarlett and so Rene and I would like to extend our hospitality to you… if you'll accept it, that is."

"Well, I… I didn't expect… I mean…" Scarlett felt like a fool standing there stumbling over her words with Maybelle. Since when did Maybelle extend her hospitality to her? Didn't she know her own mother would certainly have much to say about that, for Dolly Merriweather spoke her mind about any given topic, namely Scarlett.

"Scarlett, you and I have known each other a long time. I know the things that have been said about you but Melanie loved you and I don't care what Mother or any of the Old Guard has to say about it, I won't turn my back on you, especially now."

"That's very kind of you, Maybelle," Scarlett managed to say. "But, I'm fine. I don't need their approval and I never have."

"No, you never have," Maybelle grinned, "and I must say it's stuck in Mother's craw that you've managed to do so well for yourself. When she thought Captain Butler had left you, she declared it was her chance to jump in and 'help' you see the error of your ways."

"Is that so?" Scarlett couldn't help but secretly laugh at Maybelle's confession. So, that's why Dolly had come to see her after Rhett had left.

"She practically had a conniption when you announced you were heading to Tara to meet Captain Butler. She and Mrs. Meade and Mrs. Bonnell clacked about it for days."

"I suppose if it weren't for me, they wouldn't have anything to talk about," she rolled her eyes. "Why is my life an open book for everyone to gawk at?"

"Because Scarlett! You do things they would never dare do, but secretly would love to do. Don't you think they've dreamed of having the kind of life you have"

"I've never given it much thought, Maybelle. Besides, they've looked down their noses at me for years, not that I've cared one whit what they thought."

"Well, one thing is for sure, Scarlett and that is with Melanie gone, they're not going to be as forgiving of you. I just wanted to warn you of that. But, I also want you know I won't be with them on that stand but I may be the only one."

"Thank you," Scarlett gave an uncomfortable nod. She wasn't sure what brought out this unexpected act of friendship from Maybelle, but perhaps she shouldn't question it at all.

Maybelle gave her a quick hug and promised to call on her before leaving. Feeling a somewhat stunned at what had occurred, Scarlett returned to Darcy and Lucas, who finished his tour of the store. Pleased with the job he had done she gave him praise for holding things down for her.

Her mood had improved with Lucas' competence, so it was with a bit of curiosity and a lot of just wanting to know who had bought the lumber mill from Ashley that led her and Darcy there after leaving the store.

The smell of fresh cut wood greeted her when she neared the building. Oh, how she missed this, she realized. She had been a fool to sell it to Ashley. She should have known he wouldn't be able to make a go of it alone. It wasn't in him and he certainly didn't have the gumption to expand the way she had planned to. With a sigh, she shook her head as she looked up at the newly painted sign above the doorframe.

Lambert's Lumber Mill, it read.

"Well, it looks like the new owner wasted no time in improving the sign and the front entrance. Why didn't I think of that?" she mused aloud.

"It's very nice, isn't it?" Darcy agreed.

"I just hope Ashley had enough sense to sell it to a southerner. A Yankee would never appreciate Georgia pine the way we do here. Why, they'd probably slice it up paper thin and sell it for parchment when it should be used to build."

"I wouldn't know anything about that," Darcy shook her head. "But, it sounds reasonable to me."

"Perhaps I could buy it back from whoever bought it," she said, but before she could add anything else, a quiet voice interrupted her. "Hello, Scarlett."

She turned abruptly when she heard the voice. Her eyes landed on him and then widened when they did.

"Ashley," she blurted before she realized it. "What on earth? What are you doing here?"

"Why, I've come back for you, my dear, just as I said I would."