Margaret Mitchell owns "Gone With the Wind" and all its characters. I own a handful of OC's and a story idea. Book-verse. Not "Scarlett" compliant.
A/N: I've been informed that Fanny Wellburn's baby's gender was never stated by Margaret Mitchell. And the prayer Marybeth was saying at the graveyard translates to "Defend us from our enemies Jesus lamb of God we trust in you." (somebody asked) I love writing for you guys!
Saturday night after the election results were known Marybeth was sewing with Mrs. Meade and Betsy when there was a knock at the door. Marybeth opened the door to see Ella and Jenny standing there, dressed warmly.
"There's going to be a bonfire at the Wellburns' and this time you're coming with us, " said Ella.
There had been a rash of parties celebrating the election but so far Marybeth had avoided going to any of them, much to Ella's disgust.
"Oh. Well, thank you. But I simply couldn't, you see, I..." Marybeth said, taking a step back to let them into the foyer.
"But it will be such fun! Everybody's going," entreated Ella.
"Yes, but I don't know everybody."
"We'll introduce you," offered Jenny.
"They'll love you!" Said Ella.
Marybeth doubted that, but said nothing.
"Edward and Christina are in bed, aren't they?" Asked Ella.
"Yes, but I really need to stay here..."
At this, Ella resorted to threats. "If you don't come with us willingly, Jenny and I will each take an arm and drag you, and think how embarrassed you will be to show up at the Wellburn's being dragged."
"You wouldn't dare," said Marybeth uncertainly.
"We would, too," said Jenny, siding with Ella.
"But the Meades'..." objected Marybeth, trying to stop the inevitable.
Ella sidestepped Marybeth and walked into the parlor. "Mrs. Meade?"
Mrs. Meade, who had heard most of the exchange at the doorway, looked up, eyes twinkling. "Yes, Ella."
"Would you please allow Marybeth to go with us to the Wellburns' bonfire? Mrs. Wellburn and Mrs. Elsing and will be there to chaperone, and we promise we won't stay out so very late."
"Of course, Ella. Marybeth, I want you to bundle up warmly."
"But Mrs. Meade, what about the babies?" Marybeth objected.
"Are you referring to those babies asleep upstairs? Betsy and I aren't so old that we can't manage two sleeping children between us, I daresay. Now, go!"
Sighing with defeat, Marybeth went to get her wraps with the other two girls trailing behind her.
"I never dreamed you were this shy, Marybeth," said Ella with amusement.
"I'm not shy," retorted Marybeth, bristling a little. "I just feel nervous around new people," she continued lamely as the two girls went into peals of laughter.
"Well," said Jenny, wiping tears from her eyes, "as long as you're not shy..."
Jenny's brother Joe, who was driving, assisted the girls into the Whiting carriage, and they headed for the Wellburns'. On the way, Ella and Jenny kept a constant stream of chatter directed to Marybeth.
"Isn't it funny how sometimes the best parties are the ones that just happen? I mean not planned weeks in advance," Ella explained.
"We played Change Seats at the Simmons' party the other night, Marybeth..." related Jenny.
"...And Virgie thought she was sitting down on a chair but she fell in between two of the chairs, right onto the floor..." Ella interrupted.
"...But she didn't look too sorry when Frankie Bonnell ever so gallantly helped her to her feet," Continued Jenny with a rather mocking air.
"Of course, you would have known this story already if you had come with us, Marybeth," said Ella said reproachfully.
Marybeth just shrugged, but Ella squeezed her hand. "I'm glad you're coming with us this time."
They arrived at the Wellburns' and paid their respects to Mrs. Elsing and Mrs. Wellburn before heading out back to the bonfire. Neither older lady expressed any surprise to see Marybeth there with Ella. Ella's eccentric taste in friends was too well known.
"There's hard cider available for the gentlemen and tea and coffee for the ladies," they were told before they headed out back.
The bonfire was impressive. They weren't the first guests to arrive and Marybeth could see young people milling about and hear the laughter and shouts coming from various locations in the yard. She stayed close by Ella and Jenny as they sought out and found a young lady who was standing in the middle a circle of admiring young men. The men tipped their hats politely to the girls as they approached.
"Thank you for having us, Elsie," Ella said, holding out her hand and gesturing to Marybeth. "This is Marybeth Dandridge."
"Mrs. Dandridge, Mother told me about you," Elsie said, taking in Marybeth's appearance, eyebrow raised. "Why Ella Kennedy, she's cute." Somehow, when she said "cute", the word positively dripped with contempt. "You are the hired girl for the Meades, isn't that right?" She continued, raising her voice until it carried halfway across the yard.
"Yes, I am," answered Marybeth, trying to be polite.
"And you have...what is it?...Two children? Is that right, Mrs. Dandridge?"
"That's right, Miss Wellburn." Marybeth's hackles went up at the other girl's tone.
"How...interesting." She turned her attention to Jenny. "So glad you could come, Jenny." It was obvious that both Ella and Marybeth were dismissed.
Jenny finished her hellos and all three girls got away from Elsie as quickly as they could, but not before she could deliver a parting comment. "Enjoy yourself, Mrs. Dandridge. I'm sure a town party will be a lovely new experience for you."
Marybeth was seething inwardly, although her face never changed expression. She hadn't survived on the streets by being provoked into rage by stupid, senseless comments. But she felt a common, white-trashy urge to slap Elsie's insolent face. Of course, she wouldn't want to disgrace herself or the Meades', but she indulged in some extremely uncharitable thoughts.
Ella had known Elsie for years, but she never saw her react quite that badly towards another female at a first meeting. Feeling responsible for putting Marybeth in that position, she slipped an arm around her. "Isn't she awful? I'm sorry about that. Elsie is superior like that to everybody. Well, to the girls, anyway."
Marybeth smiled at Ella, but she longed to be back home in the Meades' parlor, sewing with Mrs. Meade and Betsy. She had no desire to subject herself to more ridicule. But on the other hand, as long as she was here she wouldn't be chased away by Elsie's rudeness. No matter what, she simply had to go through with the rest of the night.
Ella stuck by Marybeth and introduced her to some of her other friends. They turned out to be more welcoming than their hostess had been, and some of the sting of Elsie's words started to seep away, although Marbyeth couldn't quite lose her earlier sense of uneasiness.
oOoOoOo
Beau Wilkes arrived at the Wellburns' a little later, greeted Mrs. Wellburn and Mrs. Elsing then stepped out into the back yard. He was amused to see Elsie captivating her admirers.
"Why Beau Wilkes," Elsie said vivaciously as she reached both hands to him. "Don't tell me you've come all the way from University just to attend my little party."
Beau took her hands and smiled down into her face. "I'm afraid it's unchivalrous to say so, but the ladies of Athens, as charming as they are, just don't hold a candle to the young ladies right here in Atlanta. So how could I stay away?"
Elsie simpered and looked up at him through her lashes. "Then you simply must tell me all about school--if you can find the time to spend with a simple little girl like me."
He nodded non-commitally. Then he caught a glimpse of Ella. "If you'll excuse me, Elsie," he said as he left her to join his friends. Elsie was a good sort, he thought, an inveterate flirt who was unencumbered by great mental abilities; but on the other hand, a girl with her beauty didn't need a lot of brains.
Elsie looked down quickly as he left and busied herself smoothing out a wrinkle in her glove to give herself time to arrange her face in calm, serene lines. It was a source of perpetual frustration to her that she could never entice more than the most playful banter from Beau.
She didn't know when she made it her aim in life to trap Beau Wilkes; she simply wanted him. He would be the feather in her cap, her crowning achievement. Every girl wanted Beau. He was the most handsome, the most charming young man in their set. He was also maddeningly aloof. He treated every girl with the same friendly, impersonal bantering, but he never seemed to have a preference for any one of them.
But Elsie was going to change all that. She wasn't sure how, but she was going to wrap Beau around her little finger if it was the last thing she did. She knew he liked her and thought her pretty, but only in an impersonal way. But at least it was a start.
Her face was calm now, and she dared to look up. The sight that met her eyes filled her with hope and confidence. Beau was only talking to his cousin Ella and her friend Jenny and that stupid Marybeth Dandridge; nobody Elsie had to worry about. She was so overjoyed that she gave the young man on her right a brilliant smile and was gratified at the sudden look of longing she saw in his eyes...
oOoOoOo
"Ella, did you come here with the Whitings? I haven't seen Wade Hampton at all," Beau said.
"Oh, he's not here yet. He must still be at the office. But yes, we rode with the Whitings," she replied, gesturing towards Marybeth and including her in the word 'we'.
Beau greeted Marybeth and Jenny then. Jenny returned his greeting like an old friend, Marybeth with her wonted reserve. Beau had seen the three ladies from across the yard and was overjoyed to see Ella. He'd lost no time making his way to her. But flirtation, the type of flirtation he engaged in so easily with girls like Elsie was out of the question with Ella. Somehow he could never think of the gallant, mindless things to say to her that came so easily with other girls. Besides, if she rebuffed him he was sure he'd never recover. He thought wryly that he'd rather risk flirting with Marybeth.
oOoOoOo
Wade Hampton was one of the last guests to arrive. He was at the office until late, finishing up some research. As much as he longed to see his dear Elsie, he needed to get this work done first. The Meade settlement was nearly resolved; three more days at most. It was his first case and he wanted to start his career with a success.
But finally he could put his pen down and lock up for the night, and in 15 minutes he was pulling up to the Wellburns' home.
He had called on Elsie twice since his return from his Grand Tour and he had seen her a few more times at social gatherings. And, to his dismay, he was just as tongue-tied around her as he had ever been; as tongue-tied as he was around any girl. Even a year spent among the beauties of Europe hadn't cured him of his shyness. But then again, he didn't want any beautiful European girl. He wanted his own lovely Elsie Wellburn.
He made his way to the circle of admirers around Elsie and she held out a hand to him.
"Wade Hamilton, I'm so pleased to see you," she said with a flutter of her lashes.
His heart lurched as he pressed her hand ever so gently. "Good evening, Elsie," he said, but just barely. It was always so hard to get the words out.
She winked at him as she withdrew her hand. She turned her attention to another young man and Wade listened in admiration to the breezy banter going back and forth. If only he had the ability to talk to girls that way; if only he had the courage.
Somebody brought a fiddle and somebody else brought a harmonica, and they started playing. The young man Elsie was currently flirting with led her to the bonfire to dance. In Ella's group, Beau asked Jenny; somebody else claimed Ella. Marybeth, as soon as she realized this was turning into a dance, faded into the background. Safe in the low-slung branches of a tree, she stood and watched. She didn't want to dance, didn't really know how, either, and she looked at the others without any envy. The most she felt was some yearning for her old beau, William.
While she stood back there watching her friends change partners for dance after dance, a young couple detached themselves from the group around the bonfire and headed towards the relative privacy of the edges of the yard, not far from where she was. They stood close together, talking, and Marybeth inched away from them, not wanting to see them or be seen. When she found a new place to stand another couple detached themselves from the group and found refuge under the trees.
Stifling her annoyance, Marybeth decided to go in the house, away from the dancers and the trysting couples. She had inched her way around the perimeter of the yard, hoping to go back to the house for something hot to drink when she happened by Elsie, winded from dancing, who was strolling arm in arm with a young man she didn't recognize.
"I don't know who she is," she was saying wearily. "I don't know why she has to be here, either, but you know Ella--she chooses the strangest people to be her friends."
Marybeth leaned back against the fence, lump in her throat, eyes stinging, but she didn't cry. Marybeth never did. She was even beyond rage. She simply felt mortified. But in a way, Elsie was right--she only said out loud what Marybeth had been thinking all along. This wasn't her circle, her social class. Ella and Jenny were kind, sweet girls, but Marybeth was better off seeing them alone, without a lot of other people around.
oOoOoOo
Beau was waltzing Ella around the yard after having waited a decent interval for her to dance with other partners. They were laughing together over stories he was telling her about University when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
"May I cut in?"
Ella didn't notice Beau's arm around her had stiffened slightly, but she turned and squealed when she saw who it was.
"Oh, Albert!" Her eyes were shining and she clasped her hands in front of her. "Oh, Beau, look. It's Albert."
Beau nodded at Albert and gracefully handed her over to him. Albert slid his arm around her and waltzed her away.
"Albert, you're home!" Ella breathed.
"Surprised?"
"Of course I am. You said you weren't coming home until the Christmas holidays."
"Well, I got homesick for Atlanta...and other things..." he looked away from her a little shyly.
"But when did you get in?"
"Late this afternoon. Then I'll have to leave on the early train tomorrow."
"Then it's lucky you found us here."
Albert shrugged. "I found out where Joe and Jenny had gone and I figured you would be here too."
Ella just beamed at him.
oOoOoOo
Ella's loss was Elsie's gain, for Beau went to ask that young lady to dance after he handed Ella to Albert. But Elsie continued to be frustrated as she tried to inveigle him into more than a light, passing flirtation.
oOoOoOo
Marybeth was grateful when the evening drew to a close and she and Ella were headed home, with Wade Hampton driving them.
"Can you believe Albert Whiting came home just to see me?" Ella whispered to Marybeth. For Albert had confessed that in a moment of daring as he and Ella stood together in the shelter of the trees. He still hadn't declared his love (or tried to kiss her, to Ella's chagrin), but she had to settle for what she could get.
"I think that's wonderful," said Marybeth sincerely, happy for her friend. At least one of them had really had a good time tonight.
"He promised to call on me tomorrow before his train leaves," Ella said, sighing. She wished she could have allowed him to drive her home, but she'd already asked Wade to bring Marybeth home with them and she knew the other girl well enough to know she wouldn't appreciate being left alone to make small talk with her brother.
"So you'll have even more time with him," said Marybeth encouragingly.
"Did you have a good time tonight?" Ella was anxious to know.
Marybeth didn't want to sound ungrateful, so she said, "It was very nice."
"I'm glad," said Ella, settling back against the seat cushion. "The girls all told me they liked you."
Marybeth stifled a wry smile. Elsie probably didn't say that. Or maybe she did, trying to sound like a kind and caring person. The little witch. Her snide remarks had hurt more than Marybeth thought possible, and Ella's assurance that it wasn't personal hadn't alleviated the sting. But Marybeth knew she'd acted with cool dignity in the face of Elsie's nastiness.
Wade was also thinking about Elsie, but his thoughts were much rosier. He'd had an opportunity to dance with her, for the first time in over a year and it was the fulfilment of what he longed for all those months overseas. She was as beautiful as he remembered, as charming as ever, and he was still besotted.
At the Meades' carriage block, Wade Hampton jumped down to help Marybeth out, and she turned to Ella to wave good-bye before heading into the house. Dr. and Mrs. Meade were both waiting for her.
"Did you have a good time at the bonfire?"
"It was very nice, Mrs. Meade," she replied, face carefully neutral.
Mrs. Meade looked at her sharply. When Marybeth was happy, she never hesitated to show it. And for only a few exceptions, all other emotions she kept carefully hidden behind that smooth, bland expression. Maybe somebody said something to upset her. Could Elsie Wellburn...? Mrs. Meade wouldn't put it past her. She'd watched Elsie grow up, and as much as she loved Mrs. Elsing and Fanny, there was always something off-putting about Elsie. Mrs. Meade didn't like to see Marybeth get hurt, but she couldn't shield her. And she was firmly convinced the girl needed friends of her own.
"Dandridge, I'm going to need you again," Dr. Meade broke in.
"Certainly, when?"
"We have to try to rewrite the patients' records and it's too big a job for Miss James to do alone. Can you write clearly?"
Marybeth nodded.
"Then it's settled. Tomorrow's Sunday, so you'll start on Monday."
Hoped you liked it, hope there was enough intrigue to satisfy. And thanks for all the recent reviews—reviews make for a happy fanfic author.