Over the next few days relations between Melanie and Scarlett returned to normal, and the kiss that had occurred in the kitchen wasn't discussed. As for the weather conditions, they worsened and Aunt Pitypat developed an ailment (which even Dr. Mead couldn't identify) that kept her immobile and retched in her rooms. As for Melanie and Scarlett they were mainly busy with their volunteer work at the soldier's hospital, and Scarlett was aggrieved to note that with more bad weather came more wounded soldiers. Her initial excitement with Atlanta was beginning to turn into sour resentment of her having to work like a field hand. More than anything she desired to go home to her mother, and to Mammy. Especially since the oddity with Melanie had occurred, but Scarlett tried not to think about that, in the end it was the thought of Ashley coming to visit Peachtree Street that kept her hanging on.
On one particular muggy day, in mid July 1862, a peculiar patient arrived at the soldier's hospital in Atlanta. He was a sallow looking fellow, with sunken cheeks and dark circles under his hollow looking eyes. Thin, and no doubt eaten up with worms, he was laid out in front of Dr. Mead, and young male trainee doctor, and Scarlett. Scarlett didn't give the boy a seconds thought other than disgust, she had seen many just like him and worse almost every day since she had been a volunteer. The boy was weeping quietly; he couldn't have been over 18 years old.
"Wear does it hurt, son?" Dr. Mead asked placing his hand gently on the boys shoulder. But the boy just edged away from his touch, and still weeping turned onto his side. It was then that Scarlett was amazed to see that the whole back of the boys pants were covered in blood and the back of his shirt had been ripped open reveling long claw marks that had long been infected, she gasped, and bit her fist to stop from crying out. Dr. Mead looked at the younger doctor meaningfully, "Another victim, looks like it might have been a gang of them, were going to need the disinfectant." The younger doctor nodded and scurried off without a word. Dr. Mead then turned to Scarlett, without missing a beat.
"Scarlett, this case is inappropriate for you, go and talk to Private Johnson and see if he needs anything." Scarlett opened her mouth to protest, but instantly Dr. Mead's face furrowed into a deep frown. "I'm serious Scarlett; I don't want you to work on this soldier, its inappropriate! Don't argue; just do as you're told." With that Dr. Mead turned back to the weeping boy, a look of deep disgust and hate on his face. Scarlett was dying to know what was going on and what the blood was from, but knowing when she was beat Scarlett indignantly turned away from the table and sulked off. Instead of going to Private Johnson, however, Scarlett went to find Melanie, perhaps she would provide some insight as to what was going on (though Scarlett doubted it).
After Scarlett had located Melanie, sitting of course holding some wounded soldiers hand like a benevolent Goddess, Scarlett all but pulled the smaller woman out of her chair,
"Scarlett what is it?" Melanie asked, as she was dragged behind a privacy screen for an unconscious soldier.
"The most interesting thing I ever saw, a new patient came in, a young boy looking just like all the others, and I didn't think anything of it. Until Dr. Mead asked him what was wrong, and the boy just cried, and then Dr. Mead turned him over, and Melly…Great Saints, there was blood all over the back of his trousers! And then Dr. Mead ordered the training doctor to go and get the medicine instead of me, and then! He ordered me to go away, said it was inappropriate for me, now what do you think of that?" Scarlett spouted; looking over her shoulder as if Dr. Mead himself might be standing there listening. Melanie looked thoughtful, but not nearly as concerned as Scarlett would have liked.
"Well, it is peculiar Scarlett, but I wouldn't worry about it, I'm sure the boy was just embarrassed with you there, and having an injury where he did. Dr. Mead probably just sent you away so that the boy would rest easier, that's all." Scarlett frowned and bit her lip, she didn't think that was it at all, but didn't know what else she could say to convince Melanie otherwise.
"But how did he get an injury there!" Scarlett demanded in a loud whisper.
"Oh, Scarlett, I see, you're worried about him, and you've grown fond of him. Don't worry, darling, I'm sure Dr. Mead will take care of him." Melanie had taken Scarlett's elbow in comfort and was now attempting to lead Scarlett out of the little makeshift cubicle, but Scarlett grabbed Melanie's arm and held her in place.
"Great balls of fire, Melly! How could I be fond of someone I have never seen before in my entire life! I'm telling you something funny is going on that Dr. Mead won't tell us!" But Melanie just smiled and touched Scarlett's hand on her arm softly,
"But Scarlett, did you even ask Dr. Mead what was wrong with the boy?" Scarlett opened her mouth, but then closed it right back,
"Well, no, but…but he told me to go away."
"Well maybe the case was too serious, and he thought he would need the other doctor's help more, or that there wasn't anything that you might be able to do. Any number of things Scarlett, I'm sure Dr. Mead was only looking out for you. I wouldn't let it worry you, and you can always ask Dr. Mead later about it if it'll make you feel better." Scarlett was so annoyed now that Melanie hadn't seen it the way she had, that she jerked her hand out from under Melanie's and stuck up her chin.
"I wouldn't ask that old Billy goat a thing about it if he was threatening me with a knife! I'll find out myself what's going on, because mark my words Melly, there is an explanation and I'm going to get to the bottom of it. You'll see." With that Scarlett turned on the spot and marched out of the little cubicle, she headed for Private Johnson's bed only because she knew that while she read to him from his bible she could be pondering on the true meaning of what she had seen with the wounded solider boy.
But Scarlett's answer was much harder to find than she had imagined it would be. After half heartedly scanning through some of the medical books in the Hamilton library, which was completely unhelpful for many different reasons the biggest of which was contributed by Scarlett's complete ignorance and hatred of books, Scarlett decided that there was only one thing she could do: use her power of persuasion to find out. The perfect opportunity came in the form of a small dinner party at Aunt Pittypats (to celebrate the return of clear weather) in which Mr. Mead, Mrs. Mead, Mrs. Merryweather, Uncle Henry, and India Wilkes were all attending.
The Party assembled on Saturday evening, and Scarlett was pleased to have some festivity to look forward too, even if was just with a bunch of old fogies. Some how Uncle Henry had purchased a turkey, and Mrs. Merryweather brought a strawberry pie, both of which were extremely rare commodities now that the war was going strong. India was looking drab as always in a black neck high mourning dress and black gloves that she point blank refused to remove when asked for by Prissy. Scarlett took this as a personal attack, since they both knew that India's mourning for Charles was done mostly to spite Scarlett. Still Scarlett tried not to be too downcast, and made a point to cling to Melanie all evening to show India that even with her high flouted mourning, she, Scarlett, had still captured both the Hamilton's children's hearts.
Finally, dinner was in session, and after Mrs. Mead had completed her long winded monologue on the baseness of the Yankees, Scarlett felt she could finally bring her point to the table.
"Yes, they are base aren't they, why, just the other day at the hospital I witnessed the most shocking thing…oh but I couldn't possibly tell you, its too horrible." Scarlett said, touching her face for added affect. That did it, Mrs. Merryweather, and Mrs. Mead were all ears,
"What was it Scarlett, surely there isn't anything quite so bad enough that we old matrons haven't seen it before." Mrs. Merryweather pressed, looking from Mrs. Mead to Aunt Pitypat, and even to India (which Scarlet was thrilled was included as an 'old matron').
"Well, there was a poor young boy brought in the other day, I've never seen anything so sad in all my life. He was as shriveled and broken looking as a weathered tree branch. But of course, I didn't think much of it because I see so much of that now days," here Scarlett paused for dramatics. Dr. Mead, Scarlett noticed had gone white.
"Go on, child, go on." Mrs. Mead pressed (and Scarlett was pleased to note that she had referred to her as 'child')
"Well, it was only when I got a closer look, that I noticed that he had large claw marks all down his back, ripped clean through his shirt, and then,"
"Scarlett is referring to a patient I remember well, and I would prefer it if he wasn't discussed." Dr. Mead interrupted suddenly, keeping his eyes downcast on his plate.
"But Dr. Mead, why ever not?" His wife piped up indignantly,
"Good woman, what concern is it of yours the troubles of my patients at the hospital?"
"None at all, but you interrupted Scarlett, and she wanted to tell us," Mrs. Mead said defiantly. The whole time, Scarlett watched Dr. Mead for any clues.
"Scarlett doesn't understand the situation, she doesn't know the case like I do."
"Well that shouldn't stop her from giving her opinion about it." Persisted Mrs. Mead. When Dr. Mead said nothing, Mrs. Mead smiled triumphantly at Scarlett, "Continue Scarlett, tell us what else."
"Well, there was blood soaked all over the back of his trousers, and I don't think it was a bullet, I've seen shot wounded patients, and it wasn't like that. It was horrible; I simply don't know what to make of it." Scarlett finished more quickly than she had intended, because of the urgent look that passed between Mrs. Mead and Mrs. Merryweather, and then because of the guilty look that Mrs. Mead gave to Dr. Mead. They know, Scarlett thought, they know what it means. To Scarlett's annoyance India seemed to have picked up on this as well, and now she was looking slyly at Scarlett as if she could read her like a book. It was Aunt Pitypat who broke the silence first,
"Oh dear, oh dear oh dear, I can't stand to hear about blood, please someone fetch me my smelling salts, I can't breath…I think I'll faint if I don't have them." There was an instant clamor for Pitypat's Smelling Salts. When she was in possession of them and calmed Mrs. Mead suggested that they not talk of the war or wounded soldiers anymore that evening, and then brought up the discussion of the upcoming ball and bazaar instead. Throughout the remainder of dinner, Scarlett received many suspicious looks from both Dr. Mead and India, but pretended not to notice either.
After dinner when Mrs. Mead, and Dr. Mead were about to take there leave, Dr. Mead asked Scarlet if he could have a quick word. Together they walked to the back porch, and there Dr. Mead brought himself to his full and most formidable height (which wasn't too alarming for Scarlett) and then with a harsh tone he began to warn Scarlett against mentioning the solider boy again.
"You shouldn't talk about things you don't fully understand. That boy and what happened to him are no concern of yours, its best you forget him."
"Why should I?" Scarlett retaliated.
"Because, it's not fit knowledge for young ladies, that's why! War is an ugly thing Scarlett, its bad enough that you should have to see burn wounds, and stab wounds, and gun wounds, but this…"
"Buts that's my job Dr. Mead, and just how do you propose I do my job if I'm not even allowed to know what it is that's wounded the solider? What would have happened if- if- if you were busy, and I'd had had to look after him myself?"
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it Scarlett?"
"I'm not Melanie Dr. Mead! I won't fall apart by a little piece of information, and I think I have just as much right to know as you do!"
"No, and that's my final word, now put the matter out of your head." Dr. Mead's mustache shook as he delivered these lines. Scarlett took in a deep breath, her face red hot with anger.
"If you don't tell me, I swear I'll quit! I can't be expected to work someplace where I'm not even told what's going on." Scarlett and Dr. Mead stared at one another, both with as much stubborn determination as the other. After a long moment, Dr. Mead gave a great sigh,
"If it was under another time Scarlett, I'd let you quit, and gladly, God knows you're not much help to me, but as it is, I can't afford to lose a nurse. You want to know what was wrong with that boy, fine I'll tell you, not that you'll understand what it means," And here Dr. Mead gave a great uneasy sigh, looked over his shoulder, and then in a hushed voice said, "He was sodomized by the enemy." And with that and a menacing stare from Dr. Mead, the old doctor turned on his heal and went off into the night to find his wife.