Scarlett wondered if there would ever be a point in her life where she would feel a moment's peace. Every time her life seemed to come together; somehow everything would just fall apart again. Just as soon as she made peace with the fact that Rhett was out of her life and she resigned herself to the fact that she was Frank's wife now everything began to unravel again.

The first disturbance to come to her life was brought to her by Tony Fontaine. He had killed Wilkerson, the old overseer at Tara. He had come to Frank looking for help on his mad escape to Texas. Frank had given him a horse, food and the money that he had at the house. Someone had informed the Yankees that Tony had been sent to Frank to seek help. This caused Frank and Scarlett to come under scrutiny from the Yankees. The family had been questioned endlessly and the house was subjected to searches without a moment's notice. Scarlett had heard horror stories of people losing everything when they became the subjects of Yankee scrutiny. She feared that they were going to lose the mills and the store. In the end, nothing was lost to the Yankees but she always felt as if they were watching her.

The next blow to her life was the fact that she was going to have a baby. The worst part about her pregnancy was she couldn't be certain who the father of her baby was. The uncertainty of her child's paternity brought on a new nightmare for Scarlett. In this new nightmare, she was in her bedroom about to give birth. All of Atlanta's citizens were gathered around her bed to witness her giving birth. Frank and Rhett were standing directly at the foot of the bed; both men's eyes were burning with hatred for Scarlett. When she finally gave birth, instead of a baby she gave birth to a full grown, swarthy pirate of a man. The man looked exactly like Rhett except for the fact that he wore an eye patch, had long unkempt hair and had a long jagged scar on his face. After the pirate was born the citizens pointed at the pirate and at Scarlett stating that she was just the fast piece of baggage that they had always thought she was and now they had proof. Scarlett tried to scream and tell them that it wasn't her fault. That she had sold herself to Frank to save her family. She was trying to tell them that she was in love with Rhett Butler and she only wanted to be with him, but no words would come out of her mouth. Rhett and Frank each put a hand on the other man's shoulder and claimed that they were done with her. Frank would make feeble attempts to comfort her when she would wake up screaming. She wanted to throw his hands off and tell him he was part of the problem. But she bit her tongue lest she reveal that he might not be the father of the baby she was carrying.

Just when Scarlett thought that there was nothing else that could happen to her to make her life worse, her beloved pa passed away. Suellen had tried to trick him into taking the iron clad oath for the Yankees. In a rare moment of clarity, Gerald jumped on a horse and rode as if the devil was chasing him. The horse refused to take a jump and Gerald fell off and broke his neck. When Scarlett arrived at Tara she was bombarded with people making announcement after announcement. Carreen wanted to leave Tara to join a convent. Will wanted permission to marry Suellen.

After the funeral was over Scarlett wandered around Tara hoping to find a place where she could be alone. She was heading to her mother's office when she could hear someone was already in there quietly weeping. Scarlett sighed and entered the room. Melanie was lying on her stomach, crying her eyes out.

"Melanie, what's wrong?" Scarlett grabbed Melanie's hand and tried to comfort her. Now that Ashley was out of Scarlett's heart she had a better appreciation for Melanie.

"Ashley wants to move us to New York! Someone he took the grand tour with has a position at a bank for him. Oh, Scarlett, I don't want to go there! Imagine Beau being raised around Yankee children!" A fresh sob escaped from Melanie. Scarlett was a little ashamed of herself but she would feel well rid of Ashley if he were to go to New York. If Rhett ever returned and knew that Ashley was out of her life maybe he wouldn't feel compelled to bring him into every conversation. But Scarlett remembered that Rhett was determined to never see her again.

"Oh, Scarlett, I am being so selfish. You have suffered a real tragedy and here I am running on about my small problems."

"It's nice to have something else to think about, Melanie. Have you told Ashley that you feel so strongly about leaving?"

"It's not my place to question what he wants to do. I'm his wife; if he wants to go to New York I must go with him. If only you had a place for him at one of your mills, maybe he wouldn't feel obligated to go."

Scarlett bit back a groan. She had recently purchased a second mill. She wasn't pleased with the management at that mill but she had a feeling that Ashley wouldn't be able to manage the mill any better. But she didn't like seeing Melanie so miserable. Melanie had helped her through tough times at Tara and she figured she probably owed her something in return. Scarlett was surprised when Ashley took the position at her mill with little resistance. She remembered when Ashley kissed her in the orchard and she had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach that he might try something like that again. She was starting to have a feeling that she might have been better off to let the Wilkes family move up north.

Rhett was living in New York City. He knew he was kidding himself by trying to believe that he could make a permanent life for himself there. He tried to find other woman to court. He tried to convince himself that he fell in love once and that he could do it again. He wanted to be done with the temporary relationships that whores brought to his life. He wanted a woman that he could come home to. Every woman he met would ultimately fail to meet his expectations. He compared all of them to Scarlett and he knew it was hopeless because God had only made one of her.

His thoughts constantly drifted to her. He wondered how the mill was doing. He had no doubt that she would be able to turn it into a successful business. He wondered if she missed him as much he missed her. Sometimes when he lay in bed at night he ached for her terribly.

One day Rhett received from Atlanta. The only person in Atlanta that knew how to reach him was Belle. Belle was illiterate, so Rhett knew she must have gone to great trouble to write the letter. Whatever it contained must have been private because she hadn't trusted anyone else to write it for her.

Deer Rhett,

I need to tell u sumthing I keep heering in town. Mrs. Kenedy is going to have a baby. Peeples keeps saying she about for months in so I thinks it could be u baby. I knows u say u dun with her but I nos how u wood be about a baby. Sorry if u didn't want to no.

Belle

Rhett crumpled the letter in disbelief. He worried that he was going to be sick to his stomach. Even if it was his child he would never be able to acknowledge the child as such. The thought of his son or daughter being raised as a Kennedy made him want to murder someone.

Hastily, Rhett packed up his belongings. He would not be able to rest until he knew whether or not she was healthy. He figured it would be some months before he would be able to see her and what he was increasingly convincing himself was his child. He was determined to stay in Atlanta until the child was born. If the child resembled Frank he would move on again, but if the child looked like him he would be a shadow in Scarlett's and the child's life. Rhett got on the first train that was going to Atlanta.

After Rhett got into Atlanta his first thought was how to manipulate a way into seeing Scarlett. He thought that she would be hidden away from public until the baby was born. He could go to Pitty's and pretend to be calling on Pitty, but if he went into the house everyone would make sure that Scarlett was safely locked away in her bedroom. Rhett had a notion to watch the house until Pitty and Frank were gone for the day, but Mammy was probably unmovable from Scarlett's side. She would most likely be even more unmovable when word that Rhett was back reached the household. Someone calling Rhett's name pulled him out of his thoughts. Rhett was surprised to see Melanie. He thought she would still be living at Tara. A feeling of uneasiness settled over Rhett.

"Captain Butler, it's nice to see you again! I had heard the most disturbing rumor that you had left Atlanta for good. I was distraught over the thought of never seeing my good friend again. Glad to see that it was just a silly rumor."

"Mrs. Wilkes, the pleasure is always mine when we meet. As for your rumor, it was true I had no plans on returning. However, a friend of mine wrote to me with pressing business here in Atlanta that I must attend to." Rhett saw a quick shadow of discomfort pass over Mrs. Wilkes face and wondered what she could be thinking about. He was sure that she didn't know about the true nature of his relationship with Scarlett. He knew that Melanie was too much of a lady to tell him even if she did know or suspected.

Melanie was suddenly dreadfully uncomfortable in Rhett's company. She knew far more about Scarlett's and Rhett's relationship than she had ever disclosed to anyone. She had heard the rumors circulating that Rhett was the real father of Scarlett's baby. If she hadn't had the knowledge of their relationship, Melanie would have just discounted it as more vile gossip against Scarlett and Rhett. Someone had said that they had seen Scarlett sneaking out of the National Hotel right before Rhett had disappeared from town. Months later, when Scarlett's pregnancy became known people started counting backwards and were smug in the fact that the two occurrences seemed to line up. Publicly, Melanie denounced the rumors, but inwardly she feared that they might be true. Melanie knew that Rhett had been in the Peachtree house during their final week in town. She had heard his voice as he tried to sneak upstairs. Then the unmistakable sounds of the couple making love from Scarlett's room could be heard. Melanie was also aware of the fact that they had made love at Rough and Ready. No one had realized that she had regained consciousness. She hadn't had to listen to them making love again they had moved far enough down the road, but she had heard their conversation. Melanie couldn't prove it but she suspected that the couple had been together more times than these two. Melanie suspected that they had started their affair after the Atlanta bazaar. Melanie was shocked that her sister could lay with a man that was not her husband. The only thought that had given Melanie any comfort was that she was certain that the two would get married. The two were obviously made for each other. When Scarlett had sent word that she was marrying Frank Kennedy and not Rhett, Melanie had been confused. Now, Melanie was desperately worried about her sister's reputation. Melanie had always done her best to quietly repair Scarlett's reputation after her many indiscretions, but Melanie knew there was no way that she could repair this one. She wondered if someone had told Rhett about Scarlett's pregnancy.

"Mrs. Wilkes, I'm surprised to find you in town. I thought you were still living at Tara."

"Oh, Mrs. Kennedy recently purchased another mill and asked Ashley to run it for her." Rhett clenched his jaw. He should have known that she would not keep her word. The first chance she had she brought Ashley to Atlanta so they could be together again.

"Glad to hear her business is prospering."

"Oh, yes she is doing quite well. She is distressing everyone by refusing to retire from working while in her condition." Melanie went bright red at her telling Rhett of all people about Scarlett's condition. He might not have known yet. Melanie wanted to kick herself because of her carelessness.

"What do you mean she refuses to retire in her condition?" Rhett didn't want Melanie to know that he already knew about Scarlett's condition.

"I shouldn't have said anything, Captain Butler." With that Melanie turned on her heels and practically ran away from Rhett.

Rhett was furious with Frank Kennedy. Rhett knew that Scarlett could be stubborn and manipulative in getting what she wanted but she was in no condition to be driving herself all over town. Not only she should be resting and taking care of herself and child, but the roads leading to her mills were dangerous. The drifters that were known to live in the woods would not think twice about harming an unprotected woman. Rhett found little comfort in the fact that she probably had Uncle Peter offering a little bit in the way of protection. He couldn't imagine that her family would allow her to go out completely alone.

The next morning Rhett waiting on the road to mill that he had bought for her since he wasn't sure where her second mill was located. When she finally made her way out to the mill, he was upset by the fact that she was alone.

"My dear Mrs. Kennedy! What a happy coincidence to happen to run in to you here." He got off of his horse and climbed into her buggy.

"Rhett! You're back in town?" Unconsciously, Scarlett hiked her lap robe up higher. She wasn't showing that much yet, but she didn't want Rhett getting a good look at her.

"Yes, I received some interesting news that brought me back to town." Rhett looked her over. She was starting to round out a little but that could be from the pregnancy or from the fact that she was eating again. He saw her pull the lap robe up and wondered if he should tell her that he already knew about the baby. He decided to wait and see if she would tell him on her own.

"I'm surprised Mrs. Wilkes didn't inform you that I was back. I ran into her yesterday. She gave me the happy news that Ashley was now running your second mill."

"No, she didn't tell me. I went to call her yesterday evening but she wasn't feeling well. You probably won't believe me Rhett, but I gave Ashley that job for Melanie's benefit not his. Besides, that new mill is mine. I bought it with the profits I made from my other mill."

"No, I can't say that I do believe that you gave him the job for Melanie's benefit. You want him close by; you can tell me the truth if no one else." Scarlett shook her head at Rhett. He was so thick headed.

"He wanted to take them to New York. She was prostrate with grief at the thought of raising Beau with Yankee children. You can ask her yourself about how she begged me to give him a job at my new mill." Scarlett decided to give Rhett a partial confession. She was a married woman so she couldn't declare her undying love for him but maybe if she told him part of it he would finally figure it out by himself. "Rhett, I haven't thought about Ashley romantically since that night on Aunt Pitty's porch."

Rhett turned the statement over and over in his mind. He couldn't decide if there was more to her words or if she really was over Ashley and wanted to stop discussing him. He pulled the buggy to the side of the road and looked deep into her eyes.

"What do you mean by that?" Softly, she cupped Rhett's cheek. Tears started forming in her eyes.

"Rhett, I fell in love with you during that week before we left Atlanta. I didn't allow myself to call it love until after something happened between Ashley and me at Tara. But the second he kissed me I knew who it really was in my heart." Rhett's mind was spinning. He first thought was that he wanted to punch Ashley Wilkes in the face. His second thought was that he had been a blind fool. He had been so busy hiding his true feelings from her that he failed to noticed that she has the same feelings.

"Why haven't you said anything before now? Now that you went off and married Frank."

"You made it clear that all you wanted from me was my body. I thought you would laugh at me when you found out that while it was supposed to be a simple affair I had fallen in love with you." Rhett let out a frustrated chuckle.

"What?" She asked him as she braced herself for one of his barbs.

"Scarlett, I have loved you practically since Twelve Oaks. I never told you for fear that you would hold it over my head and make me miserable."

"It did cross my mind a time or two." Rhett grabbed her hands and placed small kisses on the palm and the backs of her hand.

"What do we do now?"

"I don't know, Rhett." He told a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped away her tears.

Rhett decided to change the topic. He couldn't dwell on the fact that they could have been together for quite some time if they both hadn't acted like fools.

"Scarlett, let me take over management of your mills. You know you shouldn't be working right now."

"So, he knows I'm going to have a baby," Scarlett thought to herself. She wondered if he had heard the rumors going around that he was the father of the baby.

"I can't stop working, Rhett, I'll lose everything I've worked so hard for."

"Not if you turn management over to me. I will hand the mills back over to you the minute you can work again. I'll even work for free."

"I can't turn them over to you."

"Surely you know that you can trust me." Scarlett didn't want to tell him the whole truth. She didn't want to admit that she had no idea whose baby it was that she was carrying.

"Of course I trust you, Rhett. It's just that there are already rumors about us going around. I don't need to fan the flames even more."

"What rumors?"

"People are saying that this is your baby," Scarlett mumbled quietly. Rhett was surprised by her admission. He didn't think that she would admit the possibility that he could be the child's father. Of course he realized that she hadn't said that she thought so.

"Is the baby mine?"

"I don't know. I'm terrified that it is and everyone is going to know what kind of person I am." Rhett had like to think that Scarlett and Frank had led a chaste marriage. He didn't like the thought of anyone but him touching her body. But if she didn't know who the father was it must mean that allowed Frank to be intimate with her. Rhett knew it was Frank's right as her husband but it still made him angry. Rhett thought it was amusing that she was always trying to protect her reputation when the people in town didn't think much of her in the first place.

"If not me, how about Frank or Ashley?"

"Frank won't help me. He's still angry that I bought the mills in the first place and insist on working them myself. And poor Ashley can't run his own mill. I can't trust him to be responsible for both."

"Scarlett, please for the safety of our, I mean this child, let Ashley run them until you can work again."

"If I retire now, I won't get to see you again for months."

"I know, but just feel safe in the knowledge that I'm not going anywhere until I know that you and your child are happy and healthy."

"Alright, I'll ask Ashley to take over." Rhett placed a small kiss on her lips and finished the drive out to her mill.

That night Ashley agreed to take responsibility of the mills for the time being. Uneasiness settled over Scarlett's household. They all knew they should be happy that she finally relented and was going to retire until the baby came. However, the fact that Rhett Butler had mysteriously reappeared in town had not gone unnoticed. Everyone wondered if he was the one that Scarlett was really hiding from.

Scarlett sat in her bedroom and tried to devise a scheme to shake loose from Mammy's ever watchful eyes. She wanted to go to Rhett and spend an afternoon wrapped in his strong arms.