Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.

Chapter Fourteen

Scarlett had sent a note to Suellen telling her that she and Rhett were living in Atlanta again. She also sent a note to Aunt PittyPat telling her the same thing and if she wanted to see Wade to call on them at the hotel. She wrote Careen a letter and told her that the family would visit Tara some time the next week.

Suellen had sent a note back inviting the family to supper for the next night. Scarlett had accepted. When they went to supper at the Kennedys. Rhett was acceptable of leaving Ellen in the nursery with Suellen's daughter Susie. Probably because Mammy was there.

Mammy had insisted on coming with them so she could see Miss Suellen's little girl. Susie was a month younger than Ellen. Wade, of course, had supper with the adults.

Frank's store was doing well enough for him to open another location. Frank had always been a great businessman. Suellen appeared to be happy with her life. For once Scarlett was happy for her sister. Suellen invited her sister and her family to supper once a month. It was fun to watch the babies interact with each other.

The family went to Tara. Careen was doing a good job of managing the plantation. She had found her niche in life. Because she didn't want to marry, she had not minded becoming a little bit mannish. She had spent some time with Beatrice Tarleton talking about it. Beatrice had said, "Do what makes you happy. There are so few things that make any of us happy these days."

Careen had gotten a work force by continuing to trade room and board for labor. She had said to Scarlett, "I don't know how long the workers are going to be satisfied with the arrangement, but it is working for now."

"Good. Good."

"We will make a good profit this year. Not like the profits, Pa made but good enough to be solvent with just a little bit of help from my brother-in-law."

Careen smiled at Rhett, and he smiled back. He said, "When I looked over my records last week for Kennedy's, I did notice that the checks were less than they had been last year."

The family had spent the night. Rhett and Scarlett had once again slept in that tiny bed. It didn't really matter how large the bed was Rhett and Scarlett slept pressed up against each other.

Rhett and Scarlett returned to Atlanta and resumed their lives in the city. They were once again on the guest list for the Republican and Scallawag social events. They were once again snubbed by the Old Guard except Aunt PittyPat and Uncle Henry.

After Rhett and Scarlett's return from Tara, Aunt PittyPat had invited them to supper which they accepted. Uncle Henry was there also. Scarlett could have made the older people come and have supper in the hotel restaurant, but they would have died of shame if anyone found out they had called on the Butlers at their hotel.

The supper conversation was nice. The group talked about the Wilkeses and their life in New York. Ashley had been promoted to Head Teller. Melanie had made some friends and she had found out that Yankees weren't that bad. Overall, a good life.

Rhett said, "A better life than they could have had here in Georgia. Georgians are going to be poor for a long time."

"True. Dear. Tell Aunt PittyPat and Uncle Henry about our time in London."

"Certainly."

Neither Aunt PittyPat nor Uncle Henry said a word about Rhett holding Ellen through the entire meal. It was a pleasant meal. The Hamiltons would have the Butlers to supper about once a month. That was fine with the Butlers. It was the most Rhett could handle Aunt PittyPat.

Two weeks after their return from London Rhett went to The Painted Lady to play some cards and collect his profits. He sat at the bar to talk to Belle. Belle said, "Welcome back. What is new?"

"Scarlett gave me a daughter. Her name is Ellen."

Belle uttered words that she soon regretted. She said, "Tell me all about her."

Twenty minutes later when the bartender, Moses, interrupted the conversation, Belle was so happy she could have kissed the man. Rhett had told her all about his daughter and didn't seem to be slowing down any time soon. He had told her every little thing about the child.

As Belle walked off with Moses, Rhett took his glass of whiskey to one of the poker tables. He sat down at the table where Tom Jaffrey was sitting. After playing a couple of hands Captain Jaffrey said, "Several Southerners have been robbed on Decatur Road."

"Where is Decatur Road?"

"It runs through Shanty Town. We are thinking the men are going to take the law into their own hands and do something stupid. We are watching them. The Southern men meet every week at Frank Kennedy's store for what they claim is a political meeting."

"Hopefully, they don't take the law into their own hands."

"I think they are waiting for an incident to justify them attacking the residents of Shanty Town."

"That would be a stupid thing to do but Southerners have a lot of pride, honor and arrogance."

"True."

The men played for another half hour then Rhett returned to the hotel. He had enjoyed himself, but it wasn't as invigorating to spend his night in a saloon now that he had Scarlett and the children.

The next day Rhett went to see Frank at one of his stores. When he found him, he said, "The Yankees are watching you and your friends. If those Wednesday night meetings are political meetings fine but if they are more, don't do anything stupid."

"Not me, Butler. I have too much now to take any chances with my life. I have worked extremely hard to build up my stores. I have Suellen and Susie. We have that lovely house that Sue is so proud of. There are some of the men who want to take the law into our own hands but for now I and the others have been able to talk them out of the idea. Either way I would not be going.

"Good."

As Rhett left the store, he wondered why he had spoken to Frank. It certainly was out of character for him. He decided that it was because he didn't want anything to happen to Frank for if the man died Rhett might have to let Suellen move in with him and Scarlett. No, he would ship her off to Charleston to live with her aunts. Afterall, he was already supporting them.

The Butlers moved into their home in September. The décor in the public part of the house was not to Rhett's taste, but he noticed that Scarlett had toned it down a lot. When they had discussed the decorating of the family parlor, Scarlett would allow him to have his choice in that room if he let her have her choice in their bedroom. In the end he liked the décor of the family parlor very much while their bedroom not at all, but it was alright. All he did in that room was sleep and make love to Scarlett. During neither of those activities was he paying any attention to what color the walls were.

Rhett would often ask himself what Scarlett's feelings for him were. She acted like she loved him, but wouldn't she tell him if she did. Of course, he acted like he loved her, but he hadn't told her either. He guessed he could say it first but if he was wrong that would be too embarrassing so he wouldn't.

On December the tenth two things happened, Ellen turned one and Rhett stopped using preventatives. After they were finished, Scarlett said, "Are you trying to get me with child again?"

"I am not trying per se. I'm just not doing anything to prevent it from happening. You said you didn't want to have a child every year. It has been a year since you had a child so we can make another one."

"Rhett! I didn't mean literally."

"That is what you said. I don't like using preventatives, so you are lucky that I made it a year."

Scarlett just laid there in stunned silence then she burst out laughing. Yes, she had gotten her year.

In March Rhett took Scarlett out to supper to celebrate her birthday. In the carriage on the way back to their home, she said, "I am with child again. It will arrive sometime in September. Will you take me back to London?"

"Of course, I will. The medical care is so much better there."

"And the magical gas, Chloroform. Let's not sell our house. Just leave a caretaker in charge of it. That is what we should have done last time then I would still have my beautiful mansion."

"You mean your horrible monstrosity but no I will not sell our current home. I like our current home."

"You used our move to London as an excuse to sell my mansion."

"Yes, I did."

"You are what is horrible."

"Yes, I am."

There was silence in the coach for a long while until Scarlett said, "Are you ever going to tell me you love me, again?"

"When did I tell you I loved you?"

"At Rough and Ready."

"I just said that to get into your bed and it worked," Scarlett just stared at Rhett with a knowing look on her face. He said, "What makes you think I love you?"

"Our eighteen months of hell together. You tolerating the worshipping looks I was giving Ashley. And most importantly the fact that you whisk me away to London because you thought my life might be in danger."

"I will tell you when you tell me."

"I have told you."

"When? I think I would remember that."

"When I slept with you without marriage. When I left Tara in Careen's hands. That I am not throwing a fit about being with child again.

"Alright. I love you."

"I love you too."

"Are you ever going to tell Wade I am not his biological father?"

"No. You are Wade's father. Charles Hamilton was just the seed donor."

Rhett smiled. He said, "I actually agree with you."

"Of course, you do. We agree on almost everything."

"We do now."

"No, Honey. We mostly always have. There are only three things we disagreed on. I thought Ashley was a wonderful person and you didn't. You thought Melly was a wonderful person and I didn't. You think I have awful taste and I think you have boring taste. I guess I have come around to your way of thinking on two of those issues."

"I will settle for us agreeing on those two issues. I'm alright with the third one because we have learned to compromise. Do you know Miss Melly knew about yours and Wilkes's feelings for each other?"

"Really? And she still loved me?"

"You loved her too despite the fact you thought you were in love with her husband."

"How do you know?"

"She told me while we were still at Tara. She told me to keep you and Wilkes apart."

"Is that why you gave Ashley the train fare to get to New York?"

"Yes, but not completely. I thought it was Wilkes's chance to be his own man."

By that time Rhett and Scarlett had arrived at their home. He helped her out of the carriage and hurried her up the stairs. Soon it would be harder for them to be intimate although Rhett could be highly creative if he needed to be.

When the Butlers had their monthly supper with the Kennedys, Scarlett shared their news. Suellen looked at Frank then back at Scarlett, she said, "Congratulations."

Scarlett didn't think Suellen was very happy with the news. She guessed Sue wanted to have another child.

Scarlett wrote Melanie and shared her news with her sister-in-law. Scarlett marveled at the fact that Melly had known all about her feelings for Ashley and had loved her anyway. If Melly knew about Scarlett's feelings for Ashley, then she had known that Scarlett hadn't loved Charlie. As Scarlett thought about that she guessed Melly was simply happy that Charlie's last days had been happy days and that the Hamiltons had Wade. Although the Hamiltons weren't going to get to keep him if Scarlett had anything to say about it and she knew she had a lot to say about it. Scarlett felt a pang of guilt of taking Wade away from his relatives but shook it off. It could not be helped. Once Rhett had gotten all the money, he could get off the Republican government, they would not be living in the South. Wade was her son, and he would be with her.