The next morning Scarlett gathered some flowers to take to her parents' grave.

'Oh Pa', she cried as she sat under the shade of the Mimosa tree which marked the family burial ground, 'nothing has turned out as I expected'. 'I have enough money to make me happy but I find that it doesn't make me happy at all. And I married someone like me and it's brought me nothing but misery. Perhaps you are right about the land being the only thing that matters. It's the only thing that's dependable'.

'And Mother, you tried so hard to make me a lady. I could never see the point of it, but now I do. I have been so mean to everyone who would have been a friend, that now I have no friends left. And I see now why you were always careful to show Pa respect. I never showed Rhett any respect, and he has abandoned me. I've been such a childish fool. Forgive me Mother, for not listening to you. I do want to be a lady'.

She sat quietly at the burial ground for a long time after that, thinking over the changes that were required in her life. She realised she had to change to have any chance of getting Rhett back. She had to show him that she had grown up.

She decided to start practising being thoughtful of others immediately, with those at Tara, and the surrounding county folk. She would start with her own children. Rhett had accused her of being a bad mother, she would show him that he was wrong.

She walked back to the house to find the children. Instead she found Suellen, hanging out the washing.

'Good morning Suellen', she smiled, 'have you seen Wade and Ella?'

'Oh, I saw them a while back. They've gone fishing in the creek with my lot', she replied, 'can't you hear the peace and quiet?'

'Yes, it is peaceful', Scarlett responded. She looked at her sister. Suellen was heavy with child, and her movements were ungainly. She looked tired. 'Can I help hang out the washing?' she asked.

'I won't stop you', Suellen replied.

After they had hung out the washing together they were glad to get back to the cool shade of the house. Scarlett got a cool drink for them both and Suellen was grateful. Scarlett felt a warm glow of satisfaction that she had done something kind for her sister. She let Suellen talk then. Suellen loved to talk, and much of it was complaining, but Scarlett focussed all her energies on listening quietly and politely as she imagined her mother would.

When the children returned, proud of their catch, Scarlett admired their efforts and sent them off to wash for dinner without scolding them for getting so grubby. Later she remembered how Rhett always told the children a bed time story when he was home, and she gathered all the children around for a story. As she tucked Ella into bed the child put her chubby arms around her mother's neck and said 'Thank you Mother for being so nice today'. Scarlett hugged her back and kissed her cheek. 'Good night sweetheart', she said.

Wade was more difficult. 'Uncle Rhett's stories are better,' he said. When are we going to go home to Uncle Rhett?'

'Uncle Rhett is not home at the moment Wade, he had to go away. But he will come back, and I promise we will be there when he comes back'.

After that, it became like a game to Scarlett to see how she could be kind to people. She went visiting all over the county and always showed an interest in what people were doing, and offered to help when she could. She found to her surprise that it brought her pleasure to bring pleasure to others, and many things which she had thought of as chores turned out not to be when they were done with friends.

Then Suellen's baby was born and Scarlett was kept busy helping out with the children. Before she knew it three months had passed, and she began to be anxious to return to Atlanta, lest she be absent when Rhett returned.