Scarlett's heart sank when she returned to her home in Atlanta. It had been her idea of perfection when it was built. But now she found it was full of unhappy memories, a dark and lonely place. She ordered floral arrangements to be placed in every room to brighten it up.

Ella was likewise unenthusiastic about their return. She had enjoyed the carefree time at Tara, away from the tensions of her home in Atlanta, and with plenty of cousins to have fun with.

Only Wade was excited to be back, eager to visit with Beau again and looking forward to seeing his Uncle Rhett.

'Mother, when will Uncle Rhett come home?' he asked for the twentieth time as she tucked him into bed on their fifth night back in Atlanta.

'I don't know honey. Soon I hope.'

Wade frowned. 'He will come back won't he?', he asked, looking at his mother pleadingly with Charles' big brown calf eyes.

Scarlett tried to smile reassuringly. 'Yes, of course he will. He always does, doesn't he?'

'Yes, I suppose he does', Wade conceded. 'But why does he have to go away?'

Now it was Scarlett's turn to frown. 'I don't think I can explain that to you very well Wade, why don't you ask Uncle Rhett when he comes?'

'I did ask Uncle Rhett once', Wade answered. 'but he didn't explain it very well either.'

'Well, perhaps when you are older you will understand', Scarlett sighed. 'But I hope not', she added in her head.

'Good night Wade'. 'Good night Mother'.

No one called on Scarlett in her big empty house. She longed for company, but without Melanie to include her in social gatherings, she realised grimly that she had so offended and ignored all who should have been her friends that she was a social outcast.

In the county it had been relatively easy to show kindness to neighbours and restore neglected friendships, but in Atlanta it proved much more difficult.

When she called on old friends, they looked so uncomfortable and embarrassed by her presence that she eventually stopped visiting. And when she chanced to pass old acquaintances in the street they pretended not to see her; all except for her old enemy India Wilkes who looked at her with such hatred it sent a shiver down her spine.

Scarlett despaired. How could she begin to repair the damage she had done? She thought of Rhett, and how he had successfully won over the old guard when Bonnie was a baby. But Rhett could be so charming, she sighed. She was not sure she wanted to be charming to old dowagers like Mrs Meade and Mrs Merriweather.

How she would like a few friends her age though! Friends like Maybelle and Fanny. It was India Wilkes who turned them all against her, she thought. India who hated her for stealing her beau and for loving Ashley and for being married three times when she, India, had not been married at all. Could she win over India? She wondered. It would certainly be a challenge. She would need to summon all her wits and charm. It would require careful scheming and planning, like planning a war. The more Scarlett thought it over, the more the challenge appealed to her. It was not that she wanted to be friends with India, but she did want to be accepted back into Atlanta society, and the idea of having India eating out of her hand held a certain appeal to her.

She began her quest to conquer India the very next day. Armed with a large bunch of flowers from her garden, she knocked firmly on Aunt Pitty's door. Ashley and Beau were living there now, with Pitty and India, and India was chief housekeeper for them all.

Scarlett knew that Ashley would be at the mill, and Aunt Pitty was likely to be out visiting. India would be home, because the Atlanta Needlecraft Society was meeting there later that morning and India would be supervising the preparations. A curtain flickered but no one opened the door to her. She was not being received, she realised with flaming cheeks.

She knocked again and called out 'India, I know you are there and I am not going away until you open the door to me'.

Still there was no reply. She was angry now, and humiliated. The house was half hers, after all. She had a right to enter, whether India wanted her there or not. She was about to assert this right when she abruptly recalled that she was trying to win India over, not to further offend her.

She settled herself on the top step, hoping that India would not leave her there all morning for her guests to step around.

After half an hour her hopes were realised. India opened the door and hissed, 'Come in then, but only for a few minutes'.

Scarlett took a deep breath and composed herself to be civil.

'Thank you India', she replied, deferentially, and her skirts brushed lightly against India's as she swept past her into the hall.

The two women stood facing each other in the hallway.

'Well?' asked India brusquely.

'India, we grew up as neighbours. My son is your cousin's child. I know that I have given you good reason to dislike me. I have come to say that I do not wish to feud with you, and I would like to offer you an apology for my previous foolish and immature behaviour. In addition, you will be pleased to hear that I have no further designs on your brother and intend to observe all propriety. I hope that one day we can be friends.'

At this she thrust the bouquet into the astonished India's arms and made a swift exit, before India could draw breath to reply, or observe that Scarlett was gritting her teeth in an effort to restrain herself from hurling angry insults.

There was no dramatic change in relations between the two immediately following this visit, but it seemed to Scarlett that India's glares were slightly less icy than before.

Next she set out to make Beau love her, hoping that he would tell his Aunt India nice things about her. On fine Saturdays she invited Beau to accompany her family on their picnics and carriage rides. When the weather kept them inside she taught them card games and board games. She found that Wade and Beau both had sharp minds. They learnt new games quickly and took great pleasure in besting her. When they grew tired of sitting still she let them yahoo around the house and garden, and remembering Melly's example, she even joined in their war games on occasion. She was usually Sherman, chasing them around while shouting blood curdling threats that made them squeal with mock terror. Sometimes Ella would join in too. 'Fight bravely my darlings', Ella would say seriously as she mock farewelled them off to war. Then she would play house with her dolls while she awaited their triumphant return. Because of course they were always triumphant.

Scarlett felt triumphant too. It was hard work getting children to like you but she decided it was definitely worth it when she saw how the children were warming towards her. If only Rhett was there to see her efforts. How his eyes would sparkle with amusement as he followed her campaign. Well, once they would have. She realised on reflection that it was a very long time since Rhett's eyes had sparkled in amusement at anything she said or did. It used to irritate her to think he was laughing at her, but now she felt she would give anything to be able to amuse him again.

Rhett was never far from her thoughts. Where was he? What was he doing? She had not heard from him since his departure after Melly's funeral six months ago, and she ached for him.