Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Twenty

Rhett, Scarlett, India, and PittyPat's time at Twelve Oaks that day was pleasant. Rhett and Ashley had talked about their common love of reading. The men had talked about the war and when the South would surrender. No man in the room thought the South could win anymore. That was why Ashley was willing to never return to the front. There wasn't going to be a legal authority to arrest him once the Confederacy was dead.

When John spoke, there was a sorrow in his voice. His father had cleared the land. His father had built Twelve Oaks into one of the finest plantations in the South. John did not want to think about the fact that it had been on the back of people who were in bondage, so he didn't. He just knew that all was lost. Twelve Oaks would never be a great plantation again. John was not sure he wanted to go through the struggles of the next years. He had an easy life his entire life. Ashley had too, but John surprisingly thought Ashley was going to come through all of this much better than him.

Honey had eaten dinner with the family but as soon as she was finished eating, she got up and left the room. She had not spoken the entire time she was in the room. She stayed in her room the entire time Scarlett was on the plantation. Even when she was introduced to Rhett all she did was nod her head and give Scarlett a hateful look.

When the O'Haras had arrived at Twelve Oaks, Scarlett had been surprised that Mammy wasn't with them. Then Scarlett knew why. Like Prissy there had been no room in the buggy for her. As soon as Wade saw his mother, he reached for her. Scarlett always got a thrill when Wade showed that she was his favorite person. It was only natural since she was his mother, but it never failed to thrill her.

Once the O'Haras were there everyone moved into the dining room and the cake was served. It was a chocolate cake. It was good. Although Scarlett was letting Wade feed himself these days, she didn't trust him alone with chocolate icing. The boy would get it all over himself and then all over her. She couldn't take the chance of staining her dress or Wade's clothes. After Scarlett's piece of cake was gone, Wade reached for Rhett.

Rhett was not surprised the boy had reached for him. Rhett still had some cake on his plate. He knew that Scarlett probably didn't want Wade to have any more cake, but the boy so rarely got sweets that Rhett fed Wade the rest of his piece. It wasn't until Wade and Rhett had finished the piece of cake that Rhett made eye contact with Scarlett. Judging by the frown on her face, he had been right. Scarlett had not wanted Wade to have any more cake. Rhett had just smiled at her.

By two o'clock, Rhett and Scarlett and their group were on the road to Atlanta. The O'Haras were on the road to Tara. Before the two buggies left Twelve Oaks, Scarlett let Ellen and Gerald give Wade a final hug. As Ellen was passing the boy back to her daughter, Scarlett said to her mother, "Will you, please, watch out for Melly? She isn't built for having children. She isn't as strong as she thinks she is. In fact, she still has asthma attacks every now and then."

"Of course, Dear. I'm just sorry we no longer have a doctor in the county."

"What happened to Young Dr. Fontaine?"

"He died a few months ago. I will keep an eye on Melly. In fact, I will make her move in with me when she enters her ninth month, so Mammy and I are right there."

"Thank you, Mama."

"Now go, Mr. Butler is looking impatient."

With a quick hug, Scarlett hurried back to the buggy with Wade in her arms.

As soon as they were off the plantation, Scarlett said, "I can't believe Honey is still carrying a grudge against me for marrying Charlie."

India said, "It is probably because Honey has never even had a gentleman caller."

"I guess but I loved Charlie and Charlie loved me. Why should we forgo our happiness because of an agreement their fathers made."

"You shouldn't, Dear. Just stop worrying about it."

"It is hard when she gives me the evil eye every time I see her. With Melly living at Twelve Oaks, I will be seeing her a lot more."

"Don't let it bother you, Scarlett. The truth of the matter is that Charlie never wanted to marry her. Honey is my sister but nonetheless she is the one that is wrong. It is not like Charlie was calling on her and you stole him away. He had always had eyes just for you."

"You are right."

Scarlett didn't know why but she had felt a twinge of guilt from India's words about stealing a man away. She wasn't going to think about it because she had made it a point of never stealing a man away from another woman. None of them had been that important to steal them away from another woman. She smiled at Rhett maybe he would have been worth stealing from another woman, but she had never had any competition for Rhett's heart.

It wasn't ten minutes into their trip to Atlanta before Wade had fallen asleep. Scarlett looked down at him and smiled. He would get an hour nap in and that was good enough. She would just have Prissy put him to bed early.

As the group rode back to Atlanta, Scarlett said to Rhett, "I just love being in the country. Don't you?"

"As a matter of fact, I hate being in the country which is why I let my father give our plantation to my brother, Robert, because I knew I would never be able to live in the country."

Now Scarlett knew why she was never going to live at Tara again because Rhett would never live there.

Prissy had not been too terribly disappointed that she hadn't gotten to go to Tara. The Tolberts' stable boy who wasn't a boy and Prissy were spending time together. She got to spend the entire day with Archie.

After Rhett brought the buggy back to the Hamilton House, he set the reins and got out of the buggy. He went around the buggy and took Wade from Scarlett. After Scarlett got out of the buggy, she took Wade back. By this time, the boy was awake but was content to lie in his mother's arms. Once Rhett had helped India and PittyPat out of the buggy, he got back in.

Scarlett said, "You aren't coming in?"

"Not today," Rhett stared at PittyPat's back and whispered, "I have taken all I can take today. We should have left her a Twelve Oaks."

"Rhett."

"Tomorrow."

"We can sit on the porch tomorrow night and get a little privacy."

"We won't get any privacy. She will come with you. She takes her chaperoning duties quite seriously."

"It is probably a good idea that she comes with me. We wouldn't want to go too far."

"I very much would like to go too far."

Scarlett blushed and said, "Go on with you. Have fun tonight."

"I will."

Rhett went to The Saddles and Spurs. He would occasionally stop into the saloon to meet another businessman when the other man wanted to meet at The Saddles and Spurs. He would never volunteer the saloon though. That was what he was doing tonight. He was meeting with a shady businessman.

It didn't really matter how often he was in the saloon. That whore Belle had gotten the message that he wasn't interested in her personally. She didn't even smile at him anymore. In truth, Rhett's total rejection of Belle was kind of a mystery to him. No, he wasn't interested in her but usually when women looked at him with worshipping gazes, he just basked in their admiration. With Belle he had totally annihilated any feelings she might have for him. He didn't regret it for a minute. He just didn't understand why he had been so thorough in his eradication of her feelings for him.

One week after Elizabeth had written Mrs. Bradberry informing her of her son's death, a return letter was received at Middleton Acres. It was addressed to Rosemary. It was a very hurtful letter. Mrs. Bradberry called her mother a liar. Luther's mother just knew that her son was still alive. As much as she loved Luther, she just knew that if her son was dead, she would feel it in her heart. Mrs. Bradberry also told Rosemary to stay out of their lives until Luther had returned. The old woman went on to tell Rosemary that it had been the worst day of her life when Luther had married her.

Although the letter was hurtful, it had actually made Rosemary very happy. The Bradberrys didn't want Meg. Rosemary could finally let out the breath she had been holding since she found out about Luther's death. When Rosemary told her parents and Daphne what her mother-in-law had written there was smiles all around. Everyone had been worried about Mrs. Bradberry trying to take Meg away. Now all they had to do was survive the rest of the war and get Robert home, of course.

Rosemary had a passing thought about changing Meg's name. Her name was Margaret Elizabeth Bradberry. She had been named for her grandmothers. To make Luther happy she had allowed her daughter's first name to be Margaret instead of Elizabeth. She finally decided that she would not change her daughter's name. It had been Luther's wish and she could not renege on fulfilling his wishes. After all, it was all Luther could give his daughter now.

For the rest of March and all of April, Rhett called at the Hamilton House quite often. He talked about a lot of things but not a word about how he was making money. The one-time Scarlett asked, "How are you making money?"

Rhett put his finger over Scarlett's mouth and said, "Can you keep a secret?"

"Yes."

"So can I."

Scarlett removed his finger and scowled at him. She said, "Keep your secrets."

Just after the first of May an event happened that hurt Rhett, but Scarlett could do nothing else but what she did. When Rhett walked into the room, Wade had stood up and ran to him. This was not unusual. It was the way Wade usually greeted him. What was unusual was when Wade said, "Papa! Papa!"

While Scarlett had been able to pretend Wade hadn't called Rhett 'Pa' before now she could not now that Wade was being so blatant with his use of the name. Scarlett with a sad expression on her face said, "Come here, Wade. Come on, Rhett, let's go on the porch."

Scarlett took the boy and went out on the porch with Rhett following behind. Once they were seated, Scarlett said to Wade, "This is your Uncle Rhett. Not your Papa. Do you understand?"

"No! Papa."

"Honey, you have to understand. This is just the way it is."

Wade said, "No!" but he laid his head on Scarlett's chest and stared at Rhett.

Rhett gave him a little half smile. Rhett wanted to say, "Yes, I am your Papa." But he wasn't and he never would be unless he married the boy's mother. He was never going to get married again. He didn't want to be tied down to one woman. What if he got tired of her? What if he fell out of love with her. The rational part of his brain said, "You are never going to get tired of her. You are never going to stop loving her. Scarlett is exactly the type of woman you have always wanted. This is what you have always wanted a woman who loves you and a child." But Rhett ignored that little voice in his head. He wasn't ready to face the truth.