Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Twenty-Two

The next afternoon Rhett was waiting for Scarlett and India when they left the hospital. He drove them to Hamilton House. All three of them went upstairs together for Rhett to get their clothes. After he brought them downstairs, he loaded them into the buggy. While Rhett loaded the luggage in the buggy, Scarlett got Wade and Prissy out to the buggy. Everyone got in. Rhett said, "Have you got all of your belongings?"

"We think so. If we have forgotten something we can come back for it."

India said, "I haven't got that much stuff."

Prissy said, "Neither do I."

"Well Wade and I have a lot of stuff. I went ahead and brought all the fabric you gave me for his clothes."

"If not, I can bring you back over here. I don't want you coming back over here by yourself. Especially after the house has been empty for a while. Homeless people may take up residence in the house."

"Alright, Rhett."

It wasn't ten minutes, before the buggy was at Yerkes' home. It was a cute little house. It was awfully long and narrow.

Scarlett said, "What kind of house is this?'

Rhett said, "It is called a Worker's Cottage. It is an inexpensive house for a working man. I'm sure Dr. Harper is very happy with it especially if he is the only one living in the house."

"Alright. Let's go knock on the door."

After Rhett knocked on the door it was opened by an older man. The man said, "Mrs. Hamilton and Miss Wilkes?" The ladies nodded and the man continued, "Dr. Harper is in the parlor. Let me show you the way."

After the group was at the parlor, the man said, "Dr. Harper, your guest are here."

Yerkes got up and said, "Thank you." As the man turned to go Yerkes said, "Gordon just a minute, let me introduce you to our houseguests. This is Scarlett Hamilton, Wade Hamilton, and India Wilkes. This is Rhett Butler, but he will not be our houseguest. Gordon has been my butler and man servant since Mabel and I first got married. His wife, Naomi, is my cook and maid. I have a wash woman come in once a week."

Scarlett said, "This is Prissy. She is mostly my son's nursemaid but occasionally she is my maid."

All of the people said, "Nice to meet you."

"Thank you, Gordon. Let me show you the way to the bedrooms. Go straight up the stairs, Scarlett."

Scarlett led the way up the stairs. Once everyone was upstairs, Yerkes pointed at one door and said, "That is my room."

There were two bedrooms on each side of the narrow hallway. Scarlett said, "If you are alright with-it India, Wade and I will take the two bedrooms that are next to each other."

"Certainly. I will go put my stuff in that room over there."

"Dr. Harper, are they the same size?"

"Pretty muchly."

"Then Rhett put my trunk in that room over there."

After Rhett had placed the trunk on the floor, he came over to Scarlett and quietly said, "I knew sooner or later I would get into your bedroom."

"Hush. Now you must get out."

"Alright." Rhett gave her a quick kiss then strutted out of the room. He turned at the doorway and said, "I will give you a chance to get settled in. Will you be riding to the hospital with Dr. Harper from now on?"

"No, he doesn't own a horse. His died during the war also. Instead of trying to find a decent horse he just walks or takes a cab everywhere he goes. The hospital is only five blocks away. It will be closer than when we were living at Hamilton House."

"Alright. I will see you tomorrow night."

"Alright."

After the first week everyone involved thought it was a good arrangement, even Rhett. He liked talking to Yerkes. He was an interesting man who was very well-read. Yerkes like Rhett read the paper every day. Therefore, they were always discussing the political climate and the war. Surprising to Rhett, it seems that Yerkes had been very outspoken about the war. Yerkes being against the war was because the only thing that resulted from a war is that a lot of young men were either killed or maimed.

Rhett, Yerkes, and India often had long discussions about the books they had read. To Rhett's surprise, Scarlett never tried to change the subject when the trio got into the discussions about the books they had read.

At one point, Rhett said, "I may have to start rereading some of the books I gave to Scarlett."

"I have given most of those away."

"Then we will have to go down to Clayton County and get them back."

India said, "You could borrow some of the books we have at the library at Twelve Oaks."

Yerkes said, "You may borrow my books as well although I would never call my collection of books a library."

"Thank you, both.

One month later in June, Ellen went over to check up on Melly. Ellen just knew that Scarlett would never forgive her if something happened to her best friend. When Melly entered her sixth month, Ellen told Ashley, "You have to make sure she stays in the bed as much as possible. And that she walks up and down the stairs as little as possible. She is not made for birthing babies. If we aren't extremely careful, she could lose the baby. It might even be enough to kill her.

"Is it that bad?"

"Yes, it is that bad.

"If she survives this then it would be best if she never had any more children."

With those words, Ashley paled. He said, "I understand. I will get Honey to run the plantation."

"Yes, that would be best."

Ellen promised to visit in a week then she left and returned to Tara. In Ellen's mind the most important thing was to save Melly's life. If she was able to save the baby, so much the better.

Once Ellen was back at Tara, she wrote Scarlett a letter updating her on Melly's condition. She also told Scarlett not to come visit because there was an outbreak of typhoid fever in Clayton County.

When Scarlett got the letter, she wanted Rhett to take her down to Jonesboro the very next day.

Rhett refused. He said, "It isn't safe for you, it isn't safe for Wade, and it damn sure isn't safe for me."

"Just leave. I don't want to talk to you anymore."

"I am not leaving. We will continue to sit here in the parlor with Miss India and Dr. Harper and talk like we do every evening."

"No! Leave!"

"Dr. Harper what did you think of that book by Jules Verne Five Weeks in a Balloon?"

There was a long pause while Yerkes looked around the room. Rhett was looking at him waiting for an answer, Scarlett wasn't looking at either of them but sewing on a garment for her son, India was looking between Rhett and Scarlett. Finally, Yerkes answered the question.

Scarlett didn't speak to Rhett the rest of the evening. After an hour when Rhett got up to leave, he said, "Scarlett, show me to the door."

When they got to the front door, Rhett said, "I am not going to willingly put your life in danger. Once your mother writes and says the epidemic is over, I will take you down there then. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Scarlett, look at me," Once she did, Rhett continued, "I will not let you bully me. Your husband and your beaus may have let you bully them, but I will not."

"I wasn't trying to bully you."

"Trying to force me to do something against my will is bullying me."

"Just leave."

"I will leave, but I will be back tomorrow. See you then, Baby."

"Just leave."

"Come here and kiss me."

When Rhett kissed Scarlett and she was as stiff as a board, he said, "I am just going to keep kissing you until you kiss me back."

Finally, Scarlett gave him a reluctant smile and kissed him back. It wasn't very long but at least it was a kiss with feeling behind it. Soon he was out the door. He would be back the next night. He came to call on her every night. Their evenings were usually pleasant enough, not that Rhett wasn't going to mock and tease her at times.

India and Scarlett had been living with Yerkes for over a month. It really had not been that hard of an adjustment. Yerkes was quite happy to pay for everything. Every time Scarlett or India had said anything about contributing to the household budget, Yerkes had waved them off. When Henry Hamilton had offered Yerkes some money for the support of the girls, Yerkes had taken it. Not because he needed it but to save the older man's pride.

Admittedly Yerkes had to get used to living with two young ladies after having lived with no one for over three years. His late wife had been in her forties so living with two women in their twenties was definitely different. He liked it though. He even liked Rhett Butler. The man could be sarcastic and mocking at times, but he usually knew what he was talking about.

A week after Rhett refused to take Scarlett to Clayton County, she asked him, "How is Rosemary doing?"

"My mother says well, enough. Luther's parents want nothing to do with their granddaughter, so Rosemary isn't worried about them trying to steal Meg away."

"That must have been a load off of Rosemary's mind. Was she really worried they would?"

"If her child had been a boy then they probably would have. You know a child to replace Luther. Fortunately, the Bradberrys never wanted a granddaughter, just a grandson."

"Rhett, that is so sad."

"Yes, but I know for a fact that Luther was over the moon about his daughter. He was always bragging on every little thing she did."

"Silly man."

"Do you really think it was silly of Luther to show his love for his daughter?"

"I guess not. How old was she when the war started?"

"She had just turned one."

"So, she isn't going to remember him at all. Just like Wade."

"Yes, but Wade has all his Hamilton relatives to tell him stories about his father."

"I suppose."

"I have got to go."

"Do you have a meeting?"

"Yes."

"Let me walk you to the door."

At the doorway, Rhett kissed Scarlett and said, "Have you gotten over your mad completely?"

"I guess. Once I thought about it logically, I agreed that going into an area where there is a typhoid epidemic going on is not safe. I'm just worried about Melly."

"So, I was right," Scarlett didn't say anything but gave him a blank stare. Rhett continued, "You, Wade, or me getting sick isn't going to help Miss Melly."

"No, it won't. It would just add to Melly's burden. She would feel responsible for our deaths."

"Alright, give me a kiss."

"Just one?"

"Maybe a lot more than one."

The couple exchanged several kisses until Rhett pressed himself up against Scarlett. She smiled her triumphant smile and said, "You go on now. It can't go any further until we are married."

"I have told you before I don't plan to marry again."

"You didn't want to marry the first time therefore there is hope you will change your mind."

"The only reason I married that time was to save my family's reputations so my brother and sister could make good matches."

"Whatever. Time will tell."

Rhett came close to uttering words about her becoming his mistress, but he just couldn't utter the words yet. Instead, he kissed her again. He turned around and walked out of the house. He shut the door behind him. He would never leave until he heard her lock the front door. Scarlett knew he still wanted to make sure every lock in the house was locked but he couldn't insult Dr. Harper that way.