Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Fifty-Six

The next morning in the nursery, Rhett did explain the situation to Mammy. He said, "Scarlett is concerned that will be too many children for you to take care of."

"No, Mr. Rhett, I can handle it."

"Thank you, Mammy."

As Rhett walked out of the nursery, he heard Mammy saying, "It is you being in here all the time that I can't handle."

Rhett just kept on walking. He had to talk to Rosemary then get a list of houses for sale from his lawyer, but he was smiling as he walked down the stairs. Mammy would just have to get used to him being in the nursery all the time.

Rhett went downstairs to the dining room where breakfast would be waiting. On the sideboard was ham, or bacon or sausage and scrambled eggs. If anyone wanted a fried egg, Mrs. Cloud would prepare it right away. She was also preparing toast, but she only prepared four pieces at a time to make sure the toast was hot and fresh when the person wanted to eat it. There was coffee, juice, and water.

As Rhett entered the dining room, he saw that Rosemary was already seated at the table. He squatted down next to her and quietly said, "Everything has been arranged but you will have to tell our parents."

"Of course, Rhett."

As soon as Rhett was seated Rosemary said, "Mother, Father, I am going to continue living with Rhett and Scarlett. It will make it easier with us working together to get the shipping line successful."

"But, Dear, we will miss you so much."

"I will miss you too, but this is what is best for mine and Meg's future."

"I suppose your brother having all the luxuries a person could want hasn't got anything to do with your decision."

Although it had hurt Rosemary, Rhett was glad his father had gotten some of his sarcastic wit back. Rosemary held her own and she replied, "Of course not, Father. This is just to make the business a success."

Marshall said, "You are a grown woman with a child of your own. If Rhett doesn't mind you living with him then neither do I. Two less mouths to feed."

"Marshall! Rosemary, he didn't mean it the ugly way it came out."

"Mother, I know exactly how he meant it but nonetheless, I will continue living with Rhett as long as he will let me."

Rhett smiled, "You can stay for as long as you want Rosemary. I am not forcing anyone out the door." Rhett stood up and said, "I will get a list of houses for sale. Robert, will you be able to get away after dinner?"

"Yes, I think so. I will come home for dinner, and we can go after we finish eating."

"Perfect. See you then. I think it is time for me to go see my son. Unfortunately, it is not warm enough outside to take the children especially my son to the park. I will just go play with him. Goodbye."

Rhett smiled as he walked up the stairs. Scarlett had already begun to live the life of leisure. She had breakfast in bed every morning. He knew the maid brought her breakfast tray to her at eight forty-five. He looked at his watch. No. He didn't have time. He should have made love to her when he woke up, but she was not as receptive to his advances in the morning as she was at night. He sighed. He would have to wait until tonight.

Rhett went by the nursery and played with his son. The boy was staying awake a lot more with each passing week.

After Rhett left the nursery, he walked to his horse and his mind drifted back to Scarlett, he thought, 'She is so welcoming and probably always will be, but she was also so miserable while she was with child I really don't want her to go through that again any time soon. Yet, I do want a daughter. He told himself, 'Wait until Kenny is at least a year old.'

Rhett mounted his horse. The horse was black with a white star on his forehead. It was a fine horse, but he could afford it because he had bet on the right side in the Civil War. No, the truth was he hadn't taken sides in the war. He had just profited by the situation. Anyone could have done what he did. Well, anyone with brains and courage. Brains, courage, and a strong desire to be rich.

Now he just had to get all his relatives out of his house, except Rosemary. Even though their parents had allegedly given up their proper ways, Rhett would not bet money on it, and he had taken a lot of long shots.

When Rhett got to Mr. Stone's office, he worked very hard to not have a condescending attitude toward Ashley. Rhett said, "Do you still like this work?"

"Yes"

"How long have you been here?"

"Seven months. Mr. Stone has agreed to let me apprentice with him. He has allowed me to start taking some of the law books home to study them at night."

"That's nice. Is Mr. Stone in? I need to talk to him about if he has a listing of houses that people have for sale.

"Let me see if he can see you now."

That was one of the things Perry Stone was adamant about. Ashley would not admit anyone into Perry's office without Perry's permission. Some clients were bores and Perry could never get them to leave. Ashley didn't think that was a problem, Mr. Stone would have with Rhett, but he wasn't taking any chances.

Ashley got up and knocked on the door to his boss's office. Once he heard the permission to enter the office, he did. He shut the door behind him. That was another thing Perry was adamant about that his clients couldn't eavesdrop on his conversations.

After the door was shut Ashley said, "Rhett Butler is here to pick up a list of houses for sale."

"He is already tired of that mansion on Avenue O."

"No, these will be much smaller homes for his brother and father."

"Alright, send him in."

Ashley returned to his desk and said to Rhett, "He will see you now."

"Thank you."

Perry had stood up as Rhett walked into the room. Perry said, "Ashley says you are wanting a list of houses for sale. Are you already unhappy with the house on Avenue O?"

"No, no, we are happy with the house we bought. Scarlett did some remodeling and expansion. I like the way it looks. She did a good job. My brother and his family need a home as do my parents."

"Why don't they continue to live with you?"

"I think my brother and my father want to be masters of their own kingdom. It would be the first time for my brother. Before the war started, he had always lived on the plantation. He was being groomed to be the new owner."

"He must be older than you are then."

"No, the last thing in the world I wanted to do was live in the country so I told my father to give the plantation to my younger brother and I would make my own way in the world."

"That choice certainly worked out well for you."

"Yes, it did."

"What size houses do they need?"

"Let's start off with three to four bedrooms."

"In other words, a worker cottage."

"Yes,"

"I have several of those on the list."

"Here let me get Ashley to make you a copy."

"Thank you."

Perry walked out of his office and said to Ashley, "Copy down just this last page of houses for Mr. Butler's family to look at."

"Yes, Sir."

"Good day, Mr. Butler."

"We will probably be back today or tomorrow to make an offer on one or two of the houses."

"Very well, Goodbye."

With that Mr. Stone walked back into his office and shut the door.

"I will copy those addresses for you right now, Rhett."

"Good, thank you."

Ashley knew it wasn't polite to ask how Robert and Marshall were able to afford to buy a house, and Ashley refused to ask. He just knew it had something to do with Rhett Butler and therefore Ashley wanted nothing to do with it. He was grateful that Rhett had gotten them out of Georgia, but he didn't want to be any more in debt to him than he already was. Ashley liked Rhett well enough, but Ashley was pretty sure Rhett would play fast and loose with the rules. Whether that be the rules of proper society or the rules of the legal system.

Soon Rhett was leaving Perry's office with a list of small homes for sale. As he looked at the list, he realized how different his and Scarlett's lives would be in comparison to their loved ones. He hoped Scarlett didn't feel guilty about how great they had it and how awful her loved ones had it. He smiled. No, his Scarlett would not feel guilty. She would find a way to justify how she and Rhett had always been right and true.

Rhett went back to his house on Avenue O that he was really beginning to like. Rhett knew that Scarlett had tapered her choices to make him happy. And while the house was more innovative than he would like it did blend in with most of the other houses in Galveston. It made Scarlett happy so he was alright with it.

While Rhett was riding back to his house, Scarlett was visiting Melly. The women were watching Beau and Wade play on the parlor floor.

Melly said, "It is so good for you to stop in for a few minutes. It gives me a chance to sit down and rest for a short while."

"This certainly isn't the life we expected to have when we were at Fayetteville Academy."

"No, it isn't. I thought I would live the rest of my life at Twelve Oaks."

"I thought I would live the rest of my life in Atlanta with Charlie."

"Yet, I never got that feeling that convinced me I was going to live at Twelve Oaks."

"No, all I knew was that I was going to marry Charlie. Not where we would live."

"Poor Charlie."

"So many young men died in the war but let's not talk about that. Would you like to hold Kenny?"

"Of course."

"He is smiling all the time now. He is such a happy baby."

"Has he rolled over yet?"

"Not yet but he is rocking from side to side. Melly, I haven't gotten one of those feelings in a long time. Not since we left Clayton County."

"Me either."

"Do you think they have gone away."

"I don't know. I never understood how we got them in the first place and why we were so utterly convinced our feeling was right."

"I know but I always knew which ones were right."

"And I knew it was true without a doubt."

"Maybe we are on our own now."

"Maybe."

"Rhett is taking Mr. Marshall and Robert out looking at houses to buy." At Melly's puzzled expression, Scarlett added, "Rhett is lending them the money to buy their homes. They will probably be paying him back for the next thirty years."

The women laughed and Melly said, "Probably. How are your sisters' romances going?"

"Very well but I don't think either suitor is about to pop the question. Although Mr. White does own a house that he inherited from his father."

"They both seemed to be very nice men."

"Just about the best the south has to offer these days."

"How is the shipping business?"

Scarlett laughed and said, "Miss Stein convince Rosemary to make business calls on Simmons Shipping's customers. They did and they got several requests for shipping."

"That Miss Stein is a sly one."

"Don't tell anyone I told you this but I think Miss Stein is intent on running Mr. Simmons out of business."

"What an improper, unladylike thing to do."

The women both laughed.

Scarlett said, "He deserves it. He fired Miss Stein for no other reason, but she wasn't a man with a family."

"I know. It is such a shame especially considering how many gentlewomen are close to starving to death."

"Exactly. Let me have Kenny. We have to return to our home." Once Scarlett had Kenny in her arms, she said, "Wade! It is time for us to go."

Wade jumped up and ran across the room. He reached for his mother, and she said, "You know I can't carry both you and Kenny. Come along. Let's get in the buggy."

Wade scowled. Yes, he did know that. All the attention Kenny was getting from Mama and Dada made Wade sometimes wish Kenny hadn't come to live with them.