Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.
Chapter Thirty-One
Scarlett stormed away. She got in the buggy and said, "Take me to the National. Rhett will fix this."
"What, Miss Scarlett?"
"If they have hurt a hair on Careen's head, hades will look good to them once I get finished with them."
Big Sam didn't know what was going on, but he also knew not to ask any more questions. He knew he wouldn't get any answers and Miss Scarlett would just get angrier. She was pretty worked up already.
As Scarlett rode along she just knew Rhett would find a way to fix all this. One of the things she loved about Rhett was that he never accepted defeat. If he wanted something, he was going to obtain it. She also knew he would move mountains to give her what she wanted. She might have to endure his sarcasm and his horrid jokes but at the end of the day he would obtain for her what she wanted. A nice trait in a husband.
Scarlett didn't realize that she had admitted to herself that she still loved Rhett and that she still thought of him as her husband.
When Scarlett got to the National Hotel, she had the desk clerk send a note up to Rhett in his room. Within ten minutes, she saw him walking towards her. She hurriedly walked to him. She said, "You said giving your money was easy for you. I need your smarts and your brawn. I think they are holding Careen prisoner at St Bethany's Convent. I think they are physically abusing her."
"Are you sure?"
"No but I won't be happy until I am certain she is safe."
"Alright. Let's go see what is happening."
Scarlett felt the relief flow through her. With Rhett's acceptance of being willing to go back with her to the convent, she knew they would get Careen safely away from those nasty nuns.
When Rhett, Scarlett, and Big Sam got to the convent, Rhett said, "Come along, Mr. …."
"O'Hara."
"Come along, Mr. O'Hara. I need your physical stature to help intimidate the nuns."
"Mister, I couldn't hurt a nun."
"Butler, my last name is Butler. I don't need you to hurt a nun. I just need you to stand there and act like you were about to hurt a nun who is holding Careen against her will."
"I can do that. I might even be able to hurt a nun if she has hurt Miss Careen."
When the trio got to the gate, Scarlett said, "I will see my sister now."
"Just a minute, Ma'am, Mother Superior is waiting to talk to you."
"I will give you five minutes to get my sister out here. Go do what you have to do."
In less than five minutes the gatekeeper, Careen, and the Mother Superior were entering the courtyard. The trio of nuns came to stand in front of Rhett, Scarlett, and Big Sam.
Careen was standing a step behind the older woman. Nonetheless, the older nun had Careen's arm in what looked to be a vice grip that to Scarlett looked like it was going to leave a bruise.
Scarlett could not miss the desperate look on Careen's face. Scarlett was also pleased to see the look of relief that flooded Careen's face when she had seen Scarlett.
Mother Superior said, "You are making a mountain out of a mole hill."
Scarlett said, "If that is true let me talk to my sister alone."
"We can't do that. She is on a twenty-four-hour non-verbal interval. We do that a lot here. It lets us get in touch with our inner emotions."
Scarlett looked at Careen. She had always been small for her age. She had always looked like a strong wind would blow her away. In that moment, Scarlett knew in her heart that people were abusing her sister in the name of religion. Scarlett said, "I was going to share this with Careen first, but I guess you have the right to know also. We lost the plantation. Therefore, Careen has no way to pay her dowry. She will have to come home with us. She can pretend to be a nun. She can read her bible and do good works in the county."
Scarlett reached to grab Careen's arm and the Mother Superior pulled Careen back. The Mother Superior said, "We will give Sister Mary Joseph time to find another source of money for her dowery."
Rhett stepped in between Careen and the Mother Superior. Because of his large mass the older woman stepped back. Her stepping back caused her to let go of Careen's arm. He said, "I don't know what you are doing here but I'm quite sure it is something vile. You will give us Careen. You will then have the time it takes us to get to the Yankee headquarters and back to clear out of here. I am a close personal friend of Captain Tom Jaffery. He will not care if this is a house of worship if I tell him, the Southern gentlemen with your help are planning a coup against the lawful authorities. He will investigate on my word alone."
Like a snake Rhett's arm was around Careen's waist and in a matter of seconds she was in Scarlett's arms. Careen was crying and Scarlett was hurrying her to the buggy. Rhett was walking backwards to the buggy. He was not taking his eyes off the nuns. He didn't trust them to not attack him from behind.
The women got in the back seat and Scarlett wrapped Careen up in her arms. As soon as Rhett was in the buggy, Big Sam was driving away. Careen said, "I knew you would come get me. I knew you would save me."
"Of course, I would. I'm your big sister. I'll always take care of you."
"It wasn't bad at first then it gradually got worse and worse."
"Why didn't you leave?"
"They told me I couldn't leave."
"You could have run away in the night."
"They locked all the doors and the windows. I was afraid of getting lost. I know absolutely nothing about the streets in Atlanta. A young woman lost in the city at night is not a good thing."
"No, Baby, it isn't."
"Did you get any of my letters?"
"Not a one."
"They must have been throwing them away."
"Oh, Baby, I'm so sorry. I have been so busy with my life, but I should have come to get you sooner."
"You came and you didn't leave me there."
"You will stay with me."
"Scarlett, they whipped me like I was Jesus so I could share in his pain."
"Just don't think about it."
Scarlett pulled Careen closer but when her sister winced, Scarlett immediately loosened her grip. Careen's obvious pain made Scarlett want to tell Sam to turn the buggy around so she could inflict some pain of her own. She couldn't do that. She had to let Rhett and Captain Jaffery handle it. She had to take care of her little sister.
After the buggy had arrived at the Yankee Headquarters, Rhett had gotten out. He said, "Scarlett, you and your sister stay here with Sam. I will be right back."
"Thank you, Rhett. Do you need Careen to come with you to substantiate your story?"
"No, I don't need Careen to come with me to correct my story."
Scarlett laughed and Careen said, "What?"
Big Sam said, "Mr. Butler, I am going to park on the side of the building where there is some shade."
Scarlett looked at where Big Sam pointed and although there was a tree there, she didn't think it was going to provide much shade but if Big Sam didn't want to park right in front of the Fire House, she was fine with it. Seeing the Fire House always brought up bad memories.
Rhett said, "Sure." He turned around and walked into the Yankee's Headquarters. Scarlett briefly wondered how he could so casually walk into the location where he was held as a prisoner. She smiled when she thought nerves of steel except when it comes to telling a woman you love her.
As Careen watched Big Sam, she wondered what was going on. The man had obviously relaxed after they had moved away from the front of the Fire House. Careen shook off those thoughts. She had far too many problems of her own right now to be worried about anyone else. She would think about it tomorrow.
Careen said, "Is he going to lie?"
"Probably."
"One should never lie."
"True."
Careen looked at Scarlett's vindictive expression and thought, 'I'm glad she's my big sister.'
Scarlett said, "Speaking of lying, we didn't lose Tara but there are some changes we will talk about later."
"Sure. Sure."
Careen's head was spinning. She couldn't believe she was safe at last. She had been so afraid Scarlett would never come to check on her, but her big sister had come. Her big sister had rescued her. She was happy to wait to hear any more news.
Thirty minutes later, Rhett and several other men walked out of the headquarters. Rhett walked to the buggy. After he got there, he said, "I'm going with them."
Careen said, "Please, get my bible and my rosary. They were my mother's."
"If I can find them, I will get them. Scarlett, get Sam to take you and Careen down to Tara today. I want her to be far away from Atlanta. Take Wade and Ella with you also. Stay a couple of days. I will come get you when it is safe."
"How will you come and get me? You have no idea where Tara is. No, I will get Big Sam to take Careen, Wade, Ella, Joyce, Ella's wet nurse, and Prissy down to Tara but I have to stay here to take care of the store."
"Scarlett!"
"Rhett, you are not the boss of me."
"What would that matter? You never obeyed me when I was the boss of you."
"Don't you mean if you were the boss of me."
"Yeah, that's what I mean. I will drive you out to the mills."
Scarlett smiled, she said, "Fine."
Rhett smiled back. He said, "I have to go."
"Wait. Rhett, this is my sister, Careen. Careen this is Rhett Butler."
Rhett said, "It does my heart good to know you haven't forgotten your manners even amidst this crisis."
Scarlett smiled and said, "We always must behave properly no matter the circumstances."
Rhett and Scarlett smiled at each other like they had a private joke, which they did.
Rhett leaned forward as if to kiss Scarlett and she leaned forward to ensure their lips met. It was the first kiss they had shared in over fourteen years. It was soft and gentle with a promise of tomorrow.
After Sam had driven off, Scarlett said, "We need to go by the store."
"Miss Scarlett, we need to get Miss Careen to Tara."
"Don't worry, Big Sam, I'm just getting fabric, thread, a pattern, and pins so Careen can make herself some new clothes. All she has is this habit."
Careen took off her wimple and Scarlett gasped. There was no hair on her sister's head. Careen said, "They made me cut off my hair."
"Why?"
Careen smiled and said, "To show humility."
With a bright smile, Scarlett said, "It will grow out. Do you want to wait in the buggy?"
"Yes, white fabric for my undergarments and pink, blue, or yellow for my dresses. I have always liked brightly colored dresses but even more now that I was told I would never wear them again."
After Sam had pulled up at the store, Scarlett said, "I will just be a minute. I am going to buy some primers for you to use while you are teaching Will to read. As the master of Tara, he will need to know how to read." At Careen's puzzled face Scarlett said, "I will explain all later."
As Scarlett turned to walk to the store, Careen said, "Get me a couple of books, also. I like romances."
Scarlett waved her hand as acknowledgement that she had heard Careen.
Unbelievable to Sam, Miss Scarlett was back in ten minutes. Phil was carrying all her purchases for her. As she climbed in the back of the buggy, she said, "Just put them in the back, Phil. Thank you." After Phil placed all the items in the back of the buggy, Careen said, "You got bolts of fabric."
"And lots of thread. I also got a couple of patterns for you, a couple of patterns for your nieces, and a pattern for a boy's shirt. I got ribbon and lace, too. What fabric you have left over after making clothes for yourself, Wade, Ella, and Susie just make clothes for your servants."
"Ella? Susie?"
"I will explain later. I'm sure Mammy would like a new dress. There might even be enough fabric left over for your aunts to have a new dress. Although I am sure they would not want it because it will not be in the height of fashion."
"They will be the last people to get a new dress."
"Let's go, Big Sam. We don't have all day."
Scarlett had not failed to notice the number of times Careen had winced when they had hit a rut or a branch, but she would give her sister as much dignity as she could. As they approached Hamilton House, Scarlett said, "You are lucky. Mammy is at Tara."
"What?!"
Scarlett smiled and said, "I have some news. Let's have dinner and I will tell you everything. You can then drive down to Tara. Sam, get a bite to eat."
"Yes ma'am, I will go get some food now."
As Big Sam walked away both Careen and Scarlett wondered about the big smile on his face.
Author's Notes: I see Scarlett and Careen's relationship as one of love and compatibility while Scarlett and Suellen's relationship is one of dislike and discord.
