Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Ellen did pick the group up. She hugged her daughter, son-in-law, and her grandchildren. Ellen looked at Grace and said, "Gerry is going to be so happy that she still has his blue eyes."
Scarlett said, "Every time I look in her eyes, I think of Pa."
"Come one. Let's get in the carriage."
Rhett helped Seth get the trunks strapped on top of the carriage. Agnes and Faith both just had a large carpetbag. After everyone was settled in the carriage and they were on the road to Tara, Scarlett said, "How did Pa break his leg?"
"Jumping his horse."
"I guess now that Suellen is living at Twelve Oaks, he thought you wouldn't find out he was jumping his horse."
Ellen smiled and said, "I probably wouldn't have found out except the horse landed wrong and he fell off the horse. Now he is going to be laid up for four weeks and probably have to walk with a cane the rest of his life. Dr. Fontaine said it wasn't a bad break which is lucky."
"What about the horse?"
"He broke his leg also and had to be put down."
"What do you want Rhett and me to do?"
"I want Rhett to interact with the overseer, Mr. Wilkerson. I can't stand to be around him. He is a slimy man."
"Why don't you fire him?"
"He can get the field hands to work."
It flashed through Scarlett's brain, 'Probably with a whip.' She hated having thoughts like that, but since she had read Uncle Tom's Cabin, they popped into her head far too often.
As it turned out Scarlett had been right, all Ellen wanted from Rhett was his male presence. After a week, Rhett had told Scarlett, "I will stay for another three weeks because I told you I would, but after that we are returning to Charleston."
"But Rhett what if my mother still needs us."
"She will have to think of something else. In fact, I want you to tell her tomorrow."
"Alright."
"Now come to bed."
"Alright."
Scarlett was not unhappy Rhett was making them return to Charleston. She had been totally bored that week. Although it had been nice watching her parents and Careen interact with Tommy and Grace then wasn't much to do on the plantation. She had visited with Cathy, but Cathy was now managing the household staff, so she didn't have much time to visit. Rhett had been kind enough to take her into Atlanta. He said, "It is no problem. I need to pick up a few things."
Scarlett and Rhett had called on Melanie while they were in Atlanta. They had admired her baby boy. The boy's name was Jon Bennett Perry. He was a cute little boy. Melanie said, "That ether was a life saver. Thank you for telling me about it. My midwife was amazing. Surprisingly Aunt PittyPat found her."
Scarlett said, "Why is that surprising?"
"My aunt is a maid."
"Oh!"
Scarlett told Melanie why they were in Georgia. After a few minutes of talking, Rhett said, "Will you take us to Matty's bookstore? I did not pack enough books."
"Of course. Let me leave Jon with the nursemaid and get my bonnet."
After the trio was in the carriage, Scarlett said, "How are things working out with Charlie and Jen?"
"Good, I think. They are living in Hamilton House also."
"That makes for a full house."
"It is full, but it is all we can do. Charlie can't buy me out and I can't buy Charlie out."
"Definitely."
"Neither Jen nor I do anything in regard to running the house because Aunt PittyPat takes care of that."
"Your aunt lives with you also."
Melanie smiled and said, "Yes. Luckily our Uncle Henry does not. Not only would there not be enough room, but the siblings don't get along."
"Did you hear that Ashley married Suellen?"
"Yes. I hear he compromised her."
"That way she would have to marry him."
"It is the only way he was going to find a wife."
Rhett said, "I'm not sure it wasn't her that compromised him."
Both the ladies giggled.
When the trio reached the bookstore, Rhett helped the ladies down from the carriage. Melanie turned to the driver and said, "We won't be long, Uncle Peter."
"Take your time, Miss Melly."
Matty and Rhett talked about what was happening in Kansas and Nebraska. Matty said, "It has turned violent. I have read that there have even been murders."
"I have read that the factions cannot even agree on which city is going to be the capital."
"Yes, the proslavery group wants Lecompton and the antislavery group wants it to be Lawrence."
"They even have two different constitutions."
"They have two legislature bodies also."
"That makes sense. One in Lecompton and one in Lawrence."
"The problem is that even if they resolve the issue of whether the state is a free state or a slave state, their admission into the union will be blocked in the senate by either the proslavery senators or the antislavery senators."
"True. Let me look at your books."
"Have you read Charles Dickens latest book?"
"I don't know. What is it titled?"
"Hard Times."
"No, let me have that one."
Rhett found a few more books and Scarlett found some magazines and some dime novels. Rhett said, "I cannot believe you carry that trash, Matty."
Matty smiled. He said, "They are real money makers. They fly off the shelves."
Soon Rhett and Scarlett were back on the train to Jonesboro.
The next day Suellen and Ashley came to dinner. Suellen wasn't acting smug. She was married and her husband was handsome and rich, but he also was a total bore. All he wanted to talk about was the books he had been reading and complain that his father was forcing him to learn how to manage Twelve Oaks. The worst part was seeing India and Honey sitting around doing nothing while she was working every day from dawn to dusk. And now she knew she was with child. Maybe mother would let her have Mammy to take care of her baby. Now Suellen was being forced to sit across the table from lucky Scarlett and watch her enjoy her enchanted life, but that was how it always worked out. Even when something bad happened to Scarlett it got turned around and became wonderful.
Ashley did engage Rhett in conversation. When Ashley had used an obscure quote Rhett had known what he was talking about. For the next fifteen minutes the men talked about books they had read to the boredom of everyone else at the table. Finally, Scarlett said, "Rhett, please."
"Of course, my dear. Mr. Wilkes, we will have to find another time to talk about books. I am afraid we are boring everyone else at the table."
"Of course, of course. Please, forgive me."
The conversation had turned to more general topics for the rest of the meal. The only reason Suellen had accepted her mother's invitation to dinner was to get away from her chores for an hour or so.
The next day when Scarlett saw her mother at breakfast, she said, "We need to talk, Mother. Can we meet in your office after we are finished eating."
"Of course."
Once the ladies were settled in Ellen's office, Scarlett said, "We are only going to be able to stay a month. Rhett is already having trouble following his investments and Mr. Saade is already having problems running the shipping line."
"But, Dear, I need someone to interact with the overseer."
Scarlett would never know why she had said what she said, but she opened her mouth and out came the words, "Get Brent to come over here and help out. Careen is the only one who will be able to manage Tara after you and Pa are gone. I will be in Charleston and Suellen will have to run Twelve Oaks. Furthermore, Brent will never be able to be a doctor or a lawyer. He can't get through any university."
"I don't know, Dear, he is so…. So… so.."
"So stupid? Yes, but how much brains does it take to run a plantation. You and Pa could train him."
"I was going to say immature, but you are right. He is stupid. Yes, that is a solution."
"Now how to get him to ask for Careen's hand in marriage."
"For right now we will just invite him to live with us and help manage the plantation."
Within the week it was all arranged for Brent to ride over every day to help the O'Haras out until Gerald was back on his feet. Ellen realized that she could not let Brent sleep in the house, or she might have another compromised daughter.
On the day of departure Seth took Scarlett, Rhett, Tommy, Grace, Faith, and Agnes into Jonesboro at six thirty in the morning. Although there was an evening train out of Atlanta, it wasn't safe to travel at night in the country. Rhett was not going to sit around the Atlanta train station for four hours with two small children. One who would have to be nursed during that time. Scarlett carried the box of food while Rhett got a porter to help him with the trunks. Although Agnes and Faith only had large carpetbags, the Butlers had three trunks. One for Rhett and Scarlett each and one for the children. Rhett was so happy to be returning to Charleston two weeks early. He had never been so bored in his entire life as he was at Tara.
Scarlett would not tell Rhett, but she had been bored the entire time they were at Tara also. She was happy to be returning early.
Ellen had reimbursed Rhett for Agnes and Faith's tickets and for the cost of the cabin, and when she offered to reimburse him once again, Rhett had taken the money. This good deed was not going to cost him anything if he could help it.
A month later, Ellen had written Scarlett and told her that her father was once again able to get around. Brent had been quite useful these last weeks. Gerald had told the boy that Careen would inherit Tara and that her husband would have to manage the plantation once he and Ellen were gone. With that news Brent had asked for permission to marry Careen. Gerry had said yes and so had Careen. There wedding would be in a year. Probably in May.
In June of fifty-five there was an outbreak of Yellow Fever in Charleston. Everyone was staying inside. They didn't know how the disease spread, but they were going to try and not interact with any people. Scarlett was so worried about her children. They were so tiny. They didn't have the strength to fight the disease off, especially Grace. She was barely seven months old.
Every night after supper, Scarlett and Rhett went upstairs to the nursery. They hugged and kissed Tommy then put him to bed. Whether Grace was asleep or awake they kissed her too. They ignored the annoyed looks Agnes and Faith gave them. Rhett at one point reminded the nursemaids who worked for who. Scarlett and Rhett were not going to let their children go to heaven without telling them goodbye.
When Felicia complained of a headache and back pain, Daphne knew her mother had yellow fever. Robert had not left for work yet and he sent his mother a note asking her to take Alex and Kenny into the townhouse to get them away from the disease. Beth agreed to take Alex and Kenny, but nobody else. There nursemaid would have to stay at Robert's home. Fortunately, Felicia of late had not spent much time with her grandsons. Therefore, Robert believed his sons were not contagious. The nursemaid had volunteered to help Daphne nurse her mother. Daphne had accepted. With the nursemaid's help, Daphne was able to get some sleep and eat some meals.
Felicia was dead within a couple of days. After Percy learned that Felicia had the disease, he banned Robert and Daphne from the townhouse for at least a week. Beth, Scarlett, and Rhett supported that decision. They were sympathetic to Daphne and Robert's plight, but they couldn't get involved. They had to protect the children especially, but also themselves. The residents of the townhouse might have been more willing to open their home to Robert and Daphne if they had known the disease was transmitted by mosquitos.
Soon the epidemic passed. Felicia had succumbed to the disease, but amazingly nobody else even got sick.
Robert buried Felicia next to her husband in a land she had never wanted to live in. Daphne was heartbroken over her mother dying, but she felt that her mother had not wanted to live. Her mother had loved her father an awful lot. Her mother was also getting bitter that God had taken her husband from her when Warren should have lived another twenty years. Robert had liked his mother-in-law, but he was not sorry she had died. She was no longer that happy, carefree, delightful woman he had met when he had been first calling on Daphne. She was now a bitter, morose woman who wanted everything to remain the same because that was the way Warren had wanted it to be. Daphne and her mother had already had quite a few arguments over changing things to suit them better.
Beth had kept Alex and Kenny an extra week after Felicia's death for Daphne to have time to grieve for her mother. After that week, no one else in the household had gotten sick therefore, the boys went back home.
Author's Notes:
In the nineteenth century there were lots of Yellow Fever epidemics. In New Orleans there was an epidemic every summer. Yellow Fever was a horrible disease. One could start showing symptoms in the morning and be dead by nightfall. Even today there is no medicine to treat the disease, but there is a vaccine if one is traveling to a country where Yellow Fever is still a health hazard. The most effective manner to stomping out Yellow Fever in the United States came through better sanitation. Once it was proven that the disease was transmitted by mosquitos then intense clean-ups could take place and practically eliminate the disease. Not only in the United States, but in Cuba and Panama. The last outbreak of Yellow Fever in the United States was in 1905.