Hello everyone!
Ready chapter 4, enjoy reading:)
Thank you so much for reading, commenting, it's very nice and pleasant for me. And it's inspiring:)
I own nothing in regard to GWTW.
Chapter 4.
The morning started early enough at the mansion.
Scarlett was dressing in the bedroom-Rhett must have gotten up very early, she hadn't heard him, but he had sent a maid to help her.
She put on her black dress and arranged her hair in a simple knot at the nape of her neck, and looked in the mirror. Catching the worried look in her reflection, she sighed.
Every day was a battle. To keep from crying in the evening, to keep her children smiling and happy. Now it was also a battle with Rhett, over the divorce.
She was pale, but the dark circles under her eyes were almost gone. She'd slept soundly last night, the children seemed to be fine, too.
As she applied some perfume, she thought about the power of fragrance. Every time she needed poise, elegance, and determination- she applied the scent her mother had loved so much. And she felt it gave her strength, brought her closer to Ellen. The power of fragrance or the power of persuasion.
After another look in the mirror, she left the room and went down to the parlour where everyone were sitting waiting for breakfast.
"Oh, Darling, good morning,were you sleeping well?" warmly said her Miss Eleanor.
"Yes, Missis Butler, good morning."
"Good morning, Mummy," Ella said, sitting near Mrs. Butler and Rosemary.
"Good morning, Mummy," Wade said, raising his head for a second from the chessboard. He and Peter started the game.
Scarlett walked over to Ella and kissed her lightly on the cheek , then walked over to Wade and stroked his hair.
"A chess game is the first thing in the morning? Is it your idea, Peter? Good morning," she added smiling.
"Good morning,cousin, no, it was your son's idea," he replied cheerfully. "I thought I'd beat him before breakfast, but something tells me it's going to be a very long game. He's a fine player!"
Scarlett looked at Wade with pride.
Ross and Penelope greeted her warmly and she smiled and and and took a seat next to them. She and Penelope began to discuss the weather at this time of year, as usual, but then the topic turned to women's outfits and they enjoyed the conversation.
Ross smiled and joined Peter and Wade.
Rhett was the only one not in parlour, and God only knew where he was.
'He wanted to spend time with the children in the morning,' Scarlett thought. "Where is he?"
"Scarlett, dear, come with me to the dining room to see how breakfast is going," Scarlett heard Mrs. Butler invite.
With a questioning glance at her, Scarlett made her way into the dining room.
Glancing at the table, she was about to say, "Everything seems fine here, Miss Eleanor," but turned around to see Mrs. Butler staring thoughtfully out the window.
Tearing her gaze away from the window, Eleanor turned to Scarlett.
"My dear," she began, "Ella had a nightmare last night, I saw her by chance in front of your bedroom door, she didn't dare come in."
Here Scarlett looked guiltily at Mrs. Butler. And she continued.
"Please, I don't want you to worry about that. I was happy to help that baby calm down, we drank warm milk with honey and I put her to bed.I just wanted to tell you to let you know. Does this happen often?"
"From time to time," Scarlett said cautiously, "after her beloved Aunt Melly was gone and-" here she stopped hesitantly, and Miss Eleanor finished for her.
"Since Rhett went away, yes?"
"Yes... Miss Eleanor, please don't worry, I am in control of the children's situation. Their moods, their condition, I'm trying very hard."
"Darling, I don't doubt your motherly qualities for a minute, but how can you take care of them when you can barely walk yourself? You're pale, you hardly eat anything. The children are worried about you, too, afraid of losing you... And Rhett..."
Just then Scarlett interrupted her abruptly:
"Please, Mrs. Butler, let's not discuss this now," she said gravely.
Mrs. Butler only nodded and fell silent.
"May I call everyone to breakfast?" asked Scarlett cautiously.
"Yes, my dear, please."
As soon as everyone was seated, Rhett walked briskly into the dining room and took his seat at the table.
"I apologize for being late, good morning, everyone." He poured himself a strong cup of coffee, drank it, and continued, "I was giving orders to the servants and crew, Wade and Ella, how would you like to go on a picnic?" he finished cheerfully.
The children looked at each other happily and both answered in the affirmative, remembering to look at Scarlett.
"Uncle Rhett," Wade asked hesitantly, "are we going as a threesome?"
All eyes at the table turned to Rhett, except Scarlett's.
As she waited for his answer, she started to get nervous and her hands trembled a little.
Peter was sitting next to her and suddenly exclaimed cheerfully:
"Well since my cousin has captured the attention of the children today, I will capture the attention of the lovely ladies." At this he smiled, caught Scarlett's surprised look and continued:
"Ross is leaving now for a meeting, Auntie is leaving for a committee meeting, Rhett is taking Wade and Ella, that leaves me, Scarlett, Penelope and Rosemary. I invite you ladies to take a walk along the boardwalk. We'll walk, we'll gossip, we'll have tea with you," Peter was having so much fun telling the story that everyone smiled except Rosemary and Rhett.
"That's a wonderful idea, Peter!" exclaimed Eleanor. "And the weather today is sunny and warm, very pleasant weather for November."
"So, ladies? Shall we leave right after breakfast?"
Penelope and Scarlett looked at him happily, but Rosemary replied, "I'm sorry, Peter, but I have doings to attend to, several letters awaiting my reply, so I'll confine myself to tea in our garden," Rosemary finished and smiled strainedly.
Peter smiled at her, but the thought flashed through his mind that his cousin had never acted so strangely. "Well," he thought, "maybe she's not in the mood today."
"So," said Peter, taking a napkin, wiping his mouth and rising, "Scarlett and Penelope I will be waiting for you on the veranda, but not for too long ladies." Giving everyone a cheerful smile, he left the dining room with an easy gait.
The table was buzzing with activity as the children discussed the trip with Rhett, Miss Eleanor advised Scarlett and Penelope of places where she thought her friends had been and drank tea, and Rosemary, having finished her breakfast, went to her room to finish her letters. She also decided to find her paintings, which she wanted to show to Ella. She and the girl had discovered a great fondness for painting, and before breakfast Rosemary promised Ella to show her watercolor works and to paint together.
After breakfast, Rhett sent the children to change into clothes that would not get dirty, and, loading into the carriage, they drove to the exit of the town. After driving for some time they came to a green grove, passing through which they came to a small lake.
The children smiled with delight and immediately ran closer to the water while Rhett and the servants spread a blanket and laid out the food.
Rhett made sure to pack enough food, cold drinks and a sweet pie for dessert.
"Too bad it's November already," Rhett thought, "that way I could teach them to swim." He looked over at Ella, who was skipping along the shore and learning from Wade how to throw flat pebbles.
"Does she miss her sister?" thought Rhett bitterly, "what would our life be like if..." here he interrupted his thoughts, for it was unbearable to think of it.
Instead, he moved closer to the children and began to tell them how his father had taught him to swim here when he was a boy, how he and Ross liked to fish here, how he had taught Peter to swim here when he was young. The children listened with rapt attention, asking questions and slowly recounting their events. Rhett listened intently.
"Now we have a new tradition, Uncle Rhett," Wade said, "after school, when mummy picks us up, on the way home we stop at the bakery for a sweet pastry."
"Your mother picks you up at school?" asked Rhett in surprise.
"Yes," Ella interjected, "she drops us off and picks us up."
"Hmm," was all he could utter."Scarlett's trying to be a better mother," he kept thinking, distracted from the conversation, "well, all the better for her and..."
"...and Uncle Ashley says," Wade continued.
"What?" Rhett interrupted him sharply, "Wade," he said more softly, noticing the surprise in his stepson's eyes, "I was just thinking, please repeat what you said."
"I told you that when Uncle Ashley comes to our house for dinner on Sundays, he tells me too..."
"Uncle Ashley comes to see you?" interrupted Rhett again.
Wade looked at him in surprise again and continued, "well, yes, we have dinner together on Sundays, Uncle Ashley and Beau come over, Aunt Pitty and Aunt India, and Uncle Henry."
"Ah, I see, Wade..."
He went on and on about something, but Rhett hardly listened to him, even though he answered in time.
He thought that Ashley had not forgotten the way to her house and now the road to Scarlett was open to him, that it would not be long and as soon as propriety allowed, his wife would easily change her name to the one she desired.
Jealousy and bitterness flared up in him on the way home as well.
When they got back to the mansion, it was already two o'clock in the afternoon. As they entered the hallway, Rhett and the children heard laughter and cheerful voices coming from the parlour.
When they came in, they saw Peter retelling the story to Ross, jumping up and down and representing something, and Scarlett and Penelope interrupting him and laughing.
"Mommy, we're back," Ella called out loudly to her.
Scarlett turned around and smiled welcomingly at the children and Rhett. He nodded briefly in return.
"Come here, Wade, Ella, we have an interesting story to tell," Peter called out to them.
Scarlett wanted to tell the children to change first, their clothes didn't look good and were probably a little wet. But, she decided to keep silent, ten minutes wouldn't make a difference.
"Rhett come and join us too," Peter called out to him, "I'll tell you how your wife played a trick on me today and made the whole waterfront laugh."
"Not all of it, Peter," replied Scarlett cheerfully, "there were a couple of people there, no one saw you and your dancing."
Just then Penelope sniggered and they started laughing again.
Rhett smiled crookedly and stepped closer.
Peter began his story.
"You see, Rhett, Scarlett and I had an argument. Free advice by the way, don't argue with your wife, you will lose."
Rhett grinned, and Peter continued.
"I haven't believed that she can quickly add three three-digit numbers in her mind, and she did it in ten seconds. And then another and another. I lost the wish."
Here Peter stopped and looked at Scarlett and Penelope, who were giggling again.
"So Scarlett's wish was for me to catch a small crab on the beach, we were just down by the water. It was like she knew I'd been afraid of them since I was a child. I tried to do it, of course, and the ladies laughed at me. And then Scarlett," Peter stopped and looked at the children, who were listening with their mouths open.
"Then your mother, Wade, quickly caught one crab and put it on my jacket collar, right here," and he pointed to his neck.
Scarlett continued: "And then Peter thought the crab had gotten behind his shirt, even though he had just flicked it off, and he started trying to shake the nonexistent crab out of his shirt."
This is where everyone laughed, Rhett smiled crookedly, and Penelope said, "Yes, we and few others had the pleasure of watching Peter dancing wildly on the beach."
Everyone in the living room laughed, and Peter put his arm around Scarlett's shoulder and turned to Rhett:
"Your wife is lovely, Rhett, that was fun."
Rhett swallowed and his eyes glittered dangerously. After talking about Ashley, he wasn't in the best mood, and then there was Peter.
Rhett smiled, but jealousy and resentment slowly flared inside him. She had always been a coquette.
So he smiled wryly as he looked at them and replied in his own manner, "Yes, Mrs. Butler has many talents. But motherhood doesn't seem to be one of them, does it?
Scarlett stopped smiling, threw her eyes at him and turned pale.
And he continued: "You see, dear, the children have come from a walk, their clothes are wet, they need to change their clothes and then listen to the stories..."
All eyes were on Rhett, and Peter said seriously, "Rhett, it's just clothes, and I'm the one who called them. What's wrong with you?"
Scarlett sighed, then said firmly, "Wade, Ella, let's go upstairs and I'll help you change. Dinner will be here soon. Please excuse us."
The children walked over to Scarlett and they quickly left the parlour. Ross and Penelope followed and retreated to their room.
Rhett stood looking out the window and Peter looked at him.
"Rhett, that was rude,you know" he began.
"Peter, please don't lecture me, we have your aunt for this."
"But, Rhett, you're being unfair to Scarlett and I will be blunt, you're not jealous, are you? She's like a cousin to me, like Rosemary and Penelope."
Rhett smirked.
"No, I'm not jealous of my wife and I'm not about to start that. I'm sorry, Peter, this isn't a good time to talk. I'm going to go to the garden and get some air, my mother should be here soon."
And Rhett walked briskly and decisively out of the parlour.
Peter shook his head. He didn't like to feel guilty, but it seemed to him that he had been the cause of the quiet fight between the couple. He thought about catching up with Rhett and talking.
Rhett paced the garden with his hands clenched into fists in his pockets. Once again telling himself that this woman would never change. She was a coquette who was incapable of deep feelings and he had no intention of getting involved again.
He wanted to talk to his mother, and seeing a familiar carriage, he walked resolutely across the garden.
"Mother, I wanted to talk to you," Rhett began, catching Mrs Butler outside the stables. She had just returned from a committee meeting to organize a fundraising ball for the war veterans. She looked tired, but her eyes were determined and Rhett realized the conversation was going to be difficult.
"Is it urgent, Rhett? Son, I'm here and I'd like to change for dinner."
"Then our conversation will be short, Mother. Answer me, why is Scarlett here? What did she say to you so much as to invite her to our house?" he answered indignantly
"Darling, I don't like your tone," replied Miss Eleanor sternly. "Besides, I am free to invite whoever I wish into my house to stay," here she looked at him sternly and continued "And, don't forget, she is your wife! Your lawful wife! With children! At last, they are my grandchildren, no matter what blood runs in them. They are first and foremost their mother's children! Their mother, my dear, is not some backwoods lady! She is first and foremost a Robillard! That name carries weight here and in Savannah! So be good enough to behave yourself.", Mrs Butler finished her tirade.
"Well, then that name is the only thing that will stay with her. I'm going to divorce Scarlett, mother!" muttered Rhett sternly.
"You wouldn't dare!" interrupted Mrs Butler sharply, and then she came to her senses. She mustn't talk to him like that; he was her the most stubborn child since childhood. He was to be stroked on the fur. But the words were spoken and he bit his teeth.
"I'm not asking your permission, Mother," he said firmly. "I'm only informing you of my plans so it won't be a surprise."
"Rhett," she continued more gently, "I mean, it's not a good time to be making such important decisions. You just lost a daughter, and Scarlett also lost a daughter and a close friend too. You're just not thinking clearly right now. Both of you. Give yourself and her time to grieve. If you need it now, go to London or Paris before Christmas, for example. You both need time, Rhett." she finished her speech and looked him in the eyes.
"God," muttered Mrs Butler, "I know that look. It's your father's look. Rhett, admit it, have you said anything to Scarlett yet?"
"Don't compare me to him," he replied irritably. "Mother, with all due respect to you, this is none of your business. This is between Scarlett and me."
"What about us? Your family? Your sister's reputation, your brother who recently married, your cousin, mine after all? And Scarlett? Have you thought about her and the children? How much talk there will be about her. And you condemn her to that so easily?"
"Oh, she will manage, mother! I remember reputation wasn't something she particularly cared about," he said with a chuckle.
"And Wade and Ella?" she continued.
Rhett frowned. The children were more difficult, but here their mother had already ruined their future with her own antics.He pushed away the thought that he himself had introduced her naive and young to such behaviour.
"The children will be dealt with... I will be supportive of them. Wade will be older soon, he' will be off to university in a few years."
"That's a long way off, Rhett, he's only eleven. And Ella?"
"Mother, I'm not going to get caught up in this right now. I need a divorce. I will solve all the problems concerning the children in the future. I will try very hard.
Miss Eleanor shook her head and said: "I'm very tired now Rhett, it's better to talk about this on a fresh head, at least in the morning. Also, I have a question, what makes you think Scarlett would agree to give you a divorce so easily? It could drag on for years..."
Rhett grinned and replied, "My dear Mother, Scarlett has always been practical, a good sum in the bank and she will sign everything. She's too afraid for her finances and stability."
"Where did she get this fixation on money?"
Rhett frowned and didn't answer right away. He remembered what she'd been through during the war. How losing everything had pulled herself and all her people out. How she had starved, worked herself to exhaustion, how she had sold herself to an old man for $300. He frowned, remembering Ashley.After all, all her efforts were for him.
"It's just that it's Scarlett," he replied. "Besides, she won't be alone for long. I'm her husband number three, I think number four is waiting around the corner!"
"Rhett," exclaimed Miss Eleanor indignantly.
Just then Peter came up to them, smiling awkwardly.
"Hello, everybody! Rhett," he nodded, and Rhett saw Peter avert his eyes. "Auntie, everyone is waiting for you, dinner is coming up, we have a lot to discuss. Come on, I will walk you out..."
"Thank you, Peter. Rhett, please excuse me, we will talk later," Eleanor said with relief, took Peter's outstretched hand and the two of them headed towards the house, leaving Rhett standing by the stables in thought.