Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW
Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.
Chapter Seventeen
Scarlett found Rhett in the library. As he watched his wife tell him all about Melanie Hamilton and Ashley Wilkes, he knew two things. His wife didn't care about Miss Hamilton and his wife's feelings for Mr. Wilkes were close to hatred. She was getting gleeful pleasure out of telling him how ugly and fat Mr. Wilkes' fiancé was. He was certainly glad she had seen the truth about the man that April day. Although Rhett was quite sure that Mr. Wilkes had already lost his specialness. Rhett thought, 'Maybe he lost some of it because of how good I treated her.'
The fall rolled along and as people found out more and more about the new Fugitive Slave Act the more unhappy the abolitionist and free people of African descent were becoming. The was still a lot of unrest in the country.
Rudy and Rhett had decided that it would be safe for them to buy another ship, therefore Rudy wrote Eleuthere and told him to start looking for another ship, but no larger than what he currently had. Rhett would be coming in November and would buy the ship then with their profits.
Rhett wanted to be in New Orleans on his actual birthday. Scarlett had tried to hint around about that time of the month not being the best. She just couldn't bring herself to say the words out loud. She finally decided not to say anything. Rhett knew when she got her monthlies as much as she did. They were going to spend two weeks in the city this time. Eleuthere had offered to let Rhett and Scarlett stay with him, but Rhett had turned him down.
Rhett and Scarlett stayed in the same hotel they had stayed in before, The French Market Inn. It was centrally located, and they could walk to practically everything. Their room was on the first floor. Rhett had requested a room on the second floor, but there were none available. As the events unfolded it would be a fortunate occurrence.
The first three days were fun. Eleuthere had found a ship that he thought was perfect. After inspecting it, Rhett agreed with him. They got a contract written up and bought the ship. Eleuthere had the couple to supper. It was not a large supper party. There were three other couples besides Rhett and Scarlett. Both Rhett and Scarlett had an enjoyable time. Scarlett had worn her blue dress that had been dyed with Indigo grown on the plantation. Rhett thought she looked very pretty in it.
Scarlett asked Madeline, her hostess, "Can you tell me the history of New Orleans?"
"Certainly. It was founded by Jean Baptiste in seventeen eighteen. It became the capital of the Colony of Louisiana in seventeen twenty-three. Then the French government ceded the colony to the Spanish to keep it out of the hands of the English."
"How long was it a Spanish Colony?"
"Until eighteen hundred. It was during the Spanish colonial era that New Orleans began to flourish. It became an important port. Then three years later Napoleon sold it to the United States."
Rhett said, "That was quite the coup by Mr. Jefferson."
Eleuthere said, "It certainly was."
Madeline went on, "For a long time there have been two separate cultures in New Orleans. One French and one American."
One of the other men said, "And lots of pirates and privateers. Jean Lafitte is probably the most famous. He had a Blacksmith Shop that was supposedly the pirates' base. It is still over on Bourbon Street. It has a bar in it from Lafitte's day."
Madeline said, "New Orleans is the third largest city in the nation. It is the largest city in the South. It is the fourth busiest port in the world."
Scarlett looked at Rhett and said, "Really?"
"I didn't know it was the fourth busiest port in the world, but I did know it was pretty busy. Which means Mr. du Pont, Rudy, and I will make a fortune."
Eleuthere said, "It would be better if we shipped cargo outside the United States."
"True, but Rudy and I don't want to over extent ourselves, especially with the talk of war."
The conversation at the table then turned to the war, until Madeline said, "Gentlemen, you are boring me and the other ladies. Please talk about something else."
"Certainly."
The next day, Rhett got a rude awakening. His wife was on her monthly. They had gone and seen some landmarks. They had eaten in two nice restaurants. When it was time to retire for the night, Rhett instead went to find a saloon. Scarlett had not tried to stop him. He would not have paid any attention to her concerns. Rhett was back about ten-thirty, and he was ten dollars richer. The next morning, Rhett quipped over breakfast, "I might win enough money to pay for our trip."
"I hope so."
Rhett and Scarlett did the same thing the next two days except the third night they had supper with a business acquaintance he had in New Orleans. He was a big customer for the shipping line. Rhett had paid for everyone's meal. He told Scarlett later, "I will get reimbursed for the money I spent on the meal by the business."
Nonetheless, as soon as Rhett and Scarlett returned to the Inn, he left to go play poker. Scarlett thought, 'He might as well, he is winning a lot of money.'
Rhett had quickly gotten used to always getting sexual relief, therefore when he didn't get it, he got cranky. He knew he could relieve some of his tension himself, but he refused to do that. He had a wife to do that. Just because she refused to do it was beside the point.
Rhett was cranky and short-tempered with everyone, even Scarlett. No, especially her because she could have relieved his need if she wanted to, but she didn't want to therefore she had to suffer the consequences. Of course, she was cranky and short-tempered also. They never got into an out and out fight. Rhett just made mocking comments. Scarlett made comments right back at him.
On Rhett's fourth night of forced abstinence, he was sitting in a saloon at a poker table. He had looked at a couple of the whores and he hadn't even gotten aroused. He wanted Scarlett and only Scarlett.
As Rhett laid his hand down, he said, "Two pair, aces and eights."
One of the other poker players snarled, "You are too lucky for it to be real."
"No, I'm just that good. Of course, I really wouldn't need to be that good to beat you men. You guys are really bad poker players."
Another poker player said, "I've had enough of your rude comments. I think I am going to shut you up for good."
As quick as lightning the man pulled a knife from his boot and stuck Rhett in the gut. Rhett had managed to get his hand in between his gut and the hilt of the knife. Another man jumped up and pulled the knifer away from Rhett. The knifer pulled his knife out of Rhett. The two men ran out of the saloon.
Rhett fell in a crumpled mass on the saloon floor. His only thought was, 'I can't die on a dirty saloon floor. I'm supposed to die with Scarlett by my side and all my children."
Rhett ceased to be aware of what was going on around him. He fought to stay conscious. He just knew something awful would happen if he passed out. He heard a lot of people talking but he couldn't understand anything they were saying.
The madame took control of the situation. She got Rhett's money and put it in her pocket. If the man died, she would keep it, if he lived, she would give it back to him. A man said, "I am a doctor. I need a needle, thread, and a bottle of Vodka. Roll him over onto his back."
One of the girls said, "I have a needle and thread in my room."
The madame said, "Go get it. I'll get the Vodka."
The doctor took the Vodka and opened up Rhett's shirt. He poured a generous amount of the liquor into Rhett's wound. He took a swig of the liquor then got down to work. He handed the madame the bottle then he felt inside the wound and said, "He might just live. I don't think the knife cut any of his organs."
Because Rhett was semi-conscious, he felt the needle every time it entered or exited his body. Soon he was all sewed up, even his hand. The doctor said, "Get him into a bed and make him stay there for two weeks."
The Madame said, "Put him in my bed."
After Rhett was in the madame's bed, he whispered, "Send a runner to tell my wife that I am alright. When I don't come back to the hotel, she will worry about me. Tell her I will return to her tomorrow night."
"Mister …"
"Rhett."
"Belle. Rhett, you aren't going anywhere for a least a week maybe two."
"Just give her the message. Scarlett Butler. Room 17. At the French Market Inn."
"I will send the runner now."
Belle sent the runner and got the doorman to clean up the mess. She gave everyone a free drink, and everything went back to normal.
At least, for a while. Thirty minutes later storming through the swinging doors was an angry Scarlett Butler. She had gotten the entire story out of the runner. The boy was only eight. No match for an angry Scarlett. Rhett in full strength was barely a match to an angry Scarlett. The boy was right behind her. He had told the cab driver how to get to the saloon. A large man was behind the boy. Scarlett looked right at an old woman with dyed red hair and said, "Are you in charge?"
Belle swallowed. She had faced down thieves and murderers, but never an angry wife. She said, "Yes."
"Where is he?"
Belle just pointed to the door of her bedroom/office. Scarlett looked at the bartender who was a big man. She said, "I'm going to need your help. Come along."
The bartender followed the other man who was following behind Scarlett. It never occurred to the bartender he could say no to this woman. In truth, he wouldn't be able to tell her no with her forceful personality.
Scarlett saw her husband in another woman's bed, and she was even madder which she hadn't thought was possible. She walked over to the bed and shook Rhett awake. When he opened his eyes he said, "Scarlett. What are you doing here? You can't be in here. It is a saloon."
"I had to enter this establishment because my foolhardy husband got himself knifed. You are coming back with me to the Inn tonight. Can you move?"
Rhett tried to sit up and fell back on the pillow. Scarlett said, "Will you two gentlemen carry him to the cab?"
The cab driver said, "Ma'am that is going to cause him pain."
"It can't be helped. We must get him into the cab."
"Yes ma'am."
The bartender who was the bigger man took Rhett's arms and shoulders. The cab driver took Rhett's legs. Rhett wanted to scream because the pain was so intense, but instead he passed out. As they were walking out, Scarlett stopped in front of Belle and said, "Where is his money?"
Belle took the money out of her pocket and handed it to Scarlett. Scarlett took the money, and she handed a five-dollar bill to Belle. She said, "For your expenses. Who sewed him up?"
A man spoke up and said, "I did."
Scarlett turned to him and offered him a five-dollar bill. The man took the money and said, "Ma'am, you shouldn't move him."
"Sir, I am not going to let my husband sleep in a whorehouse if I can prevent it. Thank you."
The doctor blanched at Scarlett's use of the word whorehouse because it was plain to see she was a lady. He simply said, "Give him laudanum for the pain."
"Of course."
Scarlett turned to Belle and said, "Thank you for sending me the message and whatever you did to help save his life. He can be a trial, but he is the only husband I have."
As Belle watched Scarlett walk out of the saloon, she thought, 'That is a formidable woman for someone so young. She can't be a day over eighteen. No, that is a formidable woman no matter what her age is.'
The men had laid Rhett on the floor of the carriage. Scarlett avoided stepping on him while she got into the cab though the temptation to step on his pecker was great. She resisted because she would need that part of his anatomy in the future. She was extremely mad. Because of his actions, she had to enter a saloon and brothel. They would have a long conversation about what happened, then they would never speak about it again. At least, there wasn't anyone determined to do what was proper and blab about her actions all over town.
When the cab got to the Inn, Scarlett said to the driver, "Let me find someone to help you."
Scarlett came back with the desk clerk, but he was a small man. The driver got in the cab and lifted Rhett's head and shoulders. The desk clerk tried to lift Rhett's lower torso, but he couldn't. Scarlett took a leg. They were able to get him into the lobby. They laid his body on the floor and pushed and pulled him across the lobby. She thought, 'It is a good thing he is asleep for all this. He would be so embarrassed to know we dragged him across the floor.'
Once Rhett was in the room, he was left on the floor. There was no way the trio could lift him into the bed.
Scarlett gave the desk clerk a couple of dollars for his help. She gave the cab driver ten dollars for his help plus the cost of the fare to and from the saloon. When all was said and done, she had one dollar left.
Author's Notes: I couldn't resist Belle, Scarlett, Rhett having an encounter.
Also, I will admit a knife to the gut is usually fatal even in our modern times. Mainly because of what is in the intestines. But Mitchell had Rhett get knifed and survive so I went with it.
