Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

Chapter Twenty-Six

That night Rhett went in search of his friend Hugh. He hadn't seen Hugh or talked to him since he threatened to call him out for lusting after Scarlett. He needed information. Rhett found Hugh at his favorite saloon, The Blue Parrot. It had once been Rhett's favorite also, but not anymore.

Hugh was playing poker. Rhett sat down at the table and anted up. Hugh knew that Rhett had been avoiding him. Rhett's attitude and protectiveness over his wife had surprised Hugh. Before his marriage Rhett's attitude had been pretty much the same as Hugh's. Women were for fucking. Now Rhett was acting like his wife was purer and finer than the Virgin Mother. Didn't Rhett know every man was lusting after his wife? Hugh would not mention Rhett's wife. Hugh knew the man wouldn't call him out, Rhett would just shoot him in the back one dark night as Hugh was leaving the saloon.

The two men talked. Hugh said, "I'm going to sit for the bar examination this spring."

"You think you are ready?"

"I'm not sure, but my father does so I will try. The worst that can happen is that I flunk the exam. I can always take it again next spring."

"Rudy and I bought part of a shipping line in New Orleans. Scarlett and I went to see the city. We liked it so much we returned to celebrate my birthday."

Hugh didn't mention Rhett's wife. He said, "Did you have a good time?"

With a funny little smile, Rhett said, "At first, we did. Hugh, where did you get that book you gave me as a wedding present? Robert is getting married, and I would like to get him a copy."

"I will get it for you, my friend. It is five dollars."

"Expensive."

"But worth every penny."

Rhett smiled at Hugh and shared a rare moment of lust with his friend. He said, "Yes, indeed. Worth every penny."

"After I get it, I will send you a note."

"Thanks."

The two men continued chatting about the matrons and other people they knew. They did not talk about Scarlett or Rhett's family. Hugh did not teasingly ask Rhett if he was going to have the father son talk with Robert. He knew these days Rhett would not find that funny. Rhett was becoming as prissy as the matrons. Hugh would never have believed that marriage would be the ruin of his good friend.

After Hugh had read in a periodical about the art form photography and how it had already been corrupted by men and women of loose morals taking and posing for risqué pictures, he had an idea. Photography was too new and too expensive for Hugh to use that medium, but he could find a starving artist who would be willing to draw men and women in intimate moments. He bought a printing press which he stored in the barn. The parts of the book that were words he had printed onto paper. He had printed about fifty copies of the book. Then the artist, Larry Flynt, had drawn the pictures on the paper. Hugh had bound the pages together and started selling them. Larry got two dollars and Hugh got three dollars. Hugh had wanted to pay Larry a set amount of money, but Larry believed he would make more money by getting a percentage. Larry had taken almost a year to illustrate all fifty copies. Hugh still had about forty of them. He had not sold that many because he couldn't advertise his product. He had to rely on word of mouth. When the cost of photography finally went down, he would publish a booklet with photographs of women and men in intimate moments. He didn't know quite how, but he would find a way.

The next morning Robert announced to everyone at breakfast that Daphne had accepted his proposal. While looking at his mother, he said, "She wants to get married in June."

"Mrs. Moon and I are going to have to get busy. Don't worry, Robert, I will let Daphne make all the decisions." Beth turned to look at Scarlett and said, "Your mother and I took over and you didn't get to make any decisions. I'm sorry about that."

"Thank you for saying that. If the wedding is going to be in June, I will not be able to attend. I will be in my confinement."

Beth said, "You can go to the wedding and then return to the townhouse. You won't be able to attend the reception though." She snapped her fingers. She looked at Percy and said, "Not unless we have the reception here."

"That is a promising idea. Robert, the Moons are Episcopals, right?"

"You know they are. They attend the same church we do. They were Anglicans when they lived in Manchester, but they are Episcopals now. Mother, you can talk to Mrs. Moon on Friday. They agreed to go sailing with us."

Rhett said, "And bring the picnic lunch?"

"Yes and bring the picnic lunch."

"Those sandwiches they brought last time were delicious."

Scarlett laughed and said, "I knew you really liked them when you scowled at anyone who dared to take another half of a sandwich."

Everyone laughed. Rhett defensively said, "They were good sandwiches."

"I liked the raw vegetables she served with the sandwiches. Mrs. Moon served cauliflower, carrots, celery, and small tomatoes."

"I think they were called cherry tomatoes.

"Yes, that was it."

Percy said, "It was a delicious meal. Let's hope Mrs. Moon out does herself."

Everyone agreed.

When Beth, Rosemary, Scarlett, and Mabel had gone to Martha's shop, Beth had not offered her opinion about Mabel's choices. She would always smile and say, 'It is your room. Whatever you want.' With Rosemary, Beth was a lot more interactive, but again she would say, 'It is your room. Whatever you want.' Although Beth would add, as your father said, 'If you hate it, we can redecorate again.'

Nobody got wallpaper. Mabel chose to just repaint the walls in brown while Rosemary chose to have her room painted in a pretty shade of yellow. Rosemary's favorite color. The woman and child chose fabric for their new drapes, but Beth told them, "Let's make these changes, then we can choose the fabric for the bedspreads and the rugs."

Rosemary had been so happy she had hugged her mother. Amazingly to Rosemary, her mother had hugged her back.

Beth had told her mother to move to the room across from Rhett and Scarlett until her new room was ready. That way they could work on both Mabel's and Rosemary's rooms at the same time.

Beth's floppy hat was ready for her to wear on her first sailing trip. She was nervous as she got dressed that morning, because she wanted the Moons to like her. She had never cared if someone liked her or not. Percy said, "Wear the blue dress. You always look good in that dress. Wear your hair in a braid."

"Alright."

"I will be right back."

Percy, who was already completely dressed, went down the hallway and knocked on Rhett's door. Rhett answered it and stepped out into the hallway. Scarlett was still in bed recovering from morning sickness. She would get up when she felt better. He would never push her. He let her take her time. It was the beginning of Rhett pampering her while she was with child.

Rhett said, "Yes, Father."

"Let me have one of those rubber bands Scarlett is always wearing in her hair."

"Sure. Give me a minute."

Rhett came back and handed Percy three rubber bands. Rhett said, "They sometimes break."

"Thanks."

Percy headed back to his room. He laid the rubber bands on Beth's vanity table. He said, "When you get your hair braided, I will show you how those work. They stretch."

Beth watched in amazement as Percy wrapped the rubber band around her hair. She said, "Where did you learn about these.. what are they called?"

"Rubber bands. Rhett told me about them when I asked him what he bought at the general store. He also told me Scarlett holds her hair together with them."

"How did he learn about them?"

"He read about them in one of his periodicals."

"He reads those magazines looking for something to invest in that will make him a fortune. He is determined to become a millionaire."

"He will someday inherit a fortune from you."

"He doesn't want anyone telling him what to do."

"No, he doesn't. He never has."

"Which is why if he hadn't loved Scarlett, he would never have married her."

"Do you think he knows?

"Yes, that is why he defied you and redecorated their room. Just to make her happy."

Beth laughed and stood up. She said, "How do I look?"

"As beautiful as the day we got married."

Beth smiled at the compliment. As she walked to the door she said, "No, he would have only changed the drapes to make her happy. He redecorated the entire room to defy me with your help."

Percy stopped her in the hall and said, "You understand why now, don't you?"

"Yes, so it is their room. Not his room that she got to move into."

"Do you also understand why I don't want them to move out?"

"Yes, so they will remain in our lives."

"Although them living in the townhouse is not as important now that you have become Beth. You will now always make them feel welcome."

"I'm going to try.

The Moons were meeting the family at the harbor. Mabel was not even invited to go with them. She had been invited before, but she had never accepted. Beth had not even extended an invitation to be polite. She had been afraid her mother would have accepted. Her mother and all of Charleston society was what she was trying to escape from.

When Beth saw the name of the yacht, tears sprang into her eyes. The yacht was named The Elizabeth. Percy said, "Do you want me to rename her The Beth?"

Beth turned and said, "Don't you dare. That is a testament of your love for a woman who looked down on you simply because you were the son of a pirate despite all the wonderful things you did for her."

"She appreciates me now."

"Percy, thank you for never giving up on me."

Percy would never tell Beth that he had given up on her after their first year of marriage. Then he smiled. Maybe he hadn't given up because he had never taken a mistress. He knew that would have meant he had no hope left. He was so glad he never had given up on her.

As typical of a charming Butler, he said, "You were worth never giving up on."

On the yacht, the Moons met the new and improved Mrs. Butler, and they liked her very much. Felicia and Beth discussed the wedding, but both women made sure to keep Daphne involved in the planning.

Beth said, "Rhett and Scarlett have exciting news. They are going to have a baby. Why I am sharing the secret with you is because I need to ask a favor of you. By late June Scarlett will be in her confinement."

Felicia said, "Her what?"

"Her confinement. Here in the South a woman goes into confinement three months before the baby is born." At Daphne and Felicia's puzzled faces, Beth added, "The mother doesn't go out in public."

Daphne said, "Oh."

Felicia said, "What is the favor?"

"Can you have your reception at our townhouse so Scarlett can attend?"

Daphne said, "Of course. Scarlett is my friend. I wouldn't want her to miss out on the fun."

Felicia said, "We can even have the ceremony at your townhouse, so Scarlett could attend that also."

"Wonderful. Let's settle on a date. Robert, when will you be available to marry?"

"I don't know exactly. Father?"

"He could be away from the plantation from third week of June until the first of July."

As Scarlett was watching all this she said to Rhett, "I didn't get any say in my wedding."

"I didn't either, but I didn't care."

"It was nice of your mother to apologize, but I still didn't get my dream wedding. I didn't even get to wear my mother's wedding dress because supposedly there wasn't time to have it altered. It wouldn't have taken that long for the dress to be altered if Mother had brought it with her. She knew why she was coming to Charleston. I don't understand why she didn't bring it with her."

"We can get remarried the way you wanted to get married."

"No, it is too late." Scarlett saw her ruby and said, "You did give me the perfect engagement ring."

"Thank you. Are you sure?"

Scarlett smiled up at Rhett with love on her face. Love she didn't even know she felt and said, "No, we can't afford to spend that much on a do over. We are married, that is all that matters. Maybe we can redo it when we have been married for twenty-five years. Of course, by then I won't get to wear my mother's wedding dress either. Suellen will have altered it to fit her body. Her waist is already bigger than mine."

Rhett didn't think that statement was true, but he didn't correct his wife. He didn't care if she made vindictive statements about her sister. Her sister deserved it for spreading Scarlett's secret all over the county.

Rhett wondered about the look Scarlett was giving him. Did she love him? Maybe, but he would not declare his love until she declared hers.