Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

Chapter Thirty-Three

After arriving at Pine Bloom, Rhett and Scarlett were shown to the parlor to wait for Cathy.

It wasn't long before Cathy was in the parlor. After the women hugged, Cathy said, "Let's go sit on the porch. It is stuffy in this house. Besides, I don't want my stepmother to eavesdrop on our conversation. She has got the poorest manners."

"What do you expect? She is a Yankee."

"True."

After everyone was seated, Scarlett said, "We have good news. I am with child."

"Congratulations. When is it going to arrive?"

"Late August or early September."

"Wonderful. I have good news also. Tom asked me to wait for him until he finished at the university."

"What did you say?"

"That I didn't want to wait. So, he asked me to marry him. We are keeping it secret right now, but I know you won't tell anyone."

"We know how to keep a secret."

Rhett said, "Unlike your Aunt Eulalie. Although you have made me a fine wife so far."

"You have made me a fine husband. Yet, my annoyance with her is the same. Because of her actions I had to marry a stranger."

"I like the results also, but I too am still annoyed at your aunt."

Scarlett turned to Cathy and said, "I have to tell you what happened at Melanie Hamilton's wedding."

"You were invited to Melanie's wedding. I didn't think you knew each other."

"The first time we had met was at that barbecue, but I guess she felt a kinship with me."

"That makes sense. You were both done wrong by the same man."

"Also, my dear, after you said what you said at the barbecue in front of everyone, you gave her the courage to go against her family's wishes and break her engagement."

"Thank you, Dear."

"So, what happened at Melanie's wedding?

"Ashley showed up."

"No."

"Yes. Charlie, her brother.." With Cathy's nod, Scarlett went on, "Tried to get him to leave, but Ashley refused to leave. He then starts yelling out that he loved Melanie and that she had to give him one more chance. Everybody there heard it. Probably even her now husband. Melanie came to the top of the stairs and told Ashley in no uncertain terms that she is marrying Matty. Ashley tried to climb the stairs, but Charlie stopped him. Charlie and the butler got him outside. Charlie threatened to kill him if Ashley darkened their door again. Finally, we all see Ashley slinking off."

"Was Melanie's wedding ruined?"

"No, everything went off perfectly. It was a beautiful, but small wedding."

"That's great for her."

Rhett said, "Someone is riding up the lane."

Cathy said, "That is probably Tony. He usually visits two to three times a week. I have run everyone else off. Tony is just so amusing, and I am so bored. I will have to tell him all about Ashley's behavior since he is such good friends with Charlie."

"Yes, of course."

After Tony had gotten off his horse and tied it up, he said, "Hello Scarlett. What brings you to Clayton County?"

"I came to visit with my family and attend Melanie Hamilton's wedding."

"That was yesterday, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

"How was it?"

"Before I tell you about the wedding, do you remember my husband, Rhett Butler?"

"Didn't we meet at the Wilkeses' barbecue?"

"Yes, we did."

Scarlett said, "Ashley showed up at Melanie's house where the service was being held and almost ruined everything."

"No!"

"Yes! He forced his way into the house and started screaming out loudly about how much he loved Melanie and begging her to give him another chance."

"Some people are so stupid."

"True. They don't want to accept the truth because it doesn't fit their version of reality."

"Anyway, Charlie and their butler had to throw Ashley out of the house. Charlie threatened to kill Ashley if he ever darkened their door again. Finally, Ashley accepted the truth and left."

Rhett said, "With stooped shoulders and a defeated walk."

Tony said, "I feel sorry for Ashley, but he brought all this on himself by calling on you every week."

Scarlett said, "Yes, he did. How are things at Mimosa?"

"Good. Father is training Joe on how to manage the plantation. Alex is spending all his time at Dimity's, and I spend all my time with Cathy."

Cathy smiled and said, "That is not quite true. Tom told me you have been spending time at Fair Hill calling on Hetty."

Tony blushed and said, "Caught."

"It is fine. You are more my friend, than my suitor."

Everyone laughed.

Tony knew by the way Cathy had said Tom's name that Tom was her favorite. It was part of the reason he had started calling on Hetty.

Scarlett asked, "Is Brent still calling on a girl in Lovejoy?"

Tony said, "Yes, but not the same one as last year."

The foursome talked a little bit more, Cathy and Tony updated Scarlett on all the people in the county. At last, Scarlett took Rhett's hand and said, "I have abused Rhett's patience long enough. Goodbye."

The couple walked to the carriage. After Rhett and Scarlett got in the carriage, he said, "Would you say Cathy was cheating on Tom?"

"Not really. She made it plain to Tony that they were just friends. She can't say anything about Tom's proposal because they are keeping it secret."

"Do you think Melanie would have forgiven Ashley?"

"Yes, probably was going to move on with her life until I made it public knowledge that he had been calling on me while being engaged to her. It was the shame and embarrassment that made her break her engagement. I wouldn't have said anything if he hadn't been lecturing me on my behavior."

"I know, Dear."

"And acting all superior to us."

"I know, Dear. Between Tony and Cathy will everyone in the county find out?"

"Yes, it will even get all the way to Lovejoy. Tony will tell Hetty, Hetty will tell her family, Brett will tell the girl he is calling on, and the girl will tell what's her name."

"Who?"

"I think her name is Julia. When Rhett cocked his eyebrow, Scarlett giggled and said, "Ashley's fiancé. She lives in Lovejoy."

Rhett burst out laughing. He said, "I have a feeling Mr. Wilkes has another broken engagement in his future."

Scarlett giggled and nodded her head up and down. She finally said, "Once again because of his own actions."

Rhett thought, 'If I ever want to get back at someone, I will have to enlist her aid. She is so very clever and so vindictive.

The rest of Rhett and Scarlett's time at Tara was nice. Before they left Tara, Scarlett got the cook to make her and Rhett a bunch of sandwiches, boiled eggs, fruits, vegetables, rolls, and cookies. Before she had left Tara, Scarlett had convinced her mother to leave for Charleston on August fifteenth. She also told her mother that it was easier to bring her own food. When Ellen saw Scarlett's box of food she said, "I'm sure that is too much."

"Rhett has a big appetite."

Ellen looked at the big man standing next to her daughter holding the box and said, "I guess it would take a lot of fuel to keep you going."

"Yes, ma'am. It does."

"Mother, it is better to bring too much than not enough. When Rhett and I started bringing our own food we often ran out because we didn't bring enough."

"I will follow your advice. I remember when Mammy, the girls, and I traveled to Charleston for your wedding. I had to get off the train to get us food. It was difficult and it wasn't very good."

Rhett said, "It was expensive also. Scarlett was the one who figured out we could just take sandwiches, fruits, vegetables, and sweets with us. She figured out where to get sandwiches if we were out of town and returning to Charleston. We can get them from a delicatessen. She even bought what we call a soup bowl. It is a tin container with a lid that we can carry soup in. She purchased us two sets of utensils and some towels to clean our hands with. She is so smart."

Scarlett beamed with pride at Rhett statement and looked at him with so much admiration and pride that he had given her that compliment. Rhett knew Scarlett wasn't really that smart, but she was very clever. Clever is the word he should have used, but he would not correct himself. She was beaming and he wanted her to continue beaming. She also wanted him to continue looking at him with admiration. He never wanted to lose that look.

Rhett thought and an old saying, 'Necessity was the mother of invention.' Scarlett had figured all that out when he was recovering from his knife wound. She knew he would not be able to get them food and they had to have food. He still thought it was pretty damn clever.

Soon the couple was on the train. It would be late before they arrived in Charleston. They would eat at a restaurant before they returned to the townhouse.

Around ten Rhett said, "I'm hungry hand me one of those sandwiches."

"Do you want a sandwich or a piece of that chicken we had for supper last night?"

"You got some of that chicken we had last night?" With Scarlett's nod, Rhett said, "Give me a thigh. That was really good." After Scarlett handed him the thigh, he said, "You aren't going to tell me it is too early to eat dinner?"

"If a person is hungry, they are hungry. I am going to have half of a sandwich. They aren't as good as your mother's or Mrs. Moon's, but they are tasty."

"True. When do you think the gossip about Mr. Wilkes will reach Lovejoy?"

"I believe it already has. Pa told me yesterday that the wedding has been called off."

Yes, the news had already gotten to Lovejoy. Julia, Ashley's fiancé, had heard all about it. Sarah, one of Julia's frenemies, was happy to tell her all about Ashley's actions.

She and her father had ridden to Twelve Oaks. When they got out of the carriage, Mr. Franklin said, "Are you sure Julia? You aren't going to get a better offer."

"I know I am fat and not extremely attractive, but I do have some pride. I will not marry a man who is obviously in love with another woman."

"I will be happy to have you live with me the rest of my life."

"Thank you, Father."

"Let's get this over with."

"Gladly."

By the time the Franklins were heading back to Lovejoy, the wedding had been called off. John Wilkes was beside himself. He wondered how his son could have run off another fiancé. Maybe if India married Stuart Tarleton, his grandson could take over the running of Twelve Oaks. Stuart wasn't very smart, but India was crazy about him. Maybe his grandson would take after India in brains.

It would be three days later that John learned how Ashley had managed to run off another fiancé. John had not thought there was any way Julia would have backed out of the engagement. John sighed. Julia backed out for the same reason Melanie had backed out. Ashley had shamed her with his actions. Furthermore, everyone in central Georgia would soon know about it. If they didn't already. Certainly, everyone in Lovejoy knew. The only way Julia could save face was to not marry Ashley.

Ashley had not cared that Julia had broken off their engagement. He had only been marrying her to provide Twelve Oaks with an heir although he had not been sure he would be able to consummate his wedding with Julia. He preferred to sit in his room and daydream about Melanie. Maybe have a few sexual fantasies about Scarlett. His sexual attraction to Scarlett was why he had kept visiting her every week. Although he had a couple of fantasies about spanking her bottom for her telling Melanie, no, the entire county about his visiting her. He would also like to slap the smirk off her husband's face. The smirk her husband had acquired after Melanie ran into the house.

Ashley was not worried. He knew his father would figure something out. Father had always fixed everything. Ashley decided to go to the library and read a book.

When Scarlett and Rhett got back to the townhouse, her new blue dress was on the bed. She said, "That is a beautiful shade of blue. It is almost a cobalt blue."

"Indeed, it is beautiful. Where are your other dresses?"

"At the dress shop. I asked your mother to pick it up before the final fitting because I knew they were going to Middleton Acres while we were at Tara."

"Why don't you try it on?"

"No, I am exhausted from the train trip and just want to go to bed and go to sleep."

"Bed yes, sleep no."

Scarlett smiled.