Hello everyone:))))

It is with great pleasure that I am posting the next chapter, today, we are already on the 22nd and it is my birthday:))

I really want to please you:))

Let's call this chapter "The Return of the Prodigal Husband." :))

I don't promise a lot of romance here, but everything is ahead of us!

Enjoy reading, dear friends!

P.S. I will try very hard to include some scenes with Richard and Eleanor, I love their story too:)

P.P.S. Thank you so much for all your comments, kind words and emotions! It means a world to me:)

I own nothing in regard to GWTW.

Chapter 16.

Late that night, Rhett stood in his room staring out the window, sleep was not coming to him. After the stunning news of Scarlett's whereabouts - when nearly two and a half months of worrying about her life and the children's lives had ended so abruptly - it had all turned into a flood of thoughts that kept him awake.

He was nervous, he didn't know why they were going to see her. He did know. He loved her and he knew it. But fear crept into his soul again and tormented him with doubt. They were divorced. Hell, he'd talked her into that divorce himself. In those autumn days he had lived in a blur and if asked if he remembered any of the conversations, he could hardly answer in the affirmative.

He remembered parts of conversation in his study when Ella was asleep in the next room. He remembered the moment when, after "I love you, Rhett," she'd agreed to give him the divorce.

He remembered every detail of their meeting in the spring in Atlanta, how hard his heart had beaten as he'd left her store.

He remembered. But what did she remember...

There was a quiet knock at the door, and Rhett turned from the window and answered, "Yes, come in..."

Miss Eleanor, already in a homemade silk dressing gown, quietly entered the room, came up to him, and stroked him affectionately on the shoulder.

"May we sit down, Rhett?" she asked affectionately.

He nodded and gestured to the bed and pulled up a chair himself. Miss Eleanor sat down on the edge, clutching some object wrapped in tissue paper.

"Son," she began, "firstly, I would like to apologize to you for going behind your back in terms of the search. I was so distressed by Scarlett's disappearance that contacting Richard was my first thought. And thank him for getting back to me so quickly and being so helpful. You know, we are very old friends, Rhett, even before your father-"

"Mother," he interrupted her, "let your secrets stay with you, I realize you might have them. I'm sorry for my harsh tone in the library," he looked at her guiltily and smiled.

She smiled back at him and said, "I'd probably share something with you, but not now. You have to get up early tomorrow", here she paused and looked seriously into her son's eyes.

"Darling, I'm not so young anymore, and what's to say, you're not a boy yourself anymore. Rhett, darling, there are almost no second chances in life. I've been silent for a long time, watching you. A woman's soul has wings, Rhett. Her wings were broken, but she will recover and fly again. And maybe without you. If you care for this woman, if you love her, then tell her frankly."

"What if I'm too late? What if it doesn't work out?" he asked, running a hand through his hair.

"Rhett,I've always believed in you, you're my most determined child. Stubborn, yes, but there's not much that's impossible for you. It'll all work out, son."

With these words she handed him the bundle, and he unfolded the paper with interest, seeing there a black velvet case, in which lay the very necklace of pearls with emerald.

Mrs Butler watched him quietly and then said, "Son, this belongs to your wife and my daughter-in-law. I am expecting her and my grandchildren here," with these words she kissed him affectionately on the cheek, rose and walked quietly out of the room.

A week later, Rhett was also standing on the deck of the ship, looking up at the night sky, smoking a cigar and thinking.They were due to arrive in Dublin tomorrow morning. What would happen next... Someone quietly touched his shoulder; he turned round and saw Peter looking at him with concern.

They hadn't touched the subject of his ex-wife since that day in the library, Rhett was glad Peter had gone with him, but their relationship was a little strained, as if there was some unresolved question hanging between them.

"Peter?" Rhett asked him quietly, "why aren't you asleep?"

"And you, Rhett? Don't think I haven't seen you go to bed every night almost before morning...What's the matter with you, cousin?"

"I'm sorry, Peter," Rhett said firmly, "I was harsh with you."

Peter nodded and looked at him carefully.

Rhett continued, "I have you to thank for being there for Scarlett, supporting her like a brother. I admit, I was a little jealous at one point," Rhett stopped and looked at Peter, who smiled.

"How could you be jealous, Rhett? Didn't you see the way she looked at you?" asked Peter.

"I'm used to that feeling, Peter. Scarlett and I have a long story, I've never been first for her."

"But you are first for her now. And you were a year ago."

"Old habits, Peter... I couldn't believe she could really love me. It's easier to believe the bad than the good."

Peter put his hand on his cousin's shoulder and said seriously,

"But she does, Rhett."

They fell silent, contemplating the night sky, the silvery glare from the moon on the waves, breathing in the cool, salty air.

"Will you help me, Peter?" asked Rhett quietly.

"Of course; otherwise why did I go with you?" he answered cheerfully. "Clearly not out of love for the cool and rainy weather."

Rhett grinned and said quietly, "Thank you, cousin."

Scarlett woke up in the sunny bedroom of their cosy Dublin home. The first thing she noticed was her daughter's honey-coloured hair, which was scattered on her pillow.

Scarlett smiled fondly, but she was overcome by sad thoughts.

Ella was having another nightmare, and they hadn't had one since leaving Atlanta. This was the second one in a week. Something was bothering her daughter and she couldn't understand or help.

Every failure in any of her children was very hard for her to take, she wrote it all off to her not-so-good "maternal instincts". Colum reassured her every time, but Rhett's words stuck in her mind: "Cat is a better mother than you are."

She sighed, trying to push the thoughts and memories away and stroked her daughter's hair affectionately.

"Wake up sleepyhead, it's morning and you and I have fallen asleep again, Ella. Someone promised me to go back to her bedroom, but sleep had snoozed us both."

Ella reached up and smiled at her mother.

"Mummy," she said, sitting up on the bed and adjusting her white nightgown, "I'm sorry, but that dream wasn't nice. I was afraid it would happen again."

"What was that Ella?"

"I was running away from a big bear in my sleep..."

"Oh..."

"And then I was being rescued," Ella finished her sentence.

"Who rescued you, daughter?"

Ella faded her gaze and after thinking for a moment, answered, with a faint smile, "I don't remember, mummy... It must have been you."

Scarlett reached out and hugged her daughter. Something was clearly bothering her child, but she didn't speak. We'd have to try and ask her about it, but better after breakfast.

"Let's get up Honey, your brother and Colum are probably awaked and breakfast should be served already," Scarlett smiled, kissed Ella on the cheek and sent her off to get dressed.

She washed her face and went to the mirror to brush her hair, which was invariably tangled after a night's sleep. Looking at the mirror, Scarlett smiled to herself. She had finally stopped being very thin and pale, after moving to Ireland, she had started eating again.Her shape had become seductively round again. She didn't always wear a corset and today decided to do away with it too, wearing a long sleeved dress with a neat neckline.

There was a knock on the door and after her words "come in," Wade entered the room, smiling.

"Good morning, Mummy,"

"Good morning Wade," Scarlett said surprised, and asked, "what is it son, I'm almost ready, we'd meet for breakfast in a few minutes. Is something wrong?"

"Mother, I just came by to say that Uncle Colum wanted me to tell you not to forget your shawl," said Wade .

"The shawl?" she interjected in surprise, "but why, Wade?"

"Mother," he asked reproachfully, "have you forgotten what day it is?"

Scarlett hesitated.

Wade looked at her, smiled and reminded her, "Today we planned a picnic in that park where the lake is, remember?"

"Oh, that's right, Wade! Your mother seems to be getting old," Scarlett said jokingly and taking a shawl from the cupboard, they walked downstairs to the dining room together.

Rhett and Peter found themselves on Grafton Street near the right house about noon. They got out of the carriage and stopped in front of a neat red brick house with a small garden, a veranda with a white bench on it.

Rhett's heart raced, he looked at Peter, adjusted his hat and gripped his travelling bag tighter.

"Shall we go, Peter?"

"Let's go, Rhett."

They looked at each other and walked determinedly toward the porch. Rhett knocked on the door and after a minute, a young girl in an apron opened the door for them. She was surprised to see the guests with travelling bags in their hands.

But on learning that they had come from America to visit Miss O'Hara and the children, she smiled and said that Miss and the children and Father Colum had gone for a picnic in the park.

"It's not far, sir," she explained to Rhett, "if you can find a carriage, it's only a ten minute drive, a park with a lake."

After explaining the directions, she smiled at them and closed the door.

Scarlett sat on the blanket in the park and watched Ella was painting the landscape: two trees and the glistening surface of the lake nearby.

Her daughter really did have talent, Scarlett didn't doubt it. Her governess was very complimentary, and she'd been learnt in Paris.

As she watched the colours, Scarlett reflected that this seemed to be the last picnic of the season, it was getting cooler, especially in the evenings, though the sun was still warming.

A faint breeze mussed Ella's hair and hers, which she had gathered into a loose bundle.

She looked out at the lake, there on the shore Colum and Wade were vividly discussing something, waving their arms. Scarlett smiled. Her son had found a good older friend in Colum, they got along well, but it wasn't a relationship like Wade's with Peter, but more like his relationship with Rhett before the divorce. He also respected and almost idolised Colum as he had once respected his stepfather.

Scarlett thought again. So, she had agreed with the children that they would return to correspondence with Peter and Rosemary by Christmas, but she asked them to try very hard not to tell them where they lived now.

She planned to write to Peter herself. He will be angry at her for suddenly disappearing, of course, but he'll understand. Perhaps she'll tell him the reasons for their hasty departure.

She thought of Rhett with excitement and fear. She wasn't going to write him herself, but that didn't mean HIS angry letter couldn't end up in the envelope with Peter's. She'd deceived him by looking him in the eye, promising him "friendship," but she knew it wasn't real. He couldn't stand the lie and was probably furious about the situation.

"But we're nothing to each other, so he'll have to accept my decisions," she reassured herself internally.

Scarlett looked round and wrapped herself more warmly in the blue shawl she wore over her simple beige dress.

"Ella, sweetheart, I hate to interrupt you, but it's time to go home. It's soon dinner time and then tonight I'd been invited to a lecture, remember I told you last night," Scarlett said getting up and adjusting her dress.

"Mummy, are you sure that I can't go with you and James, it's about artists," Ella asked pitifully.

"Darling, it's an evening event, for adults. I'm not sure if I'd like it myself. I'm just interested in watching, if it gets boring I'll sneak out quietly," Scarlett said and giggled.

Ella smiled back at her, they put her paints and plaid in the basket and walked over to the lake.

Colum took the heavy basket from Scarlett at once, put it on the ground beside him and said, "It's a lovely day today, isn't it, cousin? Sunny, no rain. Soon the weather will turn completely bad, it will get colder and it will be raining almost every day."

"Colum, I can't be scared by bad weather, besides, it's still only the end of September. By the way, Ella's birthday is coming up," she said and looked affectionately at her daughter, "have you thought about what you want for a present, Honey?"

Ella wanted to say that she would gladly give all the presents for a chance to see family and friends. Mammy, Beau, Uncle Ashley, Rosemary, Grandmother Butler and especially funny Peter!

But before she could say anything, she looked away from where she and her mother had just been sitting and saw two men. Ella rised her head and looked at Scarlett.

Scarlett barely heard "Uncle Rhett" from her daughter as Colum put his arm around her shoulder, she looked up and saw two men.

Squinting slightly, she took a closer look and her heart raced.

They stood staring at them in silent shock. Scarlett put her arms around Ella's shoulders, and she stood in front of her mother with a surprised smile on her lips, Wade standing to her mother's left. "He's grown a lot," Rhett noted to himself. The boy's previously adoring gaze had changed to the young man's suspicious stare.

To her right, hugging his cousin by the shoulders stood Colum.

"The return of the prodigal husband," a thought flashed through his mind.

Peter waved at them affably and the children, waking from their shock, ran up to him with cries of "Peter!".

Rhett's heart snapped, realizing that he'd given up on those children himself, abandoning their mother. Peter had told him that almost a year ago. Bitterness spilled into his soul, but he hid it and, putting on a mask of polite courtesy, shook Wade's hand.

"You've grown so much, Wade. Almost as tall as your mother. I'm very happy to see you."

Wade nodded and said politely, "Thank you, sir." It was sharper than a knife stab. Rhett grimaced softly, but smiled.

Then he got down on one knee in front of Ella. She looked him in the eye, smiled weakly, and said first, "Hello, Uncle Rhett."

"At least it's not 'sir,' " Rhett thought and smiled affectionately at her, then quietly put his arm around her shoulders and stroked her hair.

"Hello Ella, I'm very happy to see you!"

Rhett stood up and while the children hugged Peter, he walked with a determined stride toward his ex-wife and the man beside her.

Colum felt Scarlett flinch and hugged her shoulder even tighter.

"Ms. O'Hara," Rhett began, holding out his hand to her and smiling slyly.

Barely had Scarlett had time to say anything before Colum reached out his hand to Rhett's hand and shook it firmly.

"Allow me to introduce myself, Colum O'Hara."

Rhett shook his hand firmly and introduced himself, "Rhett Butler, I..."

"I know who you are," Colum interrupted him, not very politely.

Scarlett realized it was time to intervene. She took a deep breath and smiled politely at Rhett.

"Hello, Rhett! It's very unexpected to see you here."

She held out her hand for him to say hello, but he stepped closer to her and quietly touched her cheek with his lips.

"Hello, Scarlett. I guess we're good enough friends that I can greet you with more than just a handshake."

Scarlett's cheeks turned pink and she looked up at him.

Peter came up to them with Ella in his arms and Wade almost dancing around him.

Scarlett looked him in the eye and smiled sincerely. Peter faked a frown, but couldn't help but smile. Scarlett took a step towards him, leaving Rhett and Colum behind, Peter lowered Ella and walked over to her mother.

"Well, well," he began, pretending to be angry, "our lost girl has been found..."

"Peter," Scarlett began quietly, but he smiled, stepped closer to her, kissed her affectionately on the cheek and hugged her tightly.

Rhett's hands clenched involuntarily into fists again, though he knew it was only a friendly embrace. But it was unbearable to see how everyone else could get a little warmth from her, but not him. When he dreamed of her every night... Rhett took a deep breath.

Peter stepped away from Scarlett, whispering to her, "I'll talk to you later," and walked over to Colum to meet him. Colum knew of him from Scarlett's and the children's stories and greeted him warmly.

While everyone was talking Scarlett found herself watching and suddenly heard such a familiar voice behind her, "So a serious illness, yes, my pet? Dysentery. Were you even there when I was writhing in agony, dying?" he asked, barely able to contain his laughter.

She turned to him, looked up at his eyes and said the first thing that came to her mind, "I paid for your nurse! And I'm not your pet anymore!But how did you..." and then a memory came to her mind. "Oh, God, Mr. O'Connol... Do you have your spies everywhere, Rhett Butler?!" she asked indignantly.

He looked into her belligerent green eyes, and once again his heart skipped a beat. "Damn, that woman never realized how beautiful she was when she was angry!" He grinned and replied, "Well actually, Scarlett, I had nothing to do with it," and catching her incredulous look, explained, "as it turns out, my mother has her own secrets and old friends too."

"Mrs Butler?" muttered Scarlett in surprise.

"Yes, Darling, for some reason my mother liked you so much that the thought of your so-called 'holiday' made her very sad. Not being able to contact you and the children had made her act. Especially after you returned the jewellery," at this point Scarlett looked at him and then lowered her eyes. "Scarlett, how could you make an elderly woman who had accepted you as a daughter worry so much?" said Rhett reproachfully.

Scarlett suddenly felt the strength to defend herself. She had done nothing wrong.

"Rhett," she began confidently, "I'm sorry your mother was worried and sad, probably because of me. She hadn't written to me once since November, so I couldn't think that our leaving could hurt her so much," she looked at Rhett and he muttered, "I guess my mother is a good actress."

"It's a family thing, Rhett, to hide your feelings," Scarlett replied with a challenge in her eyes and, calmer now, added, "However, I returned the jewellery to her on the grounds that I have no right to wear it because I am not a member of your family, Rhett. I think we can close the matter at that point."

"I have a great many questions, Darling," Rhett pronounced, looking at her intently, and added, "and more time. We need to talk, Scarlett."

She looked at him worriedly, trying to figure out what he was going to discuss. She had to stall for time, so she simply replied, "Yes, we can talk, but now is not the time, we need to go home," and without waiting for his response, she walked over to the others.

"Peter, you're staying with us, aren't you? I'll show you my new books and lots more things, I've been trying to carve a model of a ship... You'll take a look, won't you?", Wade chatted quickly and Scarlett went cold.

"Rhett Butler's in the same house with me. No way, God," she thought, feverishly coming up with excuses for refusal.

"Miss O'Hara, so what of your southern hospitality? Your mother's precepts, you do remember the rules, don't you?" asked Rhett with a smile.

Scarlett looked anxiously at Colum and he came to help.

"We'd love to invite you into OUR home, Mr Butler, but we only have one spare bedroom," he said politely and seriously looking at his guests, "I'm afraid you and your cousin will be crowded."

"Oh, that's no problem, Mr O'Hara," Peter replied cheerfully and smiled at him and then at the children, "when I was a child and Rhett was a young boy, I used to come to my aunt's house and like to sleep in his room, he told so many interesting stories, some of them scary, and I used to complain to my aunt that I was scared to go to sleep," he smiled even wider and Rhett grinned, "but I still asked to sleep with him every night."

Wade's eyes lit up, "Can I hear stories too? Please, Peter!" he asked pleadingly and suddenly turned to his former stepfather, "Will you tell me Uncle Rhett?"

Rhett almost jumped for joy at how resourceful Peter had turned out to be. And Wade called him, as he had before...

He looked at the boy affectionately and said, "Sure, Wade, if your mother'll let us stay."

Everyone looked at Scarlett, who was watching the scene with surprise. Trying to catch Peter's eye, she looked at him, but he looked away.

"Oh, Peter," she thought to herself sadly. She waved her hands and said, "If that's what you decide, Wade, that's fine, son."

Scarlett looked at Colum, he was serious, but put his arm around Scarlett's shoulder encouragingly and said, "All right, now that the placement issue is settled, then..."

"Mummy," Ella said quietly, "I don't want any scary stories... "Scarlett looked at her daughter, remembering her recent nightmares, sat down in front of her and almost started to speak when suddenly Rhett sat down next to Scarlett in front of Ella and said to her affectionately, running his hand through her curly hair, "Ella, sweetheart, no scary stories for you. If you let me, I'll read you a bedtime story..."

Ella smiled weakly, shifting her gaze from her mother's face to that of the man she considered her father.

"Uncle Rhett, usually my mother or Uncle Colum reads to me," she paused and continued, "but, I wouldn't mind if you read a little too."

Rhett smiled at her and Scarlett stroked her daughter's cheek affectionately.

"Well, let's go," Colum said and walked over to Scarlett, giving her his hand. Rhett saw how trustingly she reached for him, her small white hands, with thin fingers he'd often examined while she slept during their honeymoon in New Orleans. He noticed that there were no rings on the fingers.

Colum and Scarlett looked at the others, Peter and Wade were ready to go and then Rhett felt a small child's hand reach out and take his big palm tentatively.

"Come along, Uncle Rhett," said Ella affectionately, " I'll show you my paintings at home, mummy says I'm good at painting..."

Rhett squeezed firmly and tenderly the little palm of the girl who had been so incredibly kind to him.

"Come, Ella, I'd love to see it," he spoke softly.

Scarlett, who had been watching the scene, closed her eyes for a moment. He had come inexorably, like a storm, into their lives and she worried about the destruction he might leave behind.