Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

Chapter Sixty-Seven

When Rhett and Scarlett went to see her family in the spring of fifty-eight it was a sad time for her. When Gerald and Ellen picked them up in Jonesboro, Gerald had not gotten any of his vim and vitality back. To Scarlett he still looked like an old man. She could tell her mother was worried about her father. Maybe that was why Gerald had let Careen marry Brent. Gerald had been hoping to get his youngest daughter settled before he passed away.

Scarlett could tell that Careen was excited about her child. Scarlett hugged Mammy and said, "It has been so long since I have seen you."

"True, enough child. Let me look at your children now. My, how have they grown."

"Yes, Grace is three now and Tommy is almost six."

"Fine looking children. Fine looking children, indeed."

With that Mammy walked away. She had gotten her emotions under control as far as Miss Scarlett's children. She would never be able to be in their lives, but she could wish them well.

Rhett said, "She can't get emotionally involved with your children because they might be taken away."

"What about Suellen and Careen's children?"

"No, not those children either. Right now, the only person she cares for is your mother."

Scarlett stared at Rhett and finally said, "I think you are right."

Scarlett and Rhett visited with Cathy and Tom, and it was a good visit, but they now had little in common. Cathy and Tom lived on a plantation and believed in the Southern way. Scarlett and Rhett lived in Charleston and had strong doubts about the Southern way. Rhett, Scarlett, and their children visited Melly and Matty in Atlanta. Melly still just had the one child, but she seemed to have accepted one was all she was going to get. Rhett and Scarlett's conversation with Melly and Matty wasn't any more personal than theirs with Cathy and Tom. Although they both lived in the city, each couple had different outlooks on life.

It was July. Scarlett had not gotten with child which did surprise her. Daphne had decided for whatever reason, like her mother, she would have no more children. Daphne was of mixed feelings. She would like to have a daughter, but she didn't want to go through labor and delivery again especially if her child ended up being another boy.

After reading the Charleston Gazette that evening over supper, Percy said, "We are going to quarantine ourselves as much as possible. Robert, you, Daphne, and the boys will move into the townhouse."

"No, Sir. I will have to go to the textile mills every day, but I would appreciate you taking Daphne and the boys in."

Daphne said, "No, just the boys. I need to take care of you."

"Very well. Rhett, if for some reason Daphne and I don't make it, will you raise our boys."

Rhett looked quickly at Scarlett, and she nodded her head, he said, "Of course. And you must take our children if something happens to Scarlett and me."

"Of course."

Scarlett said, "Rosemary, would you be our second choice if the disease gets all of us."

"I am not married."

"You don't have to be married to become a guardian to our children." Scarlett looked quickly at Beth and Percy then she turned back to Rosemary and continued, "Father and Mother will help you, but they will not be here with Father now being a ship captain."

Daphne said, "Please say yes. It would make me feel better that there will be someone to take care of my children if …. Well, you understand."

"Of course. I don't know if I can do it though."

Robert said, "Of course, you can. The children would be in good hands with you as their guardian."

Beth said, "Your father and I will help you when we can."

With an uncertain smile, Rosemary said, "Alright. I will do it."

Percy said, "Then it is settled. Go see Mr. Mobbs tomorrow after you drop the boys off."

"Say nine, Rhett."

"That sounds good to me."

When Robert and Rhett left to go see Mr. Mobbs Percy went with them. He said, "I want to make sure if you boys don't survive Rosemary gets everything in trust then upon her death it would go to the children still in trust."

A week later, Daphne took her sons back to her townhouse. As she said, "If they are going to die, I want their last moments to be with me and Robert."

Beth said, "Of course, Dear."

When the epidemic had been still going strong after a month, Scarlett absolutely refused to go on a run with Rhett. When he had tried to browbeat her into going with him, she had said, "You shouldn't go either. Give the run to your father. You are needed here."

Rhett had given in because the thought of anyone of his loved ones dying, while he was away, was enough to give him nightmares. He said, "You are right. I will give the run to my father."

To Rhett surprise Rudy had decided to go on the run with his father. Rhett wanted to tell his partner, 'No, I have to stay at the townhouse and take care of my family.' Yet, Rhett knew he had responsibility to his business and his partner, therefore instead said, "Sure." Rhett had agreed because someone needed to go shmooze with their customers in New York and Boston. Rhett could not have done that. He could not leave Charleston at that time. Yet, it meant everyday Rhett would have to leave the townhouse and go to the harbor, but he would do it because he had to ensure the health of the business.

When Rudy got back, he told Rhett that business was slow in the North because of the panic, but they would weather it. As business was slowing down, they should consider pulling Percy off the water. Rhett said, "Or selling one of our ships."

"Let's sleep on it."

"Let's see if the panic gets any worse."

"Good idea."

After Percy had made five runs in a row, he told Rhett, "You must take the next run. I have business I must take care of."

"Very well, Sir."

After Rhett told Scarlett the news, she said, "I don't want you to go, but we can't let your business suffer. We need all the money we can get with the panic looming over us."

"Yes, we do. Besides, I need to be able to run the blockade."

"Yes, you do."

That night as Rhett and Scarlett laid in their bed after having made love, he said, "Your monthly is about to appear any day, right?"

"Yes."

"Hopefully you won't have one, but if you do, happily I will miss it all." Scarlett slapped his chest. Rhett said, "What? It is the truth."

One night after Rhett had left on his run, Percy, Elizabeth, Scarlett, Rosemary, and Doug were sitting in the parlor. Doug said, "I feel so helpless. Nothing we do helps the patient. A few patients pull through, but I think that is despite our helping then not because of our help."

Rosemary said, "You must feel so powerless."

"The strangest thing is the people of African descent are surviving in much greater numbers than the white people are."

"That is strange."

"I know it is illegal, but I think they have people practicing medicine in their community."

"You should find out how they are treating their patients."

"That would be illegal."

"Of course."

The next day Beth found Benson and she said, "There is no cure for the disease in the white man's world. Do your people know of a cure?"

"Let me ask around."

Two days later Benson found Miss Beth in the parlor, he said, "Come with me to the back door."

After Beth was at the back door, she started to walk outside when Benson said, "No, don't go any further, Miss Beth. She will talk to you, but you cannot see her face. It is illegal for a slave to practice medicine."

"Yes, of course. I will protect her privacy. What do I do?"

"Stand just inside the doorway. Keep looking straight at the stables. Don't look left and don't look right. Ask your question?"

"Thank you, Benson. Thank you, ma'am, for speaking to me. Do you have a cure for this disease?"

"No, ma'am."

"No?"

"You want to know why some many more of my people are surviving than your people?"

"Yes, I do. I want to save my family."

"The reason why so many more of our people survive over your people is we don't overtreat the sick person. The white doctors bleed the patient or make the patient throw up or they try to draw the poison out with cups that end up burning the patient. They are sapping the patient's strength. Give them fluids and the herbs I gave to Benson. Let them rest."

"Of course, thank you."

"You are welcome."

Beth turned around and walked out of the kitchen. Benson would give her the herbs when it was safe.

Later Beth got the herbs and the instructions from Benson. She passed the information on to her daughters-in-law and her daughter.

Rosemary thought about telling Doug, but she was afraid he would tell the authorities and they at the very least would take the herbs away. After the epidemic was over Rosemary was going to be sure that Doug knew what her father had done. If that was going to appall him then she wanted to know now before she wasted anymore time waiting on him. Although in truth there wasn't anyone else, she wanted to call on her. As she had thought before she wasn't sure if she loved Doug or if she was settling for him. She smiled. The thing she enjoyed most about him was his talking about his patients.

In the middle of September, right before Alex's sixth birthday, he complained that his head hurt. Daphne felt his head and she knew he had a fever. She got him into bed and made him a drink using the herbs. Not surprising within less than twenty-four hours, Kenny was sick in bed also. Once again, the nurse maid helped Daphne with the nursing. They told Beth and the others, but they did not call the doctor. Robert was fine with not calling the doctor because he wanted his sons' last hours to be peaceful.

At the same time that Kenny was showing signs of Yellow Fever so was Tommy. The three boys had been playing outside together a couple of days before.

Scarlett got Tommy into bed and gave him the herb drink. She was constantly wiping him down. When Agnes tried to help, Scarlett said, "Just take care of Grace."

Grace never showed any symptoms, but Rosemary did.

Rhett was on a run and would not be back for several days. Scarlett prayed that when he got back everyone was still alive. At the end of the week, everyone seemed to be recovering, then Scarlett came down with the disease. They all knew they had Yellow Fever because the whites of their eyes had turned yellow.

When Rhett returned Rosemary, Tommy, Alex, and Kenny were well on their way to making a full recovery. Scarlett was sick in bed. When Rhett asked, "What did the doctor say?"

Beth replied, "We haven't sent for the doctor. Let me explain."

Rhett yelled, "What do you mean you haven't sent for the doctor? Henry! Henry!"

"Sit down, Rhett, and be quiet."

"I will be quiet when the doctor gets here."

"You are still my son, and you will respect me no matter how old you get. I will give you some grace because of your anxiety over Scarlett, but you will sit down and let me explain."

"No, I will not. I will not stand around letting my wife die."

Henry appeared. Beth said, "Go back to work. You were called by mistake."

Rhett said, "No, go get Dr. Ross."

Percy entered the foyer. He had heard all the noise. He had also heard the conversation with Henry. He said, "Henry, go back to work. Rhett Kenesaw Butler! Give your mother a chance to explain. When you hear the explanation, I am sure you will agree."

Rhett didn't sit down, but he said, "Explain."

Henry left the foyer.

Percy said, "There are twenty-two white people dying compared to 1 slave. Your mother found out what the slaves were doing as opposed to what the white doctors are doing. It turns out that it isn't what the slaves are doing, but the white doctors are doing to hasten their patients' deaths."

Percy paused and Rhett said, "Go on. I'm listening."

"The white doctors are making the patients regurgitate, and bloodletting, and something to do with cups that ends up burning the patient and leaving blisters. The slaves have some herbs they give the patient, then let them save all their strength to fight off the disease."

"One to twenty-two odds. Wow! I would take those odds. I will take those odds. Don't send for the doctor. Let me go see Scarlett."

For the next two days, Rhett took care of his wife while playing with his son and daughter. Scarlett was the last person to come down with the disease. Everyone had made a full recovery so far. A couple of the servants had caught the disease, but they too were on the road to recovery.

On Scarlett's third day, she was able to get out of the bed, but not for very long. Scarlett and Rhett did not join the family for supper but had supper in their room.

Author's Notes: From the University of South Carolina's website there was an article written by John Brunelli. It had come to his notice that black people survived Yellow Fever in much greater odds than white people. For example: in 1858 there were 679 white residences to succumbed to the disease compared to only 29 black slaves dying of a population of ~41,000 people. The ratio was much the same in all the epidemics in 1854, 1856, 1864, and 1871. Mr. Brunelli came to the conclusion that the white doctors were over treating the patient. They were doing more damage than good.