Disclaimer: I own nothing in regard to GWTW

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

Chapter Twenty-Five

After Beth and Mabel were in the carriage, Beth said, "We are stopping at Liz's before we go home. I hope she can get my hat made before Friday. I will pay her extra to get it done in time. I am going to order the bathing suit now, but there is no hurry on that. It is the middle of winter.

"Elizabeth, you are being ridiculous. You can't change your name at your age. You can't leave a committee meeting to go clothes shopping. You can't skip the monthly graveyard clean up to go sailing."

Beth turned and with a cold, deadly stare said to her mother, "I can do anything I want to do. The only person who can tell me what I can and cannot do is Percy. You are a poor relation living off Percy's generosity. I am never going to obey you ever again. Not since your husband got himself into debt to the tune of a thousand dollars. He is just lucky that Percy was willing to pay off his debt to get to marry me. Percy needed to marry someone with perfect social connections, so Percy got something out of the deal also."

Mabel looked away quickly and didn't say a word. Beth knew at that moment who her father had owed all that money to. Percy Butler. She felt a touch of shame. Percy hadn't married her to cement his social position in Charleston. He had married her because he had loved her all this time. At the same time all she had felt for him was contempt because he was a pirate's son. Something he had no control over. Just like women born somewhere else than Charleston. She then felt anger. Her father really had sold her to Percy just to save his good name. The only person John Kenesaw had been thinking about was himself. She looked at Mabel and knew she had known all this time and the only person she had been thinking about was herself.

Beth said, "When did you find out?"

While still not looking at her daughter, Mabel said, "Find out what?"

"Find out that I was Father's sacrificial lamb. No, that's not right. That Father sold his own daughter in matrimony to a man she didn't even like?"

"I don't know what you are talking about Eliz….. Beth."

"You are a lousy liar, but I won't make you admit it. I am just going to assume Father told you before he told me. You had to be supportive of the idea or I might have refused to marry Percy. I wouldn't have because I could not have borne the shame of my father being found out to be a fool." When Mabel started to protest, Beth said, "Only a fool would let himself get a thousand dollars into debt."

There was an uncomfortable silence in the carriage until Beth said, "How long did Father have a gambling problem?"

"Your father didn't have a gambling problem."

"Yes, he did, Mother. Last night I remembered how many times you sold your jewelry because you were tired of it. You got tired of your jewelry fairly often. I also remember how many times you claimed not to want a new dress for a social event even though your dresses had seen better days. Or how worn our furniture was. Or how slim our meals were at times. Father wasn't just a fool, but an irresponsible chump. He certainly hadn't been doing what was proper or honorable."

"Your father was always so embarrassed when he had to tell me he had accrued another debt he couldn't pay."

"He may have been embarrassed, but the shame didn't stop him from accruing more debt. Did he stop gambling after I married Percy?"

"Yes, of course."

"How many times did Percy bail him out again?" Mabel started to lie then Beth said, "Never mind I will just ask Percy. I know he will tell me the truth."

"Five more times."

Beth turned away from her mother. Not only did her father allow himself to get into debt to the tune of a thousand dollars, but even after he had sold his daughter into marriage to get out of that he continued to accrue more debt. Her father had lied to her when he had promised to never sit down at the poker table again. Thank God Percy had been a good man.

Percy had not bailed John Kennesaw out of debt for any noble reasons, but because if John had been exposed as a man hopelessly in debt that would have affected Percy's social position also. He and his father had worked too hard to get to the upper echelon in Charleston to let it go down in ashes because of a weak man. He hadn't been unhappy when his father-in-law had died and that drain on his resources was no longer costing him money.

There was no more conversation in the carriage. When the ladies got to the dress shop, Beth said, "You can wait in the carriage. I don't need your help."

Mabel felt shame. She had known before even Elizabeth had known. She had known that John was selling his daughter and because of her pride and social position she hadn't said a word. She hoped Eliz… no, Beth would someday forgive her, but she didn't think it very likely.

After Beth got back in the carriage, there was no conversation all the way to the townhouse. When Beth got out of the carriage, she never looked back at her mother. Her mother could take care of herself. Beth would not ask her mother to move out, but she would not display any warmth towards her. Beth giggled so their relationship would remain the same.

As Beth walked into the townhouse, she asked Benson, "Where is Mr. Butler?"

Although there were three Mr. Butlers in the household, Benson knew who she was asking about. He said, "Mr. Percy is in his office, Miss Elizabeth."

"Benson, from now forward I would like you and the other servants to call me Miss Beth."

Benson thought that was strange, but all he said was, "Yes, Miss Beth. I will let the rest of the staff know."

"Thank you."

Beth went to Percy's office and knocked on the door. She heard him say, "Come in."

Beth opened the door and walked in. Percy smiled when he saw her. He said, "Eliz… Beth, you are always welcome. You never have to knock. You are home early."

"Thank you, Sweetheart. Yes, I am. I couldn't take any more of that yak, yak, yak. I left and went to Liz's. I ordered my hat and bathing suit. She promised to have the hat ready for pick up Thursday afternoon. I told her there was no hurry on the bathing suit."

"No, there isn't. In fact, we will have to bundle up because it is colder on the water."

"Alright. I ordered you a bathing suit, also."

"Thank you."

"How long will you train Robert?"

"Probably a year."

"Then put him in charge?"

"Yes."

"After that let's travel."

"Yes, although we can't travel until the baby is born. We have to be here to welcome our first grandbaby into the world. What do you want?"

"A twenty-two-inch waist."

Percy burst out laughing. Not just at the joke Beth had made, but that she had made a joke at all. He said, "Let's go talk in our room."

"Do you mean….?"

"Yes, I do."

"We can do it in the afternoon?"

"We can do it anytime and anywhere we want."

"Then let's go to our room. I want a granddaughter."

"I want a grandson. Rhett wants a daughter."

"And Scarlett?"

"A healthy baby which is understandable. Rhett told me that she was an only child for the first five years of her life because her parents lost two babies between her and her sister. Her parents lost another son after her youngest sister was born."

"How sad. We were lucky we never lost a baby."

"Yes, we were." By this time, they were in their bedroom. Percy said, "No more talking about other people."

Beth smiled and said, "It is time for kissing."

"Among other things."

"I like the other things."

"I do too."

Rhett had seen his parents walking to their room. He had no doubt what they were going there to do. It had been the way they were walking extremely close. Then he had heard his mother giggling. His mother giggled! Incredible. He didn't know how he felt about his parents having relations. He laughed. He thought, 'They have been having relations for twenty-six years. Mother is finally enjoying it. I don't know what happened, but if Mother being sexually satisfied makes her a warm, loving woman then I'm all for it.'

Rhett decided not to tell Scarlett anything about his parents. For some strange reason, he thought she wouldn't be happy about her mother-in-law receiving sexual satisfaction in her bed. He knew why. Then Scarlett wouldn't think she was the special one. He laughed out loud. He knew she wanted to be the only one with a husband who could bring his wife satisfaction in her bed. He knew she was selfish enough to want that. And self-centered enough not to consider that other women getting sexual satisfaction was not taking anything away from her. He just laughed and went in search of his wife. Not to be intimate with, but just to be with.

After dinner Robert and Percy went to the jewelry store. When Rhett joined Scarlett in their bedroom, she was reading one of her fashion magazines. When she saw him, she said, "I thought you were going to the jewelry store with Father and Robert."

"I was then I decided not to intrude on their special moment."

"What do you mean?"

"I remember going with Father to the jewelry store when we bought your ring. It was a special time for me, and I think Father too. This is going to sound silly, but like at that moment Father was saying, 'You are a man now, Son.'

"You are right. It does sound silly."

Rhett laughed. He said, "Anyway, I wanted Robert to get the same experience."

In the carriage, Percy said, "What is Daphne's favorite color?"

"Blue."

"We will get her a sapphire ring."

"What did you get Mother?"

"She told me to get her a diamond because it was the proper stone for an engagement ring."

Robert and Percy laughed. Robert said, "Do you think this change is going to last?"

"I am going to do everything in my power to make it permanent."

"Good."

As the men were riding along, Percy realized he didn't know Beth's favorite color. He certainly couldn't tell by her wardrobe because all her dresses were in muted shades which was what was proper for a woman of her age.

That evening Robert called on Daphne. They were sitting in the parlor with the door wide open. He said, "Do you think you could live your life in the country?"

"I don't know. I have never lived in the country."

"In June my father is going to start training me on how to run Middleton Acres."

"Your family plantation?"

"Therefore, my wife and I would have to spend a lot of time in the country. Not all the time, but a lot."

"Alright."

"Daphne, I love you and you love me. Will you marry me?"

"Yes."

"Let me go talk to your father."

Daphne stood up and called out, "Dad! Dad!"

Robert and Daphne heard someone say, "Yes."

"He's in the library. Come with me."

As Robert and Daphne walked in the room, she said, "Mummy, Robert wants to talk to Dad alone. Come with me."

After Daphne and Felicia left the room, Warren said, "Sit down, Robert. I think I know what this is about."

"Yes, I would like your permission to marry Daphne."

"How do you plan to support her?"

"My father is giving me Middleton Acres."

"Your family plantation?"

"Yes."

"Of course, you can marry my daughter."

Robert jumped up and said, "Thank you, Sir."

Daphne and Felicia had been sitting in the parlor. When the women saw Robert's face, they were in no doubt what Warren's answer was. Robert said, "Let me put this ring on your finger."

Daphne said, "It is beautiful. I thought it was going to be a diamond, but I am so glad it isn't."

Daphne showed the ring to her parents. Warren had followed Robert into the parlor. When he saw the ring, he said, "I guess this move was a wise move."

Robert said, "I certainly think so."

The foursome spent the rest of the night talking about the wedding. Daphne wanted to be married in June. Robert agreed as long as it was the end of June. The first two weeks he would be flooding the fields at Middleton Acres.