Scarlett boarded a train to get to Jonesboro. She didn't want to waste time and delay paying the taxes, so she had to finish it today so she could sleep in peace.

She got to Tara in the evening, on a cart loaded with groceries. There were noises in the dining room that could be heard as she opened the door.

In a loud voice, Scarlett yelled, "What is going on in here?".

Melanie was the first to respond to her voice, followed by Carreen, Suellen, and Ashley.

"Scarlett, dear, you're here. You're back so soon." Melanie hugged her. "Is everything okay?" she asked anxiously.

"Actually, yes, Melanie" Scarlett smiled. "Call Pork, Ashley, can you help?" she asked, turning to him.

Turning to those around her she happily said "We need to unload the buggy, it's full of food."

Everyone stared at her in amazement. Everyone except Ashley that is. Scarlett caught his gaze, and there was suspicion in his eyes. She decided to ignore him though, she would deal with it later.

"Let's eat something, I'm hungry," Scarlett said.

Pork and Ashley unloaded the bags of food and the whole family settled down in the dining room to eat ham, cheese, and fruit. There was excitement in the room, everyone was in high spirits from the realization that they would not go to bed hungry tonight.

"Scarlett, how could you buy all of this? Melanie asked her.

"Not only was I able to buy it, I paid the taxes and now we don't have to stay outside," she replied solemnly, looking around the room. Her gaze settled back on Ashley, who had been silent all through dinner. After her words, his face dropped, and he tried not to look at her. Scarlett frowned, trying to figure out what had happened, but got distracted by Melanie's question.

"Let's just say a friend helped me with this," she said evasively.

Sarcastically Suellen asked, "What kind of friends do you have?"

"Not your Mr. Kennedy, who by the way has a store you didn't tell us about," Scarlett replied sarcastically.

"How dare you? We are preparing for the wedding, he would not be able to give money to Tara!" Suellen screamed resentfully.

"Well, you didn't even ask," Scarlett replied simply.

"You didn't ask him, did you? " She begged fearfully.

"And even if I did?" Scarlett couldn't keep quiet, Suellen's behavior made her angry.

Suellen went to say something else, but Melanie intervened.

"I think it's time for all of us to go rest, it's very late. Carreen, take Suellen to her room."

"That's a great idea, Melanie," Scarlett said, getting up from her chair.

She was tired of listening to Suellen's useless whining. She went to her mother's office, closed the door, and sat down on a chair. She'd been so tired for the last few days. Scarlett put her hands on the table and bowed her head.

When Scarlett heard a knock on the door she realized she didn't know how long she'd just been sitting there.

"Come in!" She yelled out to whoever was on the other side of the door.

Ashley appeared in the doorway.

"Scarlett, I'd like to talk to you." He looked uncertain, his face showing concern.

"Of course Ashley, did something happen here while I was gone?"

"No, no, don't worry, everything is fine here. I'd like to talk about where you got the money from."

He sat down on the chair opposite her.

"Will you tell me who gave it to you?"

Scarlett didn't understand why it bothered him so much.

"Does it matter? The main thing is that now we have nothing to worry about." she shrugged her shoulders.

"Please, Scarlett?"

She just sighed.

"It was Rhett Butler," she said simply. At that moment, Ashley's face contorted as if he had been hit.

He got up and started pacing the room. Scarlett was watching him closely. She didn't understand why that information caused such a reaction from him.

"Ashley, I don't understand, there's nothing wrong with that."

He stopped and looked at her. His face was full of suffering.

"Scarlett, dear, what did you have to do to get this money for us? I can't stand what you've been through..."

Scarlett couldn't understand what he was talking about, and he continued to ramble incoherently.

"I have to do something, I have to get the money so you won't have to...God, Scarlett, he's a terrible man. Why did you go to him? I can't imagine what he did to you. If I had known what you were planning, I would have stopped you."

She continued to watch him closely, and when the meaning of his words finally reached her tired brain, Scarlett was horrified.

"Ashley, how could you think? Do you think Rhett took advantage of me? That he, that I?" She was shocked that Ashley could even think of such a thing.

He came over and grabbed her by the shoulders. Scarlett had never seen him so emotional before. His eyes were burning and his chest was heaving. Scarlett felt a wave of warmth when she thought that Ashley was worried about her, that he wanted to protect her. Even that didn't stop her from protecting Rhett though. Whatever he was, in this situation, he acted nobly without asking her for anything.

"Scarlett, he's not a gentleman and never has been. Such a person has nothing sacred, he will only do what he wants and get what he wants. Tell me what he did to you, please don't be silent..."

No matter how flattered Scarlett was by Ashley's behavior, this conversation was becoming absurd. He just wouldn't listen to her, didn't want to believe her. Scarlett began to feel a wave of anger.

"Ashley, how could you think that I could become his mistress? So that's what you think of me?" She couldn't believe that he thought that of her.

"He could have messed with your brain, Scarlett, you're so innocent, my dear, I'm sorry..." Ashley tried to make amends, but Scarlett became increasingly angry. He tried to kiss her on the forehead, but she pulled away.

"He didn't lay a finger on me, he gave me this money just because I asked!" She was almost screaming. "And if it wasn't for him, we would have been thrown out on the street tomorrow. I don't want to talk about it anymore. I'm going to bed and I advise you to do the same, Ashley."

Scarlett was angry, she flew into her room and slammed the door. How dare he, how dare he talk about Rhett like that. Yes, he was a boor and a scoundrel. Yes, he spat on the rules of society. In this case though? He was not guilty of what Ashley accused him of.

Ashley! He thought she was a whore who was ready to give herself to anyone for three hundred dollars! She was outraged. The thought flashed through her mind that she had thought about that before going to Rhett in jail, but she had quickly dismissed the thought.

How could he think that of her? It was downright disgusting. How could he not know her, how could he think that she would be ready to give herself to anyone for money. Her head was spinning, it was too much.

Scarlett undressed and slipped into bed, she needed to calm down and get some sleep.

That night she had a nightmare again. It had been tormenting her ever since she returned to Tara, and tonight was the same as always. She ran through the thick fog, ran and ran, trying to find something in the fog. But the further she ran, the thicker the fog became and the more terrified she became. For a second, she thought she saw a figure moving away from her, but it was impossible to see who it was.

Scarlett woke up screaming. She was still in bed at Tara and it was still dark outside the window. Going to the window she peered into the darkness. For a few minutes, she allowed her feelings to be unleashed, which she had been trying to stifle all this time. She was lonely. She didn't have anyone. She was jealous of Melanie, she had Ashley. Scarlett would have given anything to wake up in Ashley's warm arms, to be comforted by him after a nightmare. He hugged her and whispered soothing words to her. That is what she wanted more than anything in the world.

Yesterday evening the unpleasant conversation that had taken place between them came back to mind. A feeling of disgust swept over her again as she recalled everything he had said. Ashley actually believed that she was able to give herself to Rhett in exchange for money. He could really believe that she had committed an act unworthy of a lady. This made Scarlett uneasy. She always tried to behave the way Ellen had taught her, to always follow the rules. She didn't always succeed, but she tried, and the realization that in Ashley's eyes, she was not a lady struck her.

Scarlett went back to bed and tossed and turned until dawn.

There was some tension between Scarlett and Ashley for the next few days. Ashley tried to avoid her, and Scarlett didn't feel like talking to him. Instead, Scarlett focused on the thought of the sawmill. This idea was so deeply stuck in her brain that she couldn't get rid of it.

Could she ask Rhett for money again? Would that be a lot of nerve? He had a lot of money, that much she knew. So why shouldn't he share it with her? Yes, she was determined. When he got out of jail she would ask Rhett for the money. She was so sure of her plan that there was not even a drop of doubt in her head that she would succeed.

A few days later, Scarlett packed up to visit Atlanta again. It was difficult to explain to the residents of Tara why she would leave again, but she didn't care. She saw the goal and saw no obstacles. A few hours later, Scarlett was already getting off the train at the Atlanta train station with her head held high, ready to get what she wanted.