Author's Note - Currently sending this as a I wait for surgery on my broken foot. Hopefully I'll get to write as I recover. I think all chapters that I might or might not write after this will be mostly fluff. Enjoy. I'll update once I get out of surgery. This is completely unbetad. But I wanted ot get it posted. Thanks for reading! Update- surgery went well.
Extra note- I had someone leave two anonymous reviews complaining that Scarlett would never let Rhett handle the sale of her businesses or agree to it. Historically, women were only legally allowed to own property in 1866, and were still many times discriminated against until 1974. At this point in 1867, yes, most likely Scarlett would have almost certainly had to rely upon a man to handle things. And then to put it into perspective, Scarlett was very injured in this telling, much, much more than in the original, that's the entire premise. She's got a broken arm and cracked ribs, she's not able to handle things as usual, and as she is injured and in more pain, she is also more emotional. So I fully stand behind my characterization in this story. Thanks for reading. If things didn't change slightly, there would be no stories to read. If we don't change scenarios or reactions, there would be no FanFiction.
Rhett indeed did not leave for England in the wake of Frank Kennedy's death and Scarlett's injuries. They both knew of the scrutiny they were under, though Scarlett was partially sheltered from it by her lack of contact with anyone in society. For the first few weeks, Scarlett's multiple injuries were enough to keep her isolated from anyone outside of the family. Though to the chagrin of Aunt Pitty, Rhett Butler was now considered family, though Scarlett did not share the news of their engagement. Rhett ran the store and the mills, and routinely brought the books to Scarlett. And the businesses thrived under his watch, even considering the absence of Ashley Wilkes, or possibly because of the absence of Mr. Wilkes. And despite the fears heightened by her attack and kidnapping, Scarlett always felt safer when Rhett was near.
Six weeks after Frank Kennedy's death, Rhett finalized the arrangements and handled the transaction for Scarlett to sell the store and the mills to investors. Within a few days of the sales, she left for the safety of Tara. Almost immediately after arriving, Scarlett was ready to flee Tara just to escape from her sister. Suellen was furious and blamed Scarlett for Frank's untimely death. She treated her much like others had treated her in Atlanta, though her venom was not even thinly veiled. Her hatred for her sister was apparent to all. And in that time, Rhett Butler was a regular visitor in Clayton County. Rhett had handled the sales of the businesses for Scarlett, as there wasn't an appropriate male family member to handle them, other than Henry Hamilton, who had worked hand in hand with Butler for all of the arrangements. Most of the Atlanta society loathed Rhett, and yet still owed so much to him for his part in securing an alibi for the men on the night of Scarlett's abduction. Many of Atlanta's finest would have hanged or at very least spent time in jail, if not for him. And even without the announcement, people began speculating that Rhett and Scarlett were engaged.
After two months, Rhett arrived at Tara with a jaunt in his step and a twinkling merriment in his eyes. After Scarlett had left for Tara, Rhett had taken a brief trip North, though still delaying the trip he needed to oversee. The air was warm and sweet, lilacs scenting the air, bringing to mind another spring day, already 6 years prior. Tara looked much the worse for the wear, but she still stood, which was more than could be said about many of the antebellum homes of the area. There was no young boy sitting on the porch shooing geese from the flower beds. There were no flowers planted in the flowerbeds or geese to keep from the beds. But the honeysuckle and lilacs and roses would not be destroyed by events so trifling as a war, and they were coming back stronger than ever. And so if Scarlett closed her eyes, the scents could bring her back to a time when life was better and more simple.
Shunning the most conventional rules of Atlanta, Scarlett was out on the porch when he arrived. Though she dressed in black, her hair was loose and her face free of the veil that would separate her from the rest of the world. In the freedom of the moment, she looked far too young to be the mother of two small children and twice widowed. The breeze was soft, but it blew a wisp of hair into her face as she watched him. "Rhett?" she murmured softly.
He didn't mount the steps, but instead casually sat at her feet. "Scarlett," he grinned. "It is time for our conversation. I've allowed it to be put off until you were stronger and in a better state of mind. Everything is still in too much turmoil, and I don't think you're as safe as you think that you are. I think it is high time that we discuss my proposal."
Scarlett nodded at him, but demurred. "Rhett it is too soon to discuss that. You know it isn't decent. What will people say? And I'm perfectly safe here, aren't I."
"Are you?" he quizzed with a quirk of his eyebrow. "Didn't you tell me once a story about something hidden under the arbor over there."
"Rhett!" she squeaked out, completely horrified by his mention of one of her darkest secrets. "We can't talk about that… and besides, it isn't as though the war was still being fought, and there were stragglers from both sides scattered throughout the county."
"I'm not trying to distress you, but you don't know that. You don't know the kind of people that are still gathered around here. And I know that both sides have settled the end of the war, but some wars will never be won. Lee may have surrendered at Appomattox, but it doesn't mean that peace has truly come. In fact, you wouldn't be a widow now if the men of Atlanta weren't still trying to avenge their losses. I believe that this battle will be going on in one way or another for the next 100 or 200 years. I want to keep you safe and protect you and your children. I want to show you things you've never seen. I claimed that I would never marry after witnessing the farce that was my parents' marriage, but I want you more than I've ever wanted any woman. And I'm willing to marry you, so that I can claim you as mine. Shall I persuade you?"
He rose to kiss her, but she leapt from her seat with tears in her eyes. "You want me? You want me? That is supposed to persuade me to marry you… You are just raising the price on calling me a whore!" she fumed. "I told you on that day before Atlanta fell during the siege that I wouldn't be your mistress, and this doesn't feel like you are treating it any differently. You are just giving it a new name. Haven't I already been through enough?"
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet…" Rhett took off his hat, "I'm sorry. That isn't what I meant." And for a moment Rhett was dumbstruck. He was going to let this moment slip through his hands.
He collected himself and then nodded. "No," He rose in front of her and grasped her hand, "please hear me out. I do want you, but more than that, I want you to be my wife, and I want your children to be my children. I want to keep you safe and spoil you in the ways that you deserve to be spoiled."
She started to pull away, but turned back at the sincerity of his words. "Damn it, Scarlett. I want to marry you because I love you. I'm intrigued by you. I'll stop playing games with my words and make you understand me plainly. There are times when I wish that I would have already played my hand and shown you my cards. But I want to spend the rest of my life with you, if you will just let me. Let me take you away from worrying about where your next meal will be or how you will pay the taxes. Let me spoil you and show you off and buy you everything you ever wanted."
He saw the hesitation in her eyes, "And don't try to tell me that you can't because Frank is barely gone. You know society can make excuses for a woman to be protected and provided for, especially as you have two small children, and aside from Ashley Wilkes as your former brother in law and Uncle Henry Hamilton, there is no one to protect you. You have no brothers, and your father has passed. And I know that you didn't love Frank - it is common knowledge. He was able to save Tara for you when I couldn't, but it wasn't a love match. I'm thankful that he was able to take care of you and that someone else didn't take advantage of you in your time of need." He raked his hands through his shining hair, "and let all of the old biddies of Atlanta go to hell for all I care. You should be treated like a queen." He tugged her towards him, and this time she came willingly. "Let me have the honor of becoming your husband. And let me show you how fun marriage can be."
At this his lips descended, slow and gentle at first, whisper soft as he began seeking redemption, but as she began to respond, his lips grew more demanding, and she began to press her body to his. "Say yes, damn it. Scarlett. Say yes."
And almost against her will, she found herself agreeing. "Yes, Rhett. I will marry you," she breathed softly. Her eyes shone brightly as the speckled sunlight reflected off the brilliant green depths. All of the bruises had finally faded away, leaving only tenderness where her wrist and ribs had been broken. She was nearly completely healed.
Rhett released her and knelt before her. He slipped a hand into his coat pocket and extracted a ring. "I'll let you pick out something as ostentatious as you could ever wish, but this will suffice until then." He held out a delicate ring with a small diamond in the center, flanked by two smaller emeralds. He smiled sheepishly, ""the emeralds reminded me of your eyes."
Scarlett simply nodded and allowed him to slip it onto her hand. She tugged on his hands, and he rose and kissed her gently. When the kiss ended, Scarlett nestled herself into his embrace– for here was the safety and security that she craved.
Without asking for anyone to join them, Rhett and Scarlett rode into town and were married quickly at the courthouse. With the situation being what it was, a quiet and discreet courthouse wedding was the most appropriate option. The original courthouse had been burned along with most of the city, including the train depot, from a raid carried out by Judson Kilpatrick, a name twinged with much hate by the county residents. The temporary structure was of no significance. Scarlett wore a dove gray gown, simple to the point of austere, but it was what was appropriate for a widow to wear. And as much as she hated the thought of her widowhood, it was Frank's death that allowed for Rhett to take his place. And she was reminded of the events that led to her hasty marriage to save Tara. It would be unlikely that the matrons of Atlanta would be very accepting of her marriage to Rhett, and even Melanie might struggle to accept the timeline. But with this mariage there was a feeling of excitement and anticipation, while the marriage to Frank hac only caused her anxiety and dread. Even if she couldn't explain it, a marriage to Rhett just seemed right.
It was evening by the time that they returned to Tara, and supper had already been set on the table when they walked into the battle-scared dining room.
"Where have you been?" Suellen asked in annoyance. "There is plenty to be done here, if you're going to take over my home," she groused at her older sister. "And even the children didn't know where you were, and Ella needed to be changed and fed. You can't just disappear at whatever whim strikes you and go gallivanting around the county with a scalawag like Rhett Butler. We all heard about his speculating during the war. He is reviled."
Rhett rose to the occasion, using his most charming manners, "Won't you congratulate your sister and your new brother in law, Mrs. Benteen?
Suellen looked about the room wildly, first at Will and then at Scarlett and Rhett. And immediately she was taken aback by the rind on her sister's hand. "What will the neighbor's say? Frank hasn't been dead nearly long enough. You know this isn't proper. What would mother say to your brazen actions. You've never been one to consider how your actions reflect on this family's good name…"
"Like how you tried to get Pa to sign the ironclad oath and then killed him?" Scarlett retorted. "Nothing I've done can hold a candle to the damage that you've done. The entire county loathes you for what you did to Pa."
"If anyone is to blame for any deaths, it is you. Although you've taken care to cover your tracks and remarry before the dirt settles on Frank's grave. After you stole him from me." Suellen seethed.
"He wasn't the husband that you would have wanted him to be. Will is a far better man…"
There seemed to be a non verbal exchange between Will and Rhett, and Will rose to intervene. "Now Sue, let's congratulate your sister on her marriage, and then we will head upstairs. You would enjoy a meal in bed to relax, wouldn't you?" And leaving no room for her to resist, Will led Suellen from the room, as Rhett pulled Scarlett back onto the front porch.
"I told you!" Scarlett ground out. "I knew she'd say something like that. She hates me for stealing Frank from her, but she doesn't know how lucky that she was to avoid him. And Will is a God send. She would never have found someone like him if he hadn't just showed up on our doorstep, and he was sweet on Carreen anyway, but got stuck with Suellen. I feel poorly for him."
"You can tolerate your sister for one more night, and then we will be taking Wade and Ella and whichever of the servants want to join us and going on an adventure over seas. I'll build you a new house wherever in the world you want, and you can lord it over your sister all you want." His words were a deep rumble in his chest and the feeling of safety that he embodied seemed to lull her into a more peaceful state as they stood in the shade of the porch. "Now chin up, my pet. Let's go inside and enjoy our first meal as man and wife until we retire." He tipped her chin upwards and dropped a soft kiss. "Let's face the lions."
She nodded and he led her by the hand back into the dining room. "I'd like to introduce you to my husband, Rhett Butler," she told the meager assembly of Will and his oldest daughter, Susie who was sitting beside Ella and Wade. In fact, aside from Wade, Will was the only one at the table that even understood. Suellen was upstairs, sulking at being removed from the table.
"Congratulations, Miss Scarlett," Will rose to embrace her. "It's mighty fine to finally meet you, Captain Butler. Wade thinks the sun rises and sets at your command. And Miss Melly thinks awfully highly of you."
"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Mr. Benteen. Scarlett, likewise has had many wonderful things to say about you. You were apparently a godsend after the war. I need to thank you for keeping them all safe, when I couldn't be here." Rhett took off his hat and sat at the table. "And thank you for keeping one of us from becoming a widower today. I'd hate to have waited this long to marry Scarlett and not even get a full day with her, though I'd pit her against the Yankee army, so it might have been self preservation for yourself to intervene."
"They can both get so riled up at each other, and go at each other like feral cats at the slightest provocation," Will chuckled. "But I suspect that Miss Scarlett here had the upper hand, 'specially since my Sue is in the family way." At this Will beamed.
"Congratulations," Rhett returned genially. "Has Suellen decided that she is in a competition with her sister?" he added archingly. At this both men chuckled, and Scarlett ignoring both of them, turned her attention to filling her plate.
"Don't you be getting any ideas, Rhett Butler. That is a competition that I want no part of. Suellen can win hands down. I'd like to keep my figure, thank you very much." She turned her attention back to her brother-in-law, easily her favorite resident of Tara. "We will be leaving in the morning, Will." Scarlett added before taking a bite.
Ella began whining, and Scarlett started to rise to take her, but Rhett motioned for her to remain seated. "Here, Ella." he cooed. " Let me see how big you're getting. What a big girl you are now. And eating big girl food at the table. You'll be far too big, much too soon, and I shall spend my time beating the beaus from the door, especially if you take lessons from your mother."
Ella was small for her age, and looked even smaller against Rhett's large frame. But she immediately seemed content in his arms. And the way he held her, Scarlett could easily forget that Ella was not Rhett's own child, though the gingery curls that were sprouting across her head clearly reflected Frank Kennedy's parentage. "Are you going to be a big girl and sleep in the nursery with your cousin Susie and brother Wade?"
She nodded and grinned at him, and then reached up and pulled at his mustache. Rhett laughed and disentangled her tiny fingers from his face, as she tried to wiggle her hands down to pull at his gleaming teeth. "No, no my dear." He rubbed at her back and she snuggled against him, momentarily distracted. "That is a sweet girl."
Rhett continued to cradle Ella even as he ate his meal. "Scarlett, would you like to know where we are heading?"
She nodded, "I suppose so, Rhett."
"Well, first I plan on taking you to Charleston to meet my mother and sister. While we are there, I'll hire a dressmaker to provide an appropriate wardrobe for the trip. As soon as the clothes are ready we will travel to Europe, beginning with England and possibly Ireland, so that you can see where your roots come from. And then after a while, I think we should visit Paris. You did study French at your finishing school, didn't you?"
"But Rhett," she countered. "My French is awful. I failed French. Mother spoke French, but I never understood it."
"Does it really matter? I speak French beautifully, and I will escort you to the finest shops on the continent. Starting tomorrow your life can be what it was meant to be the entire time."
Wade wiggled in his seat. "Are we going to see London Bridge?" he asked in excitement.
"Yes, we will. And the tower of London, and things you've never even heard of." Wade slipped from his chair and Rhett pulled him onto his lap opposite from Ella. "And I'm not going to replace your father, Wade, or Ella's, but I am now your step father, and I will do my best to deserve that title. Wade threw his arms around Rhett, as Scarlett watched on smiling. Rhett really was different than most step fathers. He genuinely enjoyed the children. Now it was time to wait and see how the rest of their lives would be, if Rhett really lived up to his promise.