The next few months passed in an atmosphere of complete madness for Scarlett. Suellen, who recovered a bit after Frank's death, refused to run the store. She agreed to sell it to Scarlett.
For Scarlett, it was a pleasant change to do something new. But, when she sorted the financial documents, the discovery shocked her. Frank mismanaged his business. She was generally surprised at how he kept afloat. Frank, during his life, sold goods on credit to his neighbors. They made it a habit. At some point, Scarlett regretted buying it from Suellen. But, she had to make it profitable. So now she spent all her time not at the mills, but in the store.
There she met her new friend. One day, a girl about Scarlett's age came into the store. Her name was Emma Stanton. She had moved to Atlanta from Tennessee with her husband. They lived in a small house on the city's outskirts. She reminded her somewhat of Melanie, with the same childish face and big brown eyes. Scarlett took a liking to her mainly because she didn't try to lecture her or impose her opinion on her.
Emma began to go into the store more often to talk with Scarlett. They even went to the café several times for lunch. At lunch, Scarlett saw a bruise on Emma's arm. Emma tried to hide it, but Scarlett noticed.
"Emma, did your husband do this?" She inquired with a quivering voice.
"It's nothing, Scarlett. He didn't do it on purpose..."
"Not on purpose? Do you mean someone can do it accidentally? Emma, does he hit you often?"
Scarlett couldn't even imagine how a man could hit a woman. Her father had never raised a hand against his mother nor against her or her sisters, even slaves. He had never treated them like that.
"Scarlett, please, let's not continue this conversation." She felt very awkward and was ready to cry, and Scarlett decided not to bring up the subject anymore.
"Okay, but please promise me if he does it again, you will come to me." Emma nodded.
This situation alarmed Scarlett, but there was nothing she could do.
But at the beginning of June, she received a telegram, after which all this flew out of her head because it said:
"I'll be in Atlanta in two days. R."
Since receiving Rhett's telegram, Scarlett couldn't find a place. She had to admit that she missed him more than she should have.
Scarlett had no talent for analyzing situations. But she now had time to think about Rhett, first of all. His behavior had changed lately. She couldn't say when it started. But he was different from the Rhett she knew before the Atlanta siege.
Lately, his rude comments and hurtful barbs had vanished. Only one topic seemed to anger him to madness: Ashley Wilkes. And if their conversations didn't concern him, Rhett was friendly enough. This confused her. Scarlett could not understand the real Rhett. Once, he had sat impressively on Aunt Pitty's porch. Without embarrassment, he offered to make her his mistress. Now, he was ready to marry her after rescuing her each time. What kind of game he was playing, it seemed to Scarlett that she would never be able to understand this man.
She told him the truth: she liked him, it wasn't love, but it was something more than sympathy. His presence always quickened her heart. Rhett could be very charming. But before, he was her friend, and now he was going to be her husband. Her handsome and rich husband.
A handsome man wanted to marry her. His motives were primitive. He said it was a thirst for her body. Still, it gave her some consolation.
Marrying one man to heal a broken heart was not the best way out. But Scarlett tried to put these thoughts away. As Rhett's wife, she would never again worry about money. She and her family would never starve again. She was sure Rhett would never let this happen, he had already helped her once. But she tried not to think about the moral side of the issue.
Rhett was handsome, she couldn't argue with that fact. She had never thought about his looks before. But she had noticed how the ladies of Atlanta had succumbed to his charm at the start of the war. The more she thought about him, the more she realized that he stood out from other men. The fact that she was marrying an attractive man pleased her. If she was going to live with him for the rest of her life, then let him be a pleasure to look at.
For some reason, Suellen's late husband, Frank, came to mind, and she shuddered. Scarlett couldn't imagine marrying such an unattractive man.
Rhett was completely different. His talent was kissing. She remembered how this vain boor had once bragged. He said he was a great kisser. Unfortunately, he was right.
She remembered that kiss in the library and blushed. Scarlett hoped to feel those same feelings again. If he always kissed her like that, she would be ready for anything.
Preparing for Rhett's arrival, Scarlett searched for the best dress. She wanted to find one that he might like. She opted for a pale blue dress and a deep enough neckline for the middle of the day. She had hoped to encourage Rhett to take more action, and the very thought made her blush.
In the afternoon, she heard a knock on the door and hurried to open it. Rhett was standing in the doorway. He looked great. His mere presence changed the atmosphere in the room as if he filled the entire space with his energy. Now, he stood on the threshold. But Scarlett saw nothing else around but him.
"Rhett, you're here!" she beamed at him. She wanted to throw her into his arms, but Scarlett was afraid that someone on the street might see them.
"Scarlett..." he bowed formally, taking off his hat, his face was serious enough, and she wasn't sure if he was even happy to see her.
Scarlett invited him into the living room, sitting down on the sofa and waiting for him to sit next to her. She had hoped for a different reunion. Scarlett imagined he would kiss her and admit how much he missed her. But his impenetrable face made her doubt this.
"Are you still Miss O'Hara, or should I call you Mrs. Clark?" He posed the question in a relaxed tone.
Scarlett narrowed her eyes, watching him. Rhett tried to look disinterested, but she could see how tense he was.
"What are you talking about, Rhett?" She flaunted her offense in her response.
"I'm going back to the city to see my bride. But I found out, for months, another man had been pursuing her. He compromised her, so she should marry him. So maybe I don't have a bride anymore?"
"How do you know?"
"Gossip, dear. The city is buzzing like a beehive."
Scarlett wanted to laugh.
"Oh, Rhett, what nonsense, this is ridiculous." She tried to dismiss it, but Rhett gave it his full attention.
"This is not nonsense, Scarlett. Can I get an answer to my question? Did you break off our engagement?"
Scarlett was outraged at the person she believed he was. She got up and walked away from him.
"Of course not, Rhett. I've been waiting for you to come back…." she saw his face darken, and he tensed up.
She suddenly realized how it sounded.
"I mean, I've been looking forward to you coming back so we can finally get married."
"I'm afraid I don't believe you enough. You haven't even answered my letter. To think that I tried, I wrote a letter to my bride about how I was looking forward to meeting her, and she chose to ignore it. Wasn't that supposed to let me know that you might have changed your mind? What did you do, burn it?" He chuckled.
"That's not true, Rhett, I answered your letter!" She was indignant.
He raised his eyebrows questioningly.
"Really? Why didn't I get it?"
"I do not know, maybe it got lost somewhere along the way or..." She halted the conversation, her hand flying to her mouth.
She stared at Rhett in horror. His mouth twitched. It was the closest to a smile she could get from him right now.
"So where's my letter, dear?"
"I'm sorry Rhett, I forgot... I forgot to reply to your letter." His face expressed disappointment, which made her feel guilty. "I just... so much has happened. People are driving me crazy, prying into others' business. I thought I sent it to you, but I guess I didn't. But that doesn't mean I've changed my mind..."
"Even so, I'm still interested in this situation, what happened between you two?" Scarlett hoped that they had finished this topic, but Rhett was not going to give up so easily.
"Nothing happened, he came here a few days after you left and proposed to me. I turned him down, saying I'm marrying you. But he didn't put up with it because he was here all this time trying to convince me. That's the whole story."
Scarlett hoped her story would satisfy him, but he frowned even more.
"Rhett, please promise me you won't do anything to him."
"Why, Miss O'Hara, are you so worried about him? He sneered in inquiry.
"Don't be a fool, Rhett, I'm worried about you. I don't want you to challenge him to a duel, kill him, and then get arrested and hanged. I still have plans for you." She started to get angry, and Rhett laughed in response.
"And what are your plans for me, Scarlett?"
"To become Mrs. Butler, but it will be difficult to do if you are hanged" She glared at him, hands on her hips.
Rhett got up from his seat and walked over to her, putting his arm around her waist.
"Then we definitely can't ruin your plans." His face softened, and Scarlett was finally able to relax internally.
She looked at him slyly, batting her eyelashes.
"So can I finally get my welcome kiss? I missed you..." She put her hands on his chest.
"Really? Dare I hope that you stayed up all night thinking about me?" His eyes were burning.
"Don't be a fool, Rhett, of course not… Well, not so much that I can't sleep at night, but enough that I miss someone to talk to." He peered into her face, trying to find something. "Well, and you... didn't you miss me?"
"Just like you, darling," he replied simply. Scarlett felt disappointed. She wanted to hear something, but not such a dry answer. It must have shown on her face because Rhett laughed and took her chin in his hand.
"And you wanted to hear that I was counting the days until we met. That I dreamed of finally squeezing you in my arms and feeling your sweet lips on mine. Every night on the ship, I saw your image. Your eyes beckoned with their depths. Your voice, like a siren's, called me to return to you."
Scarlett caught her breath for a second, wondering if he could be thinking about what he had said. She looked at him, trying to figure out if it was true, but then he laughed.
"Oh, Scarlett, I never thought you'd be so exposed to such romantic nonsense."
She was angry, he was playing with her as always. How could she believe that Rhett could feel this way about her?"I don't love you..."the words he had uttered a few months ago popped into her head.
"Let me go..." she punched him in the chest, trying to free herself from his arms. But Rhett was much stronger and didn't move an inch, only hugging her tighter. "Let go, get out, I don't want to see you here!"
"Hush, Scarlett, smooth your feathers. It was a joke," he tried to calm her down, but she only squirmed even more in his arms.
"A joke? Go away and joke somewhere else, Rhett Butler. I don't want to see you, and I won't marry a man who can joke about something like that..."
He maneuvered her body so that she hit the wall, and he loomed over her. Rhett was no longer laughing but was looking at her intently, but she turned away, not wanting to see his face.
"Scarlett, I didn't mean to offend you. I think it's only fair that we both tell the truth..." he turned her face so that she looked straight into his eyes. "You tell me why you missed me, and I'll tell you why I did. How do you like this offer?"
"No..." Scarlett shook her head. Of course, she was wondering what Rhett would say. But her stubbornness did not allow her to give up so easily. "I'm not interested."
"You do. It's written all over your face. Come on, darling, tell me..." his eyes were hypnotizing, she felt like a rabbit in front of a huge boa constrictor that was about to eat her.
But she was silent, staring at him stubbornly and not wanting to give up first. She seemed amused by her behavior because he laughed softly.
"Okay, stubborn woman, I'll be the first to say it. Of course, I missed our talks. I missed the sparkle in your eyes that appears when I infuriate you with my barbs. And I can see it right now. And from your smile, with those adorable dimples on your cheeks..." Scarlett looked at him incredulously, trying to figure out if he was serious or joking again. But Rhett looked quite serious, so she let herself relax. "Well, darling, is that enough for you to forgive me?"
"Yes, Rhett, that's enough for now." She looked at him condescendingly.
"Well, I expect a response, dear." Scarlett saw the impatience on his face as if he wanted to know why and how she had missed him.
"I missed you..." Scarlett didn't know how to explain it to him, it was difficult for her to explain it even to herself. "I miss our talks. You're the only one I can trust. I can share my thoughts without fear of a moral inquisition. And... I missed your hugs and maybe just a little bit of your kisses..." She looked at him from under her eyelashes, expecting him to laugh at her, but there was no laughter.
His eyes lit up. A second later, he pressed her against his chest. Without waiting for Rhett, Scarlett wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her lips. A kiss that began with timid, gentle touches of lips turned into a whirlpool of passion. His lips searched for hers. His tongue explored her mouth. It made her whole body burn. How could he think that she could marry someone else after such feelings?
Rhett's lips moved to her neck, showering her with gentle kisses.
"This dress is beautiful, darling."
"I was hoping you'd like it..." his lips slowly moved lower, leaving a hot, wet kiss in the very place where the dress began on her chest. A soft moan escaped Scarlett's lips. It sobered her up. She slightly pushed Rhett away, then pulled away.
"What's wrong, Scarlett? He furrowed his brow, not understanding why she broke off the kiss.
"Did you bring me Rhett's ring?" she asked impatiently.
He laughed out loud, sitting down on the couch with her again.
"Impatient as always, my dear."
He reached into his inside pocket and took out a small black box. Scarlett waited impatiently for him to open it, but Rhett handed it to her. She opened it and froze. On the black velvet was the most beautiful ring Scarlett had ever seen. A large oval diamond framed on both sides by a scattering of smaller ones.
"Oh, Rhett, it's so beautiful..." she couldn't help but smile at him.
"I'm glad you like it. Цill you let me...?"
Rhett took the box from her and reached out to take her hand. He slowly put the ring on her finger, kissing her hand. Scarlett reached out to him and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.
"Thank you, Rhett." She suddenly wanted to hug him. She clung to him, putting her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her.
"How bad has it been all this time?" he muttered into her hair.
"Oh Rhett, it was terrible. They all tried to talk me out of our wedding. They came here and even stopped me on the street. I stopped going to sewing clubs. We were the main topic of conversation there. You may be surprised, but the only person who supported me and is happy that we're getting married is Melanie."
"I have never doubted Miss Melly's kindness. And what did Mr. Wilkes say when he found out about it? His voice sounded distant. She pulled back and looked at him.
Rhett stared at her intently, waiting for an answer.
"Rhett, why do you need this? Why do you keep thinking about him?" Scarlett lost her temper.
"I'm curious about, Scarlett. Does he share his wife's thoughts, or was he trying to dissuade you from falling into my monstrous hands?" He continued calmly.
"He was against it." She rolled her eyes.
"And what did he say?"
"That you will ruin my reputation and I deserve the best, and that I need a gentleman who will appreciate me. Something like that. I told him he could talk to you if he didn't like something."
When Scarlett heard his loud laughter, she was surprised.
"Well, I'm looking forward to this conversation." He pulled her back to him. "I'm sorry you had to put up with all this, Scarlett. I don't want you to worry about it, I won't leave you alone anymore."
They sat in silence for a while.
"Speaking of your recent trip to Charleston. You've conquered my mother.… She said I made the right choice. What did you tell her?" Rhett looked interested.
But Scarlett wouldn't tell him the gist of that talk with Eleanor Butler.
"Nothing, Rhett, we talked, she's a very nice woman. I wasn't going to do it intentionally. I wanted to leave Atlanta, so I went there. But my aunts were no more excited than the locals about our wedding and tried to dissuade me."
"Oh, I have no doubt about that, dear. I don't even know how Charlestonians will get over it. The black sheep of this society marries even one of the famous surnames of the South. Scarlett, we're going to be the subject of gossip for months to come." He was amused by the situation.
But Scarlett was annoyed by everyone's need to pry into others' business.
"The main thing is that they don't try to torment us with their moralizing. Or rather me, because they will hardly dare to tell you anything."
Rhett looked into her eyes.
"Scarlett, I don't want you to worry about this. Forget about all these people. They don't matter." He left a gentle kiss on her lips.
Scarlett was always surprised. He ignored those who disliked or despised him. Rhett had a special talent for smiling sweetly at them. It was as if their words did not touch him. Now, sitting on the couch in his arms, she finally understood. It was the feeling that had been assaulting her for a long time when with him. It was a feeling of calm as if nothing in this world could reach her. Scarlett believed she was doing everything right. Others disagreed. But, for some unknown reason, being with this man felt right.
"Rhett, will you stay for lunch? " She looked at him hopefully.
"I'm sorry, dear, I have business in the city, but I'll come to you tomorrow." He kissed her gently on the lips again.
"Tomorrow is Sunday, Rhett, I'm going to church in the morning."
"Then I'll go with you there," he said, getting up from the couch.
"To the church?" she laughed.
"What made you laugh so much, Scarlett?"
"It's hard for me to imagine you there, Rhett, but I'd be glad if you'd join me."
Scarlett walked him to the door, where they agreed to meet tomorrow.
They agreed with Rhett that he would pick her up and they would go to church together. It was strange for Scarlett. She couldn't imagine Rhett at church. She didn't understand why he needed it. She wasn't a devout parishioner. But she had been accompanying Melanie lately. So it had become a habit to spend Sunday mornings like this.
Rhett met her on Aunt Pitty's doorstep and offered her his hand. Side by side, they set off on foot, attracting everyone's attention. Scarlett felt uneasy with people giving them strange glances and whispering. But when she looked at Rhett, she saw it didn't bother him. He walked beside her with his head held high, bowing to passersby while talking to her. He relaxed his body, with a slight smile on his lips.
This change amazed Scarlett. She had never seen Rhett like this. He usually mocked her or pretended to be indifferent. But not today.
He roused her from her reverie with his question.
"Scarlett, have you thought about the wedding date yet? I'd rather do it as soon as possible, but you need time to prepare. What do you say about the 30th of June?"
Scarlett thought about his words. It would be in about three weeks. If they started preparing now, they would be on time.
"It's okay, Rhett. Who can we invite?" Scarlett was excited by the idea. She wanted a big, lavish wedding with many guests, expensive dishes, and dancing.
He laughed at the way her eyes lit up.
"We can invite whoever you want. But, I insist on a modest wedding, dear." She was upset to hear that from Rhett.
"But Rhett, why? She furrowed her brows, which caused him to have another fit of laughter.
"And you probably wanted to throw my dirty money in the face of the Old Guard so that they would turn green with envy?"
"Well, no... I wanted something big," she replied dreamily.
"Darling, in the current situation, this is not the best option. But I'm offering you an alternative. We won't invite the whole city to the wedding. We'll have a modest ceremony. But, we'll host a festive dinner at the National for our guests, with dancing. What do you say to that?"
Scarlett would have liked something more pompous. But the National's evening was not so bad. It was better than nothing. Scarlett didn't understand why she couldn't arrange a wedding the way she wanted. Even during Rhett's absence, she dreamed. She wanted to buy everything she desired and not save.
Of course, she had mills, and now a store, which brought her money, but she did not allow herself to spend it right and left. The memory of the hungry times in Tara never let her go. The fear that she might lose everything haunted her. But Rhett had millions, she was sure of it, and by becoming his wife, she would be able to do what she wanted.
It seems she was silent for too long because Rhett added.
"We'll honeymoon in New Orleans. You can buy anything, my dear." This thrilled Scarlett. Rhett noticed.
"Of course Rhett, I agree..." he laughed, looking at her smiling face.
They reached the church. Seeing a crowd at the entrance, Scarlett tightened her grip on Rhett's hand. He looked at her encouragingly. Then, he led her into the crowd. She heard whispers from those around her. She smiled sweetly as she greeted the neighbors. Then, she directed Rhett inside, where she sat with Melanie. Melanie rose to greet them. She was genuinely glad to see her and Rhett, but her joy was not shared by Ashley, who sat with a sullen look.
But Rhett didn't seem to care. He mocked Ashley, nodded to him, then focused on Melanie. He drew her into a light conversation. Ashley seemed surprised that Rhett ignored him. But he said nothing and sat back down on the bench.
A few minutes later, Melanie joined him, Scarlett sat beside her, and Rhett sat in the aisle. Scarlett could even feel the glances that others cast at her from behind, and this did not allow her to relax. At some point, a warm hand squeezed hers. She turned to Rhett. He nodded at her, almost imperceptibly. She exhaled and squeezed his hand in response.
Today, the sermon seemed to last forever. Scarlett fidgeted in the pew, wanting to leave as soon as possible. When the pastor finally finished, Scarlett hurried to leave. But Rhett stopped her. He wanted to set a wedding date with Reverend Jones. Mrs. Meade and Mrs. Elsing stopped her as she tried to leave.
"Oh, Scarlett, I see Captain Butler has returned and decided to join you today. It's such a surprise," Mrs. Elsing said sweetly.
"We were surprised to learn that he donated a huge amount to our church's foundation yesterday." It's very noble, of course, but I don't recall him doing this before," Mrs. Mead continued.
Scarlett tried not to look surprised after what she heard. So yesterday, Rhett donated to a church that he had never attended. She knew he didn't do anything for nothing. It was important to him that the Old Guard talked about it. But why? She decided that she would ask him about it later.
"Yes, Mrs. Meade. Rhett is very generous and supports the people of Atlanta who are in need." Hearing this, Mrs. Meade's face twisted. She knew, as well as Scarlett, that it was not true. Rhett did not care about others. But she would never have said that out loud.
"Of course, Scarlett, it was generous."
Scarlett saw Rhett coming. She relaxed, knowing they could finally leave.
"Mrs. Meade, Mrs. Elsing. Nice to see you today." He had a perfect smile on his face. He bowed slightly to the ladies, standing next to Scarlett. "I was discussing the date of our wedding with the reverend. We will send you invitations." He kept smiling sweetly, despite the old matrons' frowns at his words.
"Of course, Captain Butler. 'That's very kind. We congratulate you on your wedding,' Mrs. Elsing said hesitantly.
They amazed Scarlett with their hypocrisy. They had been telling her to end the engagement. They said Rhett would ruin her reputation. And now, standing right in front of him, they were congratulating them on their wedding. Scarlett was seething internally, she needed to leave this place as soon as possible.
She touched the crook of his elbow to get his attention. She tried to convey, with her eyes, what she wanted. It took Rhett no more than a few seconds to figure out the signal.
"Ladies, I'm afraid we have to go. It was nice to meet you. Have a nice day."
Scarlett smiled at them tightly and dragged him to the exit.
"You're very impatient today, dear." He laughed as he walked down the stairs with her.
"Oh Rhett, stop laughing. You didn't want to stay there with those old peahens any more than I did."
"Scarlett..." she heard a familiar voice behind her and turned around.
Her new friend Emma was approaching her. She was arm in arm with a tall, scowling man whom Scarlett thought was her husband.
"Good morning, Scarlett, I'm so glad to see you." Emma was smiling sincerely. "Finally, I can introduce you to my husband, this is Edward. Edward, this is Scarlett, I told you about her."
The man smiled tightly.
"Nice to meet you, Miss O'Hara, Emma has been talking about you a lot lately."
Scarlett shuddered. She no longer liked this man. He could have left the bruises on Emma's hands.
"Mr. Stanton, Emma, this is Captain Butler, my fiancé." Rhett bowed politely and smiled at Emma, which made her husband frown.
"Nice to meet you."
The situation seemed odd to Scarlett. Stanton disliked Rhett for no reason. She suggested meeting next Friday for dinner at Aunt Pitty's. Stanton reluctantly agreed, and Emma was happy to see Scarlett again. The dinner was set for next Friday. Scarlett feared the consequences.