Dear readers, thank you so much for all your reviews, kind words and for sharing your thoughts!

It inspires me a lot, it's nice to know that what you write is interesting for someone to read :)

I think we have 3-4 chapters more and an epilogue left.. We'll see:)

So, Captain Butler visits his mother:)

Enjoy reading!:)

I own nothing in regard to GWTW.

Chapter 19.

The evening train to Charleston had just pulled out of Atlanta station, carrying passengers to the seaside town.

Two men sat silently in their compartment, one reading a newspaper intently, occasionally rubbing his eyes. It was obvious that he was tired and about to take a nap.

The other was smoking a cigar and looking intently at the landscape outside the window in the approaching twilight. It was obvious that he was very thoughtful.

Memories of their recent conversation swirled in his mind.

"Rhett, you must go to your mother..."

"I doubt it."

"Rhett, my aunt must have written about your father in that letter for a reason," she went on, gently stroking his hand, "apparently they found out from Suellen that we were working together and so they let you know... You're already late for the funeral, but your mother wants to see you."

He grinned and said, looking straight ahead, "She hasn't wanted to see me in so many years. I'm a lousy sheep for a surname like 'Butler'."

"Not true!" he heard her loud voice and saw her green eyes sparkle, "No, I know you and I know you're a good person, not mean! And that's the most important thing..." she stopped there and said again, but more quietly, "Your mother must have been put under pressure by your father. Rhett, please do this for me."

He just hugged her tighter around the waist as they stood at the window.

"I've asked Tom to come with you," she continued in a firm voice.

He frowned and asked briefly, "Why Scarlett? I'm not a little boy anymore and I can..."

"Because you need a friend around you," she interrupted him softly, adding quietly, "I'd go with you, but you know it's not appropriate now, I'm nobody to you..."

He suddenly turned to her, took her in his arms and whispered in her ear, "Just my fiancée, Scarlett! Does that sound like the word 'nobody' to you?"

She closed her eyes for a moment, breathing in his scent, knowing they wouldn't see each other for several days, then looked up at him and ran her hand gently down his cheek.

"It's very important to me, Rhett... But it's a secret for now, you understand. We'll tell everyone when you get here, okay?"

He leaned towards her again and she felt the soft touch of his warm lips, which echoed in her heart and she pressed harder against him.

He broke the kiss gently and said, looking into her eyes, "All right, Scarlett, I'll go. I'll see how things are going, after all I have to make sure my mother is well looked after and doesn't need anything," he said and she saw the sadness in his eyes and vaguely knew it was resentment. Resentment from him as a son against his mother.

"But," he went on, "I have one condition, Scarlett. Two, to be precise. The first is that you won't go to the sawmill these days, Darling. It could be dangerous! And second, I'm not going to hide from my mother that I have a fiancée," he finished gravely, and she just nodded.

"Rhett," a quiet voice called to him, and he tore his eyes from the landscape outside the window and looked at Tom questioningly.

"You're very much in your own thoughts, Captain Butler," he said with a smile, and added, "I'm sorry about your father."

"Don't be, Tom," Rhett said gravely, adding, "it's been a long time since I felt I had a father. I think it's been a long time since he felt he had me as a son."

"Was it that bad?" asked Tom quietly, folding up the paper and putting it down beside him.

Rhett put out his cigar, looked at Tom hard and said, "When I was a child, my father hired a mentor for me for the summer. I was sent to an estate near Charleston after my little sister was born, to keep me out of the way and out of mischief. I was an active little boy, dreaming of escaping on a camping trip or a boat trip. My father thought I was a bad influence on my younger brother and made the whole family nervous.

The mentor was a retired military man, Mr Brown. Every day started with swimming, running, riding, doing exercises, endlessly and in the sweltering heat. I was punished for the smallest misdemeanour with physical exercises that would leave you fainting or throwing up from exhaustion.

Rhett paused, ran a hand through his hair, then grinned, "Mr Brown hinted that if I was having trouble the physical load could be reduced, that he was following my father's instructions and that if I asked it would be easier..."

"Let me guess, Rhett," Tom interrupted quietly, "you didn't ask, you kept quiet?"

Rhett looked at Tom seriously and replied, "Yes, l kept quiet. Every damned day was like a torture. But I kept quiet, not understanding why this man I called 'Father' was so intent on breaking me? Why didn't he accept me, praise me and try to understand me? I kept quiet so as not to give him the pleasure of breaking me. It was the worst summer of my life," he finished quietly, shaking his head.

Tom looked at his friend in silence, not knowing what to say, but Rhett continued on his own, "You know, if I ever have a son," he smiled and corrected himself, "I mean, I already have a son, it's Wade.

Tom smiled and Rhett continued, "I will never try to break his character. I know Scarlett can be hard on him, but she's young and it's been hard on them, they practically grew up together in this war and devastation. She's a good mother, but I'm going to help her be an even better mother, Wade will never feel what I felt ," Rhett concluded.

Tom nodded and added with a smile, "But despite his soft nature, this boy is not only his father's son, but also his mother's son, and we know how stubborn your fiancée can be. Although... What am I saying, you are both worthy of each other, Rhett."

Rhett just grinned, then looked at the twilight outside the window and began to undo his cufflinks.

"I think we should get some rest, Tom, don't you?"

Tom nodded and rubbed his eyes tiredly, putting the newspaper on the table from his seat and loosening his tie.

At lunchtime the next day, the carriage stopped in front of a white mansion on Battery Street. It was obvious that the house needed some repairs, some painting, the tiled roof needed repairing in places, but the porch was clean and freshly painted. The garden was tidy too, the bushes trimmed, the leaves removed.

Rhett stared for a long time at this house he had dreamed of so often in his youth, but as the years passed, the image faded, the dreams faded, along with his illusions that he would come back. But he did come back.

Rhett cleared his throat and said quietly to Tom, "I think it was a mistake to come right here from the station, Tom. We should have checked into a hotel and sent a note and..."

"And offended your mother in the process, didn't we, Rhett? A son came to town and didn't go to his mother?"

"Well, actually, I've done that many times," Rhett grinned.

"Not under these circumstances," Tom interrupted him earnestly.

"I think I can see why Scarlett sent you with me," Rhett grumbled, "all I needed was a nanny!"

Tom grinned and said, "Your, let me tell you, fiancée, did the right thing! Otherwise you'd have come to town incognito, paid your mother a lot of money and never visited her."

Rhett was silent and Tom continued, "Come on, Captain Butler, be brave."

Rhett shook his head, adjusted his hat, and they started for the house.

He walked through the garden of his childhood, looking stealthily around, remembering how he had climbed that tree near the neighbour's fence, how he had pitched a shack at the end of the garden, how he had found a bird's nest in those bushes, how he had played hide and seek with his little brother, how he had hurt his knee, torn his new trousers and hid behind the gazebo.

They walked to the door, looked at each other and Rhett knocked firmly.

The door opened almost immediately and Rhett saw that it was their old butler, Mr Milton.

If the butler was surprised, he didn't show it and just said, "Welcome, sir. Mr Butler. Come in, I'll report you."

Rhett and Tom looked at each other and entered the large hall. It seemed to Rhett that nothing had changed in all these years. Everything was in its place. But as Rhett looked more closely, he noticed that many things, paintings, expensive vases, gilded frames - many valuable things - were missing. Echoes of the past war... "But the house survived," Rhett thought to himself, and for some reason that made his heart beat harder.

But his thoughts were interrupted by Tom tugging lightly on his sleeve and pointing to the hat that Rhett had still not removed. He nodded and took it off, placing it on the small mahogany table.

Tom followed and glanced furtively at Rhett, thinking only, "He's very nervous."

Then they heard soft footsteps, and a moment later a stately old lady in a black dress, her hair tied up in a neat bun, appeared in the hall. Her blue eyes were bright with joy, but her gestures were uncertain.

"Son, Rhett," she said in a quiet voice, and added, "Welcome home," as she walked over to him and touched him lightly on the cheek.

Rhett smiled crookedly, bowed slightly and said, "Hello, Mother."

She smiled uncertainly at him and said, "I'm so glad you came."

Rhett pointed at Tom and changed the subject, "This is a good friend of mine, Mr Allen, we work together. He came with me."

Tom nodded, smiled and politely kissed Mrs Butler's hand.

"I'm glad to have you in our home, Mr Allen."

"You can just call me 'Tom', Mrs Butler."

She smiled again and nodded.

They stood there in awkward silence for a few moments and Tom realized he had to take control of the situation.

"Mrs Butler, I would like to offer my condolences on the death of your husband," he said quietly, and she just nodded, taking her troubled gaze away from the son she remembered as a young boy.

Then Mrs Butler smiled awkwardly and said, "Forgive me for my manners, gentlemen, of course I'll have the maid prepare the rooms upstairs for you, but in the meantime we can have coffee with you. Or are you hungry? Oh, of course you are..."

Rhett smiled slightly and said, "That's okay, we'll have coffee."

Tom looked seriously at Rhett, at his face, which was all a mask of politeness, and suddenly realized that this grown-up son needed to be left alone with his mother.

So he, looking at both of them and avoiding Rhett's gaze, said, "May I go out into the garden while we wait for the coffee? It's very pretty."

Mrs Butler just nodded and said, "Certainly, Tom, go through the living-room doors. Rhett and I will wait for you there, won't we, son?"

Rhett looked nervously at Tom, who deliberately didn't notice his gaze, and nodded.

They went into the living room, Mrs Butler gave instructions to the maid and the butler, Tom went out into the garden, closing the French doors behind him.

Rhett stood at the piano, which their mother had loved to play and had taught Rosemary to play, and Mrs Butler sat down in a chair nearby.

She sat and looked at her son, all grown up. A tall man. And there before her, in front of her eyes, was the little boy, Rhett, trying to pretend he didn't care.

She shook her head and called softly to him, "Rhett, son?"

He took his eyes from the piano lid in silence and looked at her questioningly.

"Son," she said suddenly, rising from her chair and clasping her hands in front of her, "I'm sorry."

Rhett closed his eyes for a moment and then said, "Mum, I..."

"No, wait," she cut him off, "Rhett, I'm sorry I turned out to be a mother who couldn't protect my child. Son, everything changed overnight, you left our home, your father was adamant against all my pleas," she paused and saw that Rhett was studiously avoiding her gaze, but continued, "Rhett, son, look at me."

Her blue eyes met the cold gleam of the black eyes so familiar to her, but Mrs Butler went on resolutely, "Darling, there wasn't much I could do but pray for you when you left. But during the blockade, I always knew when you were coming to Charleston. I knew exactly when your ships were coming and going, son. I even came to the port a couple of times, but I didn't dare to approach to you, Rhett. Then you sold your ships and I didn't know what happened to you, but I prayed that you would survive the storm of the war..." she paused, gently wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes.

She looked at Rhett again, and it seemed to her that his gaze became warmer, and said softly again, "I am so sorry, son!"

"Mum," he replied quietly, running his hand over the piano, "I don't hate you. I hate him for what he's done, and I'm afraid I'll remember it forever. But I don't hate you, Mum."

Mrs Butler smiled through her tears and only replied, "I understand, son," then she noticed his gaze shift behind her and she saw him swallow a few times and his eyes glistened strangely.

"What is it, Rhett?" she asked softly.

"I just... That painting... You painted it," Rhett explained quietly, pointing to an oil painting in a white wooden frame. A white sailboat sailing on the horizon. Blue sky, calm sea. Rhett had loved this painting since he was a child, it seemed to him that whoever was sailing on this boat was very happy.

"That painting, Mum..." he repeated softly, and then added, swallowing, "it's just... Seeing it made me realize how much I've missed you."

Mrs Butler shook her head, looked at him affectionately, quickly walked over and hugged her son tightly, saying softly, "I love you, son."

She felt him shyly hug her back and replied, "I love you too, Mum."

Fifteen minutes later, sitting in the living room, Tom watched as Rhett changed, his mask of indifference slipping away as he spoke to his mother in the same way he had spoken to him and Scarlett. Gently teasing, joking, dodging answers, generally acting real. Tom smiled, as he sipped his coffee, and was glad to be here with his friend. He also knew that the trip wouldn't be long, at least not this time, because Rhett missed his fiancée terribly, even if he didn't show it, and he himself missed India and planned to propose to her in the autumn.

Mrs Butler told them that Ross had been away at the estate for three weeks, slowly working on the restoration, and Rosemary was at a painting lesson but should be back soon.

She was upset to hear that Rhett had only come for three days, but he explained, "You see, Mum, we came with Tom to see how you were getting on, to sort out all the legal and financial matters."

Mrs Butler nodded and Rhett continued, setting the cup down on the table, "and I have work in Atlanta, a sawmill."

Tom coughed slightly and Rhett realized he was barely holding back a laugh. Looking at him, Rhett said obligingly, "Did you choke, Tom?"

"No, Rhett," Tom replied, putting the cup down and saying with smile, "Let me go up to my room and change before dinner."

Leaving mother and son alone again, Tom went up to his room while Rhett decided to continue the conversation.

"Mum, it's not just work I can't stay late for. I have a fiancée in Atlanta," he said earnestly, and his heart suddenly beat faster, for this was the first time he had ever spoken of Scarlett in such a way.

Mrs Butler smiled and replied, "That's wonderful news, Darling. What's her name? Perhaps I know her parents?"

Rhett frowned for a moment, remembering that Scarlett had lost her parents, but suddenly said, "Her parents aren't alive, but you know her aunts well. This is Scarlett Hamilton."

Mrs Butler looked at her son in surprise, then smiled and said, "How so, Rhett... That girl sounds like a blessing to me. You know, when your father got sick after the war, we had a very hard time, but my friends always tried to help us, and especially Scarlett's aunts. They said their niece helped them. Oh, later we learnt from her sister that you two were working together. I can't believe it, Rhett! And now she's my son's fiancée," she finished with a smile, and once again Rhett felt proud of his favourite woman, who cared for her relatives and, as it turned out, for his relatives too.

"Yes, Mum," said Rhett affectionately, "it just so happens. She's a young widow, her husband died at the beginning of the war. She has a son."

"Then I shall have a grandson, Darling," Mrs Butler replied softly.

The next few days in Charleston flew by. Breakfasts, lunches and dinners, lots of talking, meeting with the lawyer, walks along the waterfront with his mother and sister.

At lunch on Saturday, before they left, Rhett was surprised to see that the dessert was the peach pie from his childhood, his favourite. She didn't forget!

He looked questioningly at his mother at the table with a smile, but she only smiled lovingly back at him.

Mrs Butler insisted on taking him and Tom to the station that evening, and as she said goodbye she hugged him tightly and whispered, "I'm waiting for you, son, for you, my daughter-in-law and my grandson."

On Monday morning, Scarlett paced impatiently around the parlour, glancing out of the window from time to time, adjusting her pale blue summer dress and her hair, which she had pulled back, gathering only at the sides, knowing that he liked it that way.

She heard the sound of the carriage and ran out onto the veranda, barely in time to kiss her son. Her heart was pounding, it felt like it was going to jump out of her chest. She missed him so much!

When she saw the familiar silhouette in the distance, the way he came down so quickly, his eyes she could drown in and his smile...

"Good morning, Mrs Hamilton," she heard his joking tone and smiled back at him. He held out his hand and they were enveloped in the warmth of each other.

"Good morning Captain Butler, you're back already, how was your trip?" she asked, observing the rules of etiquette as she got into the buggy.

"Oh, unforgettable, Mrs Hamilton, what could be better than being back in the town of your childhood," he replied, deliberately stretching out the vowel sounds, smiling as he circled the horse and got into the buggy.

Scarlett shook her head, unable to contain her smile, he was incorrigible.

"Shall we go?" he asked quietly, sitting down beside her and taking the reins.

She just nodded, trying to steady her breathing.

It seemed to Scarlett that they had met half a town's worth of acquaintances along the way today, they had to smile and nod at various people.

The forest and the exit from the town appeared ahead, and her heart raced even faster.

As they drove into the woods for about three minutes, Rhett suddenly stopped the buggy in the shade of a large tree, dropped the reins and turned to her, quickly wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close to him. Scarlett wrapped her arms around his neck in return and pressed herself against him, closing her eyes and breathing in his scent.

She felt his hands run down her back and then she heard his hot whisper, "God, how I missed you..."

She barely had time to say, "Me too," before she felt his hot lips on hers.

They were enveloped in each other's scents and tastes, one heartbeat following the other, his palms sliding over the thin fabric of her dress. In the silence of the forest, they were hidden from the eyes of others, only the rustle of the leaves bearing silent witness to their tender encounter.