March 27th, 1875, 4 pm, Charleston, 7 East Battery, at the Butler's Mansion
We were entertaining at the Butler's that day. It was a sunny afternoon, conducive to good humor. Rosemary had invited her friend Roselyne. Eleonor Butler was welcoming her two friends Eulalie and Pauline for tea.
Rhett was present in the house. His sister had heavily insisted that he come and greet Roselyne Tucker.
Entering the living room, he went to the window where his mother and her two guests, the Robillard ladies, Pauline and Eulalie, were sitting.
A slight twinge surprised him. Being in the presence of Scarlett's aunts was like having a part of his former wife there in the living room with him.
He was recalling the day of their last visit, painfully because it was associated with the memory of his dear Bonnie, proudly at his side in Charleston. Suddenly, a pang of shame assailed him remembering him knowingly criticizing Scarlett in front on them. Not an honest critic, but a meaner one implying how a bad mother she was since she preferred to stay in Atlanta and take care of her sawmills rather than accompany them to the family.
He perceived the embarrassment of the two old women, torn between their systematic criticism of their niece and their bitterness at a man who had branded the glorious Robillard name with the word "divorce".
He pulled himself together and shook his head as if to chase away a disturbing fly swirling around him, as if to brush away the mere name of Scarlett.
Elegantly, Rhett kissed their hands and smiled mechanically, then left the three ladies to join his sister and Roselyne who were standing by the fireplace.
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The latter welcomed him with laughing eyes. A frivolous conversation started between the three of them. The two girls exchanged the latest gossip heard in their circle of acquaintances.
With each new anecdote, Roselyne was searching for Rhett's assent, his amused look, a sarcastic or polite comment.
Rhett would join in their conversation with undisguised pleasure.
Everything is going the way I thought it would, thought Rosemary. She was very pleased with her little ploy to bring her young friend and her older brother together. Of course, she admitted, they have a big age difference. Rhett is 47 now, and Roselyne is only 23. That does not matter. My brother can be so teasing and playful that he looks ten years younger. Moreover, best of all, Roselyne loves him!
The seasoned seducer that was Rhett Butler was savoring the effect of seeing his charm operate so easily in front of this young girl. It did invigorate his vanity.
A quarter of a century, probably, separate us. And yet, I would not be surprised if she succumbed after a few sweet compliments. Sure, he was being presumptuous, but his experience as a womanizer assured him that all the signals were green with Roselyne Tucker.
And why not? Roselyne would be the solution for me to moving on and settle into the honorable Charleston society. She is pretty. Very appetizing, I must admit.
He threw a greedy eye once again on her cleavage a little more generous than the conveniences would have judged acceptable.
She is even younger than you are, Scarlett, enough to make the former Clayton County belle madly jealous! Unconsciously, he was keeping on conversing directly with his former wife, and relished it wickedly. Stimulated by the fantasy image of a jealous Scarlett, Rhett hastened to admire his young interlocutor.
She is cultured, and belonging to a respectable well-known family. She will undoubtedly ensure me a sweet home. Cherry on the cake, her more or less discreet teasing seem to invite me to tender moments...
Oh, it would not be hard to woo her. The knowing glances she was giving him furtively were expressive enough. It would be a way to start a new life, to be welcomed back into Charleston's fine society, for eventually enjoying the sweetness and charm of the South. His desire for a settled life, the one he expressed clearly when he left Peachtree Street.
Yes, Roselyne would be for him a loving wife, a perfect southern lady, classic, elegant, peaceful. His natural sarcasm made him specify: And without any glitter...
Anyway, was he looking for the shine? No. He had given enough. Enough of violent passion!
"The dream woman" The question of the naïve Melina had secretly made him laugh. Not the answer of that young greenhorn of Duncan Vayton though, with his definition of "his" "dream woman. A disturbing description that sounded so much like Scarlett, his passionate, violent, sensual Scarlett. A woman who was in his nightmares rather than in his dreams.
So, yes! It was better to adopt the narrow conformism of Charleston. And move on to the dapper Roselyne.
Her eyes were laughing. "Rosemary and Rhett, have you heard about the concert that will be held outdoors for the dedication of the outdoor auditorium, in our beautiful park near the Battery? It will be held next Sunday afternoon."
With enthusiasm, Rosemary suggested that it would be fun for the three of them to go. «What do you think of it, Rhett?" Roselyne's azure eyes stared at him intently.
Her brother gave her his broadest smile, "I would be delighted to accompany you both.»
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As the frantic conversation between the two young women resumed, Rhett glanced across the living room. The old Robillard sisters were talking. The voice of one of them was loud. He listened distractedly. In the stream of words that escaped from her mouth, he heard the word "Scarlett". His heartbeat quickened. Then he suddenly saw one of Scarlett's aunts getting closer to Eleonor, lowering her voice like mimicking the revelation of a secret.
Rosemary was still talking. He was keeping his smiling mask in front of her and Roselyne. However, with his senses on alert, he was trying to catch the confidence that Aunt Robillard seemed to confess to his mother. His body was disassociating from his brain, and his amplified hearing now polarized to the other side of the room around the theme "Scarlett."
Not resisting anymore, to hear better, he detached himself from his two interlocutors and made pretense to approach the seated women.
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Aunt Eulalie overheard his movement and suddenly stared at her sister. They stopped talking.
His mother looked at him with an embarrassed air, suspecting that her son had grasped the object of their whispering conversation.
To create a diversion, Aunt Pauline raised her voice. In a falsetto tone, she said to Mrs. Butler, "Oh, my dear Eleanor. Do you know that I met Mrs. Boyd at the market yesterday? She asked me about you. "And then she went on.
From that moment on, Rhett lost interest in playing the seducer with the young Tucker.
What had they said about Scarlett? What did they know that these two gossips feel compelled to keep their voices down in his presence? Another rumor? A rumor about what?
About her and Ashley, of course, that's all it was! Their guilty looks were eloquent enough!
He had to know. Sixteen months since he had not heard about her… He had not asked for it. Who would have given him any news anyway? Except for Belle?
He did not want to know. He did not want to hear from her. He did not want to care about what she was doing now.
So, what did it matter to him to learn about the latest scandal initiated by Scarlett O'Hara? A scandal that her aunts were so eager to report to his mother?
He turned to Roselyne and Rosemary. « Ladies, it was a pleasure to share such a pleasant moment with you. Unfortunately, work awaits me. I must take my leave.»
"Oh Rhett! How sad! I understand, because you are such a busy businessman. We will see you at the bandstand on Sunday, won't we, as you promised? »
"I shall pick you up at your house. See you Sunday. " He gave her a distracted hand kiss and retreated to the library.
Oooo
In his secluded room, he waited for the agitation to end, and for the guests to withdraw. Finally, through the window, he saw the aunts' carriage leave, and Roselyne's outline moving away.
With a firm step, he returned to the parlor and stood in front his mother.
Eleonor pretended not to understand her son's posture.
"This afternoon I noticed that you and Roselyne were getting along well. I am glad of it, I can tell you, for she belongs to an excellent family and her manners are delicate.»
"Mother, do not pretend!" Rhett's voice was cold.
Eleonor choose to be surprised, "What do you mean, Rhett?"
"Do not pretend. I heard all three of you.»
His brittle tone backed her into a corner. "About what? We only talked about trivial matters. We are such old friends! I like them, but their topics of conversation are shallow, I must admit.»
Rhett did not let her distract him. He continued in the same affirmative tone, "Mother, they told you something about Scarlett.»
"Ah! That?" she said with a falsely detached air.
"What did they tell you? »
Eleonor chose the attack: "Rhett! You told me you did not want to hear about her anymore.»
Her son's voice had grown muffled. "Mother, I need to know.»
Eleonor's embarrassment was becoming more and more visible. She replied without looking at him, "Oh, you know, nothing really important.»
"So what? "He would not let go until she told him the truth.
"Well..." Her intonation became more dragging in order to delay the moment when she would have to repeat the Robillard sisters' confidence. "Well, they just told me that Scarlett was now entertaining herself in theaters and restaurants.»
Rhett took on a suspicious tone. "Does this constitute such a significant event that the gossip will spread all the way to Charleston?"
Eleonor was beginning to lose patience with her son's inquisitive tone. "Rhett, there is no point in telling you about it. Listen to me! I can see that you have regained your strength since your return, and that you are getting your life back together. What does it matter what Scarlett is doing in Atlanta? Anyway, you are the one who wanted a divorce so you would not have to hear about her anymore."
Rhett turned to the window, glancing out at the sea. In an insecure voice, with his fists in his pockets, he repeated his plea, "Mother, I need to know!»
Eleonor realized the extent of her favorite son's distress. And understood that there was no way out.
"Well! They added that, each time, Ashley Wilkes accompanied her.»
Rhett felt as if his heart stopped. "Ah!" was all he could say.
Then, a few seconds later: "And that's it?" he added in a voice that forced indifference.
The evocation of Ashley had the effect of a whip, making resurface his old demons.
"Her aunts reported to me that their friends saw them a fortnight ago publicly displayed together on a walk in the Atlanta Park, along with the children, Wade and Ella, and Melanie's son Beau.
Rhett chuckled sadly. "Ha! Ha! What a great surprise! Now that the coast is clear, now that poor Melanie has joined Bonnie, they have plenty of time to share their schedules..."
Suddenly, he could not pretend anymore. It hurts. Why does it hurt so much? I know it. I have always known. Immediately after he had left Scarlett, he was sure of one thing: her declaration of love, she will forget about it the next week, and go running to her precious Ashley and comfort him.
Well, that time is arrived. Probably, soon, her dear aunts will hasten to announce to the family of the former husband that Scarlett, former Mrs. Butler, will be called Scarlett Wilkes from now on.
That devious Ashley has wanted her for so long! Finally, he has succeeded! I served Scarlett to him on a silver platter when I divorced her. How he must have relished the situation!
Oh! I do not care a bit! This time, I am definitely getting rid of her. Good for her to finally realize her teenage dream! This is ridiculous. I am ridiculous. She has reached her aim.. This is what I wanted, damn it!
It was pitiful to take this news so much to heart. He had left her because his love had worn out. That was what he had told her. So why did this wave of rage suddenly come over him? Jealousy had remained hidden. And here it resurfaced. As violent as before.
Images of Ashley hugging his wife, of Wade and Ella holding hands, of a house where the five of them would live together - where Rhett did not belong - clashed before his eyes.
Ashley had managed to take everything from him: his wife, his children-in-law whom he had considered as his own. Now, this puppet would embody for them the image of the Father. Had Ella already started to call him Daddy?
Rhett did not think about the fact that when he divorced, he also left his stepchildren. He happened to think about them regularly, but he quickly put them out of his mind, because they belonged to a past he wanted to forget.
He had lost his little Bonnie, the love of his life. Now his lifelong rival was stealing what remained the most precious to him.
He had nothing left. Only bitterness and a great emptiness in his heart.
Eleonor looked at her son with perplexity. His forehead and cheekbones were reddened by the influx of blood. His eyes looked hallucinated. He was clenching his fists. For the umpteenth time, she realized that she definitely did not understand him anymore.
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Rhett felt an urgent need of fresh air. He was suffocating within his walls. He was suffocating in his life. If he stayed here, he would break everything around him.
He felt like a leopard in a cage, trying to find a way out, a way to get his former wife out of his mind. However, every time the hope of an opening appeared, of a possibility of forgetting, as with the young Tucker, a brutal recall of his old life was coming to smash the hope of cure, which he had faintly glimpsed. Throwing him again brutally against a wall, and prohibiting him any exit.
He was overwhelmed by such violence, such fury!
He needed a drink. More than a drink, in fact. He needed whiskey and comforting arms. He knew where to find them.
He turned to his mother and said, "Do not wait for me for dinner; I shall be back late, Mother."
He leaned over to her and kissed her furtively.
In the lobby, he grabbed his hat, slammed the door and headed for the Gentlemen's Club Haven.
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