Dear readers, Hello!:)

As always, I am very grateful for all your reviews and kind words, they give me inspiration. I also want to bring the story to its culmination (you know what I mean). I think there will be 30-32 chapters (the longest story, it seems).

As for the characters, everything is the same - Rhett is a lovesick varmint who sometimes lies to Scarlett and hides things. He lies out of fear and love. Or love and fear. He's very afraid of hurting her with those losses, but he's also afraid that she'll remember everything and their happiness will crumble like a sandcastle ("damned Ashley Wilkes"). So our Rhett doesn't believe in her sincerity. Well, let's make him believe!

Yes, I think that Scarlett can love hard, desperately, and give all of herself (as she tried to do with her "wooden gentleman"). And right now Rhett has that kind of love. With John it was a warm and quiet feeling of peace and affection, with Rhett it's different.

And yes, lying is something she clearly doesn't accept, doesn't understand, because she has no memories and had a brief marriage based on trust.

Rosemary is clearly not mean in this story, but she's not fluffy either. She's very fond of her brother and suspicious of Scarlett.

Mrs Butler has accepted her daughter-in-law as a daughter, knowing her son's troubled character and probably feeling some sympathy for the girl who has no memory of her past. It's all mutual :)

And Ross:), our favourite Ross, is devoted to both his brother and his wife.

Well, that's it:)

Thank you for taking the time to read what I write. I post a little more often now, because I'm on a writing kick, I've got a little less work to do, and I've allowed myself to get a little sick with a cold (as much as I can with kids, haha).

But there's the 14th of February and my vague fanfic idea, then it's my twins' birthday and I feel like the updates might be a little less frequent. Anyway, I'll keep trying.

Enjoy reading!:)

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Chapter 20.

Rhett Butler arrived in Atlanta late in the evening and as he stepped off the platform he immediately noticed the new red brick station building.

There were few people around and he quickly found an empty carriage and asked the coachman to take him to the best hotel.

As he drove through the streets at dusk, he was surprised at how familiar and unfamiliar they were at the same time. Old, surviving brick houses alternated with new ones, often made of wood and painted white. The city was actively being rebuilt after the fall and Sherman's raid, but Rhett knew that "wounds" would gape in the form of empty lots all over Atlanta for a long time.

He was glad the hotel was new and the porter unfamiliar, he didn't plan to walk around town and draw attention to himself.

After checking into his room and tidying up, Rhett sat down in a velvet armchair and, as usual, took a cigar from the coffee table, lit it and began to think of a plan for tomorrow.

It was simple: get some sleep, have breakfast in the room, read the newspaper, check his papers and then go to Belle's in the afternoon.

Usually such deals were done around five or six in the evening, and he'd catch the eight o'clock overnight train to Charleston, so he could cuddle her, slightly sleepy, at breakfast the next morning. "If the train isn't late," he thought irritably and exhale the smoke.

In the morning, at the window, squinting in the sunlight and standing with a cup of coffee in his hands, Rhett watched the city wake up, the first carriages and buggies passing by, the pavement being swept. The end of January was sunny and it was even warmer in Atlanta than in Charleston.

Nevertheless, being in this city, Rhett longed to be in a seaside town. Movings, hotels had been part of life for him before, a familiar condition, but now, with a family, a house, and her as his wife, he was uncomfortable. He enjoyed having breakfast with her and the children, teasing her in the morning or discussing the day ahead with her, and sometimes some of the town gossip his younger brother told her.

He took a last sip of coffee, glanced at the clock in the corner, and went to his armchair to read the newspaper and go over the documents before the meeting.

At three o'clock, dressed in a perfect black suit, warm coat and hat, with a valise in his hand, Rhett stepped out of the carriage in front of the familiar building.

He hadn't been here for a long time and had no desire to go in, but business had to be done.

Entering the richly decorated room and nodding to the familiar man behind the bar, Rhett was already heading for the far table for a quiet drink...

"Well, well, well... Is it Captain Butler himself who has come to our humble abode?" he heard a familiar, slightly hoarse voice behind him, then he smelled the haunting scent of a familiar sweet perfume, and a moment later a smiling Belle Watling stood before him. She reached for his cheek, kissed him tenderly and whispered, "Well, hello, Rhett, Darling..."

He smiled strainedly, remembering how they'd parted. It had been a big fight, after he'd been drunk following another failed attempt to find Scarlett.

"Looks like you've been waiting for me all day, Belle," he joked and added, "Good to see you, you look beautiful, Honey!"

Belle looked at him again, smiled and took his hand, "Let's go into my office and talk... I haven't seen you for a long time and missed you, Darling..."

She walked in front of him, wiggling her hips seductively in her gold dress, but all he could think about was getting things done here as quickly as possible. He hated that he hadn't told Scarlett the truth... "As if I didn't have enough lies between us," he thought glumly, but decided that finishing things with Belle would make up for his little deception.

They walked into her office with rich furniture and red walls, sat down at her desk and she looked at him intently, then noticed the gold ring on his finger. She frowned slightly and asked him, "So you're a married man now, Captain Butler?"

Rhett grinned and nodded slightly, then he got up from the table and walked over to the bar where the bottle of liqueur stood. He poured two crystal glasses, then gave one to the red headed woman, sat down and Belle said to him with cold smile, "So the rumours turned out to be true... Congratulations, Darling!" She lifted the glass, made a characteristic gesture and drained it in one gulp.

"They say it's a woman from the North... Is she Southener?"

Rhett nodded and looked at the liquid in the glass.

"They say she's a widow," Belle continued half-questioningly, adjusting the large gold bracelet on her wrist and Rhett replied in one phrase, "Yes, a widow."

Belle grinned and Rhett shifted his gaze to her, noticing a couple of wrinkles on her face, near her lips. There was something he didn't like about that grin, remembering that she had never liked Scarlett. He heard the phrase thrown around casually, "No wonder, you've always been attracted to ladies in black."

Rhett clenched his fists slightly, and when he heard the next remark, "Looked for one, found another," he suddenly replied firmly but emotionally, "I found what I was looking for, Belle!" and drained the glass in one gulp too.

She looked at him suspiciously and asked, "What's your wife's name, Rhett?"

He grinned and replied, "Try to guess, Belle."

"I'm in no mood for games. Who is she, Rhett?"

He sighed heavily and ran the palm of his hand through his hair. He was tired. Very tired of carrying this secret around with him. He wanted to share the burden and Belle always knew how to listen to him.

"It's Scarlett," he answered in a quiet voice, catching a shocked look and hearing only one sentence, "Tell me."

"It's a long story."

"I love long stories," she said, getting up quickly and bringing the bottle of liqueur to the table.

A few hours later, after a successful business deal and dinner with the new owner, Rhett was riding in a carriage to the station. He should have been happy to cut all these connections with such establishment, but his mind was filled with thoughts of his conversation with Belle and her strict remarks.

"You have to tell her!" was her phrase, when he told her the whole story of Scarlett that he had learned from Dr Carter.

"Why, Belle?" he asked irritably, adding, "It will hurt her badly again! You weren't there and you didn't see the ruined estate, the graves of her parents... She was very attached to them! It will hurt her, I tell you! Maybe that's why she doesn't remember anything..."

"Right now it's you, who's hurting her with your secrets, can't you see the obvious, Rhett!" she exclaimed emotionally.

"I'm not hurting her, damn it! I love her, I care about her, about our children! We have our home, she's close to my family, she likes to live in Charleston! She's not ready for this shock, Belle!"

"How can you decide for her? And she was never a "delicate flower!"

Rhett frowned and just said, "I'll tell her... Later! I'll feel when to do it... Understand, Belle, I only want to make her happy, to give her joy and fun! I'd give her the whole world, don't you understand?"

"Give her her past first, Darling," Rhett remembered her cold reply.

Nevertheless, they parted like friends, though he knew he would prefer not to see her again.

"That conversation was between us, yes, Belle," he said gravely, putting on his hat and heading for the carriage.

She nodded only briefly, then reached up to kiss him on the cheek and said, "Do the right thing, Rhett. And don't forget to write to me..."

"You know you can find me through a lawyer," he muttered, nodding to her as he got into the carriage, knowing he wouldn't be writing to her.

As he approached the station, he realized that the only thing in their conversation that had hurt him was the mention of Melanie and Belle's phrase about him making Mrs Wilkes suffer. "It seems she was the only one who loved your wife for some reason, Rhett... And this is her nephew, though I know you love him as a son. Think it over," was her advice.

After paying the coachman, Rhett walked briskly towards the station building, glad to be in time to catch the evening train, but then he heard a thin, melodious voice calling to him, "Captain Butler!" and he stopped short, then turned sharply.

It was none other than Melanie Wilkes, walking swiftly towards him, smiling gently and holding up her grey cape. It was dusk, and his first question was, "Mrs Wilkes, what are you doing out here alone at this hour?"

She smiled at him and held out her hand to shake his, but he took it and kissed her cold hand, bringing a blush to her cheeks.

"Oh, Captain Butler," she began, gently removing her hand, "what a pleasure to see you! How are you? Are you going away? Or?"

Rhett saw a glimmer of hope in her eyes, but then she turned her attention to the valise and the fact that he was walking towards the station, and said more quietly, "Oh, I'm sorry, so many questions..."

"Well, Mrs Wilkes," he replied affectionately, "I was in Atlanta passing through, finishing up business."

She looked at him intently, nodded and for some reason said, "I'm not alone here. My husband is meeting his sister from Macon and I was waiting for them in the carriage with Uncle Peter. Do you remember him?"

Rhett smiled, remembering the stern, dark-skinned old man who had always walked past the open door of the parlour when Rhett had visited Scarlett there during the war.

He nodded again and Melanie said suddenly, "I'm sorry, Captain Butler, you must be in a hurry. It's just that I was so excited when I first saw you... I thought you'd come with news..."

Rhett was silent, and Melanie suddenly remembered that she had heard rumours of his marriage, Aunt Pitty had heard the news from somebody... And he hadn't answered her letters, maybe that was it...

"And you... Have you married, Captain Butler?" she decided to ask and he could only nod in silence.

"Congratulations," she said with a soft, but sad smile, "they say it's a young woman from the North, with children?"

He nodded again and Melanie added sadly, "You always got on so well with Wade, I'm sure you'll be a good father now."

"Thank you, Mrs Wilkes," he said in a quiet voice, hesitating to look her in the eye. He felt like he was six years old when he'd lied to his mother.

"You know," Melanie said thoughtfully, "it's so strange, but I always thought that you and Scarlett..." she paused, as if to restrain herself, then adjusted the ribbons on her grey bonnet and added with a polite smile, "Ah, forgive my rudeness. Congratulations again, and I hope to meet your wife someday."

Rhett gave a strained smile. For a moment he felt a strong urge to tell her everything, to open up. He felt an excitement and was about to open his mouth when he heard her say, "Oh, I think Mr Wilkes is on his way over. Captain Butler, he's very upset about the whole situation too, sometimes I think Ashley won't bear bad news... He was close to my sister-in-law, after all, they were childhood friends... Oh..."

Scarlett slept very badly the night before Rhett's arrival. From time to time she awoke from incomprehensible dreams in which she saw, through a thin veil, her husband and the silhouette of a red-haired woman... His tender and passionate touch to her...

She got up from the bed several times, which seemed too big without him, and drank a lot of water. She even felt as if she had a fever, because everything inside her was burning with resentment and jealousy, anger and despair...

But in the morning she woke up, put on a beautiful dress, glanced at another outfit in the wardrobe for the evening, did her hair in his favourite style, and her eyes sparkled with coldness and an angry smile appeared on her lips.

"That bastard's the reason I have shadows under my eyes," Scarlett thought, frowning slightly, but hurried downstairs to join to the children for breakfast, hoping she'd see him...

But Rhett didn't turn up for breakfast and Scarlett became even more nervous, absentmindedly answering Wade's questions and giving instructions to the cook and Mary.

They were to go for a walk with Ross and then to Miss Eleanor's house for lunch, and that too was part of her plan, which was in danger of failing altogether if her obnoxious husband didn't turn up. "My God, and if he's late at that woman..."

These thoughts plagued her, making her hands tremble and she didn't know what she wanted more, to scratch his face or smash his head with an ashtray.

"I hate him!" she thought as she dressed in the hallway and helped gather the children.

"I hate him!" she thought as she looked at herself in the hall mirror.

"I hate him!"...

"Scarlett, I'm back!" she suddenly heard his cheerful voice behind her and her legs almost gave out.

Turning, she saw Rhett, followed by Ross, who had come to pick them up.

She stood frozen, reluctant to approach him, but Rhett walked quickly over to her and all she had to do was turn her cheek for his kiss.

"You're back," she said thoughtfully, and then suddenly she looked up at him, her eyes flashing with a metallic glint, and she headed towards the door to Ross, who was already helping Mary with Ella.

"I think my little brother is stealing my wife and my children" Rhett said half-jokingly. He was tired from the road, but he missed them all so much.

"Rhett, it's mother and Scarlett, their ideas," Ross replied with a laugh, and Scarlett turned at the door and said, "We'll be back later, rest up after a rough journey, Captain Butler."

Rhett had hardly opened his mouth when she was out of the door and soon their voices were hushed. He went to the window in the hall and watched them get into the carriage. He didn't understand her behaviour, but decided they would talk later, and for now he was home and was glad of it.

Scarlett had been acting more cheerful than usual all day. She talked louder and made jokes so cleverly and cheerfully that even Rosemary smiled a few times. Ross thought she was just happy her husband had arrived.

Only Mrs Butler watched her daughter-in-law, knowing that such behaviour masked her pain and worry.

Their visit was delayed, but Miss Eleanor did not hurry her daughter-in-law. She knew that the later they spoke to her eldest son the better, for she saw the wild and fiery gleam in Scarlett's eyes.

They returned home in the afternoon and Scarlett went straight to the nursery, avoiding Rhett, who was discouraged by her behaviour but remained silent, until the evening.

At last, at dinner, while the children were busy eating and Rhett was away giving instructions to the stable boy, Scarlett looked nervously round the table and, quickly added a lot of salt to his plate.

Mary looked at her mistress in surprise, but wisely remained silent.

"I'm not going to let him enjoy his meal and pretend nothing happened! The rascal!" she thought, continuing to eat slowly.

Yes, her joke with the salt was childish, but at least she would spoil his meal and wipe that polite, surprised expression off his face.

Rhett walked into the dining room, and as he made his way to his seat at the head of the table, he brushed his palm lovingly over her shoulder, causing her to flinch. He sat down next to her and smiled, but she only looked down at her plate.

A moment later she was holding back her laughter as she watched him swallow hard a piece of meat and drink a large amount of wine.

Rhett opened his mouth to say something, but he noticed that Wade was eating his portion quietly and grains of salt on the tablecloth next to his cutlery, while his wife avoided looking at him.

"How do you like your dinner, Mr Butler?" he heard her voice and looked intently into her eyes.

"I don't think I'm hungry," he told her gravely, taking another sip of wine.

After dinner, Rhett volunteered to tuck the children in and Scarlett was happy, her plan had come to action and she had to change.

Her new nightgown, with a thin, short robe over it, was a seductive ensemble of emerald and olive silk. The plunging neckline, the neckline at the back, the beautiful belt, the delicate embroidery... Scarlett sighed and let her hair down, then fixed them with combes at the sides. She had hoped to use this beautiful outfit in a different way...

Her plan was extremely simple and somehow didn't seem silly. "If he likes brothels so much, let him go there," she thought glumly, deciding that she would let him see her like this and then send him off to sleep anywhere else! "Even in the study, on that uncomfortable sofa! Let's see if he can get up in the morning," she thought gloatingly and went downstairs quickly, knowing that he would find her himself.

And indeed, ten minutes later, he came down to the study, wearing a simple home-made shirt and trousers. He closed the door behind him, glanced at her and said seriously, "Shall we talk, Scarlett?"

"Do we have anything to talk about?" he heard her curt reply and saw her nervously tapping her fingers on the desk.

"Maybe about the fact that I'm back in my house, to my wife and children, and for some reason I don't know what the hell is going on!" she heard his threatening voice.

"What's going on? I think it's all as usual..."

"Scarlett," he began menacingly.

"How's your sawmill deal going?" she asked suddenly, staring intently into his eyes.

He looked at her confusedly and just said, "Fine."

"You're lying!" she said loudly and emotionally, "You're lying to me right now! All of Charleston knows you've gone to the brothel to see your mistress! I hate you, Rhett Butler!!!"

"Scarlett, listen..." he took a step towards her, turning slightly pale, but she crossed her arms over her chest and spoke quickly,

"Don't come to me! Don't touch me... I'm disgusted... If you've been with someone else..."

Rhett turned even paler and spoke quickly,

"You're talking nonsense, stop it now!"

"And where did you stay in Atlanta?" she continued feverishly, "In a brothel?"

"Don't talk rubbish, Scarlett!" he replied, clenching his hands into fists.

"Maybe I'm one of those women for you, too... Of... Of... Of your whores?"

"Stop it, you hear me! Now!" he said in a raised tone, wanting to shake her.

"Perhaps you have your own establishment here, in Charleston, Mr Butler. Wouldn't you rather sleep there than in our bedroom?" she shouted angrily, clasping her hands in front of her.

Those words sounded like a slap and there was silence in the room.

In a moment he suddenly asked quietly, "This is what you want, Scarlett, isn't it? This?"

She remained silent, realizing that the mere knowledge that he could touch another woman as he had touched her, kiss another woman as he had kissed her, filled her with a mixture of despair, nausea and wild jealousy.

She stood there confused, not knowing whether she wanted to cry with resentment or slap him. She stood and avoided his gaze, not daring to say anything.

"You don't want that, do you, Scarlett?" he said to her and she saw him look away in despair, running a hand through his hair.

Scarlett was silent and Rhett continued, realizing that he was the one who had made this mess and that he needed to take steps towards her.

"I'm sorry," he said seriously, hesitating to move closer, "I kept it from you, yes... But it was just a matter of one day, to finish a business to which I have long had a purely legal connection. I haven't been there or another such place since I came to Saratoga, Scarlett. And I obviously don't want to go there now that you're my wife and I'm sharing a bed with you..."

She flared up, thinking to herself, "And not just the bed..." but remained silent as she heard his apology and confession.

Rhett finally made up his mind and took a step towards her, but left it up to her to decide.

Scarlett stood motionless and looked around the room.

"Can I hold you, Scarlett?" he asked, adding, "I've missed you damn much..."

"Sit here," she said sullenly, pointing to the armchair near a coffee table with a chessboard and their unfinished game on it. Silently, Scarlett sat down opposite him, moving her rook and looking into his eyes expectantly.

Rhett sat down as well and they began to play. Slowly, silently, they heard only the clock and the logs crackling in the fireplace.

Rhett looked at her, at his wife, and with every movement he wanted more and more to overturn the damned board, to pull her to him and sink his lips into hers.

He saw her frowning slightly, then running her hand down her snow-white neck, then twirling her curls thoughtfully on her finger. He glanced at her cleavage, at her breasts slightly covered with green silk... He saw her lick her lips now and again before making another horse move.

Rhett felt the tension, he was already uncomfortable sitting and his hands were trembling slightly. He had missed her so much on this trip to Atlanta and for some reason he had never wanted to possess her like he did now. And this damn "brothel situation" had to happen now.

"Damn it..." he thought, noticing as she looked thoughtfully at the board that she was lightly touching her forefinger across her lower lip, the corners of her lips slightly curving into a smile.

Rhett swallowed hard...

Scarlett moved her queen, said "check", looked up at her husband and was burned by the fire in his eyes.

"Rhett..." she barely had time to whisper before he was up and at her side in a flash, lifting her sharply from the armchair by the shoulders and pulling her to him by the waist.

"Rhett..." she whispered again, but felt his hands on her waist, then his lips on her cheek, sliding down her neck, leaving a hot trail. His hot palms slid down to her thighs and she felt him squeeze them lightly, sending shivers through her body.

Another kiss on her neck and Rhett heard the soft moan that escaped her lips, felt her hands run down his back and she arched against him.

He pressed her against the back of armchair, kissed her cleavage greedily, accidentally pushed the coffee table and heard the chess pieces fall to the carpet with a thud.

Scarlett leaned back, feeling his hot lips lower as he frantically tried to undo the belt of her silk robe.

"Rhett, chess..." she whispered meaninglessly, realizing that all the sensations had already tied into a tight knot in her lower belly and only he could release them...

He pulled away from her breasts for a moment and whispered hoarsely, looking into her misty eyes, "You win, Scarlett... You always win..."

Those were the last words she remembered, for then the room swirled around her, his hands and lips were all over her, and their moans and hot breaths mingled...

They lay exhausted on the sofa, trying to even out their breathing. Rhett hugged her waist, his hand occasionally running up and down her spine.

Scarlett lay on his chest, savouring his scent and his touch. She adored these sensations in her body next to him... Every cell in her body, every impulse was drawn to him, and if she hadn't lost her memory, she would have thought that this connection had begun the first time their eyes met, the first time they touched.

"I love you," she whispered, realizing that she could not put into words the fullness of her feelings.

When she felt him kiss her hair, she lifted her head and looked at him intently.

Scarlett didn't need his confession, she knew for sure that he loved her, that he treasured her and the children more than anything else in this life. She needed something else...

"Don't keep these things about your past from me anymore, Rhett Butler," she said in a quiet, serious voice.

He looked at her intently and she continued, "I don't care what women you've had in your past, what business you've had. But I do care what's in the present. I have no past to share with you, but you have and it doesn't frighten me. I love you and that's permanently, you know?" she said quietly, surprised at her boldness and frankness.

Rhett held his breath for a moment after her last words, and Scarlett saw the almost mad gleam in his eyes, but before she could speak he was back on her lips, kissing her with such passion that it was as if they hadn't made love in this very room just a few minutes ago.

"I love you," she heard him whisper huskily and opened her eyes, "from the first time I saw you, Scarlett... From the first time I met you... And it's forever," he said, feeling himself getting excited again at the sight of her and the goosebumps on her bare skin... Each of them thought about their first meeting, which had happened at different times for each of them, but each of them saw the continuation of their feelings in the other's eyes and it was truly magical, penetrating to the fingertips, arousing them both.

"Scarlett, we need to go upstairs," he told her hoarsely. She understood and giggled slightly.

That night, in the other house on the Battery street, Rosemary finished writing a letter to her friend in France. She'd been thinking about going to Paris for a long time, she hadn't been there since the war and her father's death. "Maybe mother would go too. We'd go together, try to find out about her missing friends..." she pondered, rubbing her tired eyes. Looking through her desk drawer, Rosemary couldn't find a blank envelope, but she remembered something and smiled, "I think there were envelopes in the study downstairs..."

Slipping the shawl over her shoulders and adjusting the belt of her dressing gown, Rosemary took the candle and went downstairs, noting the light shadows on the walls of their house.

In the study, Rosemary walked quickly to the desk, opened the top drawer, saw a stack of envelopes and was about to take one out when she noticed a written piece of paper.

It was a letter and she picked it up, held it up to the candle and began to read.

From the very first lines, Rosemary held her breath and her eyes began to run frantically over the lines. She put the candle back on the table, sank down on the leather sofa and began to read the neat lines again.