Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

Author's Notes: Thank you for all the reviews and feedback.

Chapter Twenty

Rhett walked into the bar. Moses and Belle were in the same spots they were in the night before. Rhett said, "Let me have a whiskey. What is new?"

Belle leaned forward and whispered, "There are people who think you pushed Mrs. Butler down the stairs."

Rhett smiled and said, "I hope you assured them that I would never do something like that."

"Yes, I did. I also told them that you were beside yourself with worry. You have been so worried about your wife that you have barely left her side."

"I like that. Just out of curiosity, why did I push my wife down the stairs?" Belle looked uncomfortable and wouldn't meet Rhett's eyes. He smiled. He continued to stare at his friend. Finally, he took the glass of whiskey, Moses had poured for him and knocked it back. When Rhett finished it, he said, "Pour me another one." With a sad expression on Rhett's face, he turned to his longtime friend and said, "Because I don't think the baby is mine?"

Still without meeting Rhett's eyes, Belle nodded her head. Then he did something that even surprised him. He burst out laughing. He thought, 'Can this farce I am living in get any worse?' Although Rhett didn't believe in God he added in his mind, 'That isn't a challenge Big Guy. Just a statement.'

Rhett said, "The baby is mine. I have no doubts about that. Scarlett has never been unfaithful to me. I have no doubts about that either. Please, tell everyone what I said. What else?"

"That is about it."

Rhett indicated that Moses needed to refill his glass. Once that was accomplished, Rhett picked up his glass and said, "Let me go win some money."

"Alright."

Rhett sat down at the table. He pushed what Belle told him out of his mind. He wasn't that surprised. Everyone always believed the worst about Scarlett. And him too, he supposed. He couldn't think about that right now. He had damage control to take care of.

Rhett would have laughed again if he discovered that the reason the matrons of Atlanta thought he was being so solicitous of Scarlett and always by her side was that he was afraid of what she might say. To add fuel to the fire, nobody had seen her since her fall down the stairs except Melly and Aunt PittyPat. Everyone knew that those two women would believe anything that Captain Butler told them. The matrons and everyone else were also now believing that Captain Butler hadn't been crying because of his great love for his wife but because of his guilt over his dastardly act.

The matrons believed that if any woman could push a man beyond control it would be Scarlett O'Hara, so in that respect they were sympathetic to Rhett. In fact, none of the women were judging him harshly for his supposed actions. What man wouldn't throw a woman down the staircase if she had cuckhold him so openly and brazenly as Scarlett had. After all, everyone in Atlanta knew the Butlers had separate bedrooms, so there was no way the child was Captain Butler's.

Rhett was happy to see that most of the men at the table where different men than the night before. One of them was Johnny Gallagher. Rhett briefly wondered if he could get the other man to brag about how he was cheating Scarlett. Probably not and especially not in front of other people. Rhett smiled. No, he would be the last person Johnny told how he was cheating Scarlett.

Johnny was about to aggravate Rhett Butler. Johnny had been the bunt of Rhett's comments far too often not to take the opportunity to give him a taste of his own medicine. He hadn't said anything while they were at the mill together because he had wanted an audience to hear him needling the man. It would be perfect for everyone to be laughing at the proud and arrogant Rhett Butler. Johnny said, "I certainly am glad to see you back in town, Rhett."

"Why is that, Johnny?"

"Because your wife has been in a sorry mood ever since you have been gone."

"She had good reason to be in a sour mood. I left her with the whole sorry mess of Ashley Wilkes when I had to leave town in a hurry. I know she knew why I was leaving. I know she knew it was thousands of dollars at stake. But I also know she has needed my help these last three months. Of course, when I wrote to her and told her I was going to visit my mother, she glossed over everything and made me think everything was fine, which I now know, it wasn't. I truly don't understand what the big deal is. My wife gave her longtime friend a birthday hug."

Johnny moved in for the kill and snidely said, "I heard it was more than that."

In an extremely pleasant voice, Rhett said, "What did you hear? I heard from several different sources, one being my wife, that she was seen with Ashley Wilkes' arm around her." There was so much contempt in Rhett's voice when he had said Ashley's name that all the men wanted to step back. Unfortunately, they were all sitting down and couldn't. Benignly, Rhett continued, "Did you hear something different?"

"No, that is all I have heard."

"The rest is just malicious gossip and speculation about Scarlett. You can't believe anything women say about my wife. Most of them hate her because she is the fabulous Scarlett Butler. You should have heard the things women told me about her once it was public knowledge that we were getting married."

"Every time she came out to the mill, she was nagging at me about something. At first, I thought it was because she was on the rag. I knew that wasn't it when I heard she was with child."

Johnny waited for Rhett's reaction. Rhett smiled and pleasantly said, "She does get a little bit testy when she is in her first months. I'm glad I missed it all. She seems to think that her being in that condition is all my fault."

All the men laughed.

Johnny was stunned. Rhett had not reacted to his comment about Mrs. Butler being with child." He said, "Finally, I had to threaten to take the back of both me hands to her. I cursed her with Cromwell also."

In a cold, sinister, deadly voice, Rhett said, "If I ever hear that you have threaten to hit my wife again, I will thrash you within an inch of your life. That is if I am in a good mood that day."

For the first time everyone saw bold Johnny backdown. He quickly said, "I wouldn't have actually hit her. I was just bluffing with her."

"I'm glad for your sake she didn't call your bluff."

"Me too, me too."

Everyone nervously laughed. After a small silence, to break the tension, Frank Weston, the dealer, said, "Does anyone have two jacks or better to open?"

Another man, Henry Norris, said, "I do."

The conversation was changed to what had been happening in the last three months and what was happening in the next few months. When Frank said, "One of those committees is going to have a supper dance at the end of August."

Rhett said, "I hope Scarlett is well enough to go. She does love to dance."

There was a pregnant pause at the table. Rhett and Scarlett Butler had not been seen out in public together in almost a year. Quickly, Bill Brereton said, "You two will have fun if she is well enough. Maybe we can sit together."

"That would be nice."

Later, as Rhett was riding home, he decided that if Scarlett was well enough, they would go to the dance. After all, she did love to dance, and he loved to dance with her.

Later as Johnny was riding home a few dollars less, he thought, 'Yes, Rhett is going to be a pain in my behind. Hopefully as soon as Mrs. Butler is well, he will back off.

When Rhett got to his bedroom, he found Scarlett asleep. He went and got a glass of whiskey. He got Johnny's ledger also. He returned to his bedroom. He took off his clothes and got in the bed. He flipped through the ledger and just felt something was wrong. He had felt that way earlier in the day. Hopefully the answer would come to him.

Rhett finished his whiskey, turned out the gas light, and laid in the bed. He was thinking. A lot of thoughts were going through his head. The main one – was why hadn't he given her a chance to explain. He hadn't wanted to listen to her lies, but he could have at least given her the courtesy of listening to her side of the story. Instead, he had believed the murderer Archie, who Rhett knew, hated Scarlett. What had Archie told him? That Scarlett had been caught with Ashley's arm around her. Hardly rock-solid evidence they had done anything else. He felt a moment of shame. He should have at least listened to her side of the story before he convicted her. He felt stupid also. He knew that Ashley would never have been physically unfaithful to Miss Melly. With a sad smile, Rhett thought, 'If Ashley had tried to get Scarlett to go to bed with him, she would have balked. Even she would have considered that morally wrong.' With a wry smile, Rhett's thoughts continued, 'In fact Ashley doing that may have actually knocked him off that pedestal she has him on.'

Either way, Rhett certainly shouldn't have gotten drunk and forced himself on her. Or run away to Belle then to New Orleans. He was such an idiot sometimes. Maybe, just maybe there was still a chance for them. For them and Bonnie and Kenny.

Rhett knew he had to clear his mind. His thoughts were chasing each other, and he was getting bogged down in what ifs. He had long ago accepted that there was no point in going down the what if road because nothing could ever be changed. Everyone was stuck with the consequences of their actions. He put out his cigar and made himself go to sleep.

In the middle of the night, Rhett felt Scarlett thrashing around and he gently woke her up. He said, "You will never be cold or hungry again."

No words were spoken for a minute, then in a whisper, Scarlett said, "Thank you, Rhett."

"Now dream about going down to visit Tara."

"Alright."

The next morning when Rhett woke up Scarlett was in her customary position. Sprawled all over him. As much as he enjoyed her being sprawled all over him, it was sending his libido into outer space. He would have to do something about his need later that day. He decided that he would take a bath.

Rhett had what he thought was a great idea. He would help her take a bath also. She did love to take a bath. She usually took one at least three times a week. He usually took one only twice a week. A bath would be what they both would enjoy. Rhett smiled when the thought occurred to him for them to take a bath together. He sighed. He couldn't even get her to take off her nightgown in front of him for medical reasons much less sit in the bathtub with him while they both were naked.

Rhett laid there for a few more minutes having sexual fantasies about him and Scarlett until he heard the knock on the door. He got out of the bed and put his robe on. He answered the door and took the warm water from Esau. He couldn't lay in bed all day. It just made his need that much greater. Soon he hoped she would be able to participate in some activity. He would wait.

Rhett had breakfast with the children then went back upstairs to be sure Scarlett was awake and dressed before Dr. Harrison arrived. Rhett was going to move the family completely to Dr. Harrison. He would not share their personal information with the matrons. There was already enough sieves in their lives telling everyone in the world about their personal information. He would freely admit that he had been the person who had shared most of their private information with the world. Nothing he could do about that now except be sure nothing else escaped out of the house about their private lives.

As Rhett was heading down the hall from depositing the children with Prissy, he saw a maid with a tray heading towards his bedroom. He said, "Jane, I will take Mrs. Butler her breakfast."

Jane turned and smiled at Rhett. She said, "Thank you, Sir."

Rhett took the tray and Jane hurried off. He walked toward the bedroom. He knew Scarlett would be asleep, but she had to be woken up for Dr. Harrison's visit. She had to actually get dressed. She would feel better meeting with the doctor if she was dressed. Maybe they would meet the man in the parlor.