Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Three

Rhett rode his horse out to Ashley's mill first. He wanted the other man to know he was back in town. Of course, Ashley knew that Rhett was back because Miss Melly had probably told him that Rhett was home along with everything else. Damn! He hoped Miss Melly would keep his confession to herself. He smiled. She probably didn't believe half of what he had told her, especially the more sordid stuff. He hoped so. He would not want to lose favor in Miss Melly's eyes.

Damn! What in the hell had possessed him to blather away like a fool. He had a few drinks, but even alcohol usually didn't loosen his tongue. Of course, alcohol had caused him to lose all control the night of Ashley's party. At least with Miss Melly he remembered what he had said. With Scarlett he didn't remember what he had said or what he had done.

A thought struck Rhett. Maybe Scarlett had written about their night together in her diary or what he had said in the dining room. That would be a stroke of luck if she had. Of course, where she was concerned, he usually had no luck at all.

Rhett would have been alarmed to know that Dr. Meade had told Mrs. Meade that he had seen Captain Butler with his head in Melly's lap crying his eyes out. It would not have mattered how horrified Rhett was, that piece of gossip would be all over Atlanta before dark. Most of the women who heard the rumor were shocked to learn of any man crying but also found it endearing that any man could love their wife that much, especially a man as hard as Captain Butler. Scarlett didn't deserve that kind of love, especially considering how fast she was. None of the men believed it. Rhett Butler was too much of a man to cry for any reason.

Rhett walked into the sawmill office and saw Ashley. The other man did look haggard and old. Rhett smiled when he thought, 'That is what happens when one has a conscience. This whole affair may destroy the man. I hope so.'

Rhett said, "As you probably know, Scarlett had a terrible accident. She fell down the stairs."

"Yes, I know. Melly told me all about it. Is she any better?"

"No, she is about the same."

"I hope she makes a full recovery. Which stairs?"

"The ones leading out of the foyer."

"Those are some pretty steep stairs. How did she fall down them?"

"She slipped."

Ashley could tell that was all the information the other man was going to give him so he said, "Melly said she was near death several times."

"That is what I understand. Dr. Meade would not let me in her sick room because it wasn't proper. I am going to have to rip out those stairs and replace them with some that are not as steep."

"That is a good idea. Although Scarlett will not be happy with the idea."

The men metaphorically were behaving like two boxers in the ring. They were both sizing each other up. They were both looking for an opening to launch their attack. At last, Rhett said, "Where are the books?"

After ten minutes, Rhett said, "These books are in terrible shape. When was the last time Scarlett came out to this mill?"

Ashley blushed and mumbled, "The afternoon before the party."

"She hasn't been out here in three months."

Ashley blushed more and said, "No. I guess she hasn't felt comfortable coming out here."

Sarcastically Rhett said, "Not even with your wife as a chaperon? Then again, I guess she couldn't take the chance of you compromising her again." While looking straight at Ashley, he said, "There is only so much damage control your wife can do." He didn't wait for a response. He continued, "The books are in extremely bad shape. I will have to take them home and bring them back in a couple of days. I will fix the books as time allows. I have to take care of Scarlett."

In Rhett's opinion if Ashley had told Scarlett firmly to leave him alone. It wasn't proper for them to have an unnatural relationship behind Miss Melly's back. But he couldn't. The man was just too weak which made Rhett despised him. He had always despised the weak. Just as Scarlett did. Rhett realized he had to get Scarlett to see Ashley as weak.

Ashley said, "I thought Melly was doing that."

"Yes. Miss Melly and Mammy are doing the lion's share, but I am a constant presence in the house, if not in her room. I am going to make sure nothing disturbs her." Rhett did something that he had never done before, he overtly warned Ashley away from his wife. He continued, "If something or someone disturbs her recuperation, I will make sure that someone is no longer around to disturb her…recuperation. Even if I have to kill them. Nothing can upset Scarlett now." When Ashley paled and aged another decade, Rhett cheerfully added, "We were lucky Scarlett, and the baby survived the fall. Nothing can happen to them now. I can't allow her to suffer any emotional distress. Not only would it hurt her, but it would hurt the baby also."

"Scarlett is with child."

"Yes, we are both very happy."

"But I thought….."

Rhett smiled a sinister smile then said, "Mr. Wilkes, you shouldn't listen to idle gossip."

With that statement, Rhett grabbed the books and left a bewildered Ashley behind him.

Ashley sat down in a chair. He was thanking his lucky stars that Captain Butler had not killed him. He was pretty sure that the man's statement about killing him had been hyperbole, but one never knew with Rhett Butler. How did Scarlett deal with the man?

Rhett put the ledger in his saddle bag. He got on his horse and rode to Scarlett's other mill. The entire time he wondered why he hadn't threatened Ashley before now. The man was such a weak man, he would have caved at the least little bit of resistance. He knew why because Ashley wasn't the problem. Scarlett's idealized image of the man was the problem. Rhett had to take advantage of this tiny crack in her perfect image of the man. He would ponder that in the next several days.

Rhett would tell Scarlett how bad the books were at Ashley's mill, but just as information. Not to trash Ashley's name. She knew he was a bad businessman, and it had never really bothered her.

Rhett went to Johnny's mill and the store. Both Johnny and Hugh were keeping the books up to date. Rhett corrected some mistakes and then went home.

Rhett got home in time to talk to Dr. Meade. Rhett said, "Could Scarlett be suffering from memory loss?"

"Mammy asked me the same question. As I told her, maybe. I don't know. She does seem incoherent some of the time."

"Does she ask you the same questions?"

"She mainly seems concerned about what happened to her, but yes she does repeat her questions."

"Who could I talk to about her memory loss?"

"No one I know."

"What about one of those Yankee doctors?"

"How can you even think about lowering yourself to consider using a Yankee doctor?"

"Scarlett and her health are what is important right now. Not whether the man is a Yankee or not. She has asked me the same question several times. If she can't remember anything anymore, I would like to know it."

"Dr. Harrison is the best of the lot. He was educated at Oxford."

"So actually, he is British."

"No, he was raised in Chicago. He came down here with the army. He met and married a southern girl, so he makes his home here now."

"Nice. Where is his office? I will go see him right now?"

"His office is at 2424 Longview Dr."

"Thanks. Besides that, how is Scarlett doing?"

"She has two cracked ribs, but I am quite sure neither one is broken. I wrapped them up. She is staying awake and not hallucinating anymore."

"Hallucinating?"

"Yes, she kept mumbling something about Melly and a baby."

"She must have thought she was back to that awful day that she helped bring Beau into the world."

"Yes, that was an awful day. I probably had a thousand wounded men at the depot I had to treat. I told someone to go get you. I thought for sure she was going to die."

"Nobody came to get me. I certainly would have liked to be by her side before she passed away."

"It doesn't matter now. She survived. Just for your information Mammy told her you were checking on her businesses."

Rhett thought, 'I wonder what else happened that nobody bothered to tell me. I wonder if she called for me.' He said, "What did she say to that?"

"She looked confused when Mammy said it. Then she said with surprise, Rhett is back? Mammy replied yes, Child. She then said, I'm glad he is checking on my businesses, but that seems out of character for Rhett."

"Maybe it is, but I don't want her fretting about her businesses."

"We need to keep her as calm as possible. Don't upset her."

"Yes, Sir. Let me go see her."

"Wait. The wrappings for her ribs will have to be changed every six hours."

"Miss Melly and Mammy can handle that during the day, but I will take care of it at night. I have had experience wrapping ribs. They were my own. I think wrapping Scarlett's will be a lot easier."

"Captain Butler, it is improper for you to see Scarlett without even her shimmy on."

Rhett smiled and said, "I am not going to wake Mammy up in the middle of the night just to wrap Scarlett's ribs. She needs a good night's sleep. She is a busy lady with caring for the children and now Scarlett."

Primly Arthur replied, "Very well."

Rhett sighed. That he was wrapping Scarlett's ribs himself would be all over Atlanta tomorrow. Hopefully, they would include the part about him wrapping her ribs and not just gossip about him seeing his wife without her shimmy on. Rhett would be amused to know that once the ladies of Atlanta found out about his wrapping his wife's ribs and thus seeing her without her shimmy on that the ladies thought he was a wonderful man for doing that for Scarlett. They thought Scarlett was a hussy for letting any man even her husband see her without even her shimmy on.

The women of Atlanta hated Scarlett, and they always would no matter what she did. They hated her even more because of all the strife in Atlanta. The women were being cold to Ashley also. A lot thought the mess was all Ashley's fault. One could not expect any better of Scarlett, but Ashley was a proper gentleman and should have behaved with more decorum no matter what Scarlett did.

Rhett needed to find out what had happened during the three months he had been gone. He knew he could read Scarlett's journal and find out, but that would be what she thought had happened. He would go see Belle then read more of Scarlett's diary. He could go see Dr. Harrison tomorrow or the next day. There was no hurry. Dr. Meade had said Scarlett was on the mend.

Rhett walked into Scarlett's room without knocking. While lying on the bed with a couple of pillows propping her up, Scarlett looked at him and said, "You are back from your trip?"

"Yes, I am. I have been back for almost two days." Rhett turned to Melly and Mammy. He said to the older woman, "I got a chance to talk to Dr. Meade."

"Good. Let me help with the children. Mr. Rhett will you step outside."

Scarlett said, "Whatever you are going to tell Rhett about me behind my back you can tell him where I can hear also. It is my health we are talking about after all." There was silence and nobody spoke. Finally, Scarlett said sharply, "Tell me."

"Yes, Miss Scarlett. I was going to tell Mr. Rhett that your memory isn't any better than before. You keep asking the same questions."

"Are you saying I'm not remembering anything? That is crazy. I remember everything."

Rhett said, "Of course, it is ridiculous. You are getting better every hour."

"That's right. Admittedly I don't remember how all this happened, but there is nothing wrong with my mind. It is my body that is messed up, not my mind.

Mammy hurriedly left the room. There was an awkward silence after the nursemaid left the room. Rhett turned to Melanie and with his most beguiling smile, said, "Can you leave us alone for a minute?"

"Certainly."

Melly was happy to leave the room. She was uncomfortable with basically lying to Scarlett. She was uncomfortable with Scarlett not getting any better. What would she do if something happened to Scarlett? Melly couldn't lose her also. But most of all Melly was uncomfortable in Rhett's presence after his drunkenness the day before. He wasn't acting any differently than before. Maybe he didn't remember his confession. She was going to pretend it had never happened.