Disclaimer: I own nothing regarding GWTW

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

Chapter Twenty-Three

Sometime in the night, Rhett returned to the mansion a few dollars richer. He wondered why men still played poker with him. He always won. He thought about that German proverb – Lucky in love, unlucky in gambling. He had the reverse. Lucky in gambling, unlucky in love. With a wry smile, he thought, 'I have always been lucky where chance was involved. I would be willing to lose money at poker, if Scarlett would ever come to love me. Maybe, if I can pry Ashley out of her heart. According to her journal she isn't happy with him right now. I wonder how I can make her unhappier with the man.'

Rhett reached his bedroom. He had stopped by the dining room to get a glass of whiskey. He had a passing thought, 'I probably should cut back on my drinking.' As he sat down on the bed and lit a cigar, his thought continued, 'And smoking.'

Rhett stood up and took all his clothes off. He left them all over the floor. As he walked across the floor naked, he knew he would have to once again pick up after himself or Scarlett would nag at him about how messy the room was. He smiled. He kind of liked her nagging at him. It made him feel like he was really her husband.

Over the next week, Scarlett slowly got her strength back. She was spending less and less time in her room. At the end of the week while the couple was in the family parlor together, Rhett said, "Dr. Harrison sent me a note. He will come to the house tomorrow morning around nine."

"Great. I am feeling much better."

"Are you still not remembering things?"

"Yes, but it hasn't gotten any worse."

"I am still concerned. If I have to, I will take you up North where the practice of medicine is much more advanced."

"Am I so important to you."

"I have invested a lot of time and energy into you, so I want to keep you healthy." Scarlett harrumphed. Rhett added, "I don't want a stupid wife if I can prevent it. Or at least any stupider than you already are."

"I don't want a dead husband, but if you keep up that talk, I just might find myself a widow again."

Rhett laughed, which surprised Scarlett. Usually, he would have made an extremely mocking comment about her being low class or something like that. He said, "You won't kill me. At least, not until you find out where all my money is hidden."

Scarlett smiled a saucy smile and said, "That is true."

"Is Miss Melly coming by today?"

"No, she came by yesterday. It is great to get a break from her."

"Typical of my selfish wife, despite the fact she is saving your reputation single handedly, you can still find something to complain about."

With a petulant tone, Scarlett said, "She is boring."

"Almost as boring as her husband." Rhett did not give Scarlett time to reply. With a smile, he said, "Would you like to go for a buggy ride this afternoon? Just to get out of the house."

"No! I can't let people see my face like this."

"Nobody will get that close to you to be able to see your face. Besides your bruises are almost all gone."

"Maybe, tomorrow."

"Alright."

Rhett stood up and said, "I will be back before dinner."

"On your way out of the room would you ring the bell. I want some water."

"Certainly."

As Scarlett watched Rhett walk out of the room, she thought, 'Rhett is right. Ashley and Melly are boring, proper people.'

The next day Dr. Harrison returned to the mansion. He gave Scarlett a thorough examination. Afterwards he repeated his questions. Once Scarlett answered all his questions, he said, "Everything looks great except for you sometimes forgetting things. You probably should get out of the house."

Scarlett said, "Can I travel?"

"How far?"

"Just down to my family plantation."

"How far is that?"

"It is just outside of Jonesboro." When Rhett saw Dr. Harrison's blank expression, he added, "Jonesboro is about an hour from here on the train."

Scarlett looked at Rhett strangely. She was surprised he knew how far away Jonesboro was from Atlanta, especially considering he had never been there. She was also surprised he continued to attend her meetings with Dr. Harrison.

Greg answered, "Yes, you can. Is there a train?"

Scarlett said, "For most of the journey but I will have to take the wagon from Jonesboro out to Tara."

"That is fine, but a train will be better than a carriage. It will be a smoother journey." With a smile Greg said, "That way you won't feel every bump in the road."

Rhett said, "Then that is what we will do." Turning to Scarlett and ignoring her astonished expression, added, "Does it matter if we go on a weekday or on Sunday."

Slowly Scarlett replied, "No, it doesn't matter."

"Then we will go tomorrow. Do you want to spend the night?"

"Not tomorrow. I need to let Suellen know I will be visiting."

"Send her a telegram. Do you want to spend the night?"

"No, I think the trip in itself will be exhausting. I will certainly need to rest for several days afterwards."

Greg said, "Mrs. Butler, I would recommend spending the night. Traveling to Jonesboro and back in one day will be too much for you."

"Very well." Scarlett stood up and said to Greg, "Are you finished with my examination?"

While standing up, Greg said, "Yes, I am. If you are well enough to travel to Jonesboro, you are well enough to come to my office to see me."

With a scowl, Scarlett said, "I suppose you are right. Rhett, will you see the doctor out?"

"Of course, my dear. Stay right here and I will help you upstairs when I get back."

"No, I am going out on the back porch."

"It is too hot for you to be out there."

"There might be a breeze out there. I wish we could open the windows, but then the bugs would get in."

"True. I will be right back. I will help you to the porch."

Scarlett sighed. She didn't need help out to the porch, but she would let Rhett help her. It was so nice for him to take care of her. She could almost make herself believe he cared for her.

Soon Rhett was back from seeing the doctor out. While he was helping her to the back porch, he said, "So we are decided we will travel down there tomorrow and spend the night."

"No. I will get you to send the telegram, but let's give Suellen a couple of days to prepare for our arrival."

"Very well."

"Why have you decided to go with me to Tara?"

"Someone has to take care of you?"

"Mammy can do that."

"Not as well as I can. We have to get you completely well before you go into labor."

Scarlett scowled. She thought, 'I knew that was why he was taking care of me. Because I am carrying his child.' She said, "Would you get me some paper so I can write what I want you to send in the telegram."

"Yes, of course."

Scarlett had to get Rhett to leave the room before she started crying. She so wanted him to want to take care of her because she was important to him, not because she was carrying his child. A few tears escaped but she was able to dash them away.

Scarlett had a sick thought. Rhett was not going to let her have this baby. Very well! She would just become enmeshed in this baby and Bonnie's lives. She would not let him have any of their children. She would enmesh herself in all her children's lives. She was going to become the most important person in the world to them.

Scarlett sat and stared at the landscaping of the backyard. She looked at the lawn ornaments she had put all over the lawn. She was going to get rid of them.

Rhett came back and handed her a pencil and a pad.

Scarlett took the items, but she didn't look at him. If she did, she knew she would start crying again. It hurt so badly to know she was not that important to her husband. While pretending to be looking at the yard, she said, "What do you think of the lawn ornaments?"

Without even bothering to look at the items in question, Rhett said, "They are ugly as is the rest of the décor of this house."

"Luckily it is mine, so your opinion doesn't matter."

"Why did you ask me then?"

"Just to find out what you would say. I think I am going to redo the landscape."

"Not until we get the main staircase ripped out and replaced."

"You are replacing the main staircase?!"

"Yes."

"No!"

"You almost died rolling down it. We can't take that chance again. The next time might be one of my children. The next time someone might die."

"No."

"This is not up for discussion, my pet. I have already made this decision."

Scarlett turned away from Rhett. She said, "I will get one of the footmen to take this to the Western Union. You don't need to stay."

"Very well. I will be back."

"Thanks for the warning."

Rhett laughed as he turned to go back in the house, but he halted when Scarlett said, "How did you know how far away Jonesboro is?"

Rhett smiled and said, "I have been there before remember?"

"Yes, the day of the Wilkeses' barbecue."

"Or the day the war started or even the day we met."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

Rhett went to the nursery to spend time with the children before dinner.

Scarlett was cool to Rhett all through dinner. He wondered what he had said or done to annoy her. It wasn't the first time she had almost ignored him and while smiling, he thought, 'It won't be the last time.'

Although perversely, Rhett kept asking questions. He was not put off with her short answers. Towards the end of the meal, he said, "I am going to take Johnny back his ledger and check on your mills."

With a touch more warmth, Scarlett said, "Thank you. Remind Ashley that he needs to sell."

"I will."

"Make sure Johnny is rotating the stock."

"I will."

"Will you check on the store also?"

"I will."

"Tell Hugh to dust the counters."

With a smile Rhett said, "How do you know he isn't?"

"He never remembers to do it, even when the dust is an inch thick."

"Alright."

"I will take the children upstairs. I am going to rest."

Rhett smiled at that. Scarlett would never admit that she was going to take a nap. He didn't know what she thought about taking a nap that made her appear weak, but he knew she did. Rhett looked at his daughter and knew she thought taking a nap was for weaklings also. Although he knew she had no idea what a weakling was. He smiled. With any luck he would get to pamper and spoil Scarlett also.

At that moment, Bonnie said, "What is for dessert?"

Scarlett said, "We don't have dessert with dinner, only at supper."

"I want dessert."

Rhett watched as Scarlett took a deep breath and noticed her wincing. Nonetheless, she was determined not to yell at her children. She calmly said, "We aren't having dessert. Go upstairs."

Bonnie screamed in an extremely loud voice. Over the screaming Scarlett said to Rhett, "Do something about this."

"I suppose I must."

"You are the only one who can. I don't think that would be very becoming at age sixteen when her hostess didn't serve her what she wanted to eat."

"True. Wade, Ella, go with your mother upstairs."

While Rhett was busy with Bonnie, Scarlett took the time to write in her journal.

July 26

Rhett is going to Tara with me. He says it is to take care of me, but I think it is something more. Could he honestly care for me? Am I more than just a body to him? Am I more than a baby factory to him? I wish I knew.

I hope Suellen behaves herself and doesn't spend the entire visit making snide comments about Frank. If I have said it once I have said it a thousand times. All I wanted was the three hundred dollars. If I could have gotten it without marrying that old maid I would have. Also, if she had been married to him, she would have been begging me to take the old man off her hands.

Got to go I don't want Rhett to walk in on me.