A Change of Heart by Miss.Ivy.

Alexandra

Scarlett's questionable sense of morals lead to a potentially disastrous situation.

What if Rhett was Wade's father? How far will Scarlett go to keep her secret?

Chapter 1

Hello! So I know this might not be a good idea writing two stories
alongside each other, but what can I say? Thanks to the miserable British
weather I've spent far too much time indoors lately and this is the result!

I hope you enjoy

Disclaimer – I do not own anything.

"War, war, war." Scarlett huffed, as she smoothed her skirts over her knees. "All
this talk of war has spoilt every party this spring and I'm bored to death of it.
Besides, there isn't going to be any war."

"No war? Why of course there is Scarlett. Didn't you hear about" she cut off the
rest of Brent's sentence with a dismissive wave.

"If you boys even mention the war one more time then I shall go inside." Scarlett
threatened.

"But Scarlett, don't you think it's exciting?"

Scarlett stood up from her place in between Brent and Stu and started making
her way back to the house, thoroughly fed up with war talk.

"Oh wait, Scarlett. Please don't go inside, we'll talk about something else, won't
we Brent?"

"Of course! Will you stay, Scarlett?"

"Well, alright. As long as we talk about something else. something exciting."

"Exciting? You mean like the barbeque at Twelve Oaks tomorrow?"

"Yes, let's talk about the party" Scarlett said happily and sat back down.

"Can you guess what we heard the other day?" Stu asked.

A smile spread over her face at the prospect of gossip. "No, tell me!" she
demanded.

"Ashley is announcing his engagement to his cousin Melanie Hamilton." Brent

said.
"Oh." Just a year ago, Scarlett knew she would have been devastated by this
news. Now, well, she didn't really care. She clearly remembered the time when
she had gotten over her infatuation with Ashley.

Flashback

Scarlett was angry. Why, just the other day Ashley had said that he was going
to call on her and what did she get? A measly letter. She pulled the scrap of
paper towards her and reread it for what must have been the 10th time.

Scarlett,

I am sorry that I won't get a chance to come and see you today as my cousin
Melanie is visiting from Atlanta. I'm sure you understand. Melanie remembers
you from her last visit and so I hope you can spare some time to call on us at
Twelve Oaks as I'm sure she would love to renew your acquaintance.

Ashley.

Screwing up the letter into a little ball, Scarlett threw it at the wall. It was bad
enough that Ashley had chosen Melanie's company over hers, but to request
that she befriend that whey-faced ninny? No, she didn't understand at all.

Closing the door behind her, she picked up the letter from where she'd left it
and smoothed it out. She narrowed her eyes as she reread it. Why, it almost
sounded like Ashley preferred Melanie to her. Oh it just wasn't fair. Hadn't he
told her just the other week that she was the most extraordinary girl he'd ever
met? Melanie was quiet and mousey, from what Scarlett could remember.
Ashley could be so boring sometimes Scarlett thought angrily. Him and his love
for books and how he would quote poetry and prose whilst Scarlett would
admire the sound of his voice and the way his golden hair shone in the sun, but
couldn't for the life of her understand why he would choose to study books and
music over shooting and riding with the other country boys.

Scarlett thought about how aghast and disapproving Ashley would be if he knew
some of the things that she did and wished that he was more fun, like Brent and
Stu who were always messing around and didn't care if she chose to go riding
and swimming over sewing or reading poetry.

Scarlett froze. Never since she had fallen in love with Ashley had she wished he
be anything other than himself. When he had ridden towards her on his horse
that day two years ago, she had fallen utterly in love with him. He was her
golden knight. Handsome and clever and Scarlett was amazed that she hadn't
seen how boring he was. With that sudden realisation, Scarlett sat, stunned,
looking at the letter, but not seeing the elegant words, feeling like a fool for not
having noticed.

She woke up the next morning, feeling refreshed and infinitely happier than
yesterday, for at some point in the night, Ashley Wilkes had ceased to become
the centre of her universe and, Scarlett thought as she threw Ashley's note in
the fire, Melanie Hamilton was welcome to him.

End of flashback

"Oh? That's all you have to say?" Brent asked

"Well, everybody knows the Wilkes always marry their cousins, don't they?"
Scarlett stated blandly. Whilst she no longer loved Ashley, it had annoyed her
for weeks that she had been pushed aside for mousey Melanie Hamilton of all
people.

"Yes, and apparently it's going to be announced at the ball tomorrow night. You
will dance with us Scarlett, won't you?" Stu asked.

"Well, I'm afraid my dance card is already full. You couldn't expect me to wait
around for you and risk being a wall flower all night, could you?" Scarlett
replied, her eyes dancing.

"Oh Scarlett, you, a wallflower? Never." Stu laughed as he grabbed her right
hand and Brent grabbed her left.

"Now, you promise, to dance with us. Brent, then me, then Brent then me. You
understand?" Stu said eagerly, gesturing between him and his twin.

"Well I suppose I could manage that" Scarlett said, sighing heavily, as though
doing so would be a chore, before flashing a smile and fluttering her eyelashes
at both of her beaux.

"Excellent! Now, did we tell you how we got expelled again?"

The next day...

Upon arriving at Twelve Oaks, Scarlett was her most charming self, determined
to have a good time. After greeting John Wilkes and India, Scarlett made her
way into the house, pleased with the amount of attention she was receiving
from the gentlemen in the room. She looked pretty and she knew it.

"Scarlett!" Scarlett turned to see Ashley hurrying down the stairs to greet her.

"Ashley, what a fabulous day for a barbecue, don't you agree?" Scarlett asked.
Following her epiphany last year, Scarlett had not treated Ashley any different.
Just because she no longer loved him, it didn't mean that she couldn't make him
regret picking Melanie over her. She was Scarlett O'Hara and wanting to be the
centre of attention had long since become second nature to her.

"Indeed it is." He agreed and smiled warmly, before a young woman Scarlett
instantly recognised approached them.
"Scarlett, I'd like you to meet my cousin Melanie" Ashley said. Scarlett plastered
a smile on her face and held out her hand.

"Melanie, it's been too long." She said sweetly.

"Oh Scarlett, I'm surprised you even remember me. I was so disappointed when
you took ill last year when I visited" Melanie said softly.

"Yes, it was rather unfortunate wasn't it?" Scarlett said, remembering how she
had faked a weeklong headache as an excuse not to have to see Ashley and
Melanie and no doubt pretend to be interested in whatever book they were
reading.

"Oh, Scarlett, do you remember my brother, Charlie?" Scarlett spun round to

see him standing behind her.

"Why, Charles Hamilton. I do declare you must have come all the way from
Atlanta just to break my poor little country girl's heart" Scarlett flirted, extending
her hand, which he took eagerly.

"Oh Miss O'Hara, I…uh…It's lovely to see you again." He mumbled, blushing a
rather unattractive shade of tomato, Scarlett thought but pleased at the effect
she had on him.

"Now, I want to eat barbecue with you later Mr Hamilton, so don't you go
promising any other girl that you'll sit with them or I'll be mighty jealous!"

"I won't Miss O'Hara, I promise." He agreed, already besotted. Scarlett secretly
thought he resembled a baby calf and withdrew her hand before smiling at the
trio and making her way up the stairs, swaying her hips from side to side,
knowing it made her skirts swing in a very attractive manner.

"Good morning Miss O'Hara" Scarlett turned to see Frank Kennedy walking
down the stairs.

"Why Frank Kennedy, is that a new set of whiskers? They look awfully dashing!"
she said, fluttering her eyelashes.

"You will sit with me at the barbecue won't you?" she asked sweetly, as she
watched Suellen approach.

"I'll try Miss O'Hara!" he stuttered before being almost dragged away by her
sister. A smirk settled on her face, knowing that Suellen was suitably annoyed.
As if I couldn't get a better beau than that old maid in britches" she muttered to
herself.

"Scarlett!" looking up, she saw the twins rushing down the stairs.

"We've been waiting for you to arrive."

"Yes, you will eat barbecue with us, won't you?" Brent asked

"Of course I will. There's nobody else I would rather sit with. Besides, I wore this
old dress especially for you both. I know how much you like it." Scarlett had
specifically chosen to wear her green and white muslin dress, knowing that the
low-cut front and short sleeves would attract the majority of the gentlemen at
the barbeque, despite Mammy's protestations that it was "Jus' not proper to be
showin' yo' bosom before 3 o'clock in de afternoon."

"We sure do Scarlett." Stu agreed

"You know, I was awake all last night trying to work out which one of you two is
the handsomest." Scarlett said, before hearing her name being called, yet
again, but this time by the only female friend she had. Smiling prettily at the
twins, Scarlett hurried up the stairs to see Cathleen, and glancing down at the
congregation of people in the hall, her eyes immediately fell on a tall black
haired man at the foot of the stairs, who in turn was staring back at her.
Reaching Cathleen, she hooked her arm through her friend's and turned to see
if he was still looking at her. He was. His eyes slowly raked over her body, as
though mentally undressing her with his eyes. Scarlet was too shocked to be
offended and when his eyes met hers, she merely raised an eyebrow and
offered him a small smirk, which he returned.

"Scarlett, do you know who that is?" Cathleen whispered.

"Who?" Scarlett asked, curious and slightly ashamed at how she had just acted,
hoping that Cathleen had not noticed.

"That man by the stairs." Cathleen nodded towards the black haired man.

"Oh him. He looks as though he knows what I look like without my shimmy on!"
she whispered back.

"Scarlett! That's Rhett Butler, from Charleston. My dear, he's not received. Not
even by his own family!"

"Not received?" Scarlett had never met anyone who wasn't received before and
was intrigued. "Why ever not?"

"He took a girl out in a buggy one day and he didn't bring her back until late and
then," she paused for dramatic effect, "he refused to marry her!" Cathleen said,
scandalised.

"He didn't? What happened? Did she have a baby?" Scarlett whispered.

"No, she didn't, but he shot her brother when he called him out. Apparently he
said that he'd rather die himself than be forced to marry.

"He did?!" Scarlett gasped. Looking back to see that he had turned away and
was now in conversation with Mr Fontaine. She knew she should be horrified
and upset, like Cathleen was, but to her dismay, she only found the story
exciting and wonderfully scandalous.

Throughout the barbecue, Scarlett was in her element. She was by far the most
popular girl there she noted happily, as was proved by the dozen or so young
men who had sought her company and were sitting around her.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Honey Wilkes, glaring at her. Scarlett
tossed her hair over her shoulder. It wasn't her fault that Charles Hamilton had
preferred her company over that of the girl he was courting. Indeed, she had
caught the attention of most men at the barbecue much to the annoyance and
anger of the other young ladies.

Scarlett also spotted Ashley and Melanie walking arm in arm through the
grounds, but failed to notice the longing looks directed at her from her former
love.

Later that day, the girls had retired upstairs for a nap before the ball and all but
Scarlett were sleeping. Glancing round, Scarlett rolled over onto her stomach
and frowned at the pillow, as if it were to blame for her lack of tiredness. She
detested being stuck upstairs whilst the men took their cigars and brandy. How
anyone could fall asleep in the middle of the afternoon was a mystery to her. If
only she had something to do. Her mind made up, she slowly swung her legs off
the bed, trying not to disturb the other girls and dressed quickly before slipping
out of the room and onto the landing. Hurrying down the stairs, she saw no one
around so she ran lightly towards the library, where she knew Honey Wilkes
kept her collection of fashion books and magazines. She just reached out for
the handle, when she heard her name. Spinning round, she saw Ashley behind
her.

"Scarlett? Why aren't you resting with the other girls?" he asked, but before she
could reply he shook his head and stepped past her into the library and
gestured for Scarlett to follow.

"This is quite fortunate actually, as I had wanted to speak with you urgently"
Ashley said, shutting the door behind them.

"You did?" Scarlett asked, curious.

"Yes. You see Scarlett, I can't do it." he said quickly, clasping his hands
together nervously.

"Can't do what Ashley."

"I can't marry Melanie." Scarlett's eyes widened in shock. Whatever she had
been expecting him to say, it wasn't that. She looked to see if he was joking, but
he looked even more deadly serious than normal.

"For goodness sake Ashley, why ever not?" she questioned, bewildered at the
turn of events.
"Because I'm in love with you." He said.

Chapter 2

Previously…

"I can't marry Melanie." Scarlett's eyes widened in shock. Whatever she had
been expecting him to say, it wasn't that. She looked to see if he was joking, but
he looked even more deadly serious than normal.

"For goodness sake Ashley, why ever not?" she questioned, bewildered at the
turn of events.

"Because I'm in love with you." He said.

"No you're not!" Scarlett blurted out, before she could stop herself.

"Oh Scarlett, you are so dear to me. You have such a passion for living that I
could not even hope to possess and you're beautiful and charming. How could I
marry Melanie when I'll always want you?"

Scarlett looked at him with something akin to horror and bewilderment clouding
her features. Once upon a time, she would have been thrilled with his
confession, but now she merely felt awkward and an increasing sense on anger
that he could so easily dismiss Melanie, and on the day they were set to
announce their engagement. He hadn't wanted her a year ago and now he
thought he could waltz in and claim to love her?" How dare he?!

"But you love Melanie" she stated, trying to keep her temper. "You're going to
marry Melanie. Remember?"

"Melanie won't mind. She'll want me to be happy Scarlett. Please, say you'll
marry me?" he all but begged.

He looks pathetic, Scarlett thought in disgust.

"Ashley Wilkes what has gotten into you?" she cried. "You think I'll marry you?
Because I won't." she clenched her fists by her side.

"I don't love you" she said slowly, as Ashley's face dropped in disappointment.

"Surely you don't mean that Scarlett?" he mumbled. "I know you care for me."

Her green eyes narrowed "Well I don't. Not like that."

"Are you sure? I just thought…" he trailed off and shifted his feet.

"You thought what? That I loved you? That I've been pining over you for the last
year? Well, I haven't. I'd rather marry Charles Hamilton than you." Scarlett
shouted, her Irish temper finally getting the better of her.
"I think you should leave." She said coldly

"Scarlett, please give me chance to prove how much I love you. I know I could
make you happy, make you love me" it was the wrong thing to say.

Scarlett snapped and before either knew what was going on, she slapped
Ashley.

"How dare you. You can't make me do anything" she shrieked. "Now leave me.
Go!" Scarlett snapped, staring at the red hand print on his cheek with slight
satisfaction.

"Ok, but if you change your mind-"

"I won't"

"But if you do, tell me before tonight" he said in an unusual show persistence.
Then he slipped out the room and shut the door behind him before Scarlett
could reply.

Anger clouded her mind and then her eyes fell on an ugly piece of porcelain.
Her fingers traced the cool vase for a second before she grabbed it and threw it
against the fireplace with a wordless shriek. The satisfaction at the crash and
the explosion of china was short lived however, when a low whistle came from
the direction of the couch.

"Has the war started already?"

Scarlett gasped as a man rose up from behind the steep backed couch.
Somehow she was not surprised to find that it was Rhett Butler.

"Sir, you should have made your presence known!" Scarlett stammered.

"And interrupt that beautiful declaration of love?"

"Eavesdroppers" she began

"Often hear highly amusing things" he grinned.

"You, sir, are no gentleman." Scarlett said, scowling.

"And you, miss, are no lady."

"Oh, how dare you presume to know anything about me?!"

"I know that any girl who throws family heirlooms and collects men like other
girls collect flowers is no lady."

"I do not collect men!" Scarlett shrieked.

"No? Then what would you call that little gathering you had outside earlier?"

"It's not my fault if they choose to spend time with me over other girls is it?"
Rhett laughed.

"From what I saw, you certainly weren't doing anything to discourage them.
Even that delightful dress of yours suggests-"

"Suggests what?" Scarlett asked, cutting him off. His eyes skimmed over the
front of her dress and Scarlett shifted, resisting the urge to cross her arms over
her front. "If you think that I'll just stand here and let you insult me then you're
mistaken! Besides, I wasn't doing anything wrong." she said, feeling the need to
defend herself for some reason.

"You don't have to explain yourself me Scarlett." He grinned, leaning against the
back of the couch.

"How do you know my name?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Your ardent admirer, Ashley Wilkes. 'Oh Scarlett, you are so dear to me. You
have such a passion for living that-'"

"Oh do hush up!" Scarlett hissed, but secretly finding Rhett Butler's impression
of Ashley highly accurate and amusing.

"So he can't take a hint?" Rhett asked.

Scarlett huffed. "No. he's pathetic and boring and he's not even a good kisser!"
then she clamped her hand over mouth at what she'd just revealed to a relative
stranger. Mortified, she looked up to hear Rhett laughing.

"You're priceless Scarlett!" he chuckled.

"I… what I meant was that…well…" Scarlett trailed of as he laughed harder.

"Oh you cad, won't you just shut up? Someone will hear you." Her cheeks
flamed with embarrassment and anger. A gentleman would have ignored her
slip, but then again, a gentleman wouldn't have provoked her into saying it in
the first place.

"I'm sorry" he replied, not looking remotely apologetic "I just can't remember the
last time I had such a good time at a country picnic. It sounds like you make a
habit of kissing plantation boys. Tell me, how many have had the…ah…
pleasure of being more intimately acquainted with you?"

Scarlett stood there, gaping in shock at his inappropriate question.

"It is not proper to ask a lady such things" she eventually managed to say.
"No, it isn't, but we've already established that you are no lady." His black eyes
shone with mirth, clearly amused at the turn in conversation

"You know, they say I kiss very well." He added, when it was clear that she
wasn't going to reply.

"I'm sure it's not for lack of practice." Scarlett muttered under breath, but not
quietly enough, as he started laughing again.

"What can I say? I have a way with women." Scarlett couldn't help herself from
glancing at him, taking in the well-tailored suit, the broad shoulders, the dark
eyes and hair and finally the white teeth contrasting against his tanned skin in a
grin.

"See something you like?" he smirked as she blushed and averted her eyes to a
point behind him.

"No." she said obstinately. Then, feeling his eyes on her, she looked up,
determined not to let him think he'd gotten to her.

"I bet you I can kiss better than all your country beaux." He stated matter-of-
factly.

"You have a mighty high opinion of yourself and your talents Mr Butler and I
think his conversation has gone far enough." She said firmly.

"And pray tell, my dear, how you know my name. Did you ask?" This thought
seemed to please him.

"What? Of course not." she scoffed "With a reputation like yours I imagine it
would be hard to find someone who didn't know your name."

He gave a mock sigh.

"And there I was, hoping that you were interested in me."

Scarlett frowned. She just did not understand this man.

"So, about that bet?" he asked

"You can take your stupid bet to Halifax" Scarlett snapped.

"Is the idea of kissing me really that repulsive to you?" No, Scarlett thought.
Although she would never admit it, the idea of kissing a man like Rhett Butler
was an exciting prospect, but she would be damned if she let him know.

"One kiss. If you admit that it's the best kiss of your life, I'll leave you alone and
your little secret will be safe."

"Secret?" Scarlett asked.

"Yes, ugly though it was, I'm sure the Wilkes won't be too pleased to discover a
family heirloom has been destroyed. Also, I'm sure your father won't be too
pleased to hear about his daughter's…err…extra-curricular activities. Just so I
have me facts straight, how many boys have you kissed?"

Scarlett gasped. "You wouldn't. That's blackmail."

He chuckled, "And I'm sure you know a lot about that"

"Oh, you're hateful" Scarlett cried, but didn't move to leave the room, even
though every nerve was screaming at her to go. Slowly, Rhett Butler walked
over to her, until Scarlett could feel the heat from his body. He towered over her
diminutive form and she could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest. A part
of her knew that this was not what well brought up young ladies do, but another,
increasingly louder part was secretly glad that he had given her an excuse to
kiss him.

"One kiss, Scarlett." He whispered, and when she made no move to back away,
he wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her into him. Tilting her chin up,
he bent his head towards her until his lips touched hers, ever so lightly. His
clipped moustache tickled her and sent jolts of electricity through her body and
she gripped onto the lapels of his jacket for support, lest her legs give way.
Taking this as a cue, Rhett tightened his arms around her and deepened the
kiss. Scarlett couldn't breathe. His hands were searing her skin through her
dress and his lips were insistent against hers. Moaning softly, Scarlett wrapped
her arms round him, melting into his body. Part of her was surprised to feel how
hard and muscular he was compared to the country boys but she quickly forgot
this as his tongue swept over lips, demanded entry, which she gave. His tongue
swept into her mouth, and Scarlett was amazed that it didn't feel wet and
disgusting, as she expected it to. When she felt like she was about to faint from
lack of air, he dragged his lips off hers and pressed kisses down the side of her
neck.

Weaving her hands into his hair, Scarlett closed her eyes at the sensations he
was evoking. His lips travelled lower, brushing over her bosom, and Scarlett
opened her eyes in surprise. She had never allowed any boy to go further than
a quick kiss, and now she was acting like a wanton lady with a man she'd only
just met.

"Scarlett" she barely heard her name whispered against the skin of her breast,
but it was enough to send shivers down her spine. In that moment she didn't
care that this was wrong and that Ellen and Mammy had not brought her up to
behave like this. The only thing she knew was that it felt good and she didn't
want to stop him, but what if someone walked in? They were in the library after
all.

"Rhett?" Scarlett mumbled. He looked up, meeting her eyes.

"The… the door's not locked." She stuttered. He continued to hold her stare for
a second and Scarlett noticed how his eyes darkened with desire.
Swiftly, he let go of her and strode quickly to the door to lock it. Scarlett stood
rooted to the spot, half afraid that if she moved she would come to her senses,
and half afraid that she wouldn't.

She watched as Rhett locked the door and for a moment they stood still,
watching each other, taking in the situation. She wasn't sure who moved first,
but a moment later, she was back in his arms, his lips possessive and
demanding and she reacted in kind. She cautiously ran her hands over his
abdomen and was pleasantly surprised to elicit a small moan from him.
Together, they stumbled to the couch and collapsed onto it. Scarlett knew that
she could not stop whatever was going to happen. She was ashamed to admit
that she didn't want to stop it. How could anything that felt so good be wrong? In
Scarlett's mind, it couldn't. She was vaguely aware of pushing Rhett's jacket off
his shoulders and running her hands over his muscular, shirt covered chest as
his hands roamed over her body. They were both breathing heavily when Rhett
laid Scarlett down on the couch, hovering over her. Bending down, he kissed
her again and Scarlett's breath hitched in her throat when she felt his hand drift
over her calf and up to her thigh, her dress bunched up around her waist.

"I can stop if you want" he murmured against her lips. Pulling away, he looked
her in the eye.

He wasn't going to force her, she realised. She knew she should stop but in her
befuddled and passion clouded mind, she couldn't quite remember why.

"No, don't" she murmured, feeling the blood rise to her cheeks at her admission.
She expected him to kiss her then, but he didn't. He just kept looking at her, his
dark eyes intense and probing, as if trying to see into her soul, to see whether
she really wanted this. Wanted him.

"Kiss me Rhett." Scarlett whispered.

That was all the confirmation Rhett needed and his hand around her thigh
gripped her a little bit tighter.

"With pleasure" he whispered before kissing her.

Oh she was going straight to hell for this. To willingly let a man who wasn't her
husband touch her in this way was…wrong? No, surely not, Scarlett thought as
goose bumps erupted on her skin as he trailed his hand higher and higher up
her thigh. For something to be wrong it had to feel bad and this definitely did not
feel bad. Quite the opposite, and as his hand got to the top of her thigh Scarlett
squirmed in anticipation. She moaned into his mouth as his fingers expertly
stroked her and she raked her hands over his back and dug her nails in as the
pleasure mounted. She felt him grin into her lips before his mouth left hers and
pressed kisses down the side of her neck.

Just as she was sure that she couldn't take any more, he pulled away and
fumbled with his belt and trousers whilst Scarlett tried to catch her breath. The
next thing she knew, Rhett had positioned himself above her. She could feel the
heat rush between her thighs and bit her lip in anticipation.

"Are you sure?" His voice was husky and she nodded in response. Then he
proceeded to bring Scarlett to an ecstasy that she never knew existed.

After, he held onto her trembling body as he lay next to her, limbs entwined,
their laboured breathing the only sound in the room. She felt the heat from his
body and his arms that previously held her in a vice like grip had loosened and
now caressed her arms in a surprisingly tender gesture.

Then, suddenly, she held a shout from outside. Startled, reality finally came
crashing down on her.

"Rhett, get off me" she said, pulling out of his arms and struggled to sit up. She
was breathing heavily now, out of fear rather than passion, and swung her legs
off the couch. Swiftly, she stood up, taking great care to straighten her skirts.
She moved across to the window and saw a swarm of activity outside. She ran
a hand through her tussled hair, trying to smooth it down as she let the full
weight of what she'd just done sink in. She'd gone to bed (well, she supposed
the act was the same no matter where it was done) with a man who she wasn't
married to. And if that wasn't bad enough, she'd enjoyed it. Encouraged it even!
Well, she thought as she wondered what was going on outside, I won't think
about that now. I'll think about it tomorrow.

With that thought in mind, she squared her shoulders and lifted her head. She
needed to get out of there before they were found. Turning round, she saw
Rhett standing by the couch. He was fully dressed and didn't have a hair out of
place. No sign of what they had just done lingered. Not meeting his eyes,
Scarlett pushed her hair behind her ears.

"Good day Mr Butler" she said, her voice cool and aloft as she swept towards
the door. She might have behaved like the worse kind of wanton woman, but
she would be damned if she would wait around and have him laugh at her or
make some snide comment and degrade her further. She was Scarlett O'Hara
and she would leave with her dignity intact, if nothing else. She unlocked the
door with shaking hands and stepped out, shutting it behind her. Not once did
she look back.

Chapter 3

Hurrying out of the library, Scarlett found the house in an uproar. People were
rushing around and calling out to each other. Intent on finding out what was
going on, she pushed her way through the crowds when Scarlett heard her own
name being called and jumped guiltily before realising that it was Charles
Hamilton.
"Miss O'Hara!" he called. "Oh please Miss O'Hara, I need to speak with you.
Urgently!" oh not you too, Scarlett thought wildly. The last thing she wanted was
to accidently reveal what had just occurred in the library and she was positive
that if anyone so much as looked at her they would see if written all over her
face, plain as day. No, she needed to find out what was happening and hope to
God that she could make it through the rest of the day without acting as though
anything were out of the ordinary.

"What is it Mr Hamilton?" she asked impatiently.

"The war's started and they're calling for volunteers to sign up." He said
breathlessly.

"What?!" Scarlett gasped and ran to the window. She saw the Tarleton twins fly
down the drive on horseback, whooping and shouting, followed by the Calvert
boys and the Fontaines.

"I'm going to sign up too Miss O'Hara. Will… will you be sorry to see us go?"

"I'll cry into my pillow every night" Scarlett mumbled, as she watched all her
childhood friends leave one by one.

"Oh Miss O'Hara, I have to ask. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever met. The
sweetest and the dearest and I know you could never feel the same about me
but could I dare hope that you would wait for me?"

Outside, she saw Ashley say a rather restrained goodbye to Melanie and
promptly turned her attention away from the window.

"Hmm, what was that Mr Hamilton?" Scarlett asked, realising that Charles had
been talking.

"I said Miss O'Hara, will you marry me?"

Scarlett opened her mouth to tell him no. Why, what on earth would she get out
of marriage to a man like Charles Hamilton except for missing out on all the fun
unmarried women have and a baby every year. Scarlett froze. A baby. What if
what she and Rhett had just done landed her with a baby? She tried to keep a
look of horror off her face at this thought in case Charles noticed and asked her
what was wrong.

Scarlett was not as ignorant as other unmarried girls as she had grown up on a
plantation and had once accidently witnessed her father's best stallion mate
with one of the mares. Her father had seen her watching and when she asked
what was happening he told her that they were making a baby horse and,
unthinkingly, added that people did it too. He had then hastily made her give a
solemn promise to not mention anything to Mammy and Mother about what he
had accidently let her witness or what he had just revealed and sent her off with
promises of a new frock. Scarlett had scampered off, all thoughts of what she'd
just seen forgotten in the excitement of a new dress, just as, no doubt, her Pa
had hoped. What she and Rhett had just done was, she assumed, what her Pa
had been talking about that day.

Oh why had she done it? She would just die if she had a baby and her
reputation would be ruined forever. She'd be an old maid with a bastard baby as
nobody would want to marry her. She felt the blood drain out of her face at that
prospect. Oh how terrible! Except, Charles…

He had just asked her to marry him. Her mind went into overdrive. She knew
that babies were sometimes born early and if she married Charles sooner rather
than later then if it turned out that she was going to have a baby then people
would be none the wiser. Yes, strange as it may sound, Charles was the
answer to her prayers, and if it turned out that she wasn't pregnant, then at least
it would show Ashley just how much she didn't love him. Her mind made up,
she turned to Charles.

"Yes Mr Hamilton I will." She said, immensely grateful for his proposal and
perfect timing.

"You'll wait for me?" he asked, almost unbelieving, and if Scarlett was honest,
she couldn't quite believe it herself.

"Oh, I don't think I'd want to wait" Scarlett said quickly.

"You mean you'll marry before I go?" Scarlett nodded and he took her hands.

"Yes, the sooner the better" she said, forcing a smile.

"I…I must go and talk to your father then… dear" he said.

"Yes you must" she muttered.

He kissed her hand and Scarlett felt herself die a little on the inside. She was
subjecting herself to a life with this mere boy who she felt nothing for and who
until this day, she hadn't given a second thought to and all because she'd gotten
carried away and done something incredibly stupid and wrong, even for her
standards.

"I'll wait here for you" Scarlett said and he hurried off, calling her father's name.

As soon as he left Scarlett let the smile drop off her face and she gazed out the
window in a daze. Her mind could hardly comprehend the events of the past
half hour. For the first time she wondered where Rhett was, and if he had left
the library yet. Her question was answered when she saw him next to Frank
Kennedy in a carriage, just leaving. Her eyes followed him, when he turned
around. He appeared to be looking for something, his eyes roaming over the
building and stopped when he saw her standing at the window. He nodded in
what might have been an approximation of a bow and Scarlett felt angry tears
prick her eyes. He could leave. He wouldn't have to suffer the repercussions of
their actions. He didn't have to marry someone he didn't love to protect his
reputation and future.

The thought crossed her mind that he should have offered to marry her after
ruining her like he did. However, after what she'd heard about him it would
seem that if he had no intention of marrying the girl who he took out in the
buggy, then what would make him feel inclined to marry her? Surely not his
conscience, (which she doubted he had) or the honour of a gentleman (which
he clearly wasn't). Even if she shouted from the rooftops that he had ruined her,
which she had no intention of doing, she still wouldn't put it past him to blame it
on her lack of restraint and morals and walk away, as unmarried and conceited
as ever. She dug her nails into the palms of her hands. Indeed, with his
reputation, he probably had a hundred children belonging to him, leaving a
hundred ruined girls in his wake. Oh it wasn't fair she thought as his carriage
rolled down the track. He was still glancing back at her and she narrowed her
eyes. This was all his fault. Him and his bruising kisses and expert caresses.
The tears fell silently as shame and anger rolled over her. Oh no one could ever
find out what she'd done. Ever.

When she could no longer see him, she angrily swiped away her tears but stood
at the window with a heavy heart and a desperately sad feeling that her
carefree existence was disappearing before her very eyes.

Scarlett married Charles Hamilton two weeks after the barbeque and a day
before Ashley married Melanie. In the two weeks leading up to her wedding,
she had half expected, in moments of shear madness, to see Rhett Butler stroll
up the drive and do the honourable thing and propose marriage to her.
However, when such thoughts crossed her mind she would have to remind
herself that Rhett Butler was no gentleman and was probably off doing
whatever no good varmints do. Besides, he probably wouldn't know honour if it
came up and slapped him, she scoffed. The problem was, she just didn't know if
she could bear marrying Charles Hamilton and anybody, Ashley aside, would
have been a massive improvement. Even a cad like Rhett Butler. At least he
had a personality, Scarlett though idly, even if not a very decent or nice one.

When Charlie had informed Melanie about their engagement, the Hamilton
siblings had come to visit Tara and Melanie was overjoyed that Scarlett was to
become her sister-in-law. At first, Scarlett had found Melanie's sweetness and
obvious happiness to be overbearing, but as one day merged into another, she
found the presence of Melanie to be comforting and most welcome, especially
as it lessened the time she had to spend with Charlie on her own.

Ashley had been another matter. It was Charlie who had told him of their
engagement, and Scarlett would have given anything to have been there to see
his face. Unfortunately, she had to settle for a recount from Charlie, who had
told her how immediately after telling Ashley the news he had given his
congratulations before turning quite pale and had taken to his room for the rest
of the evening with a headache. This had caused Scarlett to smile in
satisfaction.
Her wedding day dawned ironically bright and sunny and Scarlett felt sick as
she walked down the stairs holding onto her father's arm. The only way she
managed to get through the ceremony without quite literally being sick or
running away to hide in her room was the thought of what people would say if
she turned up pregnant and unmarried. Nothing, even marrying Charles
Hamilton, could be worse than that. It was with this thought in mind that Scarlett
gritted her teeth, plastered a smile on her face and said her vows.

The part that Scarlett was most dreading about the whole tragic affair was the
wedding night and having to share her bed with Charlie, which was singularly
ironic as it had been that act that was the reason for her getting married in the
first place. Before she had gone to bed, her mother had taken her aside to tell
her about her wifely duties and what would be expected of her. Ellen had said
that it would be uncomfortable but it was a wife's duty to bear it. It was all
Scarlett could do to stop herself from drowning in shame. What would her
mother say if she knew that Scarlett had already given herself to a man she
wasn't married to? That it didn't feel like something to be endured, but
something that she had even enjoyed and encouraged? Thankfully, Ellen took
Scarlett's silence and red face as nerves and apprehension for the upcoming
night, rather than guilt and embarrassment.

When the time came, Charlie emerged from her dressing room and Scarlett
watched him as he gave her a nervous smile and climbed onto the bed. She lay
still whilst Charlie fumbled and moved clumsily on top of her. With Rhett, it had
been uncomfortable at first, but she knew he had tried to be gentle. Charlie was,
in comparison, inexperienced and his fumbling was painful and awkward and
she lay there hoping and praying for it to over soon, which, thankfully, it was.

After it was over, she lay on her side and desperately tried not to cry. It had
been dreadful and humiliating and she couldn't understand why it hadn't felt so
with Rhett. After all, Charlie was her husband. Oh, how had she gotten herself
into this mess she wondered as she drifted off to sleep?

Not two months later, Scarlett received a letter informing her that she was a
widow. She stared blankly at the letter from Wade Hampton. She hadn't loved
Charlie, but she was grateful that he had married her. However, she couldn't
bring herself to feel even remotely grief stricken, as was befitting of a new
widow and at first only felt relieved that there would be no more awkward nights
together.

After, came the upsetting realisation that, as a widow she wouldn't be allowed to
do anything that she could as an unmarried girl, or even as a married woman.
That night, she had lain on her bed and sobbed over the fact that her life was
practically over and cursed Charles Hamilton and Rhett Butler until she fell
asleep.

A few days after she received the news that she had been widowed, Scarlett
discovered that she was indeed expecting a baby. Even though she had
suspected it, to have it confirmed was not pleasant and the only thought that
crossed her mind was that she was glad she hadn't married Charlie and
suffered his touches for no reason. Unless… she bolted upright in her bed and
battled down a wave of nausea. Was it possible that it was Charlie's baby? She
didn't know, and there was no way she could ask anyone.

Oh, how she wished it was Rhett's baby, if only because of the hope that the
baby would grow up to be handsome and strong whereas any baby of Charlie's
would most likely grow to be shy and nervous.

One night, several months into her pregnancy, Scarlett was lying in bed, and felt
the baby kick. Her eyes flew open and her hand drifted down to her stomach.
The baby kicked again and her eyes widened. For hours, the baby kicked and in
Scarlett's mind, the matter of the baby's father was settled, for no baby of meek
Charles Hamilton would tirelessly kick its mother all night long. No, only a child
of Rhett Butler would have the gall to do that

Wade Hampton Hamilton was born 8 months and two weeks after her wedding.
Scarlett's uncommonly short labour was mostly a painful blur, which ended
when she heard the first cry of her new born baby.

"You got a son Miss Scarlett" Mammy said, wrapping the baby in a blanket.

"Oh, let me see him!" Scarlett said. Her whole body and ached and she was
ravenously hungry, but at the minute the only thought on her mind was that she
needed to see her baby, or more accurately, needed to see who he looked like.

Scarlett's heart was beating wildly her mother placed her son in her arms and
she looked intently at his little face. He had a head of black hair and under the
red blotches his skin was as white as hers. Inwardly, she breathed a sigh of
relief. He looked like her.

Later that night when she was on her own with her baby, she almost cried with
relief that her secret was safe. Her sisters and her father had all commented on
how much little Wade looked like her, which had calmed some of her fears.
Besides, surely no one would notice that his hair was a darker shade of black
than hers unless they were looking for it, she thought drowsily before falling
asleep.

By the time Wade was a few weeks old, his eyes had changed from baby blue
to a dark brown to Scarlett's horror. Charlie's eyes had also been brown, but a
lighter, more chestnut brown. Wade's eyes were definitely the same very dark
brown as Rhett's she lamented. Thankful, this difference was only noted by her.

Scarlett had come to realise that she wasn't a natural mother. She hadn't fallen
in love with her son as soon as he was put in her arms and often found his
crying and fussing annoying especially as it often happened at the worst times
like when she was sleeping or hungry or resting. However, to the rest of the
household, it looked as though Scarlett was a devoted mother. She rarely let
Wade out of her sight and insisted on doing everything from bathing him to
feeding him herself, such was her fear that he might display some characteristic
or sign that could not be attributed to herself, Charlie or natural infant behaviour.
For to her, he was so obviously Rhett's son that she could scarcely believe no
one else suspected.

Although she found it surprising, Scarlett had moments when she genuinely
enjoyed spending time with her son. She would sit on the porch with Wade in
her lap and she would be reminded of the few frantic moments that had created
her son and catch herself smiling before reminding herself of what a varmint
Rhett Butler was. Other times she would rock Wade to sleep and admire how
handsome her little son was and a wave of motherly pride and to her
astonishment, love, would wash over her.

One day a few months after Wade's birth, she received a letter from Melanie
Wilkes asking her to visit Atlanta as she wanted to get to know her sister-in-law
better and also to meet her nephew.

Scarlett's immediate thought was that there was no way she could go. It was
safe to have Wade around her family who had only known Charlie a short while,
but Melanie was his sister. They had grown up together and if there was anyone
who would realise that Wade was not Charlie's son it was her. Also, Scarlett felt
guilty beyond belief that she would have to lie to Melanie over such an
important issue. Melanie believed, as did everyone that Charlie was the father,
but somehow Scarlett felt that it was worse lying to Melanie than to her family,
as Melanie thought that Wade was the last link to her dead brother and if she
ever found out the truth then she would surely hate her.

However, she was bored beyond belief, despite looking after a baby that took
up most of her time. Although she loved Tara and her family, she felt as though
she would go crazy if she was cooped up in the country for any longer. Scarlett
craved attention and excitement and Atlanta could give that to her. Besides,
Wade was still so little that maybe Melanie wouldn't notice anything amiss. With
that thought, she crossed her fingers and penned a response telling Melanie to
expect them within the week.

Scarlett, Wade and his nurse, Prissy were settling well into life in Atlanta.
Melanie and Aunt Pitty were over the moon to have them stay and Scarlett
found the hustle and bustle of Atlanta far more exciting than life in the country.
The first few days, Scarlett was plagued with fear that Melanie would discover
her secret and every time Melanie held Wade or played with him her heart
would be in her mouth. One particular moment scared Scarlett more than she
cared to admit. Melanie was rocking Wade when she turned to Scarlett and said
"He does look just like you Scarlett, except the eyes of course, but they aren't
Charlie's either…" she looked questioningly at Scarlett who forced a smile onto
her face to hide the terror she felt.

"No, he has my mother's eyes, Careen's too. Suellen has Pa's eyes, sort of. I'm
not sure whose eyes I've got." She babbled nervously.
"Yes, I remember your mother having beautiful dark eyes from your wedding."
Melanie replied and Scarlett breathed a sigh of relief. Later in bed, she realised
just how close a call it was. However, after that scare, things became easier
and some of the fear Scarlett felt waned until gradually she felt more at ease
with leaving Melanie to look after Wade without her constant presence.

Scarlett had been in Atlanta a few months when she and Melly were asked to
run the McClure girls booth at the bazaar. Scarlett was secretly thrilled and
didn't even mind so much that she would be stuck behind the booth all evening,
so bored she was with sitting in the house all day.

"Oh don't they look so dashing Melly?" Scarlett asked, her gaze flitting over the
young men, who despite some missing limbs who were wearing their uniforms
proudly. After being stuck in a house where everybody was in mourning, the
colours and pomp of the occasion made Scarlett feel as though she was the
belle of the county again, rather than the widow she was.

"They'd look a sight more dashing in grey and yellow and in Virginia" came the
strangely harsh reply.

"Why Melly!" Scarlett said, shocked at her normally sweet and kind sister-in-law.

"It's true Scarlett, not the sick ones or the young or old men, but there are some
who are perfectly capable of fighting and are simply too cowardly to go" and
with that, Melly turned her attention away from Scarlett to serve a customer.

Scarlett sighed and continued to watch the crowd, when Doctor Mead took to
the stage to address everyone. Scarlett was only half paying attention but then
something he said made her take notice.

"Our friend from Charleston, Captain Rhett Butler!" the crowd cheered and
Scarlett looked round wildly, the blood draining out of her face. Then she saw
him. His dark head was bowed but when he looked up his eyes immediately fell
on her. She turned away quickly and hurried to the back of the booth, but she
knew he had seen her.

He couldn't be here! She thought. Her mind was in turmoil and she glanced
over her shoulder and saw him making his way through the crowd in her
direction.

"Captain Butler?" Melanie asked. Scarlett held her breath. Oh why couldn't she
just ignore him?

"I'm Mrs Wilkes, I believe we met at my husband's home, Twelve Oaks last
year?"

"Mrs Wilkes, it's a pleasure to see you again. I hope the war hasn't hit you too
hard" he replied.
Scarlett's mind immediately went back to the last time she heard his voice,
whispering in her ear as he moved on top of her- no, she couldn't think about
that. Not now, especially not here in public. Her face burned in shame and she
tried to concentrate on the conversation he was having with Melly.

"There are others far worse off than us, Captain Butler. Of course, the loss of
my brother Charlie was very upsetting…" her voice trailed off slightly.

"Mrs Wilkes, may I say that to die for one's country is to live forever." He
sounded far kinder than Scarlett had ever heard him and his words obviously
comforted Melly.

"That's very kind of you to say so Captain Butler. It has helped awfully having
Scarlett to stay. Scarlett did you meet Captain Butler at the barbeque?"

Scarlett turned around. "I… I think so." She said shortly, inwardly cursing herself
for stuttering.

"Yes, it was in the library, you'd just broken something, Miss O'Hara?" he
replied, his dark eyes boring into hers.

"Yes Captain Butler, I remember you." Scarlett snapped. Melanie, who did not
appear to notice the tension, smiled.

"She's Mrs Hamilton now, my sister-in-law. Scarlett has been staying with us in
Atlanta."

"I'm sure that's a great comfort for you both" he said graciously.

Just then, Renee Picard appeared, holding a basket filled with jewellery and
other items of value.

"Your jewellery for the cause ladies?" Renee Picard said, holding the basket.

Scarlett was for the first time thankful that she was in mourning as it meant that
she wasn't wearing any jewellery. She would have just hated to give up her
diamond earbobs or her grandmother's gold chain.

"We're not wearing any, we're in mourning" Melanie said and Renee turned to
go when Scarlett caught a glimpse of her wedding ring in the light.

"Wait, I do have something for you" she called and pulled the ring off her finger
and tossed it onto the pile.

"Oh please, take mine too" Melanie said and looked lovingly at her ring before
placing it carefully into the basket. "It may help my husband more off my finger"
she said with a gentle smile.

Scarlett watched as Rhett casually chucked in his gold cigar case, before
turning back to Melanie.
"Oh Scarlett, that was such a brave thing to do. I wouldn't have had the courage
to do it if you hadn't!" Melanie cried and squeezed Scarlett affectionately round
her waist.

"That was indeed very courageous Mrs Wilkes." Rhett said smoothly, offering
her a genuine smile.

Scarlett bristled. What about her bravery? As if reading her mind, Rhett turned
to her. "You too Mrs Hamilton. I know just how much that meant to you" his dark
eyes were mocking.

"Melanie, may I have a quick word about an idea of a rather scandalous nature
to raise more money for the cause?" Doctor Meade said, appearing by the
booth.

"Of course Doctor Meade." Melanie replied, and then left with the doctor,
leaving Scarlett all alone with Rhett Butler.

"Black doesn't suit you my dear." Rhett said. Scarlett scowled at him. She knew
black didn't suit her and god knows she hated wearing it, but she didn't need
Rhett Butler of all people pointing that out to her.

"I'll thank you to keep your opinions to yourself Captain Butler" she said.

"Who, may I ask are you mourning?" he questioned, ignoring her remark.

"Charlie, my husband, but you already knew that." She said, glaring at him.

"Yes, but common courtesy dictates that one not presume such things"

"Common courtesy? Fiddle dee dee. Presume all you want, but at least go and
do it elsewhere." she snapped. It was all his fault she was mourning. She hadn't
loved Charlie and had only married him because of Rhett Butler and now she
wanted nothing more than for him to go and leave her in as much peace as her
guilty mind could manage to find.

"My dear, I don't quite know what I've done to make you glare at me so. Was it
for my remark about your wedding ring? You can't expect me to believe that you
loved a shy, meek boy like Charles Hamilton, after all, you were quite horrified
by Ashley Wilkes' proposal and I imagine Mr Hamilton held the same meagre
amount of charm and personality, being cousins."

Completely forgetting what she had just said about presuming things, she
narrowed her eyes. How dare he assume that he knew who she liked or what
she liked?

"Captain Butler I have no desire to answer such an ill-bred question" she

snapped and placed her palms on the top of the counter.
"Why ever not, if I've done something wrong, and it usually appears that I have."
He said, leaning forward on the counter "then I'd like to know exactly what it
was." He was far too close to where Scarlett stood and she was anxious that
someone might see and then she'd be in for a lecture on the propriety of
widows.

"So, I'll ask you again, why do you glare at me so, my dear Mrs Hamilton? I'd
hate to think that I'd offended your delicate sensibilities with my ill-bred and
caddish remarks."

"Because it's all your fault!" she burst out angrily before she could stop herself
"Besides, if you had any sense you'd know I never wanted to see you again."
She hurried on in an attempt to cover up what she'd just revealed.

"Is that so?" He murmured, a small frown appearing on his face. He didn't say
anything else, but made no move to leave. Her heart was beating so loudly that
Scarlett was sure Rhett could hear it. After a second, the awkward silence and
the fact that she'd inadvertently revealed more than she should was too much
for Scarlett. As keen as she was for him to go, she got the impression that Rhett
Butler was one man that wouldn't be put off by what she had just said and
would stay as long as he pleased, simply because he could.

"You know, I'm surprised you turned out to be such an honourable character."
She ventured, recalling parts of Doctor Meade's speech. If he wasn't going to
leave, then she at least wanted to turn the conversation away from the
dangerous waters they had previously been on.

He chuckled slightly. "I'm afraid I can't take advantage of your little girl ideals.
I'm a blockader merely for profit, nothing more."

"But… but what about the cause. Don't you believe in the cause?" Scarlett
asked, genuinely curious and pleased that someone else couldn't care less how
many cushion covers they sold that night, even if that person was Rhett.

"I believe in Rhett Butler. He's the only cause I care about. Besides, may I make
a wild guess and say that you don't believe in the cause any more than I do."

Scarlett tried to feel insulted. "How can you say that? Well, I'll have you know
that I do. A lot." She added, to emphasise her point. She wasn't sure why she
was lying, only that thinking the same thing as Rhett and letting him know it,
didn't seem like a good idea.

"You do?" he grinned. "I don't believe that for a second."

"Well…" Scarlett said. Should she admit that she didn't? After all, he just
admitted that he didn't believe in it. Besides, he seemed to be worryingly able to
read her like a book and would surely know if she carried on lying. She
hesitated for a second.
"I pretend to believe in it, but to be honest, the only thing this war has been
good for is ruining all the parties and I can't have a decent conversation with
anyone without them bringing the glorious cause into it and I just get so bored
with it all" she finished, relieved to finally get that off her chest.

Rhett laughed. "I knew you wouldn't disappoint."

Before she had a chance to ask what he meant, the crowd fell silent as Doctor
Meade took to the stage and announced that to raise money for the cause there
would be an auction.

"If a gentleman would like to lead the reel with the lady of his choice then he
must bid for her!" Doctor Meade declared.

Scarlett felt excitement bubble in her chest. Oh what fun! She thought before
realising that as a widow, she wouldn't get the chance to dance. Oh if only she
wasn't then she just knew she would have led that reel. She pouted in
annoyance. It simply wasn't fair!

"20 dollars for Miss Maybelle Merriwether!" cried Renee Picard

"25 dollars for Miss Fanny Elsing!" someone else shouted.

"Gentlemen, is that all? Surely our lovely ladies are worth more than that? And
let's not forget that the cause needs every dollar we have to give!" Doctor
Meade cried.

"One hundred and fifty dollars in gold" the crowd gasped in unison as Rhett
Butler strode to the front of the hall. Scarlett frowned slightly? Who on earth
would he want to dance with?

"For which lady, sir?" Doctor Meade asked, with wide eyes. For a millisecond
before Rhett answered, Scarlett felt something akin to jealousy at whoever it
was that Rhett wanted to dance with. She didn't even have time to tell herself
that it was purely because they would get to lead the reel and not because they
would be dancing with Rhett, when he replied.

"Mrs Charles Hamilton." Scarlett felt her breath hitch in her throat. That was her.
People turned to look at where she was stood and she couldn't even bring
herself to blush, so shocked she was.

"Mrs Hamilton is in mourning sir. I'm sure one of the other ladies would be
delighted to-"

"I said, Mrs Charles Hamilton" Rhett interrupted.

Doctor Meade had turned red with embarrassment and anger that a widow
should be called upon to dance.

"She won't do it!" he said loudly.

"Oh yes I will!" Scarlett cried before she could stop herself, forgetting that only a
moment ago she had been wishing he would go away and leave her alone.

She heard the collective gasp and subsequent muttering from the crowd as she
swept out of her booth and towards Rhett, her heart pounding with excitement.
So what if she was dancing with the devil himself? She would get to dance and
have fun rather than being stuck behind a booth all night! Taking her place
opposite Rhett she smiled brilliantly at him and waited for the dance to start.
After the reel was over, Scarlett found herself in Rhett's arms for the waltz.

"Captain Butler, you do dance divinely!" Scarlett said, as he twirled her around
the floor. She looked up at him from underneath her eyelashes and dimpled
prettily. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun.

"Stop that" he commanded. Scarlett's smile faltered.

"Stop what?"

"That southern Belle simper. I want more from you than flirting." Scarlett's eyes
flashed angrily. Oh he was going to humiliate her now, in front of all these
people as well! He had so far refrained from mentioning her less than ladylike
conduct at the barbeque but at his words, Scarlett realised that he saw her as
nothing more than one of those bad women she had heard about.

"If you think that" she started angrily, but he interrupted her.

"My dear, as much as I would like a repeat of that little soirée we had last year,
that was not what I was going to say." Scarlett stared at him in anger and
confusion. What on earth was a soirée?

"I didn't think well… that" she said, feeling a blush creep onto her face. He
merely laughed and Scarlett felt her anger rise again. He had humiliated her
and now he was laughing at her. Why on earth had she agreed to dance with
him? He truly was the devil.

"You did my dear, don't deny it. However, what I want from you, Scarlett, is an
answer." Her forehead puckered in confusion, completely surprised at his
request.

"An answer to what? You haven't asked me anything." She said.

"Before. You said that it was all my fault. What was my fault?" he asked, his
black eyes probing into hers and she shifted her gaze to his shoulder, trying
desperately to gather her thoughts. She giggled nervously.

"How you do run on Captain Butler. I never meant anything by it" she said
quickly, hoping he would accept her denial and forget about it. She had no such
luck.
"Oh but I think you did. Tell me Scarlett." She felt his grasp on her tighten and
his hand slide marginally down her back.

"Rhett don't hold me so close. People are watching." She mumbled, trying to
pull away, to no avail as he just pulled her even tighter to his body.

"I don't think so. Not until you tell me what you meant, and don't lie." He was too
close for her to think clearly and once again, he had gotten her into a proverbial
corner than she couldn't back out of.

"It's your fault I married Charlie." She said opting to reveal the least information
she could.

"It is? Did I hold a gun to your head and demand you marry him? Did I carry you
down the aisle myself?" she could tell without looking that he was grinning. Oh
how could he be so flippant about everything?

"Oh you know what I mean! After we… well… you know…" she trailed off.
Should she tell him about Wade? Would he care? But would he tell anyone? He
might, she thought, he was just enough of a varmint to do that. Anyway, it
wasn't like he was going to find out from anyone else that she had had a baby.
After all, he didn't exactly run in the same social circles as her. Her mind made
up, she looked up and faked a smile at her partner.

"Oh let's not talk about the past Rhett. I'm having far too much fun for that."
Scarlett said, hoping he would take the hint and drop the subject.

"Seeing as I have just spent a veritable fortune to dance with you, and I didn't
spend 150 dollars to have you scowl at me all night, I'll change the subject, but
this conversation is not over by any means, just… postponed" he said, the
corner of his mouth turning down. Scarlett breathed a sigh of relief, having
stopped listening after he said that he would change the subject.

"You know, I have often thought it's barbaric the way we treat our widows, they
might as well be buried with their husbands." Rhett said as he twirled her
around the floor.

"Oh Rhett it's awful. I have to wear black and I can't go to any parties." She
pouted and he laughed loudly.

"Oh hush up, you're making me terribly conspicuous Rhett" Scarlett said,
glancing at where the other matrons were sat, looking disapprovingly at the
widow of poor Charlie Hamilton.

"Fie, my dear. You wanted to be conspicuous, or did you want to be stuck

behind that booth all evening?"

"Well, I did so badly want to dance"

"I know, it was written all over that pretty face of yours" he said, grinning down
at her.

"Pretty?" Scarlett asked, her ears perking up at the compliment.

"Yes, you have a very readable face."

The song finished and Scarlett sighed.

"Dare I hope you enjoy dancing with me?" Rhett asked. His hand was still
resting lightly against her back.

"Oh Rhett, I can't remember the last time I danced and now I have to go back to
the booth and I probably won't dance again until I'm 80" Scarlett said gloomily.
Rhett laughed.

"That's not true, because I'm going to bid for you in the next dance and the next
and the next!"

"Really Rhett I couldn't. Can't you see the way those old peahens are staring at
us? Why, what must they think of me?" she said, anxiously.

"Do you want to dance Scarlett?" he asked.

"Oh you know I do, but"

"But nothing. Let them think what they want. Besides" he whispered in her ear,
"I want to dance with you."

She pulled back, slightly flustered, and looked him in the eye. "Well, I suppose I
would be making lots of money for the cause" she said, fluttering her eyelashes.
He laughed loudly and people turned to look at them, but in that moment
Scarlett didn't care. She was determined to have fun.

"That's right my dear, go on pretending." He chuckled, his black eyes dancing

with joy and amusement.

wo weeks after the bazaar, Scarlett was sat in the parlour when Melly came
rushing in waving a piece of paper.

"Oh Scarlett, look at this letter, from Captain Butler!" she said, smiling. Scarlett
took it and looked at the strong but elegant writing, wondering what on earth he
could want. She scanned the page quickly, half afraid that he'd said something
about her that she didn't want Melly to know.

Mrs Wilkes,
Whilst the Confederacy needs the life blood of its men, it does not yet require
the hearts blood of its women. Please accept your ring with the knowledge that
it has been redeemed at ten times its value.

Rhett K Butler

P.S. I also enclose Mrs Hamilton's ring.

Scarlett breathed a sigh of relief and accepted her ring off Melly. She put it back
on her finger where it felt as though it was weighing her whole hand down.
Glancing at the letter again, she could practically feel the mockery rolling off the
page at his last sentence. The way he'd put it, made it sound as though she
didn't deserve to get her ring back. And she was an afterthought! A scowl
appeared on her face.

"Oh wasn't it kind of him Scarlett?" Melanie asked sweetly, completely oblivious
to her sister-in-law's frown. "He must be a true gentleman. However can I thank
him? Oh, I must ask Auntie to invite him over for dinner; yes I'll ask her now."
And with that, she hurried out the room before Scarlett had a chance to protest.

Was it really a good idea having Rhett Butler round for dinner? Scarlett thought
not. To start with, she was sure that he had only returned their rings because he
knew it would get him an invitation to the Hamilton household and that kindness
and honour had nothing to do with it, not that Melanie would believe that for a
second. She always only saw the good in people, and whilst this was admirable,
Scarlett inwardly sighed at Melly's complete naivety when it came to people like
Rhett Butler who were clearly up to no good and had ulterior motives. What they
were, she wasn't quite sure, but she just knew that he was up to something.

However, that thought was pushed out of her head as Wade started crying and,
laying the letter on the settee, she hurried up to the nursery.

A few days later, Scarlett made sure that Wade was fed and asleep by the time
their guest arrived. She had also checked and double checked that there was
no evidence of her son left downstairs, and after picking up his blanket which
was draped over the settee, the house looked as though it's only occupants
were three woman. She now only had to make sure that the conversation never
turned towards her son, which she was fairly sure it wouldn't. Children and
babies in particular were never the source of conversation with grown men
whose interests lay out of the realm of how many hours a baby slept for at night
or the new blanket they had become so attached to. Rhett exuded so much
masculinity that Scarlett was positive that even Melanie would feel embarrassed
bringing up Wade in his presence, or at least, she hoped Melly would.

Throughout dinner the next day, Rhett was on his best behaviour Scarlett
noticed, complimenting the hospitality and the food. There were no snide
comments or mocking jokes that Scarlett didn't understand and by the time
Melanie and Aunt Pitty retired upstairs, Scarlett was exhausted trying to figure
out what he was trying to achieve.

They went through to the parlour and Scarlett could finally stop biting her
tongue, as she had been doing for the past hour or two.

"What do you want Rhett?" she asked bluntly.

"Why do you think I want something?" he replied casually.

"Because you're not normally so polite" Scarlett burst out, folding her arms
defiantly. Rhett chuckled.

"You're quite right my dear, I simply thought it wouldn't be conducive to being

invited back if I wasn't. Not after all the trouble I went through to getting invited
in the first place."

"But why did you want to come?" she persisted.

"Because my pet, you amuse me in a way no other young woman has managed
to do." He lounged back on the settee with a grin on his face.

"I amuse you?" Scarlett could feel her fury rising. She didn't quite know what to
think about that, only that the way he said it implied that it couldn't be anything
decent or acceptable.

"Immensely. What do you say to that?"

"I'd say that I have never met such a cad before in my life! I amuse you do I?
Well, I hope you'll be amused when I show you the door!" she shrieked, and
stomped out into the hall.

"Come now Scarlett, there's no need for such dramatics. I meant it as a

compliment" he said and she ignored him, her blood boiling at his insolence.

"Would it help if I apologised?" he ventured as she reached the door.

Scarlett whirled round to face him, her eyes narrowing. "Not even if you meant
it!"

Then suddenly, there was a cry from upstairs. Scarlett glanced up the stairs and
then back at Rhett.

Her heart hammered in her chest.

"I…" she stammered guiltily.

"Scarlett?" shaking her head slightly to clear her mind, she squared her
shoulders.
"I think you should leave Rhett" she was pleased that her voice didn't shake or
display her fear.

"Is that a baby?" he asked.

"Yes, you can see yourself out?" she asked, and picked up her skirts to hurry up
the stairs and escape the unwelcome situation she had found herself in.
However, before she reached the third step, she felt his hand grab her wrist.

"Get off me" she whispered fiercely, trying to yank her wrist away.

"Is it your baby?" he asked, a strange expression on his face.

"Yes, now get off me" Scarlett hissed, then he suddenly let go of her and she
stumbled forward. She somehow managed to get up the next two steps when
she heard him speak again.

"Is it mine?"

Scarlett froze. Oh what a terribly awkward and humiliating situation to be in she

lamented.

"We are not having this conversation" she whispered angrily, turning to face
him. His face held an inscrutable look, but Scarlett got the feeling that he knew.
Her refusal to answer and what she'd revealed at the bazaar could only really
be interpreted one way and Rhett Butler might be a horrid cad and no good
scoundrel, but he was not stupid. Unfortunately.

"No, not here we're not. Not with Mrs Wilkes and Miss Hamilton upstairs at any
rate. Don't think I'll forget though. I'll be back soon enough." And with that, he
strode to the door.

"I shall bid you a good evening Mrs Hamilton." He nodded at her and then left.
As soon as the door shut, Scarlett gripped onto the bannister with shaking
hands to support herself as her legs felt like they would collapse under her at
any minute. Slowly, she made her way up to the nursery with the resolve not to
find herself alone in Rhett Butler's company again.

Scarlett did not see Rhett Butler again for a week after he came over for dinner.
Then, one day when Melanie was nursing at the hospital and Aunt Pitty was
vising Mrs Meade, Scarlett found herself alone. She was in the process of
writing a letter to her mother when she heard a knock at the door.
Absentmindedly, she stood up, wondering if Aunt Pitty had left her shawl again
and sauntered over to the door and opened it. There stood Rhett Butler.

"My dear Mrs Hamilton you're looking very well today" he said and walked past
her into the house. Closing the door, Scarlett turned to glare at him.
"You can't just invite yourself in you know. Maybe I didn't want to see you" she
said, annoyed.

"Well I want to see you. I do believe we have a conversation scheduled and

seeing as there is no one else in, now is an opportune time, don't you think?" he
said, taking off his hat and hanging it on the bannister.

"Shall we go and sit in the parlour?" he asked, and then wandered into the
aforementioned room, holding the door open for Scarlett.

"You're impossible!" she huffed as she stalked in behind him. "And I do not
appreciate being told what to do in my house." She sat down in one of the arm
chairs and looked to where Rhett was hovering in the centre of the room.

"Well you're here now, you might as well take a seat, although I'm surprised you
haven't already" she muttered, collecting her wits.

He chuckled and lowered himself into the chair next to hers. For a moment,
neither of them spoke.

"God's nightgown Rhett, say something!" Scarlett burst out, twisting her hands
nervously in her lap. He was the one who wanted this conversation, so he was
the one who was going to start it. She looked into his black eyes and wondered
what he was thinking.

"Is it mine?" he asked. He appeared to be holding his breath and he was as still
as a statue. Was there any point in lying to him? He already suspected. The
only thing more humiliating than admitting that it was his, was saying it wasn't,
only to have him to call her out on her lie. Scarlett took a deep breath as she
struggled to get out the secret which she had carried inside her for so long.

"Yes" Scarlett said eventually and leant back in the chair, avoiding his gaze.
She heard him suck in a breath, but didn't look at him. He was such an
unpredictable man she had no idea how he would react to her revelation.

"Scarlett? Look at me." He said, oddly gentle. Scarlett lifted her eyes up and to
her surprise, he looked… happy?

"Why in God's name are you smiling?" she asked, slightly disconcerted.

"Isn't that a normal reaction when you find out that you're a father for the first
time?" he replied.

"The first time? Really?" Scarlett asked before she could stop herself. He
chuckled slightly.

"I have a pretty good idea of what you think of me, Scarlett, but I assure you, I
do not make a habit of seducing young girls. You were… an exception… I was
quite swept off my feet by your…ardour… and found your charms impossible to
resist."
"You make it sound like you were the one who was seduced" Scarlett muttered.

"If it pleases you to think so" he grinned.

"What? Oh! Of course not, how could you imply… this was all your fault!" she
cried obstinately, but couldn't stop a blush creeping over her face.

"But back to my point, I assure you, my reaction is completely normal."

"This isn't exactly a normal situation, or hadn't you realised?" Scarlett replied
sarcastically.

"I'm quite aware of the fact my dear, but that still doesn't change what I feel." He
leant forward and captured her hand in his. "Now tell me, do I have a son or a
daughter?" he said eagerly.

Scarlett raised an eyebrow in amusement and astonishment. How could he

make the most terrible situation seem almost normal? She stood up from the
chair.

"A son. Do you…" she bit her lip nervously. "Would you like to meet him?" she
asked.

"I would like that very much" he said sincerely, a true smile gracing his features.

"I'll go and get him; he'll be awake soon anyhow." And with that, she hurried
upstairs to get Wade. He was lying in his crib, wide awake. His jet black hair
was sticking up all over the place and, sighing softly, Scarlett balanced him on
her hip as she tried to smooth it flat.

"Do you want to meet your Daddy?" she asked, to which he gurgled happily in
response. She carefully made her way back to the parlour where Rhett stood,
almost anxiously, by the window.

"Rhett?" he turned around quickly and his eyes fell on the dark haired baby in
her arms.

"Is that..?" he broke off and cleared his throat.

"Yes, this is Wade, your son." Rhett crossed the room quickly and lifted the
baby out of her arms, holding him gently. Scarlett watched as he began cooing
to the baby and shook her head at his foolishness. Men were supposed to be
distant and aloof when it came to babies. Here was Rhett Butler, the most
masculine man she knew acting like a little girl with her first doll.

"Do… do you like him?" Scarlett asked hesitantly, not sure why she wanted him
so badly to approve of their baby. He laughed softly.

"What a question, Scarlett. Of course I do." He turned his attention back to the
baby and Scarlett sank down into the chair again, watching the bizarre scene in
front of her. Surely this couldn't be real, she thought. Any minute now, she was
going to wake up because this whole thing was just far too surreal to actually be
her life. She discretely pinched her arm and winced as her nails dug into the
soft skin. Definitely awake she concluded with a sigh.

"He's going to be just as handsome as his daddy when he grows up!" Rhett
said. Scarlett rolled her eyes. How much more arrogant could that man get?

"He already acts like you. A complete nightmare" she retorted.

Rhett looked at the baby who was happily gurgling away in his arms.

"A nightmare? I don't quite see it myself!"

"You wouldn't. He wakes me up every hour of the night demanding food or

something and sometimes he cries and cries and I can't for the life of me work
out why" she said, bewildered. Rhett laughed.

"How old is he? A few months? It'll get easier my dear." Scarlett huffed.

"Well it can't get any harder." She grumbled and Rhett came to sit next to her,
Wade nestled, seemingly content, in his arms. Scarlett let her gaze flick
between them, a frown appearing on her face.

"What is it my dear?" Rhett asked, as she suddenly turned very pale.

"Oh Rhett, everyone's going to find out!" she gasped.

"What? No, Scarlett. I'm not going to tell anyone and I don't imagine you are
either." He said, squeezing her hand. Although she was slightly comforted that
he had admitted he wouldn't say anything, the real issue was, quite literally,
staring her in the face.

"You don't understand. Just… just look! I thought he looked like me and
everyone said he did, but that's just because he doesn't look a thing like Charlie
but now it's so obvious that he looks like you!" she wailed, practically
incoherent.

"What on earth are you going on about?" Rhett said and then sighed when it
became clear that Scarlett was getting worked up about something.

"Scarlett, let me put Wade back in the nursery and then…"

"No! You can't go up there" Scarlett gasped. She stood up.

"Let me" she held out her arms and Rhett pressed a kiss to the baby's head
before handing him to Scarlett, amused that despite the scandalous nature of
the whole situation, Scarlett still wouldn't let him go upstairs.
A few minutes later, Scarlett was back downstairs. She looked around to see
Rhett sitting on the settee. He held out an arm to her.

"Come and sit down my dear and we can talk." Scarlett looked between the
settee and the chair before opting to sit next to Rhett.

"Now. Tell me what's the matter." He said softly.

Scarlett sniffed slightly. "I don't know what to do Rhett! I thought that if I married
Charlie then everybody would think it was his baby but he doesn't look at all like
Charlie and now everyone's going to find out what I did and my reputation will
be lost and Melly will hate me and Wade…" she trailed off and burst into tears
that had been a long time coming. She buried her face in her hands as she
sobbed.

"Scarlett?" she looked up to see Rhett holding a handkerchief out to her, which
she took and wiped her eyes.

"I'm sorry" she mumbled, "I don't usually cry like that."

"No need to be sorry Scarlett, you've had to deal with a lot on your own for a
long time. It's understandable. For what it's worth, I'm sorry." He added.

"You are?" She said, looking at him through a haze of tears.

"Yes. I didn't think about the repercussions of what we did. I probably should
have, but I've gone through life like a bat out of hell, never stopping to think
what my actions might have caused others" he sighed and leaned back.

"However, what's done is done." He tucked a strand of hair behind Scarlett's ear
and brushed a finger across her cheek and Scarlett felt the blood rise to her
face.

"We can't go back and change what we did my dear, we just have to deal the
best we can with the consequences, namely Wade and of the course the rather
more pressing issue."

Scarlett gaped at him.

"What on earth could be more pressing than our son?" That sounded strange,
she thought, calling Wade 'our son' rather than 'my son'. Not entirely unpleasant
though, she decided.

Rhett chuckled. "I'm referring to your fake mourning. Do you know how
exhausting it is to be around people who are constantly depressed and wearing
black?" Scarlett felt anger shoot through her.

"I am not depressed at all Rhett Butler and you know it!" she shouted and threw
his handkerchief at his chest.
"Well prove it then. You and I both know that no matter how much black you
wear it will not change the fact that you don't care at all that your husband died."

Scarlett scowled at him. "You're a varmint"

"Yes I may be, but you my pretty little liar are a fake. Tell, me wouldn't you be
happier if you could go to parties and wear beautiful dresses and dance all the
time?" he asked.

"Oh you know I would! I'm sick and tired of black and staying indoors, but
Rhett!" she put her small white hand on his sleeve "I don't know if I dare. Why,
Aunt Pitty and the others were horrified when I danced at the bazaar last week.
My reputation"

"If you're brave enough, you can do with a reputation." Rhett said.

"But it'll seem like I didn't even love Charlie" she said and he gave her a pointed
look.

"You didn't Scarlett and although I applaud your quick thinking by marrying him
and making sure that Wade isn't seen as a bastard and cast out of society,
alongside yourself, I cannot lie and pretend that I'm sorry he died. It's one thing
to know my son is being brought up as another man's and with his name, but I'll
be damned if I had to watch another man raise my child" he said harshly, his
eyes gleaming with intensity.

Scarlett shrunk back slightly, afraid of the dangerous picture he made. In that
moment, she was glad that Charlie was dead, because if he wasn't then she
was sure that Rhett would have killed Charlie himself.

"Just out of interest, how long were you planning to hide him from me?" he said,
leaning back, the blank and unreadable expression back on his face. All the
intensity of the previous moment was gone, which Scarlett was immensely
grateful for. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"I don't know. I thought you might tell someone. How was I to know that you like
babies?" she burst out, before blushing.

Rhett laughed. "I've never met anyone quite like you" he said.

"Is that a compliment?" Scarlett asked, not quite able to keep up with his
sudden mood swings. Why, just a second ago she was sure he was quite able
and willing to commit murder and now he was…being nice?

"Completely. There's another dance in two weeks" he said, changing the

subject.

Scarlett scowled. Another thing that she'd have to miss.

"You don't have to remind me" she said icily.

"Good. So I'll be round at 7 to pick you up then" he said, standing up.

"What?" Scarlett gasped. "You know I can't go. I'm in mourning."

"We've already been through this. Besides, think of all the fun you're missing
out on. I know you want to go something dreadful" he teased.

"Well, I have been awfully bored…" Scarlett sighed. Rhett let out a loud laugh.

"You're going to make me conspicuous again aren't you?" Scarlett smiled, her
spirits considerably lifted at the thought of going to another dance.

"As I recall, you rather liked being conspicuous" he said devilishly and Scarlett
giggled. How strange that he could completely turn her mood around, she
wondered.

"I'll see you again soon Mrs Hamilton" he said and kissed the back of her hand,
his lips lingering slightly longer than was considered proper.

"Take care of my son for me, won't you?" he asked.

"I have been already" Scarlett said, affronted that he would question her
mothering ability.

"I know you have, and it looks as though you're doing a fine job, but you don't
have to do it on your own anymore Scarlett."

"I don't?" she asked quietly.

"No. I want to help in any way that I can. It's the least I can do." Before she even
had a chance to thank him, he was gone.

Scarlett shut the door behind him and stood in the hall. Certainly, it had gone
better than she anticipated. Aside from that moment at the end when he turned
slightly murderous, he had been rather pleasant about the whole thing, she
thought. He wasn't angry as far as she knew and he said he wouldn't tell
anyone. Indeed, he seemed quite taken with Wade. That didn't surprise her, as
her son could be very charming when he wanted to be. A bit like his father in
that respect she thought idly.

Feeling a hundred times lighter than she had in over a year, she walked back
through to the parlour to finish her letter. She wondered if her mother would be
able to tell that, in between asking how everything at Tara was going and writing
about Melly's hospital work, her life had changed dramatically.
Word of Scarlett's behaviour at the bazaar reached Tara one month after the
event. Scarlett had gotten a letter from her mother, letting her know that she
had received word from some of Atlanta's most respectable matrons informing
her of her daughter's inappropriate conduct. She wrote in no uncertain terms
that she was sorely disappointed in her daughter and hoped it was all a big
misunderstanding, but for the sake of Scarlett's reputation, thought it was best if
she returned home. She then went on to add that Gerald would be in Atlanta
within the next few days to take her back to Tara and, to Scarlett's horror, to
speak with Captain Butler, who had made Scarlett so conspicuous.

Scarlett wanted to cry. This was not meant to happen, she thought. She didn't
want to go back to Tara, not now when she was just beginning to have fun.
Melly's company was growing on Scarlett and in the time she'd been in Atlanta,
the two had become good friends. Melly had excused Scarlett's behaviour at
the bazaar for she knew her sister-in-law had only agreed to dance to help the
cause. When people accused Scarlett of being fast and a disgrace to the
Hamilton name, Melly had become Scarlett's most ardent supporter and
wouldn't hear a bad word said against her. Clearly, that didn't stop those old
peahens from writing to her mother though, Scarlett thought angrily.

She flopped down on her bed with a scowl on her face. The thought that she
would have to miss that dance she had been so looking forward to going to next
week was the last straw and Scarlett made up her mind to do whatever she
could to stop her Pa from taking her back to Tara. She would go to that dance
and have fun. Yes, and no one was going to stop her.

Gerald O'Hara arrived in Atlanta two days after Ellen's letter. Although Scarlett
was pleased to see him, she wished it was under different circumstances.
Throughout the day, Scarlett had attached herself to Melly's side, knowing that
her Pa wouldn't dare tell her off in front of other people. Unfortunately, after
dinner Gerald requested to have a few private words with his daughter – a
request that Melanie, after shooting Scarlett a slightly worried look, could not
deny. So Melanie went upstairs to get Wade ready for bed and Scarlett braced
herself for her father's talk.

She stood anxiously by the window and waited for the lecture to start.

"So missy, we've been hearing about that disgraceful situation you got yourself
into last month, with that Captain Butler no less!" he began, turning his piercing
blue eyes on her.

"Pa…"

"That man has a terrible reputation."

"He's one of the great blockade runners Pa" Scarlett interrupted.

"Be that as it may, it doesn't change the fact that he is not received. And you
agreed to dance with him?!" Gerald said, his thick brogue increasing in volume
as he spoke.
"Oh Pa, it was for the cause" Scarlett lied. "How could I say no when the money
was so desperately needed?"

"Hmm. Well, I'll be off now to see that Butler fellow who makes so light of my
daughter's reputation" he said.

"No, Pa you can't do that" Scarlett cried. "Please."

"I'll not have my daughter tell me what to do. I'll see you later" he said, the
finality clear in his voice.

Scarlett watched him leave, dread and apprehension filling her heart and she
sunk down into the chair, praying that Rhett wouldn't do or say anything stupid.

Scarlett was in bed when she heard the singing. Instantly recognisable as her
father, Scarlett threw back the covers and hurried over to the window. There,
was her short stocky father, obviously drunk and supported by Rhett Butler, who
seemed to be the more composed out of the two. Grabbing her wrapper,
Scarlett rushed downstairs, knowing that if Melanie or Aunt Pitty heard them
they would be too terrified to get up and let them in.

On opening the door, she saw her father swaying on the spot, Rhett towering
above him and gripping the shorter man round the shoulders in an effort to keep
him upright.

"Your father, I believe?" Rhett said, grinning. Scarlett glared at him, but moved
aside so he could get in.

"Shall I take him upstairs?" he asked.

"Good God no, put him on the settee." Scarlett said and led the way through
into the parlour, glancing behind just to make sure that Rhett was following and
hadn't ignored her and snuck upstairs. Thankfully, he was following her and
shot her an amused glance, as though he knew that she'd been checking on
him.

"Shall I help you take his boots off?" Rhett asked after laying him on the couch.

"No, he's slept in them before" Scarlett said absentmindedly as she stuffed a
pillow under her Pa's head. She heard a chuckle from behind her and inwardly
berated herself for her slip. Straightening up, she walked back out into the hall
and gestured for Rhett to follow her.

"How could you?" Scarlett hissed, "You get him drunk and I imagine you've
gone and cheated him out of all his money as well" she said angrily. "He had to
buy supplies for Tara with that!"

"It's not my fault if I can hold my whiskey better than your father can, Scarlett.
Besides, no cheating on my part was necessary. He lost his money fair and
square" Rhett said, leaning against the wall, his dark eyes unashamedly roving
over her red wrapper.

"You know it's your fault that he's here?" Scarlett said, in an attempt to distract
herself from his blatant scrutiny. "He wants to take me back to Tara because I
danced with you at the bazaar" she explained, somewhat unnecessarily.

"Yes, he told me to stay away from you" Rhett replied nonchalantly.

"He did?" Scarlett asked, only slightly surprised.

"Yes. But don't worry; I think I got him sufficiently drunk that he won't remember
that conversation. Indeed, I doubt he'll remember much at all when he wakes
up" he added, a satisfied smirk appearing on his face.

"You're horrid" Scarlett scowled. "Anyway, maybe I want you to stay away from
me" she countered, simply to wipe that smug look off his face. He looked up
from his exploration of her body, peering intently into her eyes until Scarlett
dropped her gaze, uncomfortable.

"Don't say things you don't mean, my dear. One day, you might get your wish
and then where would you be?"

Scarlett frowned, slightly confused. "How would you know if I meant it or not?"

"Do you want me to stay away from you?" he asked.

"You can't answer a question with a question" Scarlett replied curtly, unwilling to
admit that she didn't want him stay away, but afraid that if she replied in the
positive, he wouldn't come back and although he was a cad of the highest
order, her life had become infinitely more exciting since Rhett had come into it.

He grinned and stepped away from the wall he was leaning on. Scarlett
watched him as he strode silently towards her. He stopped mere centimetres
away from her.

"I'll take that as a no then" his voice was low and silky, his slow charlestonian
drawl becoming more prominent. Scarlett looked up at him and noticed, with a
jolt, the look of desire in his dark eyes. Her breath caught in her throat. Was he
going to kiss her? Should she let him? She felt his hand skim lightly over her
back, but he made no move to close the minute gap between them. With his
other hand, he tilted her chin up and Scarlett let her eyes flutter closed. There
was no harm in a kiss, she reasoned. She could feel his breath on her face. Her
heart sped up in excitement.

"Good night Scarlett" he whispered and then without any warning he let go of
her and strode towards the door. Scarlett opened her eyes in surprise. She
barely had time to wonder why he hadn't kissed her before he was gone.
Thoroughly confused, she stood rooted to the spot, staring at the door. He had
wanted to kiss her, she knew he had, she thought stubbornly. Pouting, she
turned around and headed back up the stairs to bed.

"I didn't want to kiss him anyway" she muttered as she threw her wrapper on the
chair and slid back under the sheets.

Rhett was true to his word. The next morning Gerald could not remember any
detail of the previous evening, his empty wallet the only indication that he had
engaged in something more than a conversation. He had been, rightly so
Scarlett thought, ashamed that he had lost all his money. A situation that
Scarlett pounced on and used to ensure her stay in Atlanta, and so when
Gerald departed Atlanta later that day it was without Scarlett, who had promised
not to mention to her mother how Gerald had gambled all the supplies money
away, in exchange for being allowed to stay in Atlanta.

Scarlett had said goodbye to him at the depot and as she watched the train pull
out the station, she wondered if perhaps Rhett had purposely gotten her father
drunk and won his money just so that she would be able to stay in Atlanta.
However, she quickly dismissed that ridiculous thought with a small laugh. Why,
the lack of sleep the previous night must be getting to her for thinking such far-
fetched and foolish things.

A few days later, Scarlett and Melly were sat in the parlour after dinner, and,
without her thoughts occupied with ensuring her stay in Atlanta, Scarlett felt it
was the right time to broach a subject she had so far neglected to mention.

"Melly?" Scarlett began hesitantly.

"Yes Scarlett?"

"You know the dance on Friday?"

"Yes I do. What about it?"

"Well…" Scarlett took a breath and put aside the dress she was stitching a lace
collar onto. "Rhe- Captain Butler asked if I would accompany him there. I know
it's not proper, but it's the only way I can think to repay him for all the money he
so kindly donated to the cause." Scarlett bit her lip and looked up through her
eyelashes to see if Melly was buying it. She was.

"Oh Scarlett, you're so selfless! I know how hard Charlie's death was on you"
she stopped and sniffled slightly into her handkerchief, "and I think it's so brave
that you are still doing your best to make sure he didn't die in vain." Her brown
eyes were shining brightly with unshed tears as she smiled softly at her sister-
in-law.

Scarlett inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Melly had reacted just as she was
sure she would, always thinking the best of people, something she had counted
on. She had come to realise how helpful it was to have Melly on her side and
would have not liked to alienate her in any way.

"Oh Melly, I'm so glad you understand" she said. At first, Scarlett had no
intention of telling anyone about the dance, but soon realised that she had no
choice. Going to a dance was one thing, but telling no one and turning up, on
the arm of Rhett Butler no less, well, that would be unthinkable.

"Of course I do Scarlett. How could I not?" Melly said sweetly, reaching over
and patting Scarlett's hand.

Scarlett smiled back and picked up her dress to finish the stitching.

Scarlett stood in front of the mirror, staring unenthusiastically at the black fabric
that was draped round her body. It was, Scarlett admitted, one of the better
dresses she had brought to Atlanta with her, but that still didn't excuse the fact
that it was, in essence, black. At least she had decided to forgo the hideous
black bonnet with the crepe; indeed, she had taken the decision to never wear it
again after what happened the previous day.

Melly had left late for the hospital and Scarlett had seen that in her haste, she'd
forgotten the stack of bandages she'd been rolling the night before. Desperate
to get out of the house, Scarlett had decided to deliver them to the hospital
herself. She had reluctantly donned the bonnet and was just about to head out
the door with the bandages in a basket, when she heard Wade start to cry. She
had paused for a minute, to see if Prissy was going to sort him out, but hearing
no sound of her approaching, Scarlett had sighed crossly and dashed up the
stairs to the nursery. Upon opening the door, Wade's crying lessened to a
sniffle, but as Scarlett rushed over to his cot and leant down to pick him up, he
began wailing as Scarlett had never known him to do. She was convinced that it
was her bonnet that had scared him, a thought which simultaneously horrified
and amused her; the last thing she wanted was for her own baby to be scared
of her, but she couldn't help but compare Wade's reaction to Rhett's. It
appeared that both her son and his father had the same aversion to mourning
clothes.

Her musings were interrupted by a knock at the door, and she quickly pinched
her cheeks and bit down on her lips to make them redder. Hurrying over to the
door, she flung it open to reveal an immaculately dressed Rhett Butler. She took
in his clothing with a jealous look. Where Scarlett's dress was black, Rhett was
wearing a grey suit that fit him perfectly and a royal blue waistcoat with delicate
ivory embroidery. Finally, she met his gaze, with poorly disguised envy shining
in her eyes.

"Mrs Hamilton, how lovely to see you" he took her hand and kissed it. "I have
something for you" he carried on, and, in an elaborate gesture accompanied by
a bow, he pulled a box out of his pocket and held it out to Scarlett.
"Oh Rhett!" Scarlett squealed and grabbed the box out of his hand. She began
to open the lid, but stopped to look sternly at him. "You shouldn't be buying me
things Rhett; you know it's not proper."

"I'll buy presents for whomever I choose and seeing as you and I passed proper
a long time ago, I thought a little…ah… token wouldn't harm anyone."

Scarlett pulled the lid of the box and saw a royal blue ribbon with ivory lace
edging.

"It's beautiful!" Scarlett gasped and picked it up to examine it.

"Yes, well as I told you, I fully intend to get you out of that hideous black get up
and I guess I'm hoping the ribbon will bring you back to your senses."

Scarlett hardly heard a word of what he said, as she rushed over to the mirror
pulling the black ribbon out of her hair and letting it fall unceremoniously on the
floor. She deftly fixed the new ribbon in her hair, a satisfied smile crossing her
face. Then, she caught a glimpse of Rhett in the mirror, casually leaning against
the door frame with his hands in his pockets, a grin on his face.

"Well?" he asked. "Do you like it?"

"Of course I do, although…" she turned to look between Rhett and her
reflection. Suddenly she gasped. "We match!" she cried. Immediately, her hand
flew to her hand with the sole purpose of ripping the ribbon out. Just what would
people say if she turned up wearing a ribbon the same colour and design as
Rhett's waistcoat?

She was just about to tug at the ribbon when she noticed that Rhett had
crossed the room with his long strides and captured her hands in his, preventing
her from removing the ribbon.

"Rhett what were you thinking? I can't go out with this in!" she said. "Not with
you in that waistcoat."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because of what people will think!" she said, amazed that he would even
question such a thing.

"And what will they be thinking?" Oh he was just the most infuriating man ever,
Scarlett thought.

"Well… that we… well you know" she stuttered.

"No, my dear, I don't believe I do."

"Oh you're impossible" Scarlett huffed, but then fell silent for a moment. "What if
they realise about Wade?" she asked eventually.
"Scarlett?" he lowered their joined hands down from where they hovered just
above her head. "They won't. Think about it logically. People won't automatically
assume that just because you and I are wearing the same colour that I therefore
must be Wade's father" he said gently and squeezed her hands reassuringly.

"Are you sure?" Scarlett whispered.

"Positive." He said it so sincerely that Scarlett couldn't help but believe him.

"Good, because it is an awfully pretty ribbon and just about the nicest thing I've
worn in about a year!" she said, a smile creeping over her face.

"I thought as much."

"But… Why?" Scarlett asked. "Why did you want us to match?"

"You're full of questions today!" he chuckled, raking his hand through his hair.
There was a slight pause before he answered. "There was some fabric left over
when I had my waistcoat made. Seeing as I'd already paid for it, I didn't want it
to be wasted" he said, his face annoyingly blank and unreadable.

"Oh" Scarlett said, feeling slightly disappointed. Not knowing why, she had half
expected a declaration of some sort, rather than to be told that it was a mere
matter of convenience. A small frown creased between her eyebrows.

"And I thought that seeing as you were going to a dance you might want to wear
something pretty." He looked as though he was about to add something else,
but just offered her his arm, which Scarlett took with a small smile. Just as they
reached the door, Rhett stopped.

"Can I see Wade before we go?" he asked, almost hesitantly.

"Well…" Scarlett stuttered, caught off guard by his request. "He's just been put
down for a nap and I'd hate to wake him up…" she trailed off as she saw a flash
of disappoint cross Rhett's face.

"Why don't you call round tomorrow instead? Melly will be at the hospital and
Aunt Pitty is going to visit Mrs Meade. Only if you want to, of course…" she
glanced up at him, afraid she'd been too forward and that the only reason he
was asking was because he was here and felt obliged to ask. After all, no other
man she knew would go out of his way to spend time with a baby. Suddenly
feeling like a fool for asking, she let go of his arm and hurried to the dresser to
fetch her shawl in an attempt to hide her burning cheeks.

"I mean, you don't have to come at all, I just thought… but you're probably busy
and it's not like Wade will… well he is only a baby after all and-" she babbled,
wondering what it was about this man that got her all tongue-tied and unable to
form a coherent sentence when she needed to most.

Her nervous prattle was cut short when she felt a hand on her upper arm.
"Scarlett, I would love to come tomorrow."

She waited a second for the 'but'. It didn't come.

"You would?" she asked.

"Yes. Now, I do believe we have a dance to get to." He opened the door and,
with a bow, gestured for her to lead the way. "And we're already late" he said
with a glance at his pocket watch. "It appears as though we're going to make a
bit of an entrance!" he grinned and led the way to his carriage.

The next morning Scarlett woke up with a smile on her face. Stretching out
under the covers of the bed she could still hear the music from the previous
night in her head. Humming Dixie lightly to herself she hopped out of bed, her
aching feet reminding her of how she danced all last evening. It had definitely
been worth all the disapproving looks shot in her direction by the likes of Mrs
Meade and Mrs Elsing.

Calling Prissy, she opened her closet, ready to pick out yet another black dress,
when she stopped. For a minute she deliberated, but eventually took a dress
out and threw it across her bed, waiting for Prissy. A second later, she heard
footsteps on the stairs outside her room.

"Mornin' Miss Scarlett" Prissy said in her shrill voice, pushing open the door.
"Will you be wanting to get dressed?"

"Yes" Scarlett said, grabbing her corset off her the chair. "Well come on!"

But Prissy's gaze had fallen on the dress on the bed and Scarlett rolled her
eyes as she heard her gasp in horror.

"You can't wear that Miss Scarlett!" she cried, scandalised.

"I shall wear whatever I want to wear" Scarlett said tartly.

"But… what will folks think?"

"God's nightgown!" Scarlett scowled. "I will wear that dress and you will help me
put it on!"

And so a reluctant Prissy helped Scarlett get ready, informing her that Miss
Melly had left a half hour ago for the hospital and Miss Pittypat had gone out as
well, to Scarlett's relief. She didn't really feel like explaining her choice of dress
to anyone right now.

Just over an hour later, Scarlett was sat in the parlour with Wade lying on a
blanket on the floor, kicking his chubby legs in the air as he gurgled
incoherently. Every second, Scarlett glanced towards the door nervously,
wondering if Rhett was indeed going to come and in the second after, she
berated herself for caring so much whether he came or not. After all she was
doing just fine on her own and whether he came or not was completely
irrelevant to her. However, that still didn't stop her from jumping to her feet the
second she heard footsteps coming down the path and she had to remind
herself to wait for him to actually knock on the door before she opened it.
Shaking her head at her foolishness, she let him in.

"Good morning Mrs Hamilton" he said jovially, taking his hat off his head and
hanging it on the bannister.

"And aren't you looking delightfully colourful!" his eyes appreciatively taking in
the deep red gown that Scarlett had hidden at the bottom of her trunk on the
journey from Tara, in an attempt to counteract the depressing amounts of black
she also had to bring.

"Well it's not as if I'm going out anywhere today. Besides I fancied a change"
she said airily, smoothing out non-existent creases in her skirt.

"And I applaud you for doing so" he replied. "Indeed, I thought it might take
more than a ribbon and a dance to convince you to give up your mourning."

"Well I haven't given it up completely. I wouldn't dare to go out like this quite
yet" she stated and Rhett grinned ruefully.

"We'll see" was his only comment as he wandered into the parlour and settled
down on the floor next to Wade. Scarlett stood in the doorway and watched
father and son together. She still couldn't believe the situation she had gotten
herself into, but at this moment, it didn't seem quite so bad.

Over the past several months, Scarlett had become accustomed to Rhett's
visits. He appeared without warning and then left without saying goodbye.
However, every time he was in Atlanta he didn't fail to call upon the Hamilton
household. At first, Scarlett thought that it was because of Wade that he
stopped by so frequently. She laughed quietly to herself as it had become
increasingly obvious that Rhett was besotted with their son and had even taken
to bringing toy soldiers and cloth to make into clothes for him, for which Scarlett,
although wary at first, was nonetheless grateful. Luxury items were hard to get
hold of and Wade outgrew his clothes so quickly now.

She sighed and wondered, not for the first time if Melanie or Aunt Pitty
suspected anything. Aunt Pitty she knew was worried and anxious about
receiving Rhett and when he called, she usually retired to her room or
remembered a visit that she had to go on. Melanie simply treated Rhett as a
hero of the confederacy and with utmost respect. In return, he was always kind
and the perfect gentleman in her company. Sometimes, it would annoy Scarlett
so much that no one saw through his act that she longed to tell Melly was Rhett
was really like, but of course, she couldn't do so without risk revealing her own
secret.

For Wade's first birthday, Scarlett and Melanie had decided to throw a party. It
was a small gathering, with only Scarlett, Melly, Aunt Pitty and Rhett, who, to
Scarlett's amusement, had so expertly charmed an invite out of Melly. Despite
his constant presence at the house over the past months, Scarlett was still
slightly apprehensive about the party as she didn't know how Rhett would act.
He was unpredictable at the best of times and Scarlett was hoping he would be
on his best behaviour, for Wade's sake at least.

In the end, the party turned out to be largely a success. Wade was passed
around and smothered with hugs and kisses from Scarlett, Melanie and Pitty
and lots of hair ruffling from Rhett. Presents were given and played with and all
in all, Scarlett was very happy with the way the party was going. Indeed, it
wasn't until the end when things began going downhill.

"Oh Captain Butler, you're so good with Wade, why not many men would attend
a child's birthday party, unless it was their own child, of course." Melanie said as
Rhett was playing peek-a-boo with Wade.

An easy smile graced his features, but Scarlett felt her heart thump erratically in
her chest. This was exactly the sort of conversation she wanted to avoid. Her
eyes darted between Rhett and Melanie.

"Wade is a very charming boy" he said by way of explanation.

"Yes, he is isn't he?" Melanie said. "If only Charlie were still alive. He would be
so proud" she smiled sadly.

Scarlett saw the smile on Rhett's face become fixed.

"Yes, I'm sure he would" he said, his voice as smooth as ever as he rose from
his place on the floor. He ruffled Wade's hair one last time and straightened out
his pale blue waistcoat.

"Unfortunately, it's time I took my leave. I'm leaving for Europe tomorrow and I
must make sure everything is in order before I go."

Scarlett looked up, a small frown crossing her face. Europe? He'd be gone a
while then, she thought.

"Mrs Hamilton, if you would kindly show me out?" Scarlett nodded and stood up
as Rhett bade farewell to Melanie and Aunt Pitty.

Out in the hall she watched as Rhett collected his hat and jacket.
"Well…" he began.

"I didn't know you were going to Europe!" Scarlett blurted out, before blushing. It
wasn't any of her business what Rhett did and she knew he was under no
obligation to tell her anything.

He chuckled slightly. "Last minute decision, my dear." There were a few

moments of silence before he spoke again. "I had a nice time today Scarlett. I'm
glad I was here, I mean…" he broke off, a strange expression on his face. "I
have to go" he said and with that, he opened the door and strode gracefully
down the path, leaving Scarlett standing in the doorway, both bewildered and
curious as to what was going on his head. He had acted so strangely, these
past few minutes, and she wasn't a fool. She knew that Melly's mention of
Charles had affected him. Shutting the door behind her, she was just glad that
he had (for the most part) kept his composure and hadn't let on that anything
was wrong.

Despite the war raging on around her, Scarlett was, for the most part, happy.
One day in late June, Scarlett was presented with a large box tied up with a red
ribbon. She set the box down and eagerly pulled at the ribbon as Rhett watched
on in amusement.

"Oh Rhett, it's just darling!" Scarlett cried as she lifted the green bonnet out of
the box. "Did you buy it especially for me?"

"Of course, who else could wear that colour? Do you think I carried the colour of
your eyes well?"

Scarlett barely heard him as she balanced on a stool, trying to see in the mirror.
Glancing at Rhett, she noticed he wasn't paying attention to her but to his cigar.
She smiled mischievously and put on the bonnet backwards.

"How do I look?" she asked, turning round and fluttering her eyelashes. He
frowned.

"Awful! This war stopped being a joke when girls like you don't know how to
wear the latest fashion" he said and strode over to the stool. Prying the bonnet
off her head he placed it on the right way. Scarlett took the opportunity to study
him. His dark eyes gleaming with amusement as he tried to tie the ribbon under
her chin. Scarlett giggled at the look of concentration on his face.

"Here, let me" she said and turned back to the mirror. "Oh Rhett, it's so pretty
but you know I can't accept it" she sighed as she admired the pretty picture she
made.

"Of course you can. If you want you can tell anyone who asks that you gave me
a picture and I extorted fifty dollars off you for it."
"No, I shall tell them one hundred and then they'll be pea green with envy at my
extravagance! Was it very expensive?"

"Only the best for you my dear. Just remember that I always get paid in the end"
he grinned and Scarlett hopped off the stool.

"I will pay you back when I have the money" Scarlett said.

"I don't want your money Scarlett."

"Well I won't marry you for it" she said coquettishly, and he laughed loudly.

"No, I'm not a marrying man my dear" he said, a strange, almost regretful look
washing over his face before he put his mask of amusement back on so quickly
that Scarlett was oblivious to any change.

"No? Well I won't kiss you for it either" she said saucily, before blushing.

"You won't? And here I was thinking you rather liked my kisses!" Rhett grinned,
waggling his eyebrows at her. Scarlett tried to scowl at his indecent behaviour,
but couldn't stop a small smile spreading across her face.

"Whether I like your kisses or not is entirely irrelevant Captain Butler" she said
airily.

"Not to me, after all, I do have a reputation to uphold!" he said.

"What do you want me to say?" Scarlett said, "That I dream about you every
night, that I count the hours until I see you again?" she teased.

"Not the minutes?" he replied, a roguish grin on his face.

"You're a conceited varmint and I don't know why I let you see me!" Scarlett
huffed.

"I'll tell you why, it's because I'm the only man between the ages of 16 and 60
who's around to show you a good time!"

"A good time? Yes it must be, for I'm sure I don't keep you around because of
your charming personality!" Scarlett giggled. She liked it when she and Rhett
were able to joke around and act as though the war were merely a bad dream.
She thought of all the little presents of hair pins and needles, toys for Wade and
everything else Rhett had done for her over the past year. All the dances and
parties he'd accompanied her to. She looked forward to his visits and all the
attention he would shower on her, just as if she was still the belle of 5 counties.
Every time she heard the tell-tale hoof beats on the road her heart would beat in
anticipation and excitement. Why, it's almost as though I'm in love with him!
Scarlett thought one day as she watched Rhett stride down the path to the
house. But I can't be and I just don't understand it!
She knew that her association with Rhett was not good for her reputation and,
partly due to his not so subtle hints, she had completely abandoned her
mourning clothes several weeks ago. Not surprisingly, she was subject to
several disapproving stares and gossip amongst the people of Atlanta, but she
merely brushed it off. Who cares what they think about me? She thought one
day as Rhett was driving her home from the hospital. Who'd want to be boring
and gloomy like them? She voiced this thought to Rhett, who laughed.

"My dear, I do believe you've made a habit of shocking the confederacy, but if
they knew what you truly thought of them then I would truly fear for your
reputation!" he grinned.

"Fiddle dee dee Rhett, how you do run on!" Scarlett said lightly, remembering
something Rhett had once told her; "Well, you always said that with enough
bravery one can do without a reputation."

"So I did, but I was under the impression that you only kept me around for my
presents rather than my advice!"

Scarlett blushed slightly, as that thought had run through her mind. If Rhett had
had enough of pretending, then she would rather take the risk and be ostracised
along with him than lose the steady stream of gifts and attention that, she
admitted to herself, was the main reason she stayed in Atlanta. Still, she tried to
protest.

"Don't be silly Rhett, of course I listen to you. After all, you're the only person
who can't judge me as whatever I do, you're bound to have done something
much worse" she stated.

Rhett laughed out loud, drawing looks from people walking past. "Really? Well I
hardly think you're in a position to judge anyone my dear. If the good folk of
Atlanta only knew what I do about you then even a reprobate like me would be
held in higher regard than yourself!"

Scarlett scowled, her good mood evaporating. "I hardly think that one moment
of madness is worse than a lifetime of misdeeds" she said in a steely voice.

"That may be true, but you know as well as I do that those old cats won't see it
like that."

"It was all your fault anyway." Scarlett declared, crossing her arms over her
chest.

"You always seem so ready to blame me. Perhaps you should take more of the
blame. That ridiculously inappropriate dress you wore for a start practically
screamed 'kiss me!'" he said teasingly, "and it worked."

"It worked a bit too well thank you very much" Scarlett muttered. "We really
shouldn't be talking about such things Rhett. Why, if someone heard us then I'd
be ruined" she glanced round nervously.
"No one can hear us Scarlett. Besides, even if they did I'm not sure they'd
believe their ears."

"Really?" Scarlett asked.

"Well, actually seeing as it's you, they might- Ow!" he exclaimed as Scarlett's
elbow dug into his side. He glanced sideways at her. Her eyes were narrowed
and she sat stonily on the seat. Rhett grinned to himself at her childish
behaviour, willing to bet any money that he would be given the silent treatment
for the rest of the journey back to Aunt Pitty's.

A week before Christmas Scarlett was sat in the parlour with Wade and Aunt
Pitty when Melanie rushed in, waving a piece of paper.

"Oh Scarlett, Auntie, I've just had the best news! I got a letter from Ashley this
morning and he says that he's going to be coming home for Christmas! Ashley's
coming here and so are India and Honey and Uncle John, oh this is going to be
the best Christmas!" She breathed, her cheeks were rosy and her eyes were
alight with happiness. Scarlett thought that her sister-in-law had never looked
prettier.

"I'm so happy for you Melly" Scarlett replied sincerely, she had already drafted a
letter telling her parents that she planned on returning to Tara for Christmas and
only the look of disappointment in Melly's eyes when she found out that Scarlett
and Wade would be going home had kept Scarlett from sending it. Now,
however, Scarlett couldn't wait to get home. She missed her parents greatly and
going home meant that she could also avoid Ashley. She was glad he was
alright, but she didn't want a repeat of the barbeque. She hoped that he had
taken her words that day to heart and realised that Melly was indeed the one he
loved.

Christmas at Tara was lovely as always, but the war had already touch the
graceful beauty of the house and the lives of those who lived there. Presents
were homemade and the dinner lacked the finer ingredients that made it a feast.
Nonetheless, Scarlett wouldn't have missed it for the world. Her parents were
delighted to have her and Wade home and her Pa in particular was in a very
festive mood, even pretending to be Santa Claus for Wade. Suellen was her
usual annoying self, Scarlett noted, although she had been receiving letters
from Frank Kennedy, which made her slightly more pleasant than she was
before. Similarly, Scarlett found out that Carreen and Brent Tarleton had been
writing to each other, which was a surprise as Scarlett was still thought of
Carreen as the baby of the family, not as a young lady of seventeen.
All in all, Scarlett was pleased to have spent Christmas at Tara and with her
family, although she realised that there was not a great deal to do there
compared with Atlanta. It was with this thought in mind that in the third week of
January, Scarlett informed her parents that she and Wade would be returning to
Atlanta.

It had been a particularly horrible day at the hospital. It had always been
horrible and Scarlett was not a natural nurse, like Melly. However, since Melly
had discovered (much to her delight) that she was going to have a baby back in
February, she had stopped coming to the hospital. Scarlett had tried to insist on
staying home to look after her, but Melly was adamant that the soldiers at the
hospital needed Scarlett's help more at the moment and wouldn't hear of
Scarlett forgoing her nursing duties on her behalf. Melly's calming presence
along with the fact that she had had to witness another amputation without pain
relief meant that Scarlett was not in a good mood.

However, she had left the hospital and found Rhett waiting for her in his
carriage, which had she was very thankful for. Rhett always knew how to make
her smile and laugh, even when she tried her very hardest not to.

"Thank you" Scarlett said as he helped her out of the carriage in front of the
house.

"You know Rhett I don't know what I'd do without you sometimes" she said
gratefully as she glanced up into his swarthy, handsome face. Why, he was like
her own personal pain relief she thought, inwardly giggling. The horrors of the
day dimmed in his presence. They made their way down the path and Scarlett
opened the door and went in, hanging up her bonnet next to the stairs. She
looked behind to see Rhett standing next to the door.

"Are you going to come in Rhett?" Scarlett asked, realising that he hadn't
spoken in a bit, which was unusual as he always had something to say. He
didn't reply, but stepped over the threshold and shut the door behind him. He
cleared his throat.

"Actually, I have a little…idea I think you'll be interested in hearing."

"Oh?" Scarlett replied, intrigued. Rhett crossed the floor quickly and silently to
where she stood.

"We could leave, just you and me and Wade, we could go to Mexico or Europe
and forget all about this godforsaken war. Wouldn't you like that Scarlett? To be
able to wear beautiful dresses and dance every night and Wade wouldn't want
for anything. What do you say my dear, we could go anywhere. No more
pretending" his voice was silky and persuasive and Scarlett felt a smile creep
onto her face for a second as she imagined all that she could have and do as
Rhett Butler's wife. It was no secret that he had far more money than was
proper at the moment and he always knew how to have a good time. He would
take her anywhere she wanted and she wouldn't have to watch her little boy
grow up in homespun clothes and no shoes. He was standing so close she
could barely breathe with excitement as she remembered what other part of
Rhett Butler she would have access to as his wife. Gone were any thoughts of
Melly and her baby or her parents and sisters at Tara. She would be rich and
she would have new clothes… Her mind spun with possibilities.

"Why Rhett, are you asking me to marry you?" Scarlett said, thinking about how
exciting it would be if Rhett loved her. She had gotten men to fall in love with
her before with only a dimple and a flattering comment, but to have Rhett fall in
love with her… He was always so elusive and mysterious and he was the one
man who always saw through her. She felt a flash of pride and, strangely,
happiness that she had finally gotten Rhett Butler to fall in love. She was
suddenly brought out of her musings by a loud laugh.

"No, I'm not a marrying man, you know that. I'masking you to be my mistress."

Gone was the happiness and excitement as disappointment flourished in her

chest, quickly followed by a blinding rage.

"And what would I get out of that?! More children?" She cried angrily and was
immediately horrified that she hadn't come up with a more dignified response.
Oh what would Ellen say?

"Well, based on past experiences, I thought you'd be keen on the idea. I didn't
hear you complaining last time, in fact, you positively encouraged it!" Rhett said,
taking a step back. Scarlett balled up her fists at the reminder of her wanton
behaviour.

"I don't know how you have the gall to keep bringing that up! You ruined me
once and I won't let you do it again!" she cried. "You're hateful, buying me nice
things and escorting me places, and all the time you were" she broke off, her
face flushed and her chest heaving with rage.

"I was tempting you my dear, I told you that I never do anything without getting
paid back. Surely you didn't think that I did any of that because I cared for you?"

Scarlett felt like all the breath had been knocked out of her at his words. She
didn't see how his hands had balled into fists at his side, or that the casual
carelessness of his words were hiding the hurt and foolishness he'd felt when
he saw the look of triumph in her eyes.

"Get out" Scarlett choked out; dismayed to find out that her voice cracked when
she spoke.

"Scarlett…"

"GET OUT!" she screamed and slapped him hard across the face, his head
snapped back at the force of the slap and he gingerly brought a hand up to his
cheek.
"As you wish" he said, no emotion in his voice. He made his way to the door
and Scarlett struggled to hold back a sob.

"And don't come back! Ever!" she cried, hurrying to the door so she could have
the satisfaction of slamming it in his face. When she had done so, her legs
collapsed from under her and she sunk to the floor, angrily tugging and pulling
at the pins in her hair and throwing them across the hall, after the pins she
ripped the lace off from her dress. She threw the offending item away from her,
reminders that Rhett thought she could be bought like some common whore. He
didn't care about her, he had said her anger subsided and all she was left with
an unbearable, bewildering agony. She gasped and the dam broke, tears
flooding down her face as she sobbed brokenly into her hands.

She didn't know how long she sat there, sobbing on the floor when a voice
broke through the haze of tears and pain.

"Scarlett?"

Scarlett looked up from her hands and saw her sister-in-law hurrying towards
her. She felt a stab of guilt that she would have so carelessly dismissed Melanie
before, kind dependable Melanie, for a no good cad. A fresh wave of sobs
caught up in her throat.

"Scarlett, darling!" with a rustle of skirts, Melanie awkwardly sat down next to
Scarlett and threw her arms around her.

"What's the matter? I heard shouting…" she trailed off as she took in Scarlett's
dishevelled hair and ripped dress, her tear stained face devoid of her usual rosy
glow gave her the look of an unearthly spirit. Why, she had seen dying soldiers
who looked better than Scarlett currently did.

"Scarlett, did Captain Butler… hurt you?" she asked delicately, horrified at her
sister's appearance.

Scarlett shook her head.

"No, he… he… I thought he cared about me!" she sobbed eventually. "And I
don't know why it hurts so much that he doesn't!" she wailed. "Because I don't
care about him. I don't I don't! He's mean and hateful and I never want to see
him again in my life!" she rambled on, unable to stop the flow of words that kept
spilling out of her mouth.

"Oh Scarlett, you're wrong, Captain Butler cares about you so much. Why else
would he come to Atlanta? All other blockade runners don't come so far inland."

Her words didn't comfort Scarlett at all. She knew why Rhett came to Atlanta,
but she wasn't about to tell Melly that it was to see Wade. Sniffing, she wiped
her sleeve across her face and stood up. She smoothed her dress down, her
fingers catching on loose strands of thread that had become displaced during
her fit of violence. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she already regretted
ruining one of her prettiest dresses, but she wouldn't allow herself to
acknowledge this. Eventually, she spoke up.

"I'm sorry for crying so Melly, I don't know what came over me." She said,
desperately trying to hide the tremble in her voice.

"Darling, it's alright, you never have to apologise to me. I only want to make
sure you're ok."

"I'm fine." Scarlett said, and then, with a sudden urge to be alone, added "Do
you think you can look after Wade for me? I think I'm going to have a nap. I feel
awfully tired all of a sudden." The fact that Scarlett had never once in her life
voluntarily taken a nap in the middle of the day didn't go unnoticed by either of
the women, though neither commented on it.

"Of course I will Scarlett. Will you be alright?" Melanie's warm brown eyes,
anxiously watching her.

Scarlett nodded and made her way up to her room, leaving Melanie standing
alone in the entrance hall, surrounding by debris and praying that her sister-in-
law would be alright.

For the next few weeks, Scarlett threw herself into work at the hospital. She
tirelessly bandaged and washed soldiers and wrote letters for them to send to
their families. In the evenings when she got home she would spend time
washing linen from the hospital before collapsing into bed and falling asleep as
soon as her head hit the pillow. This was preferable as it meant that she didn't
have time to think about Rhett Butler. Since that fateful day she hadn't seen
hide or hair of him, in fact, she didn't even know if he was still in Atlanta. He
hadn't come to call on her or Wade, a fact that hadn't gone unnoticed by the
little boy.

One night in late August and three months after she'd last seen Rhett Butler,
Scarlett had just got into bed, when her door creaked open. Sitting up in shock,
she barely had time to be terrified before she saw who the intruder in her
bedroom was.

"Wade! What on earth are doing sneaking around the house at night?" Scarlett
gasped. When he didn't answer, Scarlett sighed and threw back the covers.

"Come on Wade, get in" she said. She watched the look of concentration on his
face as he tried to shut the door as quietly as he could before climbing up on
her bed.

"Can I sleep wiv you Mama?" he said. Scarlett brushed his black hair out of his
eyes.
"Well, you're here now aren't you?" she replied, laying back down. Wade
snuggled into her side.

"Mama?" he said after a few moments.

"Mmm?" she mumbled, nearly asleep.

"When's Daddy coming back?" Scarlett's eyes flew open.

"What… what did you say?" she stammered, sure she hadn't heard her son
correctly because surely he couldn't be talking about Rhett.

"Daddy's been gone ages" Scarlett's heart beat fast, the word Daddy
reverberating in her head. As far as she was aware, Wade did not know that
Rhett was his true father, unless of course, Rhett had said something. He'd
certainly had enough opportunity, she thought, remembering those times when
Rhett called round and played soldiers and hide and seek with Wade while
instead, she opted to sit down with the latest copy of Harpers fashion magazine
that Rhett always brought round. She pursed her lips as she thought back to the
whispers and laughter of her son and his father as they played, berating herself
for not keeping a closer eye on them, after all, there was nothing that Rhett
Butler wouldn't do, but to tell a small child, that big a secret was the most
unthinking and stupid thing in the world. What if Wade said something to Melly,
or Aunt Pitty? A million different scenarios flooded through her mind, Melly
looking at her with wounded eyes as she discovered her beloved nephew
wasn't her brother's son. Aunt Pitty fainting in horror. Then there were her
parents. Scarlett's eyes widened. Ellen would be mortified to learn what her
daughter had done and Pa would no doubt hunt down Rhett and call him out
and she didn't even want to think about what Mammy would say. Oh how utterly
terrible and humiliating she thought to be rejected by society and looked down
upon and simply because Rhett Butler had to have what he wanted and didn't
give a damn about other people!

Suddenly, Wade shifted to look at her, his dark eyes wide.

"Daddy said… Daddy said" the look of concentration was back as he tried to
remember something.

"It was a secret" he finished. Scarlett sighed as she pieced together the pieces
in her mind. Obviously, Rhett had told Wade that he was his father and made
him promise not to tell her. It seemed that Wade, like his father didn't know
when to keep his mouth shut, she thought in irritation.

"It's alright Wade, I won't tell anyone." She replied, hoping beyond hope that if
Wade felt guilty about telling her, then he wouldn't tell anyone else. "It'll be a
secret, between you, me and …Daddy" the word feeling foreign to her as she
tried to reassure Wade, and herself.

"I miss Daddy" Wade said and Scarlett felt immensely guilty that she hadn't
considered her son's feelings when she demanded Rhett leave and never come
back. Although, surely it was just as much Rhett's fault because when had he
ever done what she said in the past? He chose to stay away, just as much as
she wished he wouldn't come back.

"I don't know when he'll be back." Or if he'd be back at all, she thought and for
the first time since that day she was surprised to find the thought of never
seeing Rhett again upsetting. After everything he'd said to her she, could she
actually miss him? Certainly she missed the little trinkets that made life so much
easier, but, she realised, she missed his company more. The way he'd make
her laugh when she didn't want to, the indecent conversations that she found
both embarrassing and exciting. She missed how everything felt that little bit
easier and more normal when Rhett was around to take her mind of the war.
And she hated it. She shouldn't miss him, certainly not when he most likely
hadn't given her a second thought since he left. Unable to understand her
confusing emotions, she merely attributed it to the fact that she was lonely and
starved of proper adult company.

Melanie had taken to her bed weeks ago when her pregnancy took a toll on her,
and was weaker than a new born kitten. Aunt Pitty was now in Macon with
Uncle Peter and she was stuck here in Atlanta, with only injured soldiers, Prissy
and little Wade for company. Oh how she wished she could go home. To Tara.
She wanted her mother and she suddenly realised with uncharacteristic insight,
that Wade probably felt the same about Rhett. After all, a little boy needed his
father.

Hesitantly, she pulled Wade into her arms.

"I do know that your Daddy loves you very much Wade and that he… he…" she
trailed off, trying to find something comforting to say to her son, without raising
his hopes.

"He loves you too Mama" Wade said sleepily "but that was another secret" and
with that, he promptly fell asleep and suddenly, Scarlett no longer felt very tired.

Scarlett ran down the garden path and onto the street. Sure enough, she had
heard a horse.

"Stop, oh please! Over here!" The rider barely slowed his horse.

"The Yankees are coming ma'am! You'd best get moving" he shouted on his
way past her. Scarlett felt her heart beat in fear. The Yankees! She raced into
the house.

"Prissy! Start packing the trunk, we're going home." she shouted, seeing the girl
standing idly in the doorway.
"Melanie?" she called, taking the stairs two at a time. Bursting into her sister-in-
law's room, she saw Melanie's hands fisted in the sheets and her face twisted in
pain. Scarlett gaped at her in horror. The baby couldn't be coming now, it just
couldn't!

"The…the Yankees are coming" she stammered, pointing aimlessly at the

window.

"Oh Scarlett. You'd be home with your mother now if it weren't for me wouldn't
you?" Melanie said weakly.

"Don't be silly Melly. The pains, when did they start?" Scarlett asked, wishing
that this was a bad dream.

"Just before dawn" Scarlett's heart sank.

"I'll send Prissy for Dr Meade and come and sit with you."

"No, Scarlett, not yet. Dr Meade is so busy at the hospital, I couldn't have him
sit here and wait when it could be hours yet" Melanie replied, her brow creasing
with pain.

"Fine" Scarlett said, taking a seat next to the bed, "But you must tell me when to
send for him."

It was midday. Scarlett sat next to Melanie waving a fan over her, to no avail.
There was no respite from the heat and Scarlett could feel sweat soaking
through her dress and saturating her hair. Melanie moaned weakly, her eyes
half shut.

"Melly? Shall I call for the doctor? It can't be long now surely…" Scarlett trailed
off, her mind wandering once again to Tara and her mother. If only Ellen were
here now, she'd know exactly what to do, Scarlett thought. When she was in
labour with Wade, her mother had been a saintly presence, guiding her through
the pain, softly stroking her hair and murmuring words of encouragement. Poor
Melly only had her and Prissy. The heat was unbearable and the Yankees were
so close now. A new rush of fear jolted Scarlett to her feet.

"I'll go send Prissy for the doctor now. Don't… don't worry Melly. Everything will
be ok." She forced a smile at her sister-in-law before hurrying back down the
stairs.

"Prissy? Prissy come here!" she called, sweeping into the drawing room.

"What is it Miss Scarlett?"

"You need to fetch Doctor Meade, now." Scarlett said.

"But Miss Scarlett, I is scared of dem Yankees, I don't want to leave this house!"
Prissy wailed, from her place next to Wade.
Frowning in annoyance, Scarlett made a quick decision. "Fine then, I'll go, but
you have to go sit with Miss Melly. And don't you go upsetting her anyhow!" she
said, grabbing her bonnet from and tying it on.

He wasn't at the hospital. There was a boy there, however, who told her that the
doctor was down at the railway tracks.

"But he's mighty busy Ma'am!" he called as Scarlett hurried out, barely paying
attention to him.

However, once she arrived, her heart sank as she realised that they boy had
not been exaggerating. She took a deep breath and carefully picked her way
through row after row of wounded men, trying desperately to ignore the hands
gripping her skirt and the pleas for water or help. Eventually she found Doctor
Meade.

"Doctor Meade, oh Doctor Meade, it's Melanie, she's having her baby and you
have to come help!" she cried.

"Help?!" the doctor looked up from the man he was treating. "I can't help you,
Scarlett, All these men need my help. I can't leave them."

"But.." Scarlett stammered

"You'll do fine, it's not difficult, bringing a baby into this world" he said gently,
and with that, turned back to the man.

Scarlett stood there, frozen to the spot for a moment. He wasn't going to help.
There was no one, except her and Prissy. Defeated, Scarlett made her way
back to the house. Hanging up her bonnet, she trudged wearily up the stairs.
They were just going to have to manage she thought grimly, re-entering Melly's
room.

Several hours later, the baby, a boy, had been born and darkness had
descended upon Atlanta.

Scarlett was pacing anxiously in the parlour. Surely he would come. She knew
he was in town, she had heard from one of the doctors at the hospital that he
had been drinking at the Girl of the Period saloon, just last week. He must
come, she thought desperately, if not for her, but for Wade. Besides, what sort
of man would leave two helpless women, a useless darkie and a two small
children, one of which was his son, trapped in a town that was about to be
invaded by Yankees. Rhett Butler might be a varmint, but surely not even he
could ignore her desperate cry for help.

Then, she heard hoof beats on the street outside. Rushing to the door, she
flung it open and saw Rhett striding down the path, followed by Prissy.
"Lovely weather we're having Mrs Hamilton!" he said, grinning. Scarlett could
only stand there and gape at him. The Yankees would be here any minute and
he was joking about the weather?! Before she could reply, there was a loud
blast and Scarlett cried out in fear. Oh couldn't this wretched day just end!

"Oh Rhett, the Yankees!" she cried. He pulled her into his arms and Scarlett
leant her head against his chest, glad to have someone to be strong for her.

"That's not the Yankees Scarlett, that's our men blowing up the last of the
supplies so the Yankees won't get them. Don't worry." He said soothingly, but
Scarlett pulled away in dismay.

"Don't worry? How can I not worry? Melly's just had her baby and she's so weak
and I'm scared and everybody's gone and I need to get out of here. I want my
mother" she sobbed. "Please Rhett, I need to leave"

"And where do you want to go?"

"Home. To Tara." She said

"Tara?" Rhett said incredulously. "Don't you know there's been fighting all day
at Jonesboro? Going to Tara would be suicidal!"

"I will go home, I will, I will." Scarlett sobbed, beating her fists against Rhett's
hard chest. "I want my mother and don't you dare try and stop me!"

"Shh, darling, shh." He wrapped his arms around her and Scarlett thought she
felt his lips brush the top of her head. "It's alright, you shall go home."

Then he pulled back and took a handkerchief out of his pocket.

"Now, blow you nose like a good girl" he said patiently, as he did when talking
to Wade. Scarlett obediently blew her nose and then wiped away her tears.

He looked at her expectantly, as though she he was waiting for her to tell him
what to do. Scarlett just stared up at him. Eventually he sighed.

"I've got a cart and horse outside. There won't be much room for anything
besides us, but you better have Prissy put a mattress in the bottom of it so Mrs
Wilkes will be more comfortable." Scarlett nodded.

"Is Mrs Wilkes upstairs?"

"Yes, come on, I'll show you." She mumbled and started up the stairs, showing
Rhett to Melanie's room before going off in search of Prissy and instructing her
to put Wade's mattress in the cart.

Grabbing the lamp off the table, she hurried to Melanie's room.
"Melly, Captain Butler's going to take us to Tara" she said, gathering up
Melanie's baby in one arm.

"Can you put your arms round my neck Mrs Wilkes?" Rhett said. Melanie tried,
but fell down weakly again on her pillow. Scarlett watched as Rhett gently
picked her up and tried not to jostle her too much.

"Come on, we haven't got all night" Scarlett muttered and Rhett followed her out
of the room and down the stairs. When they got to the hall, Rhett went to lay
Melanie in the cart and Scarlett hurried to the parlour.

"Wade! Come here" she cried. The little boy who had been ignored for most of
the day scampered from his place on the settee to his mother and clung
awkwardly to her skirts, trying to block out the loud explosions.

"Come on Wade, be a little man" Scarlett said, his fear doing nothing to help her
own.

Scarlett hurried them through the door and down the path.

She awkwardly laid the baby next to Melanie in the cart and crouched down
next to Wade, taking hold of his hands.

"You have to be a big boy Wade and look after Auntie Melly for me. Would you
do that?" Scarlett said, forcing her voice to sound as calm as possible.

The little boy nodded.

"Scarlett, is everyone set?" Rhett asked.

"Daddy!" Wade cried and letting go of Scarlett's skirts, throwing himself into
Rhett's arms.

"Wade!" Scarlett watched as Rhett hugged the boy close to him, feeling guilty
again.

"Momma said that I have to look after Auntie Melly" Wade said.

"You sure do!" Rhett replied. "You have to be very brave." he said, setting his
son in the wagon next to Melanie before climbing up onto the bench and holding
his hand out to help Scarlett in.

"Oh wait!" Scarlett said, "I forgot to lock the door" she heard Rhett chuckle and
grab her arm.

"What are you laughing at?"

"You. Locking the Yankees out!" Then he whipped the horse and they trotted off
down the road. For a few moments they rode in silence before a thought
suddenly struck Scarlett.
"Rhett?" Scarlett whispered.

"Mmm?" he didn't take his eyes off the street.

"Do you think Prissy and Melly heard what Wade called you?" she glanced
nervously back where Prissy had her head buried in her arms, trying to block
out the noise and Melly was clutching her baby close to her, grimacing in pain
as the cart jolted over the cobbles.

"No, I don't think so"

"What on earth were you thinking telling him you're his father?" Scarlett hissed,
her voice hidden from the others by the rickety cart.

"Funnily enough Scarlett, I don't like the idea of my son being brought up as
someone else's. I'm his father and I'll be damned if he grows up thinking that I'm
no more than just a family friend" he said bitterly. Scarlett was just about to
reply with a scathing remark when there was a loud shout from the corner of the
street.

"Look! There's a horse. Get him lads!" Scarlett cried out in fear as the men
made a grab at the horse. The next few moments were a blur for Scarlett. She
recalled Rhett punching and kicking at the men and a shot being fired before
the cart jolted forwards down a side road. Scarlett grabbed Rhett's arm in a
death grip as she glanced behind her, noting thankfully that everyone in the cart
was alright.

Eventually, they reached the outskirts of the city and joined a crowd of soldiers
who were wearily trudging along. Scarlett frowned slightly. Most of them had no
shoes and their clothes were ripped and dirty. Somewhere, out there her friends
had died. Some of her friends were still fighting. Her mind turned to Ashley, who
had been captured and was probably starving and cold and suddenly she felt an
overwhelming anger towards the man who sat next to her in his fine clothes and
shoes, with not a scratch on his body. She glared up at him, hoping to convey
her hatred, all the while knowing that the safe escape of her family depended on
him.

However, she was surprised to see him looking, pensive? Strangely, she felt
her heart go out to him.

"Oh Rhett, I'm so glad you're not in the army. Now you can be proud that you
knew better than all of them." she said. He sighed.

"I'm not so proud." Scarlett waited for him to elaborate but he didn't. His eyes
never left the road and Scarlett got the impression that he was thinking hard
about something.

At Rough and Ready Rhett pulled the horse to a stop.

"Are you still sure you want to do this crazy thing Scarlett?" he asked.

"Oh Rhett I just know we can get through." She replied. Rhett climbed off the
bench.

"Not we my dear, you." Scarlett's eyes widened.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm going to join the army, my dear." Scarlett let out a breath.

"Oh I could kill you for scaring me so."

"I assure you, I'm not joking." Scarlett gaped at him. Indeed, he looked as
serious as she'd ever seen him.

"But…but…why?" she stuttered

"Perhaps because there's still some southern quixotism that lingers in me,
perhaps" he broke off and raked his hand through his hair. "Perhaps I'm
ashamed" he said quietly.

"You should die of shame leaving me here alone and helpless!" Scarlett cried
out. Rhett laughed.

"You? Helpless? God help the Yankees if they capture you my dear! Now, come
down here, I want to say goodbye." He beckoned to her.

"No." Scarlett said obstinately, thinking childishly, that if he couldn't say

goodbye then he couldn't leave. However, Rhett had other plans. He grabbed
her round the waist and pulled her off the bench and away from the cart.

"Oh Rhett, you can't leave me, you can't" Scarlett sobbed. "I'll never forgive
you!"

"Let me explain, please" he said as they came to a stop a few meters away
from the cart.

"Scarlett, look at me" Rhett said, lifting Scarlett's chin up when she refused to
meet his eyes.

"I have to do this. Not for the cause, not for me, but for Wade."

"Wade?"

"Yes. I don't want him to be ashamed of me. Oh, I'll come out of this war better
off than most. I'll have enough money to last a lifetime, but money can't buy me
the respect of my son. At the end of the day, I'm an able bodied man between
the ages of 16 and 60. One day, he'll ask me what I did for the cause, for the
south and I want to be able to look him in the eye and tell him that I did my part"
he gripped her shoulders.

"Do you understand?"

Scarlett stared at him.

"You're not very well going to be able to tell Wade what you did if you're lying
dead on a battlefield, are you?" she cried.

"But do you understand?" he shook her.

She understood, but she still couldn't comprehend the fact that he was actually
leaving them –her. After all, hadn't Wade said that he loved her? She nodded.

"Yes, I understand" she replied. His hands relaxed their grip on her shoulders
and slid down her arms, wrapping them around her waist and pulling her close
to him.

"Rhett, please don't leave me" Scarlett cried. "I need you" she whispered. She
didn't realise the truth of what she said until the words had left her lips, because
of course she needed him, after weeks of convincing herself that she hated him,
that she never wanted to see him again, she finally admitted that she had been
fooling herself.

He was looking at her in that way again, as if he was searching for something in
her eyes.

"Dear God" he whispered. "Scarlett…" he leaned down and brushed her

forehead with his lips. "I don't expect you to forgive me" he mumbled. "Lord
knows I'll never forgive myself for this foolish thing, but in spite of it all, this
whole silly world falling to pieces around us, I love you, Scarlett." Scarlett's
heart was pounding so loudly that she was sure Rhett could hear it. Was he
admitting that he loved her? His lips were warm on her forehead. "I love you" he
whispered again.

"I know" she whispered back. She felt him pull back and look at her.

"You know?" His voice slightly incredulous. Scarlett blushed.

"I mean…"

"I don't care what you mean" his voice was husky. "Kiss me Scarlett" it was not
a request, but a demand. His mouth crashed down on hers before she even had
a chance to breath. She struggled against him for a second, frightened by his
intensity.

"Rhett, don't it's not -" she mumbled.

"Not what, not proper?" his lips trailed down her neck. "You're sending a solider
to his death with beautiful memories, Scarlett. Just kiss me."

And so she did. Her arms wrapped round his neck and melted into him as his
lips moved over hers, slowly and languidly, as though he had all night ahead of
him.

"Sweet" he murmured. Scarlett felt her knees buckle under her and she would
have collapsed if not for Rhett's strong grasp around her, bending her back as
he pressed kisses down her neck and down to the top of her breasts. She
gasped as his moustache tickled her skin and goose bumps erupted under his
touch.

Then, the spell was broken as they heard a cry.

"Momma, Wade scared" Scarlett wrenched herself away from Rhett's arms,
breathing heavily.

"Mother's coming" she called, her voice sounded unnaturally shrill and shaky.

"I'll say my goodbyes then" Rhett said, running a hand through his hair and
striding over to the cart. Scarlett trailed behind him, dazed and confused.

"How is Mrs Wilkes?" he asked Prissy.

"She done fainted way back yonder sir"

"Probably just as well, she couldn't have stood the pain if she were conscious"
he said.

Then he scooped a sleepy and frightened Wade up in his arms and carried him
a few feet away from the carriage. Scarlett could tell that he was saying
something to the little boy, but she didn't know what and at that moment, she
didn't care. All she knew was that he was leaving her. After placing Wade back
in the cart, he walked back over to her and stood in front of her.

"Scarlett." He took her hand and kissed it. "Take care, darling." Then, he put his
hat on his head, threw his jacket over his shoulder and walked off. Scarlett
couldn't breathe. He was truly leaving.

"Rhett?" she called after him. He stopped and turned around.

"If you die…" her voice cracked on the word. Cursing herself inwardly, she
swallowed and began again. "If you die I'll hate you forever."

Rhett grinned, his white teeth gleaming in the eerie darkness. It wasn't quite the
declaration of love he was hoping for, but it was definitely a step in the right
direction.