«Well», she said shortly, «I did promise him that. But I won’t go to Macon and stay with that old cat… I’m going home to Tara and you can come with me».
«Oh, I’d like that! Your mother is so sweet!»
Dr. Meade arrived.
«It’s out of the question for you to go to Macon, Miss Melly. The trains are crowded. In your condition…»
«But I want to go to Tara with Scarlett».
«No. The train to Tara is the train to Macon and the same conditions prevail. Moreover, no one knows just where the Yankees are now, they are everywhere. It’s no trip for a woman in a delicate condition. Besides, there’s not a doctor in the County since old Dr. Fontaine joined the army».
«But there are midwives…»
«No», he answered brusquely. «It is dangerous. You don’t want to have the baby on the train or in a buggy, do you? Stay right here where I can watch you, and you must stay in bed. After all, there’s not so much danger here. Now, Miss Pitty, you go right on to Macon and leave the young ladies here».
«Alone?» she cried, aghast.
«They are matrons», said the doctor testily. «And Mrs. Meade is just two houses away. Good Heavens, Miss Pitty! This is war time. We can’t think of the proprieties now. We must think of Miss Melly».
He stamped out of the room. Scarlett joined him.
«I shall talk frankly to you, Miss Scarlett», he began. «You seem to be a young woman of common sense. I doubt if Miss Melly can stand the trip. She is going to have a difficult time, so I don’t want any ignorant darky midwife with her. And now, Miss, you stay with Miss Melly till the baby comes. Not afraid, are you?»
«Oh, no!» lied Scarlett, stoutly.
«That’s a brave girl. The baby will be here in another five weeks, but you never can tell. It may come any day».
So Aunt Pittypat went to Macon, she took Uncle Peter and Cookie with her. The carriage and horse she donated to the hospital in a burst of patriotism which she immediately regretted. And Scarlett and Melanie were left alone with Wade and Prissy in a house.
Chapter XIV
In those first days of the siege, when the Yankees crashed here and there against the defenses of the city, Scarlett was very frightened. She silently cursed Melanie. The doctor had forbidden Melanie to walk and Scarlett had to stay with her. What will she do if the baby comes?
These matters she discussed with Prissy in whispers one evening. Prissy calmed her fears,
«Miss Scarlett, I can manage. I know all about birthing. Just leave it to me».
As Scarlett lay on her pillow, there always rose the memory of Ashley’s face with a little smile on his lips: «You’ll take care of Melanie, won’t you? You’re so strong. Promise me». And she had promised. Somewhere, Ashley lay dead.
Wade irritated Scarlett. He was afraid to go to bed at night, afraid of the dark, afraid to sleep.
It was not often that Scarlett was alone those days and she did not like it. When she was alone she had to think and thoughts were not pleasant.
«Oh, Ashley!» she sobbed, dropping her head into her hands.
She heard the front gate click and she hastily raised her head. She saw Rhett Butler
«So you are here. Why did you stay?»
«To keep Melanie company».
«Damn it», he said, and in the lamplight she saw that he was frowning. «Is Mrs. Wilkes still here? It’s quite dangerous for her in her condition. So you stayed with Mrs. Wilkes! This is the strangest situation I ever encountered!»
«I see nothing strange about it», she answered uncomfortably.
«No? My impression is that you can hardly endure Mrs. Wilkes. You think her silly and stupid and her patriotic notions bore you».
«Because she’s Charlie’s sister… and like a sister to me», answered Scarlett with dignity.
«You mean because she’s Ashley’s Wilkes’ widow».
«I had a letter from Tara today. The Yankees are close to home and my little sister is ill with typhoid. I want to go home! But I can’t».
«Well, don’t cry about it», he said. «You are much safer here in Atlanta than at Tara. The Yankees won’t hurt you and typhoid will».
She laughed nervously.
«Don’t giggle», he said, and taking her hand, he turned it over and kissed her palm. Something vital, electric, leaped from him to her at the touch of his warm mouth, something that caressed her whole body thrillingly. His lips traveled to her wrist. She tried to draw back her hand.
She wasn’t in love with him, she told herself confusedly. She was in love with Ashley. But how to explain this feeling?
He laughed softly.
«Don’t pull away! I won’t hurt you!»
«Hurt me? I’m not afraid of you, Rhett Butler, or of any man!» she cried.
«An admirable sentiment, but please lower your voice. Mrs. Wilkes might hear you. And compose yourself. Scarlett, you do like me, don’t you?»
That was more like what she was expecting.
«Well, sometimes», she answered cautiously. «When you aren’t acting like a varmint».
«I think you like me because I am a varmint».
This was not the turn she had anticipated.
«That’s not true! I like nice men… gentlemen».
He kissed her palm again.
«But you like me. Could you ever love me, Scarlett? May I call you ‘dear,’ Mrs. Hamilton? I shall call you ‘dear’ whether you like it or not».
«You don’t love me?»
«No, indeed. Did you hope that I did?»
«Don’t be so presumptuous!»
«You hoped! You are charming and talented. No, I don’t love you. But I like you tremendously… for the elasticity of your conscience, for the selfishness which you don’t hide, and for the shrewd practicality. I like you because I have those same qualities in me. I realize you still cherish the memory of the godlike and woodenheaded Mr. Wilkes. But there must be room in your heart for me too. Scarlett, I am making you a declaration. I have wanted you since the first time I laid eyes on you, in the hall of Twelve Oaks. I want you more than I have ever wanted any woman. And I’ve waited longer for you than I’ve ever waited for any woman».
She was breathless with surprise at his last words. In spite of all his insults, he did love her.
«Are you asking me to marry you?»
He dropped her hand and laughed loudly.
«Good Lord, no! Didn’t I tell you I wasn’t a marrying man?»
«But… but… what…»
He rose to his feet and made her a burlesque bow.
«Dear», he said quietly, «I am asking you to be my mistress».
Mistress!
She was vilely insulted. He thinks her such a fool! Rage, vanity and disappointment threw her mind into a turmoil. She blurted out the first words which came to her lips…
«Mistress! What will I get out of that except a passel of brats[18]?»
Then she realized what she had said. She pressed her handkerchief to her mouth. He laughed.
«That’s why I like you! You are the only frank woman I know, the only woman who looks on the practical side of matters. You don’t think about sin and morality. Any other woman will swoon first and then show me the door».
Scarlett leaped to her feet, her face red with shame. How could she say such a thing! She must scream. She must faint. She must turn coldly away in silence. Too late now!
«I will show you the door», she shouted. «Get out! How dare you say such things to me! Get out and don’t ever come back here. I’ll… I’ll tell my father and he’ll kill you!»
He picked up his hat and bowed. His teeth were showing in a smile beneath his mustache. He was not ashamed, he was amused at what she had said, and he was watching her with alert interest.
Oh, he was detestable! She grabbed hold of the door to shut it with a bang, but the hook was too heavy for her.
«May I help you?» he asked.
She stormed up the stairs. And he slammed the door for her.
Chapter XV
Nowadays the news was passed from mouth to mouth. The wildest rumors appeared from nowhere and swept through the town. Crowds stormed General Hood’s headquarters demanding information. But no news came. The telegraph wires were still, no trains came in on the one remaining railroad from the south and the mail service was broken.
And it was only four months since the Yankees moved south from Dalton. Only four months! Scarlett thought that it had occurred in another life. Oh, no! Surely not just four months. It had been a lifetime.
Four months ago! Four months ago Dalton, Resaca, Kennesaw Mountain had been to her only names of places on the railroad. Now they were battles. Peachtree Creek, Decatur, Ezra Church, Utoy Creek. Never names of places any more. Names of graves where friends lay buried, names of tangled underbrush and thick woods where bodies rotted unburied.
For a week Scarlett had not heard from Tara. Carreen was very, very sick. There was fighting at Jonesboro. No, the Yankees hadn’t gotten to Tara. The courier who brought the dispatches to General Hood assured Scarlett of that. He had met Gerald in Jonesboro after the battle, and Gerald had begged him to bring a letter to her.
But what was Pa doing in Jonesboro? Gerald was trying to find a doctor to go to Tara with him.
Scarlett opened Gerald’s letter with fingers that trembled.
«Dear Daughter,
Your mother and both girls have the typhoid. They are very ill but we must hope for the best. Under no condition don’t come home and expose yourself and Wade to the disease».
For the next week Scarlett crept about the house like a stricken animal, waiting for news. The mails were still disrupted, no one knew where the Confederates were or what the Yankees were doing.
Scarlett had seen enough typhoid in the Atlanta hospital to know what a week meant in that dread disease. Ellen was ill, perhaps dying, and here was Scarlett helpless in Atlanta with a pregnant woman on her hands. Ellen was ill… But Ellen can’t be ill! She had never been ill. The very thought was incredible. Everyone else got sick, but never Ellen. Ellen looked after sick people and made them well again. She couldn’t be sick. Scarlett wanted to be home. Home!
«Oh, damn Melanie!» she thought a thousand times. «Why didn’t she go to Macon with Aunt Pitty? I’m none of her blood. And I have to wait for her baby! Oh, Mother! Mother! Don’t die! Why doesn’t this baby come? Dear God! What if Melanie is dead? Melanie dead. And Ashley… No, I mustn’t think about that, it isn’t nice. But Ashley… No, I mustn’t think about that because he’s probably dead, anyway. What if Ashley is still alive? No, I mustn’t think about that. It’s sinful. I want to get away from here… get home… get anywhere».
Scarlett hated this ominously still town. Atlanta was no longer the place she had loved. It was a hideous place like a plaguestricken city so quiet, so dreadfully quiet after the din of the siege. There was only horror in the town. The town seemed haunted, haunted with fear and uncertainty and memories.
The last day of August came. Everyone knew now what the soldiers had known two weeks before. If the Macon railroad falls, Atlanta will fall too.
On the morning of the first of September, Scarlett awoke with a suffocating sense of dread upon her. She sat up hastily, rubbing her eyes.
As she stood, looking out of the window, there came to her ears a far-off sound.
«Rain», she thought in the first moment, «we certainly need it». But then: «Rain? No! Not rain! Cannon!»
Cannon to the south! And to the south lay Jonesboro and Tara and Ellen. Yankees perhaps at Tara, now, this minute! From the kitchen below, she heard the rattle of plates. Prissy was preparing and singing. Scarlett shouted: «Shut up that singing, Prissy!»
Scarlett walked to Melanie’s door and opened it, peering into the sunny room. Melanie lay in bed in her nightgown, her eyes closed, her slender body hideous and distorted. She looked worse than any pregnant woman she had ever seen. As she looked, Melanie’s eyes opened and a soft warm smile lit her face.
«Come in», she invited. «Scarlett, there’s something I want to ask you».
Scarlett entered the room and sat down on the bed. Melanie took Scarlett’s hand.
«Dear», she said, «I’m sorry about the cannon. It’s toward Jonesboro, isn’t it?»
Scarlett said «Um».
«I know how worried you are. I know you wanted to go home last week when you heard about your mother. But you stayed because of me?»
«Yes», said Scarlett ungraciously.
«Scarlett, darling. You’ve been so good to me. No sister can be sweeter or braver. And I love you for it. I’m so sorry. I bother you».
Scarlett stared. Loved her, did she? The fool!
«And Scarlett, I want to ask a very great favor of you. If I die, will you take my baby?»
Melanie’s eyes were wide and bright.
«Will you?»
Scarlett jerked away her hand as fear swamped her.
«Oh, don’t be a goose, Melly. You won’t die. Every woman thinks she’s going to die with her first baby. I know I did».
«No, you didn’t. You’ve never been afraid of anything. You are just saying that to try to cheer me up. I’m not afraid to die but I’m so afraid to leave the baby, if Ashley is… Scarlett, promise me that you’ll take my baby if I die. Then I won’t be afraid. Aunt Pittypat is too old to raise a child and Honey and India are sweet but… I want you to have my baby. Promise me, Scarlett».
«Damn it!» cried Scarlett. «Why do you talk about dying?»
«I’m sorry, dear. But promise me. I think it’ll be today. I’m sure it’ll be today. Please promise me».
«Oh, all right, I promise», said Scarlett, looking down at her in bewilderment.
Was Melanie such a fool she really didn’t know how she loved Ashley? Or did she know everything? Scarlett wanted to ask these questions, but they died on her lips as Melanie took her hand and held it for an instant against her cheek.
«Why do you think it will be today, Melly?»
«I have pains… but not very bad ones».
«You have? Well, why didn’t you call me? I’ll send Prissy for Dr. Meade».
«No, don’t do that yet, Scarlett. You know how busy he is, how busy they all are. Just send word to him that we’ll need him some time today. Send over to Mrs. Meade’s and tell her and ask her to come over and sit with me. She’ll know when to send for him».
«Oh, stop it. You know you need a doctor as much as anybody in the hospital. I’ll send for him right away».
«No, please don’t. Just send for Mrs. Meade. She’ll know».
«All right», said Scarlett.
Chapter XVI
Scarlett dispatched Prissy for Mrs. Meade and sat down with Wade to eat breakfast. But she had no appetite. Coffee was repulsive. Without sugar or cream it was bitter. After one swallow she pushed her cup away. She hated the Yankees because they kept her from real coffee with sugar and cream in it.
Wade was quieter than usual. He ate silently. When he had finished she sent him off to the back yard to play with great relief. She arose and stood irresolutely at the foot of the stairs. She should go up and sit with Melanie but she did not want it.
She sat down on the bottom step of the stairs and tried to compose herself. Why didn’t Mrs. Meade come? And where was Prissy?
She went out onto the front porch and looked for them impatiently. Finally Prissy came into view.
«You’re as slow as molasses in January», snapped Scarlett as Prissy opened the gate. «What did Mrs. Meade say? How soon will she be over here?»
«She wasn’t there», said Prissy.
«Where is she? When will she be home?»
«Well», answered Prissy. «The Cookie says Miss Meade went away early this morning. She won’t come».
Scarlett stared at her and wanted to shake her. Negroes are always proud to bring some evil news.
«Well, don’t stand there like a ninny. Go down to Mrs. Merriwether’s and ask her to come up or send her mammy. Now, hurry».
«They aren’ there, Miss Scarlett. I met Mammy on my way home. I passed some time with her. They all have gone away. The house is locked up. They are in the hospital».
«So that’s where you were so long! Whenever I send you somewhere you go where I tell you and don’t stop to ‘pass some time’ with anybody. Go!»
Who was left in town among their friends who could be helpful? There was Mrs. Elsing. Of course, Mrs. Elsing didn’t like her at all these days but she had always been fond of Melanie.
«Go to Mrs. Elsing’s, and explain everything very carefully and tell her to please come up here. And, Prissy, listen to me. Miss Melly’s baby may come soon and she may need you any minute now. Now hurry!».