by J. Rosemary Moss
Genre: Fan Fiction Crossover (Bonanza-Gone With The Wind)
Rating: PG
Link to Part One
~
Ashley frowned over the accounting books at the mill. He had never liked the lumber business—he wasn’t cut out for it. But the publishing venture that he, Adam and Scarlett had entered looked like it might succeed—even if Adam and Scarlett carried it out from Virginia City.
He fervently hoped for his book’s success, at any event. It would allow him to sell the mills and focus on writing.
The sound of someone entering the office pried his mind from the accounts. He glanced up and started at the sight of Rhett Butler.
“Good afternoon,” Rhett said with a slight bow.
“And to you,” Ashley returned, standing up so that he could offer Rhett his hand.
The two men shook hands and then seated themselves opposite each other. Ashley wasn’t entirely surprised to see Rhett. They had always understood one another and they had worked hand in glove in politics—first to put an end to the Klan in Georgia and then to bring the Democrats back to power.
They spent a few minutes exchanging pleasantries. Rhett asked after Ashley’s son as well as his sister India and Aunt Pittypat. Ashley, in turn, inquired after Rhett’s mother in Charleston. But then Rhett came to the point.
“Is this Adam Cartwright everything he seems?” he asked.
Ashley was surprised that Rhett would value his opinion on the matter, but he nodded. “He’s a good man and he loves Scarlett. Oh, he’s not starry-eyed,” he added. “He knows her faults. But he cares for her and the children. And he’ll take her away from here—away from the society that will never forgive her. She’ll have to leave Tara, of course, but Adam can afford to bring her back periodically.”
Rhett favored him with a wry smile. “Oh, he can certainly afford it. Do you know what a goldmine Scarlett has found for herself?”
Ashley grinned. “Yes—but Scarlett doesn’t. I only learned of the Ponderosa because Adam and I happen to have mutual friends in New York. Scarlett thinks of it as a pitifully small ranch.”
“Well, I almost admire Mr. Cartwright for not disillusioning her,” Rhett said with a dry laugh. “I suppose the best thing I can do for Scarlett is divorce her out of hand.”
“I think so,” Ashley agreed.
It cost him something to say as much, for Ashley knew that Melly had hoped and prayed that Scarlett and Rhett would settle their differences. Melly would have wanted them to try again.
But as far as he could see, they only brought out the worst in each other. He almost shuddered, remembering that one of their arguments had resulted in Scarlett’s terrible fall down a flight of stairs and subsequent miscarriage. It had been an accident, of course—Rhett had made some jeering comment and Scarlett had lunged at him and lost her balance. But such episodes were scarcely the basis of a sound marriage.
They spoke for a while longer on inconsequential matters, but at length Rhett rose to take his leave. He paused at the threshold, however.
“I’ll soon be a free man,” he reminded Ashley. “And I’d like to settle down in some comfort. Would you disapprove of your sister associating with a divorced gentleman?”
Ashley’s eyebrows shot up at that, but he recovered quickly enough. “India’s her own mistress,” he said evenly.
Rhett smiled at that and bowed. Then he departed, leaving Ashley with a vague, hollow feeling that was not unlike regret.
*
Adam took Scarlett as his wife less than a month later. Rhett Butler had done everything in his power—and that was considerable—to speed up the divorce.
They were married by a justice of the peace. Despite her indifference to the Church, Scarlett couldn’t bring herself to be married in a Protestant ceremony. Besides, Adam doubted that she had much use for God in any context.
Ashley was one witness and Suellen was the other. Yes, Suellen and her husband Will had made the trip to Atlanta in order to support Scarlett’s scandalous new marriage. Despite the sisters’ dislike of one another, they were still blood.
Wade also supported the marriage. Adam had discussed it with him at length and found the boy surprisingly agreeable to the notion.
He would do well enough on the Ponderosa, Adam decided. And Wade was hoping to get into West Point or Annapolis. He had the brains and determination for either. Adam thought that the Cartwrights stood a good chance of securing him the appointment.
Ella was also content with the situation. She had shyly confided to Adam that her mother was less frightening and overbearing when he was around.
But one person disapproved of the wedding and staunchly refused to come to Atlanta to celebrate it. Scarlett had made a special trip to Tara to beg Mammy to come, but Mammy held firm.
Mammy didn’t hold with divorce. She was as strict in her notions of propriety—and as strict a Catholic—as Scarlett’s mother, Ellen O’Hara, had been. She said straight out that she had no intention of watching Miss Ellen’s daughter disgrace herself in a ceremony that was no better than a celebration of adultery.
Adam had smiled grimly at that—Pa might well sympathize with Mammy. Oh, Pa was no Catholic, of course, but he didn’t hold with divorce either.
He could imagine the scene clearly when Scarlett described it to him, even though he had never met Mammy. The old woman had folded her arms across her chest and jutted out her chin while Scarlett ranted and raved—and now Scarlett was swearing that she would never speak to her again.
Adam knew that he would have to what he could to heal that breach. Scarlett would never forgive herself if the old woman died with the quarrel still between them.
*
India Wilkes set down her sewing and stared out the window. Aunt Pittypat’s house had been full of callers today—everyone wanted to discuss Scarlett’s shocking new marriage.
To think that she had divorced Captain Butler! And all to marry some Nevada rancher who had been born a Yankee.
India smiled thinly. The callers were almost disappointed that Mr. Cartwright was whisking Scarlett away to his ranch out west.
Scarlett had shocked and scandalized the town countless times. She had caused a rift between India and her brother Ashley that was only now beginning to heal. She was arguably even responsible for the deaths of Frank Kennedy and Tommy Wellburn.
Still, she made for excellent gossip.
Strangely enough, some of the hatred that India had always felt for Scarlett was abating now. Perhaps it was because Melly had set such a store by her. That hadn’t mattered while Melly was alive, but now that she had passed on it made all the difference.
For the first time, India could see Scarlett clearly. She was not a brass woman who had shamed her feminity and disgraced the old guard of the Confederacy, but a victim of that god-awful war, as they all were. She had done her best to survive and she had made sure that her family, her ex-slaves like Mammy and Pork, and her in-laws like Ashley and Melanie had all survived with her.
Some of the callers today felt that Mr. Cartwright was too good for Scarlett; for all that he was a Yankee. But India was secretly relieved that Scarlett had found a decent man—especially since he would take her far away.
Melanie would have been horrified by the divorce, India reflected. But she had loved Scarlett—and she would have liked and respected Adam Cartwright. In the end, she would have been happy for them both.
India picked up her sewing again, but was surprised by yet another knock on the door. Surely it was too late for more callers?
Uncle Peter answered the door and announced Captain Rhett Butler.
She rose to her feet and crossed over to him. “How good to see you, Captain Butler,” she said. “But I must inform you that Aunt Pittypat has retired for the evening. I fear she’s not available to any more callers.”
“I came to speak with you, Miss India” he informed her as he swept off his hat.
“With me?” she repeated blankly.
“Yes,” he answered smoothly. “Now that I’m, er, free of my entanglements, I was hoping you would give me the opportunity to get to know you better. May I come in?”
India stood rooted to the floor. She and Captain Butler had never treated each other with anything more than cold courtesy and grudging respect. And now he wanted to come courting?
The peculiar insight that allowed her to see Scarlett so clearly came to her rescue. Of course—he wanted a quiet life now. He wanted a life of companionship with a respectable woman of good breeding. The last thing he wanted was another wildcat like Scarlett.
She stepped aside and put on her most welcoming smile. “I’m honored, Captain Butler. Please come in.”
LINK TO PART SEVEN
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