and many other ladies sat on the roofs of stores, and watched the fighting on the day of the battle of Atlanta. But soon they fled to the cellars, and that night the exodus of women, children and old people from the city began. Mrs. Merriwether and Mrs. Elsing refused to leave. They were needed at the hospital, they said proudly, they weren’t afraid of the Yankees. But Mrs. Whiting went and many other ladies of Scarlett’s circle. Aunt Pitty was among the first to pack her trunks. Her nerves, she said, were delicate and she could not endure noises. She will go to Macon and stay with her cousin, old Mrs. Burr, and the girls should come with her.
Scarlett did not want to go to Macon. No, she told Aunt Pitty, I’ll go home to Tara and Melly can go to Macon with you.
At this Melanie began to cry:
«Dear, don’t go to Tara and leave me! I’ll be so lonely without you. Oh, Scarlett, I’ll just die if you aren’t with me! Yes… Yes, I know Aunt Pitty is sweet. But after all, she’s never had a baby, and sometimes she makes me nervous. Don’t desert me, darling. You’ve been just like a sister to me, and besides», she smiled wanly, «you promised Ashley to take care of me. He told me he was going to ask you».
Scarlett looked at her in wonderment. How could Melly love her so? How could Melly be so stupid as not to guess the secret of her love of Ashley? Yes, she had promised Ashley to take care of Melanie. Oh, Ashley! Ashley! you must be dead, dead these many months!
«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
