Scarlett was silent and her heart sank.
«Scarlett! Why won’t you marry Cade Calvert? The Calverts are good folk, all of them. I’ll leave Tara to you and Cade…»
«I don’t want marry Cade!» cried Scarlett in fury. «And I don’t want Tara or any old plantation! They don’t amount to anything[5]».
«Do you tell me that Tara… that land… doesn’t amount to anything?»
Scarlett nodded obstinately.
«Land is the only thing in the world that amounts to anything», he shouted.
«Oh, Pa», she said disgustedly, «you talk like an Irishman!»
«And I am proud of it. And don’t forget that you are half Irish, Miss!»
Chapter III
That night at supper, Scarlett’s mind was in a ferment over the dreadful news she had heard about Ashley and Melanie. Of course, she did not intend to tell her mother what was so heavy on her heart. Her mother, Ellen, will be shocked and grieved to know that a daughter of hers wants a man who is engaged to another girl. But she wanted the very comfort of her mother’s presence. She always felt secure when Ellen was by her.
She rose suddenly from her chair at the sound of creaking wheels in the driveway. Looking out the window, Scarlett saw Pork. Pork entered, his usual dignity was gone, his eyes were rolling.
«Mister Gerald», he announced, breathing hard, «your new housemaid is here».
«New housemaid? I didn’t buy any new housemaid», declared Gerald.
«Yes, you did, Mister Gerald! Yes! And she wants to speak with you», answered Pork, giggling and twisting his hands in excitement.
«Well, bring in your wife», said Gerald, and Pork beckoned into the hall to his wife. She arrived from the Wilkes plantation to become part of the household of Tara. She entered, and behind her came her twelve-year-old daughter.
Dilcey was tall. Her immobile bronze face was unlined. Indian blood was plain in her features. The red color of her skin, narrow high forehead, all showed the mixture of two races. When she spoke, her voice was not so slurred as most negroes’ and she chose her words more carefully.
«Good evening, young Misses. Mister Gerald, I am sorry to disturb you, but I wanted to come here and thank you again for buying me and my daughter».
«Hm-hmm», said Gerald.
Dilcey turned to Scarlett and something like a smile wrinkled the corners of her eyes.
«Miss Scarlett, Poke told me how you asked Mister Gerald to buy me. And so I give you my Prissy for your own maid».
She jerked the little girl forward. She was a brown little creature, with skinny legs like a bird. She had sharp eyes and stupid look on her face.
«Thank you, Dilcey», Scarlett replied, «but I’m afraid Mammy will have something to say about that. She’s been my maid ever since I was born».
«Mammy is getting old», said Dilcey. «She a good mammy, but you are a young lady now and you need a good maid. Prissy has been maiding for Miss India for a year. She can sew and fix hair».
It was late, and Scarlett went to bed. She dropped her head upon her folded hands, and her thoughts went sadly back to Ashley. How can he plan to marry Melanie when he really loves her, Scarlett? And when he knows how much she loves him? Then, suddenly, an idea, shining and new, flashed like a comet through her brain.
«Why, Ashley hasn’t an idea that I’m in love with him!»
Her mind stood still as if paralyzed for a long, breathless instant.
«How could he know? I’ve always acted so prissy and ladylike around him he probably thinks I don’t care a thing about him. Yes, that’s why he’s never spoken! He thinks his love is hopeless. And that’s why he’s looked so…»
Her mind went swiftly back to those times when he was looking at her in that strange manner.
«He thinks I’m in love with Brent or Stuart or Cade. But if he knows I love him…»
This was the answer to Ashley’s reticence, to his strange conduct. He didn’t know! She had only to…
«Oh!» she thought rapturously. «What a fool I’ve been! I must think of some way to let him know. He won’t marry her if he knows I love him!»
Even now, it wasn’t too late! And Ashley’s engagement had not even been announced yet! Yes, there was plenty of time!
If no love lay between Ashley and Melanie but only a promise, then why wasn’t it possible for him to break that promise and marry her? Surely he will do it, if he knows that she, Scarlett, loves him. She must find some way to let him know. She will find some way! And then…
Lying in the bed, she pictured the whole scene in her mind. She saw the look of surprise and happiness that came over his face when he realized that she really loved him, and she heard the words he said asking her to be his wife.
By this time tomorrow night, she might be Mrs. Ashley Wilkes!
She sat up in bed, and for a long happy moment she was Mrs. Ashley Wilkes… Ashley’s bride!
Chapter IV
As the carriage bore Scarlett down the red road toward the Wilkes plantation, Scarlett had a feeling of pleasure.
«Perhaps it will be my wedding day!», thought Scarlett. «I’ll tell Ashley that I love him and he will marry me. Why not? I am sure he loves me, too»
The chimneys of Twelve Oaks began to show on the hill across the river.
«I’ll live there all my life and I’ll tell my children and my grandchildren how beautiful this spring was».
She was so happy at this thought that she began to sing.
«I don’t know why you’re so happy this morning», said Suellen crossly. «You know as well as I do that Ashley’s engagement is going to be announced tonight. And you cares about him».
«That’s all you know», said Scarlett.
«Susie, you know that’s not so», protested Carreen. «It’s Brent that Scarlett cares about».
Scarlett turned smiling green eyes upon her younger sister.
«Darling, I don’t care a thing about Brent», declared Scarlett. «And he doesn’t care a thing about me. He’s waiting for you!»
Carreen’s round little face became pink.
They crossed the river and the carriage mounted the hill. Scarlett loved Twelve Oaks even more than Tara.
The long picnic tables stood under the thickest shade. As the smell of fresh pork came to her, Scarlett wrinkled her nose appreciatively. She was full of food and tightly laced.
The whole County was here, thought Scarlett. The four Tarleton boys and their father leaned against the tall columns, the twins, Stuart and Brent, Boyd and Tom with their father, James Tarleton. Mr. Calvert was standing close by the side of his Yankee wife. On the porch steps stood John Wilkes. Beside him stood Honey Wilkes.
Frank Kennedy was hurrying to the carriage to assist Suellen. Frank Kennedy owned more land than anyone in the County, but he was forty, slight and nervous and had a thin beard. But where was Ashley? And Melanie and Charles?
Her eyes fell on a stranger. He was standing alone in the hall. He looked quite old, at least thirty-five. He was a tall man. Scarlett thought she had never seen a man with such wide shoulders, so heavy with muscles. He was dark of face, swarthy as a pirate, and his eyes were bold and black.
He turned as someone called:
«Rhett! Rhett Butler! Come here!»
«I must run upstairs and smooth my hair», she told Stuart