| 3:07a |
@@@@@She'd learned what
she wanted to know
@@@@@She'd learned what
she wanted to know almost as soon as she stepped across the
threshold
Rhett was living at his mother's house, but he was out of town"Gone
North," Pauline said, with a sour expression"But for good reason,
Sister," Eulalie reminded her"He's in Philadelphia buying back some
of the family silver that the Yankees stole"It's
a joy to see how devoted he is to his mother's happiness, finding all
the things that she lost This time Eulalie was the critic"He
could have shown some of that devotion a lot sooner, if you ask me
Scarlett didn't askShe was busy with her own thoughts, which were
concentrated on wondering how soon she could go up to bedNo
sleeplessness would plague her tonight, she was sure of itNow that she'd taken her life in her own hands and was on
her way to getting what she wanted, she could sleep like a babyShe
woke in the morning with a sense of wellbeing that she hadn't felt for
yearsShe was welcome at her aunts', not shunned and lonely like in
Atlanta, and she didn't even have to think yet about what she'd say to
Rhett when she saw him
She could relax and be spoiled a little while she waited for him to get
back from PhiladelphiaHer aunt Eulalie punctured Scarlett's bubble
before she'd finished her first cup of breakfast coffee"I know how
anxious you must be to see Carreen, honey, but she only has visitors
on
Tuesdays and Saturdays, so we've planned something else for today
Carreen! Scarlett's lips tightenedShe didn't want to see her at
all, the traitorGiving her share of Tara away as if it meant nothing
at all But what was she going to say to the aunts? They'd never
understand that a sister wouldn't be just dying to see another
sister
Why, they even live together, they're so closeI'll have to pretend I
want to see Carreen more than anything in the world and get a
headache
when it's time to go
Suddenly she realized what Pauline was saying, and her head did
begin
to throb painfully at the templesso we sent our maid Susie
with a note to Eleanor Butle |