One day Melly came rushing into the drawing-room where the O'Hara sisters were lounging. She held a letter in her hand.
"Scarlett! Ella! I have the most wonderful news!"
"What is it Melly?"
"Ashley has been granted furlough for Christmas!"
"Oh Melly, that is wonderful. I'm so happy for you"
"Ashley's coming home?"
They started excitedly discussing how they would make this an extra special Christmas. Melly was so excited she started decorating the house even though Christmas was a few months away. Ella had noticed the look on Scarlett's face at the mention of Ashley's name. She inwardly sighed. She's still infatuated with him, thought Ella.
There was nothing Ella could do about Scarlett though. She's felt this way about Ashely for so long that making her see reality is a lost cause, reasoned Ella. In any case, Ella had more important matters occupying her mind, and by matters, she meant the one and only Rhett Butler. Ella couldn't help but remember the last time she saw him.
.
"I never lie, Miss Ella."
Ella sat up, putting her closer to his height and raised her eyebrows in disbelief.
"Never?"
Ella's breath caught as Rhett leaned in closer, he was almost inappropriately close, but she still wished he was closer. Ella was sure she stopped breathing as he stared into her eyes.
"Never to you."
As Ella stared back into Rhett's eyes, she couldn't help but believe him.
However, that didn't mean she forgave him. She couldn't forget the confusion she felt when he left in the middle of the dance floor in Charleston. The emptiness when she discovered his boat was gone the next morning. The hope that had turned to disappointment and shock when he called out Scarlett's name as his dance partner at the bazaar. The longing and sadness that had overwhelmed her as she watched them dance together all evening.
As these memories swirled in her mind, a wave of bitter anger rose within her.
"Instead you run away."
Ella could tell she had shocked Rhett with her words, she had also shocked herself.
Rhett had never seen such fire in Ella before. Although her words made him feel ashamed, they also made him realise what he wanted. He, Rhett Butler, the pirate, the scoundrel, wanted the lady, the dreamer, the beautiful, inside and out, Ella.
Ella was unable to hold Rhett's gaze any longer. As she looked away she thought she saw remorse in his eyes. She sighed and laid back down, closing her eyes and placing her hands on her stomach. Dealing with Rhett was exhausting for Ella, she felt like she was being whipped back and forth with his changing character.
Rhett watched Ella as she laid back down. What was he doing to this woman? He knew he had to make his mind up about her soon.
After a few moments, Ella felt Rhett shift and she assumed he was leaving until she felt a body lay right next to her.
"I'm sorry."
At first, Ella was sure she had imagined it. She didn't consider Rhett Butler to be a man who apologises to anyone.
When Ella didn't react to his words Rhett took one of her hands from where it was resting on her stomach. He squeezed her hand lightly with his and rested their clasped hands on the ground in between their bodies.
This got Ella's attention. She turned her head and opened her eyes to look at Rhett whose face was right there, only inches away.
"Could you forgive me?"
Rhett watched as Ella looked at him, seemingly searching for something in his eyes whilst pondering his question, before she turned her head back to face the sky, with her eyes closed and a small smile on her lips.
"Perhaps."
.
The pair had stayed like that for a while before Ella excused herself to get home before she was missed. She hadn't seen Rhett since that day. She remembered the feeling of her hand in his. She didn't understand why he held her hand, but she was surprised by how much she enjoyed it, it made her feel safe. That small amount of contact with Rhett had made her feel at home.
That thought caught Ella off guard. Surely she didn't feel at home when she was with Rhett. This was Rhett Butler she was thinking of, he didn't have a home and it didn't seem like he wanted one.
Sighing Ella decided it would be best if she tried not to think about what that day meant if it meant anything.
The three ladies spent the next few weeks preparing for Christmas and Ashley's homecoming. In the end, Ashley's visit was overall an uneventful few days. Ella made it her mission to give Melly as much time alone with her husband as possible. When it was time to pick Ashley up from the station she insisted Melly should go alone.
"Scarlett and I will make sure the house is ready for Ashley's arrival."
"But Ella, I thought we would all go greet Ashley."
"Ella, I want to go to the station!"
"You should go collect him alone Melly, it's been so long since you've seen him. He is your husband after all, isn't that right Scarlett?"
"But I was going to wear my new bonnet."
Ella sighed at Scarlett's muttering as they watched Melly leave for the station. She would have to keep an eye on Scarlett while Ashley was home.
They all had a nice Christmas dinner together. Aunt Pitty brought out some special wine she said she'd been saving for the occasion and Melly gifted Ashley with the intricately embroidered tunic she had been making for him. When it was time to retire Melly and Ashley said goodnight to the sisters and went upstairs to bed. Ella studied Scarlett as she watched Ashley disappear and frowned at the look on her face.
"I'm surprised they didn't retire sooner. I'm sure they're eager to reunite as husband and wife."
Scarlett turned to look at Ella with wide eyes, her face pale.
"Ella! How could you... I would never expect you to say such a thing!"
"Well I thought it might be the only way to get it into your head. Ashley's married, Scarlett, and happily so. You can see how much he loves Melly. You can, can't you?"
"I don't know what you're going on about Ella. Goodnight."
When it was time for Ashley to leave Melly couldn't even get out of bed, too distraught at the thought of him going off to war again. Ella sat with her after saying her goodbyes to Ashley.
"Don't worry Melly. Ashley will be alright, he's made it this far, you will see him again."
"Thank you Ella. I couldn't rest last night for worrying about him. I think I'll rest for a while now."
"Okay Melly, I'll wake you later for supper."
Ella left Melly's room and headed downstairs. She thought Ashley had left, but she could hear voices in the parlour and one was definitely male and the other must be... Scarlett! Ella rushed to the doorway but didn't go into the room. As she listened, she realised Scarlett was confessing her feelings to Ashley, again.
"I love you! Kiss me, Ashley. Kiss me!"
Ella quickly walked into the room and made her presence known.
"Ashley, you're still here. You better go; you don't want to miss your train."
Ashley nodded and said goodbye before leaving. Scarlett tried to follow him, but Ella grabbed her wrist.
"Ella! What are you...?"
"Stop."
"Stop what? Let go of me."
"I heard everything Scarlett. You threw yourself at a married man! You asked him to kiss you! What were you thinking?"
"You don't how it feels Ella!"
"How what feels?"
"How it feels to love a man! To love him so much and yet not have him as yours, to not be allowed to be close to him! I love Ashley more than anything! I always have and I always will and you will never be able to understand!"
Scarlett's words hit Ella like a knife through the stomach. In her shock, Ella's grip loosed and Scarlett tore her arm away and ran upstairs.
As she repeated Scarlett's words in her mind, Ella couldn't help but feel that she knew exactly what Scarlett was feeling.
-
Melly had volunteered to help at the hospital and Ella and Scarlett had been going with her. One night Scarlett was complaining that she was tired and asking if they could go home now. Ella agreed with Scarlett, it was draining being around all these injured soldiers and it didn't help Ella didn't like the sight of blood, but it was expected for ladies to help the war effort where possible. Scarlett tried to argue it wasn't decent for unmarried women to tend to the men, but they so desperately needed nurses that need had overridden propriety. Anything was acceptable for the cause.
As the three ladies left the hospital to return home they were approached by a woman they hadn't seen before. The woman stopped in front of Melly.
"Mrs Wilkes, I've been waiting out here for an hour now hoping to speak with you. I'm Belle Watling and I want to donate some money to the cause. I tried once before, but they wouldn't accept my money. I've heard you're a true lady and I hope you will accept this."
The woman held out a small bundle.
"Of course, thank you for your donation."
Melly took the bundle to find it was a handkerchief. She opened it out to find some gold coins.
"Oh my! There must be ten, twenty, fifty and it's not paper money, its gold!"
The women looked up to find the woman had got into a carriage.
Both sisters noticed something on the handkerchief; one gasped and the other fumed. Stitched into the corner of the cloth were two letters, RB. As they both looked up to watch the woman it belonged to ride away, they heard a voice behind them.
"Wasn't that Rhett Butlers carriage?"