I own nothing. All characters belong to Margaret Mitchell.

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Chapter 18: Shall we dance?

Rhett made his way to Scarlett through the wave of party guests. Her eyes, he noticed, were sparkling with rage! "Oh, how lovely she looks when she is mad!", he thought.

"Good evening Mrs. Wilkes, Miss Hamilton, Mrs. Kennedy", Rhett said with a proper bow for each lady.

"Good evening Capitan Butler, how good to see you here!", said Melanie, while Scarlett kept her eyes averted, trying and failing to control her face that was showing the rage she was feeling. "Sit with us, please. Ashley and India will be back soon but I am sure we can accommodate you at this table with us"

"That is very nice of you Mrs. Wilkes, but I prefer to dance. Mrs. Kennedy, would you give me de honor?"

"No", Scarlett said as icy as she could.

Melanie and Pittypat shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Rhett, however, was amused by Scarlett's temper. He knew she would be furious, he was glad that she was at least acknowledging his existence.

"Mrs. Kennedy, there is no need to be rude!", Rhett said smiling.

"I am not being rude Captain Butler. You are the rude one. I am a widow. It is not fitting for me to be dancing so soon after my husband's demise. If you were a gentleman, you would know that."

Rhett knew that what she really wanted to say was " how dare you speak to me after you stood me up?!"

"Forgive me my bad manners. I just assumed…. Well, this would be not the first time we danced while you are in your widow's weeds. Would you care for a dance Mrs. Wilkes? Miss Hamilton?", said Rhett still in a playful voice that was doing a marvelous job of hiding his disappointment. He hoped that she would take the opportunity to dance, even if she was mad.

"Oh no Captain Butler, I never enjoyed dancing, even when I was as young as this bride… I am what people call a happy wallflower", said Melanie.

"Ohh, me too", giggled Miss Pittypat.

"So, I will join you and observe", but before Rhett could sit, Scarlett was up.

"I am sorry, but I will need to go. It was lovely to come, but I am really tired… Oh Melly, don't leave on my account, I can manage going home alone."

"I will accompany you", said Rhett.

"No, I don't want your company Mr. Butler", Scarlett said and walked away towards the entrance of the house.

Before Scarlett could reach the exit, Rhett grabbed her arms and pushed her inside a small empty sitting room.

"What is the reason for this Scarlett? Why are you so mad at me? I thought you had enjoyed yourself during our last encounter…" and suddenly Rhett's speech was cut short by Scarlett powerful slap on his face.

"I hoped and hoped that it was more than lust, but it is not! You had what you wanted, but I swear to God: You will not have it again! Never!", and her voice was rising with each word she said. Rhett tried to hold her still and calm her down but she only became more agitated.

"Let me lose, you brute. I shall never speak with you again!", and her eyes were betraying her. She was hurt and she could not hide it anymore.

"Be quiet, damn you!", and he held her even tighter. "You still owe me an answer, Scarlett", he said trying to mask the hope he was daring to feel after he saw the hurt in her eyes. If she is hurt, she cares.

"I owe you nothing! You lost the opportunity to hear it when you didn't show up in the park!", she shouted on him, succeeding on putting some distance between them.

"I had better things to do that day", he said angrily, not daring to look in her eyes. He was hurt too, and he felt relief at finally letting the anger out of him. His mean answer hit her hard.

"And I have better things to do now!", she answered in a much lower voice, as if the energy to fight had left her body. Her shoulders drop and tears started to flow down her face.

She was crying and he had done it. Even though Rhett felt that he was right to be mad at her because she was the one who gave him false hope, he was also feeling guilty, for his own cowardice that day had hurt her and he never wished to hurt her.

"I was jealous", he said in a low voice, afraid of what she would do with the information. "You arrived and he was there, waiting for you… It will always be Ashley first in your heart!" he sighed. "I wished so much you would say yes, but I know that you wouldn't. I thought I did not need to hear it from you Scarlett, but I do. Please answer me".

Scarlett was taken aback by the feelings Rhett was displaying: Jealousy, hurt, fear…

"I would have said yes, but I can't anymore…Ashley has nothing to do with it! I don't love him! I can't say yes now that I know it is only lust… You don't love me, and I will not go through another loveless marriage…", and before she could raise her eyes he was there, as close as someone could be.

"Is that your only objection?", his voice was steady but his arms were a shaking a little. He knew this was his chance. He always wanted to hear Scarlett declaring her love for him, and he knew that if he pressured her a little she would say it first. But he couldn't risk. He couldn't lose her. He held her hand and knelt in front of her, "Because if this is your only objection Scarlett, I can guarantee you that I love you. I love you more than I ever thought it would be possible to love someone. I love you so much that it hurts knowing you are not mine. Marry me. Put an end in this agony."

He held his breath for the few seconds that she took to answer.

"Yes, I love you too", she said in a soft voice.

"Are you sure? You are not taking it back?", he said while getting up and holding her close.

As Scarlett looked up to Rhett, enjoying their most precious moment, the door opened and Mrs. Merriweather entered the room at the same time Scarlett said:

"Yes", and smiled up to Rhett.

"Did you hear that Mrs. Merriweather? She said yes!", and he bent down to kiss his bride. And his bride kissed him back, knowing that she was loved and that they would be very happy together!

The end.

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That is it! Thank you all for reading it! Thanks for adding this story to your favorite list!

Thank you all that took the time to write a review! I hope you like it!

And my special thanks to Cynthia! She was the first one to read it and I am very grateful for it! Thank you Cynthia for taking the time to read and correct my many grammar and spelling mistakes!