Time peeked in through the shining glass of the bed side clock in Scarlett's room. And stood stock still. For even Time had its limits. And what Scarlett O'Hara was doing in Time's opinion, was too shocking to record in the chapters of History.

It was approaching twilight and the sun had turned the color of the sky, a delicate rust. The slumbering stars, awakened from their stupor were waiting for Time to beckon, so they could make their grand appearance. And waited impatiently…. for Time had stood still.

Even the gathering dusk could not rouse Scarlett from her reverie. She was deep in thought. And as surprising as that may be, what truly shocked Time, was that her thoughts, for once, were not about herself.

No, Scarlett O'Hara was instead, thinking about the two men in her life. Two very different men, neither of who, she'd later conclude, she had ever understood in the time that she had come to know them.

For she had not cared to. Until now.

So, Time stood still and watched her think as she sat in front of her looking glass -

On understanding Ashley, with his lofty ideals and complicated talk about life, she had long ago given up; accepting only that she loved him for everything that made him Ashley. Ashley was easy. She knew she did not understand him. She was happy to stop there and delve no further.

But Rhett! Rhett was a different matter altogether. After all, what was not to understand. He was full of himself, she thought. Always ready to let the world know exactly what he thought or felt, not caring to conform to the norms of politeness and courtesy that society demanded. Rhett spoke his mind. And spoke it loud and clear, using words that were simple and easy for her mind to grasp and her practical self to relate to. When it came to Rhett, there was really nothing to tax the mind. Rhett was easy. She understood Rhett or, so she thought.

So, there it was. She knew she couldn't understand Ashley and she knew she did understand Rhett.

And there was one thing, Scarlett O'Hara was sure she knew, just like she'd know in her bones, that the rich smell of earth from Tara would always mean she'd come home-it was that both men were attracted to her.

"Well", she thought, with a twinge in her heart, "Not just attracted, Ashley loves me!" And with a toss of her head, stubbornly refusing to consider anything else, she looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled to herself, the dimples on her cheeks instantly making her feel better and assuring her, this was true.

And of course, she loved Ashley! Loved him as desperately and passionately as she, Scarlett O' Hara could ever love a man. Her eyes sparkled with joy. It was as easy as that! Such an effortless task for her mind to figure out the two things that mattered most with Ashley. One, that she did not understand him for who he is and the other being more important, that despite it, she loved him and he (she gave a firm nod to the woman in the mirror) loved her!

But Rhett! The dimples faded, as a flush of annoyance took their place instead. Oh! Rhett was such a different matter indeed. In no uncertain terms, he had, on more than one disgraceful occasion, made it very clear what his feelings for her were. He was just plain attracted to her. Or, she thought, her indignation mounting…wanted her. Wanted her just like he wanted that Watling creature! She could almost taste the bitterness on her lips at the realization of what that meant.

"Oh, it was not for lack of her charms or her efforts of course", thought Scarlett vainly, a hint of pride in her eyes and the dazzling beauty in the mirror smiled in agreement. But then the stunning creature in the glass, shook her head at Scarlett sullenly, and pride took a back seat, as recollection of all the times she had tried in vain, to force a declaration of love from Rhett Butler came flooding back.

in the beginning, it had puzzled her a little and irked her a lot. For she was used to men eating out of her hands and the fact that Rhett was beyond her reach, had been a sore point of contentment. "But then", she shrugged dismissively, she had ceased to care after a while and had come to make peace with his oft repeated remark of not being a "marrying man".

"Fiddle dee dee"! said the captivating temptress in the mirror, a little riled. "Not a marrying man indeed"! Scarlett's cheeks flamed as her treacherous mind recalled the swirling rapture of his indecent proposal, which had sealed this unfortunate marriage. No, she didn't think that kiss professed love. It bespoke a driving desire. His desire. The color in her cheeks reddened as the word "carnal" came to mind. Rhett did not love her. Of that she was certain. He never loved her before he married her, and he did not love her now. That was how easily she could read him and his vile mind. "Yes", she thought to herself, she could read him like a book.

Couldn't she?

This was why she was deep in thought. Lost, more likely the word for it.

Hate she might, yes, to analyze and study, pick or inspect minds and personalities, but she, Scarlett O' Hara was not a fool. True, she did not often venture to bother herself with such twaddle, but when she put her mind to it, there was very little that escaped her. And something had happened in the past twenty fours which had prompted her to put her mind to it. And that "it" was Rhett Butler.

Scarlett O' Hara scowled into the mirror. The woman in the mirror stared back at her reproachfully.

He had said he had married her because he had wanted her. It had been eight months since she'd asked for separate rooms. And yesterday, he had cut a deal in which she had agreed to let him back into her bedroom. For a man who'd twisted her arm to get what he wanted, he'd been mighty quick to run from it. The scene in the bathtub played itself out and a frown puckered her brow. It made no sense to her. Clearly, he'd said he'd be moving back but he'd asked for separate beds!

"Separate beds!"

She blushed from her root tips to her toes as she stared into the shining glass, the implications of what beds that were not separate meant, coming to mind.

"What did Rhett even want?"

If Melanie had walked in on Scarlett, sitting in front of her mirror on that balmy winter evening, she'd have needed to use the word "pensive" to describe her to Ashley.

Such was the depth of Scarlett's contemplation.

Her frown deepening, Scarlett shook her pretty little head at her companion in the mirror. No, this did not sit right with her. Something was afoot.

Rhett was not a man who'd be content to sit and stare at her beautiful face or be placated with pretty smiles and charming coquetry. He was not Charles or Frank or any of the scores of boys who she'd handled and kept content by just batting her eyelashes. What exactly did he want?

Her mind on fire, Scarlett wondered. Did he miss her? Could it be possible that there was more than just want in his actions and in his heart? Was there more to Rhett than what he allowed her to see? She thought feverishly of all the times, she had caught him looking at her, like a cat at a mouse hole. She had always felt like he was waiting for something. Like he was expecting something. Was he waiting for her? Expecting something from her?

"Did he love her?"

She chewed on her lower lip as she thought. Did she really know Rhett Butler?

And what of her?

She could not understand, till this day why she had married him. True, there was money. But Frank was no pauper and it wasn't like she had been desperate. Her eyes narrowed as she surveyed herself in the mirror. An uncomfortable thought crossed her mind. Why had she married him?

She sighed, her shoulders drooping slightly. Yes, she blamed herself. She had married him, knowing well that he did not love her. Oh well, she thought to herself, shrugging her shoulders at the truth of it. Finding herself in loveless marriages was nothing new to her. She had been there all her life.

Scarlett looked into the mirror and into the glittering eyes of the woman in it. Years of restraint imposed by Ellen's and Mammy's teaching came unfettered and she blushed again as she remembered the deluge of wild thoughts that had flooded her brain; the strange sensations that his presence had evoked and the thrill of anticipation at his nearness. She dropped her gaze from the mirror abashed, no longer able to bear the fiery heat that seemed to have sprung in the eyes of the woman looking back at her.

"Whatever is wrong with me"?, she wondered.

A cold hand gripped her heart as a dim understanding tried to sneak its way into her resisting mind. Everything that she had felt with Rhett recently, she had yearned to feel with Ashley, had coveted it in Ashley's touch and hungered for it in Ashley's eyes. She thought back with a sinking heart, on the last time she had been with Ashley. Try as she might to explain it away, her honest heart admitted it. She had felt nothing. Nothing except the glowing warmth that rides upon thoughts of a beloved friend, a very loved friend.

As she looked into the glass, a single tear rolled down the cheek of the dark-haired beauty who gazed back at her, infinite sadness in her eyes.

That fine winter evening, Scarlett O'Hara bent her head and sobbed.

Time stood still and watched from its house of glass, it's heart breaking.

The waiting stars held their breath, as after a very long time, Scarlett O'Hara, lifted her face and looked again into the shining glass. The woman in it was beautiful. Her soft face glowing with love, her eyes sparkling with a joy hard won and Scarlett heard her say, "I love him". And then, "I don't care if he doesn't love me, I'll make him". "After all, tomorrow is another day and I have forty or more at my disposal".

Time standing still, woke with a start and calling to the waiting stars as it went, shook its head and muttered "Poor Rhett"!