It was dark outside. So dark. It was dark inside too as Melanie Hamilton stood by the window at Twelve Oaks and looked out into the black of night. Her heart was heavy and her eyes had cried out all her tears. How could this have happened? Why did Ashley do this to her? And Scarlett. She had so wanted Scarlett to be her friend. But, they had betrayed her and left together. The guests at the barbeque had been buzzing with the news and it was her brother Charles who had taken her aside and told her what had happened. "Gone? What do you mean gone?" she had asked him. "They left together....to be married," Charles had told her. It was then that he had caught her as her legs gave out beneath her. The next thing she knew, she was laying on her bed, India crying beside her.
"India?" Melanie said, sitting up.
"Oh Melly! This is terrible! He's gone after them!"
"What? Who?"
"Charles. He took his gun and went after Ashley and Scarlett."
"Oh no India! Why did he do that?"
"He said he was going to defend your honor," India answered before breaking into tears again.
And so, here she stood, alone, waiting for her brothers return. She didn't know how long she had been standing here and she didn't care. She would wait all night to hear anything of her brother and her beloved Ashley.
A flash of light suddenly caught her eye and she looked down to see one of the slaves with a lantern and Charles riding up on his horse. She turned and ran down the stairs and out the door to where he was handing his horse to the slave and giving his instructions.
"Charles! Oh you're back and you're safe," she said flinging her arms around him. "Ashley?"
"I found them. They are on their way back."
"So they weren't married?" she said hopefully.
"I'm sorry, Melly. They were married by the time I found them." He saw her face change and spoke. "Melly, I won't allow him to do this to you. A duel is set for noon tomorrow."
"Oh Charles no!" she implored.
"You won't change my mind, Melly. So please don't try." He walked passed her and into the house.
It was the longest night of her life and the morning sunshine came upon her and she still had not slept. One of the servents helped her dress and do her hair and tried to get her to eat something, but Melanie refused. She needed to find Charles and talk to him again...try to change his mind. But, once downstairs, she was told that he was already gone. Gone to make sure Ashley and Scarlett hadn't left town again. She was too late....to late to stop her brother from making this mistake. What if he should die? What if Ashley should die? Despite what he had done to her, she still loved him. She again retreated to her room and waited for news.
Noon came. Many people stood in the field. Some wanting to see what was going to happen, others to see if the rumor was true...that Ashley Wilkes had actually married Scarlett O'Hara. Ashley tried to speak to his cousin about stopping this before it was too late, but Charles refused to listen. And so, the two men made their way to the center of the field. Scarlett tried in vain to hold onto her new husbands arm, but her told her everything would be fine.
The crowd was silent except for the sound of someone counting, and the sound of the men's footsteps on the dry grass as they walked in seperate directions with their backs to eachother.
When the voice said "ten" only one shot was heard, followed by a blood curdling scream. Scarlett rushed out to Ashley laying in his own blood.
"He's dead!" She screamed. "Oh my God, he's dead!" She lifted his head into her lap and cradled it, sobbing with grief.
Nobody moved or said a word. They were all shocked by what had transpired in Clayton County the last twenty-four hours. Things would never be the same again for any of them. Everything was changed by two men that day. One who had run from his responsibilities and one who had defended the honor of his sister.
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