Hi everyone! Susan (colesmum2001) and i have been working on an entry for the Too Many Wives contest! We thought that we'd go ahead and begin posting a bit of it for everyone! Hope you enjoy!!

Saving Grace...Part One

Scarlett entered her berth aboard the Southern Railway's train bound for Georgia and collapsed upon the padded bench positioned in front of the window; having made it aboard the train just before it violently lurched away from the station's platform in Baltimore. She quickly unfastened two plain-black buttons at the neckline of her heavy brown-woolen traveling dress to give herself more air. She had forgotten how warm autumn could be in the South and had grown accustomed to dressing for the cool-damp Irish weather that blanketed the lush-green country starting in early September. Wiping a bead of sweat from her brow and inhaling deeply to even her breath, Scarlett lightly scolded herself for not allowing more time to traverse her way out of the large city and towards the unfamiliar railroad depot. It had taken longer than expected or desired to deposit her second cousin, Gertrude McLean, safely to the home of her new employer. Gertrude was a pretty girl of nineteen who had recently found herself in a bit of a pickle back in Ireland; making it necessary for her to take a quick exit out of the country and find employment and a new life elsewhere.

Scarlett remembered the first day she met Gertrude McLean or Gertie as she would later be called by those close to her. There was something about her sapphire-blue eyes that immediately drew Scarlett to her. Her eyes were strangely familiar and comforting to Scarlett; as if she'd looked into those same eyes a hundred times before. She took an immediate liking to the girl and decided to take Gertie into her home and under her wing. Gertie had no immediate family to speak of; her parents fell ill and died early in the young girl's life. She had been passed among distant relatives for the past seven years; never staying settled in one place too long before trouble would eventually find her and she would be carted off to another relation's home. Scarlett silently vowed that she would not so easily dismiss the young girl if trouble came calling at Willstone. It was for this reason that Scarlett was very protective of Gertie, more so than she could ever remember being towards her own sisters, Suellen or Careen. Gertie was a simple-minded girl. What her mind lacked in sense her body gained in natural beauty. Her piercing blue eyes shone like raw sapphires protected by long black lashes that fluttered involuntarily when she was lost in her thoughts. Her eyes were intensely engaging set against the background of her fair-white complexion framed by ebony curls that hung like thick ropes to her shoulders. For all this beauty and passion she was still one so easily misguided. Scarlett made sure to keep an eye on Gertie at all times. She knew that there were dishonorable men abound and that a girl like Gertie could easily fall prey to their charms and schemes.

Hard as she tried Scarlett could not always play guardian and protector to the young ward. It was near the end of the summer season when Scarlett was away in Dublin conducting and settling business to lease the stables at Willstone to those who wished to house and breed their horses. Unfortunately, her affairs kept her away from the 200 acre estate in Cork longer than intended; and upon her return found that Gertie had indeed been deceived and taken advantage of by a recently hired stable boy. The young man toyed with Gertie's affections; he misled her to believe that his intentions were noble and true. Once he took what he physically desired from Gertie, he quickly spread word about the town of his exploits with the "dim-witted beauty"; causing irreparable damage to Gertie's reputation and dashing any hopes of her ever finding a man to marry or a normal life to lead.

Scarlett immediately took steps to rectify the matter. She first discharged the cad at once and refused to give him references to seek work elsewhere, threatening to press civil charges against him if he protested. Then she dealt with the delicate situation at hand; what to do with Gertie? Scarlett knew that Gertie would no longer be welcome in Cork and that wherever the young girl went in the future word of the unpleasant event would always be a few paces behind her. But Scarlett stayed true to her word and did not abandon the young woman. Gertie stayed at Willstone; proving as invaluable as ever. Scarlett seldom let her stray within the town limits unless it was absolutely necessary. Try as they did to put the past behind them and to forge ahead; the two could never shake the black cloud that seemed to hang constantly overhead.

Finally, under Gertie's persistent insistence Scarlett decided to write a dear and old school friend who had moved up North to Baltimore shortly after their graduation from the Fayetteville Female Academy. She knew Mary Shaw would do anything for her, even though they had not physically spoken to each other in over ten years, Mary and Scarlett would always share a bond of unconditional friendship. During the few years under Miss Woods' tutelage, the girls shared and experienced many of the joys and tribulations of impending womanhood together. It was Mary Shaw that first instructed Scarlett how to "properly kiss a beau whilst keeping one's eyes delicately closed"; and it was Mary, and not her precious Mammy, who explained to the naive Scarlett the "plain and simple truth of copulation". Scarlett blushed slightly remembering back on Mary’s blunt words. Mary was the only female that Scarlett felt ever truly knew and understood her and was never jealous or in competition. Scarlett was never a mystery to Mary for Mary was as Miss Woods' would often say "cut from the same cloth" and that she "never met two girls so perfectly suited for each other; as though God had purposely intended for the pair to live in the same place and time."

It was with this sense of eternal friendship that Scarlett wrote to Mary and plainly explained the situation as it was unfolding. She did not have to politely disguise the details of the occurrence to Mary. Mary was never so easily shocked and it would be an insult towards her if Scarlett were to shroud the facts under cumbersome metaphors and euphemisms. Mary's reply was as Scarlett expected, prompt and accommodating. This is how Gertie came to seek a new beginning in Baltimore and what brought Scarlett Butler O'Hara back to American soil for the first time since she left over 18 months ago.

~**~


Scarlett sat a few moments staring out the window at the passing scenery. It felt odd to be back. The same circumstance that made her decide to initially go to Ireland was actually the same reason that brought her back. True, she was concerned about Gertie arriving safely but once she was satisfied that she was adequately situated within the Shaw home, Scarlett could have easily taken her leave from any Baltimore or New York port for a quick return trip back to Ireland. But she had not; and Scarlett decided to travel further south to Georgia, more importantly, home to Tara. There was someone very dear to Scarlett that she felt deserved to finally be introduced to her family. Scarlett prepared herself for what she knew lay ahead. She knew there would be talk and a great deal of explanation would be necessary, but Scarlett was willing to undergo that and more for the sake of her child.

"Her child" Scarlett thought. Yes indeed Grace was solely her child. The father never learned of Grace's existence and for the past year Scarlett worked diligently to keep it that way. She concocted one lie after the next weaving a complex web of deceit in hopes of protecting and shielding Grace's name; and hers too if truth be known. No, there wasn't much "truth" to Scarlett's explanation of her previous life in America. She proclaimed that she came to Ireland a young widow who could not bear to live with the ghost of her dearly departed husband, Rhett Butler, facing her at every turn. She would never reveal the truth that "her dearly departed husband" shamelessly divorced her and cast her aside like a worn out shoe. She told her Irish kin that she only learned of her impending pregnancy once she was established in Ireland. The paradox of this little white lie was that Scarlett knew she was with child while she visited her Savannah relatives. She waited there for Rhett to come and beg her forgiveness and if he did not come she would use the recent discovery of her pregnancy as a bargaining chip to place odds in her favor.

Rhett never came. The last time Scarlett had seen or spoken with Rhett was almost two years ago. Their last encounter was in that old sea shanty. The boat they had been sailing pitched and capsized in a squall that suddenly overtook them. It was Rhett who acted so heroically and pulled Scarlett from the cold February waters and revived her within the ram shackled fishing hut. It all must have been a dream; for the Rhett Butler that eventually showed his true colors could not be the brave man that Scarlett remembered from that day. No, the true Rhett Butler surfaced shortly thereafter. He left Scarlett while she was recuperating from the near fatal accident. He left her alone in his mother's home with no word of his whereabouts. Rhett didn't have the decency to face Scarlett; so instead he took the cowardly approach and hastily divorced her without warning or explanation. Luckily the divorce decree was handled by Scarlett's Uncle Henry. Henry Hamilton was an uncle to Scarlett by way of marriage to her first husband, Charles Hamilton. Nonetheless, Henry was as discreet and loyal to Scarlett as if they had been blood relations.

Scarlett regretted that Charles died so young and never knowing a wife's true love; for Scarlett never loved Charles or her second husband, Frank Kennedy. These men were only pawns in a game that Scarlett played to ensure what she wanted or needed in life were obtained. In spite of all, Scarlett’s one love and true love would always be Rhett. Scarlett professed as much to Rhett, but to no avail and now it was a mute point. Shortly after the divorce decree was finalized Rhett married again. A young girl, Anne Hampton, of no social standing but possessing all the plain and virtuous qualities Charleston polite society demanded of one of their own. Those were qualities that Scarlett, if she lived a hundred years, would never embody or find useful. Those characteristics were of no value to Scarlett. They never put food on the table, a solid roof overhead or gold in the bank. All of these which were now in such abundance and more extravagant than half the world's population would ever know.

The irony of the situation was that now Scarlett would willingly give up all of that and more to have the love of Rhett Butler once again. A love that she was too blind to see when it was handed to her on a silver platter. A love that was snatched away from her when she finally realized what it meant to love. She didn't have Rhett's love or the superficial qualities of a true lady. Rhett never desired or wanted a true lady, but Scarlett did have something that Rhett desired most of all. It was for this reason that Scarlett traveled by night and straight onto Jonesboro. She could not bear or risk losing the one thing that she possessed that Rhett wanted above all, their child, Grace.

i forgot to add in there...we've made a few minor changes to the story...in case you didn't notice! scarlett's not living at ballyhara in our version...

~Wow!~This was really good and well written and I can't wait for more.~Post soon!~

You've got me hooked can't wait for more.

That was wonderful!!!! I cannot wait for more!!

Necole

Great introduction. Very well written. I hope we don't have to wait too long for another installment.

It's great so far, can't wait to read more!
You know you want to post the next chapter, you know you do, lol...pretty please <puppy dog eyes>

I Love it! Please please continue soon. I like sequels and I am glad her name is Grace. :")
~Myra