CHAPTER ONE

Sixteen-year-old Scarlett O'Hara jumped down from her father's carriage and stood still for a moment. She made herself calm, smoothed her hair, and looked at her surroundings.

Scarlett and her father and sisters had just arrived at a large plantation called Twelve Oaks, which belonged to the Wilkes family. The O'Haras also owned a nearby plantation which was called Tara. It was not as old or beautiful as Twelve Oaks, but Scarlett loved it just as much.

It was a beautiful spring day in the year 1861, and the Wilkes family was having a barbecue party. As Scarlett looked around, it seemed to her that all the people in the American state of Georgia had been invited. The large, green lawn in front of the house was filled with talking and laughing. It was too early for the barbecue meat to be eaten, but the wonderful smell of roasting pork and chicken filled the air. As Scarlett stood in front of the carriage, watching her father and sisters greet the others, she could hardly wait for the party to begin.

Scarlett O'Hara was not beautiful, but many men and boys were in love with her. There was something very pretty about her face though, with long black curls and large green eyes that looked like a cat's. Her waist was tiny, and her soft skin was like peaches and cream. On this day, Scarlett had chosen her best dress and done her hair especially nicely, because today was not like other days. This was the day that Scarlett would finally tell Ashley Wilkes the truth about herself: that she was in love with him!

When she entered the Wilkes' house, the first thing Scarlett did was to look for Ashley, but she did not see him anywhere. However, her friends Stuart and Brent Tarleton had seen Scarlett arrive, and they went over to say hello. Stuart and Brent, who were twins, were cheerful, handsome boys who had been interested in Scarlett for years. They were clearly happy to see Scarlett, and she promised them many dances. However, her mind was on Ashley.

Scarlett could not believe that there was ever a time when she did not love Ashley Wilkes, the oldest child of the wealthy and respected Wilkes family. Scarlett and Ashley had known each other since they were children; their fathers were very good friends. Scarlett had not paid much attention to Ashley when they were growing up; she had thought he was too quiet and serious. And Scarlett was neither quiet nor serious! But one day two years ago, Ashley had returned from a long stay in Europe and had come to visit the O'Haras. Scarlett had been sitting on the porch with her younger sisters, Suellen and Carreen, when he rode up on his horse. When she saw him, Scarlett felt her heart begin to pound. How Ashley had changed! He was handsome, elegant, and mysterious. Ever since that day, she had loved him and wanted him. Scarlett wanted Ashley the way she wanted air to breathe, or food to eat. It was a deep need, and she could not understand it. But she did not try, because Scarlett did not think about things very much. She was not a serious girl, and she did not understand people and their emotions.

Ashley was not like the other boys who had flirted with her, brought her flowers, and asked her to dances and parties. Scarlett was used to being the prettiest girl at a party and getting the most attention from boys. Truthfully, Scarlett thought that men were the most interesting thing in the world. She was the sort of girl who did not have girl friends. To her, other girls were enemies in the search for men.

It was true that Ashley had never told Scarlett he loved her. Unlike Scarlett, who usually said exactly what she thought, Ashley was quiet. And yet, Scarlett knew that he loved her. It was a strong, deep belief that had no reason. But Scarlett had seen the way he often looked at her. He looked at her as if he was starving, and she was food. These looks of Ashley's sent chills down Scarlett's back. Why hadn't he told her that he loved her? Scarlett couldn't understand. But then, there were lots of things about Ashley that she couldn't understand.

No one really knew him very well. He was just as good at dancing, gambling, hunting, and drinking as any of the other boys she knew, yet Ashley was different. These kinds of activities were not the goal of life to him. Ashley enjoyed more serious things like music, books and poetry. Scarlett guessed that he did not want to be a rich plantation owner like his father.

Oh, why was he so interesting? He was like a closed door, and she couldn't find the key. Many times Scarlett had tried to discover the reason why she loved him. After all, she thought books and poetry were boring. The mystery of Ashley burned in Scarlett's simple heart. The things about him that she didn't understand only made her want him more.

Although Scarlett appeared smiling and happy on the day of the party, her mind and heart were deeply afraid. The day before, Scarlett had heard something terrible: Ashley was supposed to marry his cousin Melanie Hamilton some time soon. However, because Scarlett believed that Ashley truly loved her, she had decided to take him away from Melanie.

Scarlett stood in the Wilkes home, talking to the Tarleton boys and her friend Cathleen Calvert. Suddenly, she noticed a man staring at her whom she had never seen before. He did not look like a local person. He was well dressed and looked as if he came from the city. He looked about thirty-five, and was tall, strong, and very handsome. His skin was dark, like a pirate's, and his thick, curly hair was black. When the man saw her looking at him, he smiled like a wolf. There was a look of humor in his eyes. Scarlett caught her breath.

"Good heavens! That man looks as if—as if he knows what I look like without my clothes on!" she thought, and suddenly turned red. She felt as if she should be insulted by this man, but somehow she was not. Seeing her confusion, the man smiled even wider, and turned away.

Scarlett and Cathleen decided to go upstairs and fix their hair. "Now you boys stay here and wait for me. Don't you go anywhere, or I'll be angry!" Scarlett said sweetly to Stuart and Brent. Both boys stared after her eagerly as she walked away.

While the two girls were fixing their hair, Scarlett said to Cathleen, "Cathleen, who is that nasty man downstairs—the tall one with the black hair?"

Cathleen smiled. "Darling, don't you know? That's Rhett Butler! He's the man whom we've heard about—the one who was forced to leave the West Point school. And now people are saying he killed a man because of some terrible situation with a girl. Really, he's got the worst reputation!" As she spoke, Cathleen looked as if she thought Rhett Butler's "reputation" was the best thing she had ever heard of.

Scarlett, who loved gossip, laughed. "Cathy, what did he do with the girl?"

"Scarlett, didn't you hear about this? Caroline told me all about it last summer! Well, Mr Butler and this girl from Charleston went out riding in a carriage together. And they stayed out all night! The next morning they came back to her father's house, and Rhett said that the horse had run away and they had gotten lost in the woods—and Mr Butler refused to marry her after all that!" Cathleen looked shocked. "He said she was a stupid fool and he hadn't done anything to her, so there wasn't any reason why he should marry her. So the girl's brother got angry and had a duel with him, and Rhett killed him! That's why he had to leave Charleston. Now no one who's important in society will speak to him."

Scarlett was amazed and interested. She had never heard of anything so terrible! In those days, young, innocent girls were very interested in stories about men and girls who had been "bad." Although Scarlett was not going to speak to Rhett Butler, she secretly felt respect for him for refusing to marry a girl who was a fool.

When Scarlett went downstairs she ran into Charles Hamilton, Melanie's brother. "Hello, Miss Scarlett," he said shyly. Charles was a kind, quiet boy with soft brown hair and large brown eyes like a puppy's. He was terribly shy with girls, and so he could not believe it when Scarlett spoke to him.

Scarlett wanted to make Ashley jealous, in case he was watching her. She gave Charles her sweetest smile and said, "Why, Charles Hamilton! Did you come here all the way from Atlanta just to break my poor little heart?" Scarlett put her hand on Charles' arm. "Now remember to sit with me at the barbecue—you are just the boy I want to talk to!"

Charles did not know what to say. Beautiful Scarlett O'Hara, who could have any boy she wanted, was talking to him? He felt a thousand times taller. "Why ... why, of course I will, Miss Scarlett," he said, and Scarlett danced away.

All through the morning and into the afternoon, Scarlett talked and laughed with many boys. Scarlett's prettiness, her laughter, and her charm attracted so many boys that the other girls were looking at her angrily. However, inside she was unhappy. She had only seen Ashley once that day. He and Melanie had welcomed her to the party, but Scarlett had not seen him alone. He was always with Melanie. Why?

Now, as Scarlett watched them, Melanie and Ashley were sitting quietly under a tree and talking together. Melanie's plain, thin little face was shining with love and happiness. Scarlett wondered what they were talking about. Probably boring things, like music and poetry!

Melanie Hamilton was a small girl from Atlanta who was deeply loved by everyone who met her, especially adults. She had a kind heart and a truly sweet manner. Melanie was very different from other people, because she always thought the best of everyone. As Scarlett stared at Melanie, full of fear and jealousy, she had to admit that today Melanie looked almost pretty. Her pale skin was the color of roses, and her huge brown eyes glowed as she stared up at Ashley.

Scarlett decided she had to try harder to get Ashley to notice her. She flirted with Charles Hamilton and the Tarleton boys as well. She hoped that the boys would fight over her so that Ashley would notice, but he never even looked in her direction as he and Melanie walked away, arm in arm.

So Scarlett was miserable.

Suddenly she saw Rhett Butler staring at her again. There was a look of cool humor in his eyes. Scarlett had the strange feeling that Rhett knew exactly what was bothering her. Furious, she tossed her black curls and gave him an angry look.

Suddenly Ashley's mother came out of the house and told everyone that it was time for the afternoon rest. Smiling at the boys around her, Scarlett got up and walked up to the house slowly so that everyone could admire her. As she walked, Scarlett made a firm decision. She would sneak out of the girls' room when everyone was asleep and find Ashley. She would tell him she had to talk to him, and they would go somewhere alone. Then, she would tell him her true feelings.

Suddenly Scarlett heard some loud, angry conversation coming from a group of men, including Rhett Butler, Ashley, and the Tarleton boys. They were discussing the possibility of a great war with the Northern American states. This topic bored all the ladies, especially Scarlett. But when Scarlett heard Rhett Butler speaking, she stopped to listen. She was curious to hear what he had to say.

He was talking in a calm, cool voice. "Have any of you fine, Southern gentlemen thought that there's not a chance we can win this war? As Napoleon once said, 'God is on the side of the strongest army'—and we are not strong."

"Sir, what do you mean?" asked Charles Hamilton angrily.

"I mean that we don't have iron or weapons factories, like the North does. We don't have a single warship. All the men in the South are talking the way you boys are—confidently, as if we could really beat the North. I am from the South, as you all know, but I have spent time in the North as well. Up there, they've got tons of immigrants and free black people who will gladly fight for them. They've got plenty of soldiers, food, and weapons. All we have here is cotton, slaves, and too much pride." Rhett laughed coldly. "Oh, but I am sure that you gentlemen have thought of these things," he said sarcastically. "Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I am going inside."

"What is he saying ... ? Why, he's saying that our Southern boys are fools!" thought Scarlett. She wanted to feel angry at Rhett for speaking badly of the South, but a small part of her thought that his words made sense. But there was more war talk. Quickly, she turned her mind back to Ashley, and hurried inside.

(end of section)