CHAPTER SIX

When Aunt Pittypat, Melanie, and Scarlett arrived at the party, Scarlett could hardly control herself. It was a wonderful sight. The music played and ladies and gentlemen danced happily around the room. Because of the great Southern generals' recent victories, everyone believed that the South would win the war. Just one more battle and victory would be theirs!

Scarlett wanted badly to dance and laugh with the young men, but it would not have been proper since she was a widow. Instead she and Melanie went into a corner and sold drinks to those who wanted them. Under her dress, Scarlett could not keep her feet from moving to the music. As the evening grew later, Scarlett grew bored again. None of the boys in the room were looking at her—all the soldiers were admiring the young, unmarried girls of Atlanta. Oh, it wasn't fair! "I'm much prettier and a better dancer than any other girl in this room!" Scarlett thought angrily.

Suddenly Scarlett saw a man staring at her from across the room. He was tall and dark, and seemed familiar somehow. She could not help giving him a smile, and the man immediately walked across the room to her. As he drew nearer, Scarlett's face turned red. It was Rhett Butler!

"Why, hello, Miss O'Hara—or, I am sorry, I should call you Mrs Hamilton! I did not hope that you would remember me!" Rhett said in his teasing way.

Scarlett wanted to disappear. All the older ladies in the room were staring at them and whispering, because Rhett Butler had a terrible name in Atlanta. "Well ... hello, Mr Butler. Would you like a glass of wine this evening?" she said, not looking at him.

Rhett ignored her. "I was so sorry to hear of your husband's death, Mrs Hamilton," he said, staring at her with shining eyes. "However, to die for your country is to live forever. These words may ease the great pain you are feeling."

"Damn him! He knows about Ashley, and he knows I didn't love Charlie at all!" Scarlett thought. When she looked up at Rhett, she saw the laughter and mockery in his eyes. She wished she could shout at him, but then they would attract even more attention.

Suddenly the band began to play one of Scarlett's favorite songs. She tried to act as if she didn't care, but Rhett had seen the look in her eyes. "Madam, may I have this dance?"

Scarlett forgot to act like a lady. "Rhett Butler, you stop making fan of me and go away! I've never spoken to anyone so horrid!" She said angrily. "You know very well I can't dance or sing or do anything that's fun for the rest of my life. I'm seventeen years old and I have to wear nasty old black clothing and stay at home, just as if I were dead! If I don't, all those old ladies over there will write to my mother and tell her how awful I am! That's how it will be forever, so kindly leave me alone and go find someone else!"

Rhett was laughing. "Mrs Hamilton, that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Why does society make women like you act like widows for the rest of their lives? And, Mrs Hamilton, we both know very well that you are not grieving," he said. "Now, you want to dance so badly, I could see it in your face from across this room. And you're going to dance!

Before she could say anything more, Rhett had taken her by the hand and guided her onto the dance floor! It happened so quickly that Scarlett didn't have time to think. But soon she forgot about the gossiping ladies in the room. Oh, finally, after a year, she was dancing! She didn't care what they thought! And Rhett was a wonderful dancer!

As they danced, Rhett looked down at her, smiling mischievously. "Mr Butler, how dare you make everyone talk about me this way? It's not polite," Said Scarlett.

"Mrs Hamilton, you don't care if it's not polite at all, do you? You're only saying that to act like a lady, the way your mother taught you," said Rhett.

Scarlett looked into his eyes. Suddenly she laughed, and he laughed with her.

"You see, Mrs Hamilton, when you've been talked about as much as I have, you realize that it really does not matter what people say," said Rhett.

"Oh, Mr Butler, stop talking and just dance with me! It's been a year since I've danced and I don't know when I'll be able to do it again!" said Scarlett.

"But it will only be a few minutes. I'm going to ask you for the next dance, and the next and the next," said Rhett.

"Rhett Butler! You can't! I couldn't! Everyone will be angry with me, and I'll have to go home to Tara!"

"Mrs Hamilton, I am sure everyone is already angry with you, so why stop dancing now?" asked Rhett.

"Oh, all right, I admit it! I don't care at all what anyone says. I'm going to dance and dance till I fall down. But don't hold me tightly. I'll be mad if you do!"

"Then I will hold you tightly. You are even prettier when you are mad, Mrs Hamilton. You have no idea how charming you were that day at Twelve Oaks when you threw that vase."

"Mr Butler! Won't you forget that?" said Scarlett, turning red in the face.

"I will not. It is one of the funniest things I have ever seen!" said Rhett, laughing.

(end of section)