"Well -- that you have a sweetheart there. That you are going to get married. Are you, Rhett?"
She had been curious about this for so long that she could not refrain from asking the point-blank question. A queer little pang of jealousy jabbed at her at the thought of Rhett getting married, although why that should be she did not know.
His bland eyes grew suddenly alert and he caught her gaze and held it until a little blush crept up into her cheeks.
"Would it matter much to you?"
"Well, I should hate to lose your friendship," she said primly and, with an attempt at disinterestedness, bent down to pull the blanket closer about Ella Lorena's head.
He laughed suddenly, shortly, and said: "Look at me, Scarlett."
She looked up unwillingly, her blush deepening.
"You can tell your curious friends that when I marry it will be because I couldn't get the woman I wanted in any other way. And I've never yet wanted a woman bad enough to marry her."
Now she was indeed confused and embarrassed, for she remembered the night on this very porch during the siege when he had said: "I am not a marrying man" and casually suggested that she become his mistress -- remembered, too, the terrible day when he was in jail and was shamed by the memory. A slow malicious smile went over his face as he read her eyes.
"But I will satisfy your vulgar curiosity since you ask such pointed questions. It isn't a sweetheart that takes me to New Orleans. It's a child, a little boy."
"A little boy!" The shock of this unexpected information wiped out her confusion.
"Yes, he is my legal ward and I am responsible for him. He's in school in New Orleans. I go there frequently to see him."
"And take him presents?" So, she thought, that's how he always knows what kind of presents Wade likes!
"Yes," he said shortly, unwillingly.
"Well, I never! Is he handsome?"
"Too handsome for his own good."
"Is he a nice little boy?"
"No. He's a perfect hellion. I wish he had never been born. Boys are troublesome creatures. Is there anything else you'd like to know?"
He looked suddenly angry and his brow was dark, as though he already regretted speaking of the matter at all.
"Well, not if you don't want to tell me any more," she said loftily, though she was burning for further information. "But I just can't see you in the role of a guardian," and she laughed, hoping to disconcert him.
"No, I don't suppose you can. Your vision is pretty limited."
He said no more and smoked his cigar in silence for a while. She cast about for some remark as rude as his but could think of none.
"I would appreciate it if you'd say nothing of this to anyone," he said finally. "Though I suppose that asking a woman to keep her mouth shut is asking the impossible."
"I can keep a secret," she said with injured dignity.
"Can you? It's nice to learn unsuspected things about friends. Now, stop pouting, Scarlett. I'm sorry I was rude but you deserved it for prying. Give me a smile and let's be pleasant for a minute or two before I take up an unpleasant subject."
Oh, dear! she thought. Now, he's going to talk about Ashley and the mill! and she hastened to smile and show her dimple to divert him. "Where else did you go, Rhett? You haven't been in New Orleans all this time, have you?"
"No, for the last month I've been in Charleston. My father died."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I'm sure he wasn't sorry to die, and I'm sure I'm not sorry he's dead."
"Rhett, what a dreadful thing to say!"