County gossiping and laughing at you for mooning your heart out about a man who never gave you a thought beyond friendship。”
“He did give me a thought；” thought Scarlett； sorrowfully in her heart。 “Oh； a lot of thoughts！ I know he did。 I could tell。 If I’d just had a little longer； I know I could have made him say—Oh； if it only wasn’t that the Wilkes always feel that they have to marry their cousins！”
Gerald took her arm and passed it through his。
“We’ll be going in to supper now； and all this is between us。 I’ll not be worrying your mother with this—nor do you do it either。 Blow your nose； daughter。”
Scarlett blew her nose on her torn handkerchief； and they started up the dark drive arm in arm； the horse following slowly。 Near the house； Scarlett was at the point of speaking again when she saw her mother in the dim shadows of the porch。 She had on her bonnet； shawl and mittens； and behind her was Mammy； her face like a thundercloud； holding in her hand the black leather bag in which Ellen O’Hara always carried the bandages and medicines she used in doctoring the slaves。 Mammy’s lips were large and pendulous and； when indignant； she could push out her lower one to twice its normal length。 It was pushed out now； and Scarlett knew that Mammy was seething over something of which she did not approve。
“Mr。 O’Hara；” called Ellen as she saw the two coming up the driveway—Ellen belonged to a generation that was formal even after seventeen years of wedlock and the bearing of six children—”Mr。 O’Hara； there is illness at the Slattery house。 Emmie’s baby has been born and is dying and must be baptized。 I am going there with Mammy to see what I can do。”
Her voice was raised questioningly； as though she hung on Gerald’s assent to her plan； a mere formality but one dear to the heart of Gerald。
“In the name of God！” blustered Gerald。 “Why should those white trash take you away just at your supper hour and just when I’m wanting to tell you about the war talk that’s going on in Atlanta！ Go； Mrs。 O’Hara。 You’d not rest easy on your pillow the night if there was trouble abroad and you not there to help。”
“She doan never git no res’ on her piller fer hoppin’ up at night time nursin’ niggers an po’ w’ite trash dat could ten’ to deyseff；” grumbled Mammy in a monotone as she went down the stairs toward the carriage which was waiting in the side drive。
“Take my place at the table； dear；” said Ellen； patting Scarlett’s cheek softly with a mittened hand。
In spite of her choked…back tears； Scarlett thrilled to the never…failing magic of her mother’s touch； to the faint fragrance of lemon verbena sachet that came from her rustling silk dress。 To Scarlett； there was something breath…taking about Ellen O’Hara； a miracle that lived in the house with her and awed her and charmed and soothed her。
Gerald helped his wife into the carriage and gave orders to the coachman to drive carefully。 Toby； who had handled Gerald’s horses for twenty years； pushed out his lips in mute indignation at being told how to conduct his own business。 Driving off； with Mammy beside him； each was a perfect picture of pouting African disapproval。
“If I didn’t do so much for those trashy Slatterys that they’d have to pay money for elsewhere；” fumed Gerald； “they’d be willing to sell me their miserable few acres of swamp bottom； and the County would be well rid of them。” Then； brightening； in anticipation of one of his practical jokes： “Come daughter； let’s go tell Pork that instead of buying Dilcey； I’ve sold him to John Wilkes。”
He tossed the reins of his horse to a small pickaninny standing near and started up the steps。 He had already forgotten Scarlett’s heartbreak and his mind was only on plaguing his valet。 Scarlett slowly climbed the steps after him； her feet leaden。 She thought that； after all； a mating between herself and Ashley could be no queerer than that of her father and Ellen Robillard O’Hara。 As always； she wondered how her loud； insensitive father had managed to marry a woman like her mother； for never were two people further apart in birth； breeding and habits of mind。
CHAPTER III
ELLEN O’HARA was thirty…two years old； and； according to the standards of her day； she was a middle…aged woman； one who had borne six children and buried three。 She was a tall woman； standing a head higher than her fiery little husband； but she moved with such quiet grace in her swaying hoops that the height attracted no attention to itself。 Her neck； rising from the black taffeta sheath of her basque； was creamy…skinned； rounded and slender； and it seemed always tilted slightly backward by the weight of her luxuriant hair in its net at the back of her head。 From her French mother； whose parents had fled Haiti in the Revolution of 1791； had come her slanting dark eyes； shadowed by inky lashes； and her black hair； and from her father； a soldier of Napoleon； she had her long straight nose and her square…cut jaw that was softened by the gentle curving of her cheeks。 But only from life could Ellen’s face have acquired its look of pride that had no haughtiness； its graciousness； its melancholy and its utter lack of humor。
She would have been a strikingly beautiful woman had there been any glow in her eyes； any responsive warmth in her smile or any spontaneity in her voice that fell with gentle melody on the ears of her family and her servants。 She spoke in the soft slurring voice of the coastal Georgian； liquid of vowels； kind to consonants and with the barest trace of French accent。 It was a voice never raised in command to a servant or reproof to a child but a voice that was obeyed instantly at Tara； where her husband’s blustering and roaring were quietly disregarded。
As far back as Scarlett could remember； her mother had always been the same； her voice soft and sweet whether in praising or in reproving； her manner efficient and unruffled despite the daily emergencies of Gerald’s turbulent household； her spirit always calm and her back unbowed； even in the deaths of her three baby sons。 Scarlett had never seen her mother’s back touch the back of any chair on which she sat。 Nor had she ever seen her sit down without a bit of needlework in her hands； except at mealtime； while attending the sick or while working at the bookkeeping of the plantation。 It was delicate embroidery if company were present； but at other times her hands were occupied with Gerald’s ruffled shirts； the girls’ dresses or garments for the slaves。 Scarlett could not imagine her mother’s hands without her gold thimble or her rustling figure unaccompanied by the small negro girl whose sole function in life was to remove basting threads and carry the rosewood sewing box from room to room； as Ellen moved about the house superintending the cooking； the cleaning and the wholesale clothes…making for the plantation。
She had never seen her mother stirred from her austere placidity； nor her personal appointments anything but perfect； no matter what the hour of day or night。 When Ellen was dressing for a ball or for guests or even to go to Jonesboro for Court Day； it frequently required two hours； two maids and Mammy to turn her out to her own satisfaction； but her swift toilets in times of emergency were amazing。
Scarlett； whose room lay across the hall from her mother’s； knew from babyhood the soft sound of scurrying bare black feet on the hardwood floor in the hours of dawn； the urgent tappings on her mother’s door； and the muffled； frightened negro voices that whispered of sickness and birth and death in the long row of whitewashed cabins in the quarters。 As a child； she often had crept to the door and； peeping through the tiniest crack； had seen Ellen emerge from the dark room； where Gerald’s snores were rhythmic and untroubled； into the flickering light of an upheld candle； her medicine case under her arm； her hair smoothed neatly place； and no button on her basque unlooped。
It had always been so soothing to Scarlett to hear her mother whisper； firmly but compassionately； as she tiptoed down the hall： “Hush； not so loudly。 You will wake Mr。 O’Hara。 They are not sick enough to die。”
Yes； it was good to creep back into bed and know that Ellen was abroad in the night and everything was right。
In the mornings； after all…night sessions at births and deaths； when old Dr。 Fontaine and young Dr。 Fontaine were both out on calls and could not be found to help her； Ellen presided at the breakfast table as usual； her dark eyes circled with weariness but her voice and manner revealing none of the strain。 There was a steely quality under her stately gentleness that awed the whole household； Gerald as well as the girls； though he would have died rather than admit it。
Sometimes when Scarlett tiptoed at night to kiss her tall mother’s cheek； she looked up at the mouth with its too short； too tender upper lip； a mouth too easily hurt by the world； and wondered if it had ever curved in silly girlish giggling or whispered secrets through long nights to intimate girl friends。 But no； that wasn’t possible。 Mother had always been just as she was； a pillar of strength； a fount of wisdom； the one person who knew the answers to everything。
But Scarlett was wrong； for； years before； Ellen Robillard of Savannah had giggled as inexplicably as any fifteen…year…old in that charming coastal city and whispered the long nights through with friends； exchanging confidences； telling all secrets but one。 That was the year when Gerald O’Hara； twenty…eight years older than she； came into her life—the year； too； when youth and her black…eyed cousin； Philippe Robillard； went out of it。 For when Philippe； with his snapping eyes and his wild ways； left Savannah forever； he took with him the glow that was in Ellen’s heart and left for the bandy…legged little Irishman who married her only a gentle shell。
But that was enough for Gerald； overwhelmed at his unbelievable luck in actually marrying her。 And if anything was gone from her； he never missed it。 Shrewd man that he was； he knew that it was no less than a miracle that he； an Irishman with nothing of family and wealth to recommend him； should win the daughter of one of the wealthies