Southern Rose [Gone with the Wind]

Why didn't they fight!

Ryan was amazed.

He went into the smoking room.

Rhett glanced at him, smiled and said, "Hello, Mr. Talent." He calmly handed him the cigar box.

Ryan doesn't like smoking cigars, but if two rivals are smoking cigars, he must smoke them equally calmly.Men, you can't lose when you lose.

Josephine was also surprised that these three men could be in the same room without fighting.She wondered whether it was because of the older Rhett, who was also very talkative, but he knew how to socialize, as long as he was willing to socialize well, there was no one he couldn't handle.In contrast, Ryan is much worse. Thomas, because others have always flattered him and flattered him, his social skills should not be very good, so he relies on spending money to open his way.

It's not surprising to think about it. If Rhett could make a fortune by buying and selling during the Civil War, he must be a person with a flexible mind and a smooth mind. Thomas and Ryan can't compare to Rhett when they are tied together.

Damn!

Mrs. Jenkins came to ask for instructions, and said that the gentlemen asked the wife if she wanted to play cards, and they could accompany her.

This must have been said by Rhett. Rhett is a card game master. As a man, he always talks about things at the dining table and card table. Playing poker is a logical pastime for her to play with.There is also billiards in the games room, but billiards can be played by anyone, so there is no need to ask her.

Josephine was not very interested in playing cards, but was very interested in how Rhett would deal with the other two men, so she readily agreed.

"Let them arrange for Victor and Cynthia to wash and sleep, and don't play too late." Josephine told Mrs. Jenkins.

"Okay, ma'am."

The brand-new cards still smelled of ink, and a pair of overly wide hands picked up the cards, shuffled and cut them smoothly.

"Playing what?" Rhett asked.

"Play a new rule card called 'Strive for the Top.' Thomas, explain the rules to Rhett."

Whist, bridge, etc. need at least three people to play, and four people are of course the best. "Strive for the top" only needs two people to play. It is a poker rule of later generations, which is relatively simple and rough.Josephine was impatient to learn the rules of whist and bridge, and wanted to play with her, of course she was the one who made the rules.

The rules were not difficult at all, Thomas briefly introduced them, and both Rhett and Ryan figured them out quickly.

The four took turns drawing cards, and Josephine went first.

Rhett quickly mastered the technique, played very shrewdly, won occasionally, and let Josephine win most of the time; Thomas won two games with great difficulty, and Ryan never won.

After playing 7 or 8 innings, Reid suggested "for real" very skillfully.Josephine had no objection, Thomas didn't care, and Ryan could only agree.

Rhett's gambler nature is clear at a glance.He came aggressively, won all the cash on Ryan and Thomas, and ran on them. In the end, Ryan lost the diamond ring in his hand, and Thomas quit early.

Ryan is not bad, after all, he is a fashionable young man, and his attitude is not angry when he loses everything.

After Thomas stopped, he was talking to Josephine about the arrangements after the New Year.

"You like white camellias, and I've gone and ordered hothouse camellias from all the gardens in New York and around. Can Mrs. Jenkins arrange everything for the wedding? No? Well, I'll have everything arranged."

Josephine smiled and nodded.He didn't have to discuss the wedding with her on Christmas Eve, he always spent money on things and didn't think about the details at all.Obviously it was for Rhett and Ryan, so that they could understand and retreat.

Of course, it's also showing off.

Man, why are you so stupid?

Rhett asked, "What? Whose wedding is it? Is it Mrs. Jenkins?" he asked deliberately.

"It's Josephine and my wedding." Thomas replied lightly, "I don't think you can stay to attend our wedding. That's a pity."

Rhett was both surprised and felt that this was normal, and nodded, "Yes, it's not good for a woman like Mrs. Talent to always stay alone in an empty room."

Josephine glared at him, "What did you say?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am." Rhett smiled calmly, revealing two rows of neat white teeth under his beautiful mustache, like a pirate, "I shouldn't question your chastity."

Thomas wanted to get angry, but when he heard him say that, he gave him a contemptuous sideways glance: Stupid man!

Josephine flipped the table angrily, "You're such an asshole, Butler!"

Ryan stood up, gloating on the sidelines.

Rhett could only stand up, "Madam, you are so courageous that people are frightened!"

"Go away! Posy, please leave Mr. Butler."

What the hell!She's not Scarlett's little fool who always gets laughed at but can't tell.Rhett is obviously mocking her for being "unwifely" and not following the "rules" of widows.

Indeed, she actually received three unmarried men at the same time, which would definitely scare her mother to death, but let alone the other two, didn't he, Rhett Butler, come here on his own initiative?She didn't take the initiative to invite him!What's wrong with this man!

She left the game room angrily.

Rhett caught up, "Josephine, Josephine!" He didn't even call "Mrs."

Who knows you? !Annoyed, Josephine walked even faster.

"Mr. Butler!" Thomas yelled.

Both Mr Butler and Mr Tarent left.

Thomas stayed at home these days. He had his own room just down the hall, but he stayed in the mistress's room until midnight every night.

After the two of them finished what they should do, Josephine told him to roll back to his room.

"I think you'd better go to France with me." Thomas said in a low voice, putting his arms around her shoulders.

"Aren't you afraid of your Duke father?"

He smiled lowly, "Don't be afraid. If he gives you money again to ask you to leave me, you have to raise the price this time."

"Of course!" Oh!Josephine still thinks that this man is not bad, at least he is just a mouthful, and he has never really disgusted her.

That damn Butler!She was still quite angry: what?Do you want her to guard her body like a jade for him?Listen to what bullshit he's talking about!

no!Can't think about it anymore!He is not worthy!Yes, not worthy!While showing the gesture of pursuing you, at the same time attacking you verbally, isn't this the pua of love?Why are you pretending to be innocent?The older man is still a bit greasy anyway, he may love her, but he can't help belittling her at some point, who wants to be mentally abused like that?

"What are you thinking?" Kiss her lips, once and for all.

"Thinking... I want a big diamond, the bigger the better."

He smiled again, "Okay." He wisely didn't mention that Southern guy at all.Butler may love her, but he doesn't understand women's minds, especially Josephine's minds.Josephine is proud, she doesn't allow others to belittle her, she can't stand it.

"Don't have too many people at a wedding."

"of course."

"Not in church, it's too serious."

"It can be in a hotel, a hotel, a simple wedding, a banquet."

"I don't want to come to my wedding reception."

"Of course. The guests go to the banquet by themselves, and we can eat in our own room." Kissed her palm, the back of her hand, and kissed every finger of her slowly.

"I just want to be happy."

"Honey, I'm sure I can make you happy."

She believed it.

At least Thomas is still young!Rhett Butler turns 40!

Josephine thought in disgust.

Christmas day.

Rhett came to visit early in the morning, and seemed to have completely forgotten how annoying he had said last night.

Josephine didn't want to pay attention to him, and let Percy tell him to leave quickly.Rhett asked Percy to tell the hostess that he had some letters from home that he needed to deliver to her personally.

Josephine ignored him and asked him to leave a letter and get out.

Rhett insisted on seeing her, alone, with a message.

Josephine had to go downstairs to meet him and let Percy take him to the study.

"Hello, Mrs. Talent." Reid regained his politeness, with a very calm expression on his face.

"What about the letter?" Josephine didn't want to exchange pleasantries at all.

"Here." Rhett took out a carefully bundled stack of letters from the inside pocket of his coat, and handed it to her with both hands.

Josephine took the letter and immediately unwrapped the twine: it was from her two aunts, from her cousins ​​in Atlanta, from Sheldon.

She read Sheldon's letter first.

Sheldon said that Tara Manor is very difficult, that is difficult!Ladies are not like ladies, and Mr. O'Hara is not like a gentleman; That's bad for Lina!

Miss Scarlett's temper is getting worse day by day, and the week after receiving the money will be better, but now because of the defeat of the Southern Army, there is a shortage of food everywhere, and everyone can't get enough to eat. It's really embarrassing for Miss Scarlett; As for Miss Su Lun, she was forced to work in the fields, but she still had to contend with Miss Scarlett for everything; only Miss Karin, who was most like Miss Ellen, was always obedient.

Su Lun's letters were basically complaining about Scarlett, without a single good word, and finally asked her cousin to bring more food, she was so hungry that she couldn't stand it.

Miss Karin greeted Victor and Cynthia, and greeted the cousin, wishing the cousin all the best, and hoped that this war would end soon and their cousins ​​could see each other soon.

Scarlett's letter is directly asking for money, people and food, simple and direct.She didn't mention her son Wade Jr., as if she didn't have that child at all.

Both aunts care about their family.Euraly said a lot, hoping that the war will pass quickly, and she will see her children as soon as possible.

Black Mammy Savannah also wrote, she dictated, in Rhett's handwriting.About what happened in Savannah, about the disappearance of the Robillards' country estate and land.Savannah is now ruled by the northern army. The army has taken over the government, and the rations are rationed; It is a "family heirloom" that has been preserved with great difficulty, and it has been looted by the army.

The family safe was pried out of the wall and what little jewelry was left inside was also taken.The leading officer also scolded that Robillard's family was already poor, and the black mother was so angry that she almost vomited blood.

Fortunately, the Robillard family's mansion is still there. Except for a little dilapidation, most of it has maintained its appearance.

Josephine could only sigh: What a disgusting thing war is!

Rhett has been silently waiting for her to read all the letters.

After reading the letter, Josephine thought for a long time: There is no good way, but to continue sending money and food, but the journey is long, and anything can happen on the road, and it is considered lucky to be able to send half of the food.

"Where's the message?" She asked melancholy.

"It's... Miss Scarlett's message." Rhett was a little embarrassed, "She wants 5000 yuan from you."

Josephine was taken aback: "5000 yuan!" Scarlett was stumped by the tax of 300 yuan. It can be seen that 300 yuan is very valuable in the post-war South, so what is she going to do, need a huge sum of 5 yuan?

"What happened?" Her first reaction was that something happened and she was blackmailed.She has been sending money to Tara. Not to mention how rich Scarlett is, she has a few hundred yuan. Even if the price soars, Tara Manor is ten times stronger than the neighbor's.When Su Lun said "starved to death", it was also compared to the affluent life before the war. He must not be hungry, but it must also be impossible to eat and drink without worrying about food and drink and waste extravagance like before the war.

"I don't know, she didn't say."

"I can't send that much money in." Josephine hesitated for a moment, "I'll give you 5000 yuan worth of gold, and you give it to her for me."

"Gold is too conspicuous."

"Now the money in the South is waste paper. The money in the North cannot be circulated."

"If you believe me, give me the gold, and I'll give her what she can use."

Josephine snorted, "If she wants money, there must be someone who needs it urgently. If you give her something else, it won't solve her problem."

Rhett thought for a while, "I haven't heard what happened to Tara. Maybe she wants to buy nearby land?"

"Buy land? No one is farming, why buy land? Waiting for the northern army to come and confiscate it all at once?"

Rhett couldn't think of it anymore, "Maybe...someone blackmailed her?"

"What is there about her to be blackmailed by others? I don't want Tara's current appearance."

Rhett smiled, "You won't stay in Tara and grow vegetables and cotton."

"I can't." Josephine sighed, "Scarlett can do things that I can't, and I admire her a lot. What about you? What do you think of her?"

"She...is okay, she's a little beast, nothing can overwhelm her." Rhett thought it was funny, curled the corners of his mouth, and raised his mustache, "She's different from you, she It is the alfalfa that grows luxuriantly in the field, as long as it has a little sunshine and rain, it can thrive. And you, my Josephine, you are the white camellia in the greenhouse, and you can't stand a little wind and rain."