Southern Rose [Gone with the Wind]

There was no light in the room.

Reid entered the bedroom holding a candle cup and whispered, "Josephine?"

"Who let you in?" Josephine's voice was hoarse.

"I'll come and see you, are you okay?"

"It's all right. You shouldn't be in my room, not yet."

The faint candlelight shone on the four-poster bed, her face was half-dark, her beautiful blue eyes became darker, and her delicate lips were almost as pale as her face, appearing extremely fragile.

"Are you sick?" Rhett asked worriedly, "You have been in a bad temper all day, why? Who made you angry?"

Josephine said nothing.

"Don't want to tell me? Or - can't tell me?" He squatted down carefully, held her hand, and kissed the back of her hand, "You always do this, you only tell me what you want me to know, what you don't want me to know , you can't say a word."

Josephine forced a smile, "You just said it now? I thought you didn't care."

"Because I love you, I don't have to care, I think you will tell me eventually. I can do a lot for you, and when you understand that I am a reliable man, you will tell me."

Josephine smiled again, "Maybe."

"What's bothering you? You don't treat Victor very well. The kid is terrified. I think he's about to cry. Be nice to your kid, honey, don't be like my father. "

"What are you talking about!" Josephine said reproachfully.

"Children are very sensitive. When you are in a bad mood, he will know right away. He will worry that he is not good enough, so you don't love him." Reid empathizes with Victor and sympathizes with Victor.

"I don't know. Don't I love him? Maybe I'm not close enough to him, but he's a boy and he won't be around forever."

"You love him very much, but boys need encouragement instead of yelling at him."

"He's not that vulnerable."

"He's only ten years old, a child."

Josephine was a little embarrassed, "Okay, I don't need you to teach me how to educate my children."

"It will also be my child in the future. You asked me to treat your child as my own. I promised, and I will do it. Don't make him sad, so that he is unfamiliar with you. When the time comes—— It's too late for you to regret it!"

"Okay, I'll talk to him. I'm either mad at him or..."

"You have something on your mind."

"Maybe."

"Do I have the privilege of knowing what's bothering you?"

"No."

Well, although she was rejected, she finally found out that something happened, otherwise she wouldn't be bothered by it.The matter may be very big, if it is something that can be easily solved with money, she will not bother to worry about it, and she must settle it with money early.

In this regard, their way of thinking is the same. Things that can be solved with money are not big things, and they are willing to use money to get rid of troubles.

He couldn't imagine what would happen to her.Her experience is not complicated, but also very transparent: the first husband, half-British and French, died in the Indian subcontinent without a body, and the Hastings in Paris buried some of his clothes; the second husband, was born in Boston The descendant of an English immigrant who died in a shipwreck with no bones left, the Tarent family could only bury a few of his clothes; the third husband, an Austrian nobleman, said he was "dead", but was actually put under house arrest by the Duke's father , did not leave Europe, and he also has people who have been paying attention to New York, Savannah, and even Canadian ports. A proud Austrian nobleman is still very conspicuous, and it is impossible not to be noticed.

As for money, he didn't think there would be any problems. The railway company's business was not greatly affected during the civil war. Concerned about labor disputes.She lost most of the property of the Tarent family, but she still had Hastings' property at her disposal, and he gave her a large amount of real estate and cash. She was not short of money and was quite rich, so she was Why bother?

He changed his way, "Well, if you don't want to tell me, I won't be sad, I just think that I must have done something wrong, and I can't let you tell me your secret with confidence..."

"Because it's a secret, I can't tell you."

"So you do have a secret."

Rhett stood up and sat down on the edge of the bed very casually and naturally.This is very unruly, although they are a fiancé couple, but they are not yet married, he should not enter her bedroom, especially in her parents' house.But, who cares!He had never been one to follow the rules, and neither was she.

"What do you think? Do you like a woman who has no secrets?"

Rhett smiled lowly, "I can't tell."

"You have secrets too."

"Yes, I do have a secret."

"What is it?"

"A lot. What do you want to know?"

"Who is the mother of your son?"

Rhett looked embarrassed, "You know it clearly, but you still want to ask me."

"Maybe I guessed wrong."

Rhett thought that women would still care, and wanted to make amends, "I was a stupid young man back then, too young."

"Still too loose."

Rhett frowned, "Indeed, what you said is true. But you already know who I am, right?"

"I know. So," Josephine sat up, leaning against the head of the bed, "do you have any other children?"

"No, I swear."

"I'm not such a cruel woman. You can still visit him and raise him. I don't care if he has the same surname as you. I don't want to think about anything else. That's something you should consider. What will happen to him in the future? Do you want to kill your unqualified father, you should have a headache."

Rhett frowned again, "I understand what you mean."

Josephine squeezed his fingers, her slender fingers were limp, and rubbed his thick palm: his knuckles protruded, not like a "gentleman", but like a nigger working in the field; Holding the thick callus of the horse's rein, this doesn't look like a gentleman. The real gentleman wears gloves to hold the rein, so as to avoid the thick callus on the palm of his hand.

Thin and soft fingers scratched his palm, itching, as if gently scratching his heart.

"What else do you want to know?"

"Is it your secret?"

"uh-huh."

"There's nothing else, and I don't really care about the rest."

Rhett breathed a sigh of relief.

He forgot what he wanted to ask.

For dinner, Josephine did not go downstairs to eat, but sent a message to the maid to let Victor go to her room after dinner.

She comforted Victor and sincerely apologized to him.

"Forgive mom, it's not right for mom to be in a bad mood and to vent her anger on you. I promise I still love you as much as I did before, and I will always love you."

Victor felt embarrassed instead, blushing, "I never blamed you, mother."

"I know, you are a good boy."

"Aren't you really angry for me?"

"No, I swear."

Victor smiled coyly, "That's good. Mother, do you really want to marry Mr. Butler?"

"Yes. What's the matter? Did someone say anything?"

"—No, it's just..." the boy lowered his head, "I miss Mr. Talent, I like him."

Josephine loves her son dearly. For him, Philip is the first person in his life who is close to his "father", and he also fulfills his duties like a real father to him. In this respect, Philip is perfect.But maybe it was because he was so upright and perfect that it made her feel—not satisfied?Too boring?well!

"He's been great and I miss him too."

"If only he was alive!"

"I think so too. Mr. Butler will try to be a good father too, don't you think?"

"Maybe."

"I think he is very smart and has a lot of brains. He should know how to be a good father. You often spend time with him. What do you think of him?"

"He's fine."

"It's just not bad, right?"

Victor nodded.

"You know, if a boy doesn't have a reliable father, he will be gossiped about. You are homeschooling now, and you will go to college in the future. You should have a good father so that you will not be laughed at. Cynthia should have one too. A good father will not be underestimated in the future. Do you understand?"

Victor half-understood, "A little bit."

"It's okay, you'll understand in a few years. Well, go out now and go to bed early."

"Yes, Mother. Good night, Mother."

Josephine kissed her son's forehead, and Victor left the room.

Rhett decides to find out what's bothering Josephine.

Ordinarily, when the wedding day is approaching, unmarried couples should not meet each other. Although Reid dismisses this rule, if the bride's mother insists, he will obediently obey.

Not being able to go to Robillard's house did not delay his communication with Josephine. He sent a black boy to Robillard's house to deliver flowers, and sent a note with the bouquet, asking Josephine to write back.

Josephine originally thought that he was too idle to do so, so she wrote back in disgust and asked him if he was too idle?

Rhett lived in his newly renovated house in Savannah, not far from Robillard's house, only 10 minutes away by carriage, and within walking distance.

He replied solemnly: I haven't seen you all night, I miss you very much, and I just want to get to the wedding day soon.

A bouquet of red roses was sent along with the letter.

Josephine replies: Be patient.

Rhett: I'm very patient, but I'm worried about accidents.

Josephine responded with a string of question marks.

Rhett: Are you in a better mood today?If it's still not good, then you should get out of the window, and I'll be waiting for you outside the window.

Hey!No matter what age, you still play boys and girls!

Josephine replied: Wake up!You are no longer an ignorant 16-year-old boy!

As soon as the black boy took the reply letter, he heard someone knocking on the window.

It's Rhett.

The author has something to say: It's not pregnancy, what do you think.