"Ruin and Redemption"

A Letter Home

The next morning, Scarlett awoke full of hope and anticipation. She could hardly think of the house and of her duties. Uppermost in her mind were the prospect of her brother and sister. All day long she hounded Elmira for more information about them. Their names were Clarice and Thomas. The one away at War, fighting for the Union, much to his father’s chagrin, was William. But Scarlett was careful not to give anything away herself of her plan. She was encouraged when her father passed her in her work and smiled more boldly, even daring to call her “My Scarlett”.

Scarlett helped put the dishes on the table and went to answer the door. Who would it be, Clarice or Thomas?

She opened the door, and a woman a few inches taller than herself stared back at her. Clarice’s eyes were grey and her hair was a dirty shade of blond. She was dressed in a wide hoop skirt of blue and pink, and a bonnet, which she handed to Scarlett without a word.

Scarlett put the hat on the hall tree, then returned for Clarice’s coat. Scarlett had been all set to introduce herself as the woman’s sister, but now she hesitated.

“I’m Scarlett…the new houselave.” She said instead.

“I know who you are, you’re my half sister. I asked father to leave you as you were and not disrupt all our lives by bringing you here. But he insisted.” Clarice handed Scarlett her shawl, which Scarlett quickly hung up near the bonnet.

Turning around, Scarlett answered, “Well, he is my father too, after all. Even though I didn’t come out white like you did,” she added bitterly.

“For God’s sake, Scarlett! We don’t have the same mother! There’s no other way I would have come out besides white! Our father shamed our mother by sleeping with a slave. Our dear sweet mother tried to raise the baby in the house, but it was too much for her to bear! That’s when father took you away.” Clarice said.

Scarlett decided then that she did not like Clarice. She might dislike her even more than Lizzie. How could she help being born? This woman wanted her to apologize for the circumstances of her birth! Being born to the wrong father! How absurd! Well, at least she still had a brother to go. Perhaps he would not have such a hard heart as her sister did.

Scarlett then realized that a man was hanging back on the porch, smoking a long thin pipe.

“Can I help you , sir?” She asked.

“Don’t mind if I finish my smoke first.” He said absently, one leg propped up, and a long, thin, elegant pipe tucked between his teeth. He had blackish brown hair, a beaked nose, and large ears, close to his head. She then realized that the man was Clarice’s husband.

While Scarlett was waiting in the doorway, she heard another set of horse’s hooves arriving. The young man, who reminded her of their father, hopped easily off his horse, and hurried to the house.

“Is father back now?” He shouted to his sister’s husband.

“Of course, he is Tommy.” His brother in law, Frederick answered him. “He brought back your sister.” The man took out his pipe and gestured behind him.

Much to Scarlett’s surprise and discomfiture, she found Tommy, as he was called, reaching around her. “Scarlett! I always wanted another sister. Clarice is so serious sometimes.”

As happy as she was, Scarlett noticed his hand lingered on her back a bit more than she was comfortable with. Nevertheless, she was relieved to have her brother smiling at her.

“Boy, you sure are pretty, Scarlett!” He said admiringly. “Don’t worry, you’re my sister. Can’t touch my little sister, oh wait, my big sister. I think you’re a bit older than me and Clarice aren’t you?”