O'Hara Twins

Handkerchief

After the handkerchief incident, Tara started to act more formally towards Rhett and this angered him more than he was willing to admit. Gone were their poker and gambling whenever they were alone, instead she'd just read Fordice Sermons for him about morality. She was acting like a perfect lady, she didn't drink nor curse and he hated this side of her. He was financing her pamphlets but he was never among the receivers of them like he used to be. He had no idea what changed between them, Tara liked verbal spar and liked to tease and be teased back and nothing ever bothered her, since she had a very good sense of humor.

" You are acting like a lady." Rhett accused her as he visited while Scarlett and Melanie were nursing at the hospital. They were alone.

" You told me I am no lady, Captain Butler." Tara teased.

" And you are not, that is why you are unsettling me with your new behavior." Rhett shot back, " Captain Butler? I can count on my fingers the amount of times you formally addressed me."

" And what is wrong with it, would you prefer Mr. Butler."

" You became a very close friend, I can't have you calling me like that." Rhett said as he approached her.

" I can call anyone whatever I please." Tara shot back, " And it is not like I am calling you anything unpleasant. It's your name that I've been calling you after all."

" Well, you are certainly a very free woman. Too free even when you are addressing me, what happened?"

" Nothing happened, can you cease questioning me and talk about something else?" Tara shot back, losing her temper.

" No."

" Then bye, have a nice day."

" I'm not leaving until you call me Rhett."

" Scarlett and Melanie are coming, you will leave the minute Pittypat begins her incessant chattering with her mousey-like voice anyway." Tara shot back, grabbing her embroidery. She was embroidering one of her gowns.

" Even Miss Pittypat is being called informally, you are vexed with me." Rhett said with a grin. Tara noticed it wasn't one of his happy or mocking grins. It was like he was grinning to avoid showing whatever he actually felt.

" You were reading Fordice Sermons." Rhett said as he finally noticed something, " You are Catholic, Tara."

" Well noted, Mr. Butler."

" Tara, I'll leave and I won't be back until you cease this foolishness. I am not one of your beaus whom you can play around with. You are either on speaking terms with me or not, but don't play your little games with me." Rhett said hastily as he got up and slammed the door.

" Huh." Tara mumbled as she watched him leave angrily. She couldn't help but miss the disappointed look on his face, she was just satisfied that he felt as angry as she did when she found out that Belle Watling had one of his handkerchiefs.
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Time passed with Rhett often visiting the Hamilton household but briefly talking to Tara. Melanie and Scarlett exchanged weird looks whenever the pair, who could once be confused as lovers, talked cooly about the weather. It was Christmas time and Tara wanted to be home with her family, but Scarlett couldn't be dissuaded from staying in Atlanta because of Ashley's brief visit to enjoy the holiday. This only increased Tara's bad mood to its limit, she wanted to be as far away from Ashley as possible.

Tara's bad mood increased when she noticed that Rhett stopped sending her pamphlets for printing. It used to be Prissy's work but she taught the girl how to read and she now wanted to be away from them, claiming that she'd be killed Tara felt foolish for using the girl who would be severely punished considering that she was an enslaved person. She managed to talk Rhett into going to the press that printed her pamphlets since he was already financing them and had a bad reputation that couldn't be more tarnished. He was a man and man rarely ever suffered the consequences of their actions.