I do then? she thought frenziedly, the tears streaming down her

face. Oh, Ashley will die of shame and hate me for bringing this

on him. Suddenly her tears stopped short as a deadly fear went

through her heart. What of Rhett? What would he do?

Perhaps he'd never know. What was that old saying, that cynical

saying? "The husband is always the last to find out." Perhaps no

one would tell him. It would take a brave man to break such news

to Rhett, for Rhett had the reputation for shooting first and

asking questions afterwards. Please, God, don't let anybody be

brave enough to tell him! But she remembered the face of Archie in

the lumber office, the cold, pale eye, remorseless, full of hate

for her and all women. Archie feared neither God nor man and he

hated loose women. He had hated them enough to kill one. And he

had said he would tell Rhett. And he'd tell him in spite of all

Ashley could do to dissuade him. Unless Ashley killed him, Archie

would tell Rhett, feeling it his Christian duty.

She pulled off her clothes and lay down on the bed, her mind

whirling round and round. If she could only lock her door and stay

in this safe place forever and ever and never see anyone again.

Perhaps Rhett wouldn't find out tonight. She'd say she had a

headache and didn't feel like going to the reception. By morning

she would have thought up some excuse to offer, some defense that

might hold water.

"I won't think of it now," she said desperately, burying her face

in the pillow. "I won't think of it now. I'll think of it later

when I can stand it."

She heard the servants come back as night fell and it seemed to her

that they were very silent as they moved about preparing supper.

Or was it her guilty conscience? Mammy came to the door and

knocked but Scarlett sent her away, saying she did not want any

supper. Time passed and finally she heard Rhett coming up the

steps. She held herself tensely as he reached the upper hall,

gathered all her strength for a meeting but he passed into his

room. She breathed easier. He hadn't heard. Thank God, he still

respected her icy request that he never put foot in her bedroom

again, for if he saw her now, her face would give her away. She

must gather herself together enough to tell him that she felt too

ill to go to the reception. Well, there was time enough for her to

calm herself. Or was there time? Since the awful moment that

afternoon, life had seemed timeless. She heard Rhett moving about

in his room for a long time, speaking occasionally to Pork. Still

she could not find courage to call to him. She lay still on the

bed in the darkness, shaking.

After a long time, he knocked on her door and she said, trying to

control her voice: "Come in."

"Am I actually being invited into the sanctuary?" he questioned,

opening the door. It was dark and she could not see his face. Nor

could she make anything of his voice. He entered and closed the

door.

"Are you ready for the reception?"

"I'm so sorry but I have a headache." How odd that her voice

sounded natural! Thank God for the dark! "I don't believe I'll

go. You go, Rhett, and give Melanie my regrets."

There was a long pause and he spoke drawlingly, bitingly in the

dark.

"What a white livered, cowardly little bitch you are."

He knew! She lay shaking, unable to speak. She heard him fumble

in the dark, strike a match and the room sprang into light. He

walked over to the bed and looked down at her. She saw that he was

in evening clothes.

"Get up," he said and there was nothing in his voice. "We are

going to the reception. You will have to hurry."

"Oh, Rhett, I can't. You see--"

"I can see. Get up."

"Rhett, did Archie dare--"

"Archie dared. A very brave man, Archie."

"You should have killed him for telling lies--"

"I have a strange way of not killing people who tell the truth.

There's no time to argue now. Get up."

She sat up, hugging her wrapper close to her, her eyes searching

his face. It was dark and impassive.

"I won't go, Rhett. I can't until this--misunderstanding is

cleared up."

"If you don't show your face tonight, you'll never be able to show