Contemplating the suave indifference with which he generally treated her, Scarlett frequently wondered, but with no real curiosity, why he had married her.
Men married for love or a home and children or money but she knew he had married her for none of these things.
He certainly did not love her.
He referred to her lovely house as an architectural horror and said he would rather live in a well-regulated hotel than a home.
And he never once hinted about children as Charles and Frank had done.
Once when trying to coquet with him she asked why he married her and was infuriated when he replied with an amused gleam in his eyes:
"I married you to keep you for a pet, my dear."
No, he hadn't married her for any of the usual reasons men marry women.
He had married her solely because he wanted her and couldn't get her any other way.
He had admitted as much the night he proposed to her.
He had wanted her, just as he had wanted Belle Watling.
This was not a pleasant thought.
In fact, it was a barefaced insult.
But she shrugged it off as she had learned to shrug off all unpleasant facts.
They had made a bargain and she was quite pleased with her side of the bargain.
She hoped he was equally pleased but she did not care very much whether he was or not.
But one afternoon when she was consulting Dr. Meade about a digestive upset, she learned an unpleasant fact which she could not shrug off.
It was with real hate in her eyes that she stormed into her bedroom at twilight and told Rhett that she was going to have a baby.
He was lounging in a silk dressing gown in a cloud of smoke and his eyes went sharply to her face as she spoke.
But he said nothing.
He watched her in silence but there was a tenseness about his pose, as he waited for her next words, that was lost on her.
Indignation and despair had claimed her to the exclusion of all other thoughts.
"You know I don't want any more children!
I never wanted any at all.
Every time things are going right with me I have to have a baby.
Oh, don't sit there and laugh! You don't want it either.
Oh, Mother of God!"
If he was waiting for words from her, these were not the words he wanted.
His face hardened slightly and his eyes became blank.
"Well, why not give it to Miss Melly?
Didn't you tell me she was so misguided as to want another baby?"
"Oh, I could kill you!
I won't have it, I tell you, I won't!"
"No?
Pray continue."
"Oh, there are things to do.
I'm not the stupid country fool I used to be.
Now, I know that a woman doesn't have to have children if she doesn't want them!
There are things--"
He was on his feet and had her by the wrist and there was a hard, driving fear in his face.
"Scarlett, you fool, tell me the truth!
You haven't done anything?"
"No, I haven't, but I'm going to.
Do you think I'm going to have my figure ruined all over again, just when I've gotten my waist line down and am having a good time."
"Where did you get this idea?
Who's been telling you things?"
"Mamie Bart--she--"
"The madam of a whore house would know such tricks.
That woman never puts foot in this house again, do you understand?
After all, it is my house and I'm the master of it.