He lounged to a chair and sitting down, tilted it back.
"My pet, as I told you before Bonnie was born, it is immaterial to me whether you have one child or twenty."
How perverse of him to evade the issue so neatly, as if not caring whether children came had anything to do with their actual arrival.
"I think three are enough.
I don't intend to have one every year."
"Three seems an adequate number."
"You know very well--" she began, embarrassment making her cheeks red.
"You know what I mean?"
"I do.
Do you realize that I can divorce you for refusing me my marital rights?"
"You are just low enough to think of something like that," she cried, annoyed that nothing was going as she planned it.
"If you had any chivalry you'd--you'd be nice like-- Well, look at Ashley Wilkes.
Melanie can't have any children and he--"
"Quite the little gentleman, Ashley," said Rhett and his eyes began to gleam oddly.
"Pray go on with your discourse."
Scarlett choked, for her discourse was at its end and she had nothing more to say.
Now she saw how foolish had been her hope of amicably settling so important a matter, especially with a selfish swine like Rhett.
"You've been to the lumber office this afternoon, haven't you?"
"What has that to do with it?"
"You like dogs, don't you, Scarlett?
Do you prefer them in kennels or mangers?"
The allusion was lost on her as the tide of her anger and disappointment rose.
He got lightly to his feet and coming to her put his hand under her chin and jerked her face up to his.
"What a child you are!
You have lived with three men and still know nothing of men's natures.
You seem to think they are like old ladies past the change of life."
He pinched her chin playfully and his hand dropped away from her.
One black eyebrow went up as he bent a cool long look on her.
"Scarlett, understand this.
If you and your bed still held any charms for me, no looks and no entreaties could keep me away.
And I would have no sense of shame for anything I did, for I made a bargain with you--a bargain which I have kept and you are now breaking.
Keep your chaste bed, my dear."
"Do you mean to tell me," cried Scarlett indignantly, "that you don't care--"
"You have tired of me, haven't you?
Well, men tire more easily than women.
Keep your sanctity, Scarlett.
It will work no hardship on me.
It doesn't matter," he shrugged and grinned.
"Fortunately the world is full of beds--and most of the beds are full of women."
"You mean you'd actually be so--"
"My dear innocent!
But, of course.
It's a wonder I haven't strayed long ere this.
I never held fidelity to be a Virtue."
"I shall lock my door every night!"
"Why bother?
If I wanted you, no lock would keep me out."
He turned, as though the subject were closed, and left the room.
Scarlett heard him going back to the nursery where he was welcomed by the children.
She sat down abruptly.