Once they would have stirred Scarlett to memories of terror but now she had no thought for them.
Rhett's message had been:
"Mrs. Wilkes ill.
Come home immediately."
Twilight had fallen when the train pulled into Atlanta and a light misting rain obscured the town.
The gas street lamps glowed dully, blobs of yellow in the fog.
Rhett was waiting for her at the depot with the carriage.
The very sight of his face frightened her more than his telegram.
She had never seen it so expressionless before.
"She isn't--" she cried.
"No.
She's still alive."
Rhett assisted her into the carriage.
"To Mrs. Wilkes' house and as fast as you can go," he ordered the coachman.
"What's the matter with her?
I didn't know she was ill.
She looked all right last week.
Did she have an accident?
Oh, Rhett, it isn't really as serious as you--"
"She's dying," said Rhett and his voice had no more expression than his face.
"She wants to see you."
"Not Melly!
Oh, not Melly!
What's happened to her?"
"She's had a miscarriage."
"A--a-mis--but, Rhett, she--" Scarlett floundered.
This information on top of the horror of his announcement took her breath away.
"You did not know she was going to have a baby?"
She could not even shake her head.
"Ah, well. I suppose not.
I don't think she told anyone.
She wanted it to be a surprise.
But I knew."
"You knew?
But surely she didn't tell you!"
"She didn't have to tell me.
I knew.
She's been so--happy these last two months I knew it couldn't mean anything else."
"But Rhett, the doctor said it would kill her to have another baby!"
"It has killed her," said Rhett.
And to the coachman: "For God's sake, can't you drive faster?"
"But, Rhett, she can't be dying!
I--I didn't and I--"
"She hasn't your strength.
She's never had any strength.
She's never had anything but heart."
The carriage rocked to a standstill in front of the flat little house and Rhett handed her out.
Trembling, frightened, a sudden feeling of loneliness upon her, she clasped his arm.
"You're coming in, Rhett?"
"No," he said and got back into the carriage.