“ Now it’ll be all over town,” said Rhett savagely. “I hope you’re satisfied, Tom. There won’t be a wife in Atlanta who’ll speak to her husband tomorrow.”
“ Rhett, I had no idea —” Though the chill wind was blowing through the open door on his back, the captain was perspiring. “Look here! You take an oath they were at — er — at Belle’s?”
“ Hell, yes,” growled Rhett. “Go ask Belle herself if you don’t believe me. Now, let me carry Mrs. Wilkes to her room. Give her to me, Archie. Yes, I can carry her. Miss Pitty, go ahead with a lamp.”
He took Melanie’s limp body from Archie’s arms with ease.
“ You get Mr. Wilkes to bed, Archie. I don’t want to ever lay eyes or hands on him again after this night.”
Pitty’s hand trembled so that the lamp was a menace to the safety of the house but sh
