@@@@@ "Julia Ashley invited Rosemary to dinner at
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"Julia Ashley invited Rosemary to dinner at her house," Eleanor told
her"And Rhett took pity on the Cooper boy
"Today? It's so coldJust when I'd begun to think we were going to escape winter
altogether this year, tooI felt it yesterday at the racesThe wind
had a real bite to itI took a bit of a chill, I believe
Butler suddenly smiled in a conspiratorial manner"What do you say
to
a quiet dinner on the card table before the fire in the library? It
will offend Manigo's dignity, but I can bear it if you canIt'll be
so cozy, just the two of us
"I'd like that very much, Miss Eleanor, I really would Suddenly it
was what she wanted above all thingsIt was so nice when we used
to
have our quiet suppers that way, she thoughtBefore Rosemary came homeA voice in her mind
added: before Rhett came back from the LandingIt was true, though
she
hated to admit itLife was so much easier when she wasn't constantly
listening for hisstep, watching for hisreactions, trying to guess what
he was thinkingThe warmth of the fire was so relaxing that Scarlett
caught herself yawning"Excuse me, Miss Eleanor," she said hastily,
"it's not the company
"I feel exactly the same way," said Mrs"Isn't it
pleasant?"
She yawned, too, and the contagion caught both of them, until
helpless
laughter took the place of their yawnsScarlett had forgotten how
much fun Rhett's mother could be"I love you, Miss Eleanor," she said
without thinkingEleanor Butler took her hand"I'm so glad, dear
Scarl