Chapter 2

           WhenthetwinsleftScarlettstandingontheporchofTaraandthelastsoundofflyinghooveshaddiedaway,shewentbacktoherchairlikeasleepwalker. Herfacefeltstiffasfrompainandhermouthactuallyhurtfromhavingstretchedit,unwillingly,insmilestopreventthetwinsfromlearninghersecret. Shesatdownwearily,tuckingonefootunderher,andherheartswelledupwithmisery,untilitfelttoolargeforherbosom. Itbeatwithoddlittlejerks;herhandswerecold,andafeelingofdisasteroppressedher. Therewerepainandbewildermentinherface,thebewildermentofapamperedchildwhohasalwayshadherownwayfortheaskingandwhonow,forthefirsttime,wasincontactwiththeunpleasantnessoflife. 

           AshleytomarryMelanieHamilton! 

           Oh,itcouldn’tbetrue! Thetwinsweremistaken. Theywereplayingoneoftheirjokesonher. Ashleycouldn’t,couldn’tbeinlovewithher. Nobodycould,notwithamousylittlepersonlikeMelanie. ScarlettrecalledwithcontemptMelanie’sthinchildishfigure,herseriousheart-shapedfacethatwasplainalmosttohomeliness. AndAshleycouldn’thaveseenherinmonths. Hehadn’tbeeninAtlantamorethantwicesincethehousepartyhegavelastyearatTwelveOaks. No,Ashleycouldn’tbeinlovewithMelanie,because—oh,shecouldn’tbemistaken!—becausehewasinlovewithher! She,Scarlett,wastheoneheloved—sheknewit! 

           ScarlettheardMammy’slumberingtreadshakingthefloorofthehallandshehastilyuntuckedherfootandtriedtorearrangeherfaceinmoreplacidlines. ItwouldneverdoforMammytosuspectthatanythingwaswrong.