meiqingqionga

@@@@@That was it! Why hadn't she realized it before? Of courseSummer-when she loved Tara most-summer was when Rhett couldn't go to Dunmore Landing because of the feverThey'd spend October to June in Charleston, with the Season to break the monotony of all those stuffy boring tea parties, and the promise of summer at Tara to break the monotony of the SeasonShe could bear it, she knew she could As long as there was the long summer at TaraOh, if only the Bishop would hurry! Robillard escorted Scarlett to the dedication ceremonies at Hodgson HallHe was an imposing figure in his old-fashioned dress suit, with its satin knee breeches and velvet tailcoat, the tiny red rosette of the Legion of Honor in his buttonhole and a broad diagonal red sash across his chestScarlett had never seen anyone look quite so distinguished and aristocratic as her grandfatherHe could be proud of her, too, she thoughtHer pearls and diamonds were of the first water, and her gown was magnificent, a shining column of gold brocaded silk trimmed with gold lace and a gold brocaded train that was a full four feet long She'd never had a chance to wear it, because she'd had to dress so dowdy in CharlestonHow lucky, after all, that she'd had all those clothes made before she went to CharlestonWhy, there were a half dozen dresses that had hardly been on her backEven without the trim that Rhett had taunted her into removing, they were much prettier than anything she'd seen on anybody in SavannahScarlett was preening as Jerome handed her up into the hired carriage to sit across from her grandfatherThe ride to the south end of town was silentPierre Robillard's white-crowned head nodded, half-sleepingIt jerked upright when Scarlett exclaimed, "Oh, look!" There were crowds of people on the street outside the iron-fenced classical building, there to watch the -5 arrival of Savannah's elite societyJust like the Saint CeciliaScarlett held her head arrogantly high as a liveried attendant helped her from the carriage to the sidewalkShe could hear murmurs of admiration from the crowdsWhile her grandfather slowly stepped down to join her, she bobbed her head to set her earbobs flashing in the lamplight and cast her train from over her arm to spread out behind her for her entrance up the tall, red-carpeted steps to the Hall's door"Ooooh," she heard from the crowd and, "aaah," "beautiful," "who is she?" As she extended her white-gloved hand to rest on her grandfather's velvet sleeve a familiar voice called out clearly, "Katie Scarlett, darling, you're as dazzling as the Queen of Sheba!" She looked quickly, in a panic, to her left, then, even more quickly, turned away from Jamie and his brood as if she didn't know them, and proceeded at Pierre Robillard's slow, stately pace to mount the stairsBut the picture was seared into her mind Jamie had his left arm around the shoulders of his laughing, bright-haired untidy wife, his derby hat tipped carelessly on the back of his curly head