5.1

She looked down, but rather than appear embarrassed, she smoothed her hand down the exceedingly shiny and very purple skirt, which spread outward over an untold number of what appeared to be white lace petticoats, at least from what he could see in the opening that split down the front of the skirt. Then she lifted a hand to carefully straighten her bonnet, and looked him straight in the eye with a small smile that could only be described as saccharine sweet. “Actually,” she said, her voice a syrupy drawl, “why, I was just running a few errands in town before dashing off to save Tara.”

He barked out a laugh. Now who was charming whom? “Why, Miss Scarlett, flash one of those smiles, and I do believe you could save Tara and the entire Confederacy, even this deep into Yankee territory.”

He watched her mouth soften into a more natural smile, and was pleased with himself more than was wise. Even banged up and bruised, she was a very beautiful woman, but the unexpected wry humor was the far