Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell up to page 306

This shorter than usual section was actual more eventful than I assumed it would be. Here's the shortest summary for the shortest section:

It is now May of 1864 and General Sherman’s Yankee army has fought its way into Georgia and is dangerously close to Atlanta. Rhett gets Dr. Meade mad by declaring that the Confederacy will not hold the Yankees back. Everyone in Atlanta clings to a faith in the Confederacy even though Rhett is probably right. As the war gets closer, the trains deliver wounded and dying soldiers by the thousands. Scarlett feels that she can no longer bear her work and sneaks away from the hospital. She encounters Rhett, who is impeccably dressed despite the wartime scarcity, they were right in calling him a food and supply hog. He drives her back to Peachtree Street. On the way, they encounter a group of marching slaves, and Scarlett recognizes Big Sam, the old foreman at Tara. He tells her proudly that the slaves are being sent to dig trenches for the gentlemen and women to hide in when the Yankees come. Scarlett knows that they are really digging the trenches for the Confederate army to fight off the Yankees. Rhett drives on and teases Scarlett about how she must secretly want him to kiss her. He says that since she does not wonder why he doesn't kiss her she must not be a nice young lady. He says he does not make advances toward her because she childishly clings to her love for Ashley. He asks her if he has kissed her and when she does not respond he takes it as a yes and assumes it was over Christmas break. He says she must stop clinging to that memory since he is probably already dead. She is so angered at this she makes him let her out of the carriage and does not even look back at him while he watches her softly.

This whole war stuff is really kind of boring to me. But I like that it really does relate to the microcosmic view of the novel and Scarlett's inner war. Rhett seems to know everything about Scarlett which is quite remarkable and almost scary. Nevertheless, since she says she will never speak to him again I'm afraid she will find someone else, but I am sure that Rhett will find his way back into her life.