Chapter 7 Summary

Within two weeks, Scarlett becomes a wife, and within two months, a widow. In trying to best Ashley and Melanie, she pushes up the wedding date to just a day before the Wilkes.' Though Ellen questions Scarlett's happiness, Gerald is just pleased that his daughter is marrying into one of the South's most prominent and wealthy families. Normally a wedding would not be held until at least a year after the engagement, but the war had been moving everything along more quickly. Scarlett went through the motions at her own wedding in a dreamlike state, and was mortified at Ashley's wedding when Melanie reminded Ashley to give her new sister a kiss.

Within two months, though, Scarlett was widowed after Charles died of measles and pneumonia at camp. Charles never did get to honor his wife and soon to be born son...