In April 1861, 16-year-old Scarlett O’Hara lives an idyllic life. Her father is a rich plantation owner in northern Georgia, and Scarlett is the local belle who is courted by many suitors in the county. She is not conventionally beautiful, but men find her fascinating. Scarlett knows how to charm them by concealing her willful, stubborn nature.

Late one afternoon, Scarlett is entertaining the Tarleton twins, who have just been kicked out of the fourth college they attended. This isn’t of much concern to the young Southern gentlemen. Instead, they are focused on the Wilkes family, who is hosting a barbecue the following day. The brothers repeat some gossip about Ashley Wilkes marrying his cousin Melanie. Shortly after this news is revealed, Scarlett abruptly ends the conversation and sends them away.

At sunset, Scarlett walks to the end of the driveway to await the return of her father. He has spent the day at the Wilkes plantation, known as Twelve Oaks, and Scarlett hopes to find out if the rumored marriage is true. Gerald O’Hara is an Irish immigrant who started as a merchant in Savannah and won the plantation he named Tara in a poker game.