This is my first attempt at fan fiction. It is about the Anne of Green Gables series, imagining how things would have turned out if Anne never forgave Mrs Rachel Lynde for calling her: homely, ugly and red headed. It also puts a different slant on her first days with Gilbert.
Forgiving 'Carrots'
Anne had been full of rage all night after the well know gossip, Mrs Rachel Lynde had payed a visit the previous afternoon. Anne one she was homely, ugly, skinny and red headed, but being told these things by someone you have never met before is quite different to just thinking them. Worst of all, Mrs Lynde had called her hair 'as red as carrots!' This was true, of course, but Anne was so full of anger that she had been shut up in the was gable ever since, not even coming downstairs for meals. Marilla was most vexed about her 'disgraceful behaviour' towards such a popular lady as Mrs Lynde. She was ashamed of Anne. She was still frustrated at Mathew for wanting to keep the girl. Why couldn't he have brought back a sensible, well mannered boy? What was there in this girl which he found pleasure in? Marilla had not taken any meals up to Anne, in the hope that she would be driven downstairs by hunger and eventually apologise o Mrs Lynde.
It was dusk and still Anne remained shut in the east gable, not even a window had been opened. Matthew was getting very worried about the girl. He did not wasn't Marilla to know how concerned he was about her so he waited until she had gone to bed, exasperated by the fact Anne had refused to say her prayers, and was soundly asleep. He tip toed, thief – like, into the larder and carefully sliced off two wedges of bread and chopped up an apple, which he placed on a small china bearded a few mourners coming from the direction of Marilla and his heart leaped. But all was well, she was still asleep. He carried the plate, nervously upstairs, then gingerly opened the door of the east gable. Anne was awake, her eyes red and puffy from crying.
'I've brought you something to eat.' Matthew whispered.
The wretch, sitting on the bed, smiled but announced; 'I'm not hungry.'
'Don't you think it best if you try to eat something?' Matthew asked, almost frightened she would refuse again,
'Well, since you are one of the few people who have ever paid any respect to me, I suppose I will. Besides, I am hungry.' Was Anne's somewhat positive reply. Matthew smiled and handed her the plate of food. He waited, patiently while the girl devoured it, then crept out of the room saying,
'Please say your prayers tomorrow.'
Luckily Marilla was a heavy sleeper and did not wake easily. What he would have done if this not not been the case, he decided to leave to the hands of the Lord.
The next morning, at breakfast, Marilla began to get rather worried. Anne still hadn't left her room, except to visit the bathroom. Marilla thought her temper would pass within an hour, but the girl still seemed as raging as the moment Mrs Lynde had first insulted her. What would she do if she never came down and starved to death in n the east gable? But she was determined not to give in to feeding the girl, hunger would force her to come down. And so that day passed, for Anne, just the same as the one before. Marilla and Matthew proceeded with their everyday happenings, but the thought of Anne never left their minds.
Anne's evening, too, was the same as that of the previous day. Matthew carefully tip toed into the larder, sliced up some bread and apple, then carried it gingerly upstairs for Anne to eat. Anne did say her prayers with Marilla that night but they consisted only of her own vain wishes of not having 'carrot red' hair. Matthew, however, convinced her to pray properly, forgiving the sins of others and asking to be forgiven for her own.
The next few days, which soon grew into weeks and slowly months, proved to be of little change for Anne, Matthew and Marilla. Every evening Anne would pray with Marilla but not truly and whole – heartedly until Matthew came with bread and apple, on occasion with added plums or a glass of milk. Matthew said something different every night, but the meaning of his words was always on the same theme of trying to forgive Mrs Lynde for what she had said to Anne. Her response was always similar to this: 'she should be the one to forgive me, for she is older and wiser.'
Matthew certainly did not disagree with Anne's opinion but was only trying to relieve the troubles of his wife who desperately wanted Anne to forgive Rachel Lynde, as the whole of Avonlea had, by now, heard of Anne's disgraceful behaviour.
Just over six months had now passed and Anne had missed several weeks of 'important schooling.' Marilla and Matthew had tried everything; speaking calmly, speaking angrily, tempting her downstairs with a freshly baked cake or the promise of a holiday abroad. But all theses attempts were done in vain, until Mrs Rachel Lynde herself, after much pleading from Matthew, decided to put her foot into the situation.
It was a sunny, bright afternoon with a great deal of scope for imagination. Mrs Lynde came walking up the drive way of Green Gables, her shoulders back and head erect. She continued up the stairs in this manner. This continued still when it came to knocking on the door of the east gable which she presently did. Unusual for Mrs Lynde, she was suddenly overcome with nervousness, afraid of what Anne's reaction would be. A face red from anxiousness and another red from crying, met. Anne was shocked by Mrs Lynde's appearance but not angry. If Mrs Lynde had come for forgiveness, like Matthew had warned her she might, the deal was simple. She would not forgive. Never.
'Anne,' went Mrs Lynde's shaky voice, 'I have come to apologise for what I said to you many months ago. It was true, but I am too keen to find the bad in people. I hope that from now on you will not be afraid to leave the east gable and, most of all, not be afraid to see me. Also, I hear you have not been eating. It's a wonder you haven't starved to death, so I have come to put an end to that also.'
A stinging silence fell over the two females and Anne stared at the floor as if the words she was looking for would lift up out of the ground if she looked hard enough. Finally, Anne spoke.
'That's very kind of you Mrs Lynde, but I am afraid I can never forgive you.'
'Very well,' was Mrs Lynde's brief response, as she walked out of the room and out of the house, calmly and unruffled. She would not let that wretch of a girl drag her spirits down. So, she thought little of Anne during the next few months. Anne however, thought a great deal about Mrs Lynde. Was she really sorry? After much persuasion from Marilla and Matthew, Anne finally started school. Every pupil and every teacher had heard about Anne's behaviour towards Mrs Lynde. This caused everyone to laugh and make fun of Anne, except for the forever faithful Diana Barry and Gilbert Blythe. Anne was called 'carrots' on many occasions during her time at that school, but this did not bother her half as much as Mrs Lynde's insult because she knew that it was all down to Mrs Lynde that they knew about the 'carrots' incident, and so, she could not blame them. Anne had some very happy years as a young teenager, with Diana and Gilbert, and had almost forgotten about her grudge against Mrs Lynde, until cane the time when Rachel had to move into a Green Gables. With the recent death of Matthew and Marilla, Anne thought her life could not get any worse. She refused to move out of Green Gables, so Mrs Lynde had made up her mind to move in with her and be her guardian. Anne had not wanted to go to collage but she couldn't stand living with Rachel any longer. She ran away to Redmond with Diana and Gilbert Blythe, leaving the astonished Mrs Lynde to move to Four Winds.
During her time at Redmond, Anne grew calmer and more sensible, often imagining her future with Gilbert and planning holidays to England with Diana and Phill, in the comfort of Patty's Place.
After the wedding of Anne and Gilbert, the Blythes, too, moved away to Four Winds, to 'Anne's House of Dreams.' However, they soon found out that Mrs Lynde was living just two doors away and she, also, knew of their arrival. Anne made plenty of friends in Four Winds and stayed happy, as long as she did not meet Mrs Lynde.
One day, Anne was expecting a baby and Gilbert was away because no doctor to friends in Avonlea. Anne knew she would be giving birth sometime soon but Gilbert assured her that it would not happen until he had returned. However, Anne soon began to panic. She felt some strange feelings inside her and knew she would give birth anytime soon. She did not know how to give birth alone, but could hardly walk to get help. The nearest person was Mrs Rachel Lynde. Anne struggled out of the house and painfully walked, nervously towards the house of Mrs Lynde. Fir the first time in many years, she felt no anger towards Rachel and, full of hope and forgiveness, knocked on Rachel's polished, wooden door. There was no response. Anne knocked again. Still no response. She looked through a window and saw Mrs Lynde doing embroidery and she quickly glanced up at Anne trough scowling, wrinkled eyes. Anne tapped the window, and again, knocked the door. But it was no use. She could not walk any father to get Captan Jim or Mrs Cornelia. She let out a horrifying scream, but still Mrs Lynde remained sat in her armchair. Maybe this is wha she deserved for bearing such a terrible grudge against Rachel for so long. She tried to imagine how much better things would have been if she had not lost her temper all those years ago. How she wished she could turn back time. Then, before she knew it, throughout the bitter sweet pain and tears, a baby appeared. All she really needed was God to help her give birth, for he forgives everyone. Anne managed a slight smile, she could just about make out a few ginger curls in the baby's soft head. Anne would not let Joy, the baby ever make such a mistake as she had the day Mrs Lynde called her 'carrot.' But would Anne ever forgive Mrs Rachel Lynde? Hatred remained a barrier between them forever.