Anne continued into the House at Green Gables and ran into Rachel as she enter the foyer.
"Anne, was that Gilbert Blythe there in that buggy?" She looked down her nose scornfully at Anne, who almost didn't catch her odd comment.
"Why yes Rachel. He was going my way and offered to drop me off at Home." Anne explained as she came in and hung up her Hat, on a hook, in the entry Hall..
"Anne, it is isn't proper for a young Woman to be riding in a buggy with a young Man. Especially one of her own Students at that!" Rachel said with disgrace ringing in her stern tone. Anne turned to face her in astonishment. She just couldn't accept Rachel's attitude in this regard.
"What's the difference, Rachel, between walking or riding?" Anne asked her honestly.
"People can speculate all kinds of mischief going on in a buggy. Are you seeing Gilbert Blythe, Anne?" Rachel interrogated her.
"Whatever do you mean, Rachel?" Anne decided to play along to find out what was really bothering Mrs. Lynde.
"You know exactly what I mean, Anne Shirley!" Rachel huffed in amazement.
"He's a Student of mine, so of course I see him Rachel." Anne reasoned, feeling a bit whimsical.
"You are just trying to be difficult. Marilla, you better have a talk with this Girl before she ends up causing some kind of mischief I can't defend her from." Rachel drew Marilla in for her defense.
"Rachel is concerned Anne, as she should be. Are you and Gilbert courting?" Marilla asked plainly in her non-commential way.
"This is ridiculous, both of you must realize it! I love you both dearly. Don't you think, if I was seriously considering any Young Man, I would tell you ? He only gave me a ride home. I only agreed, so as not to hurt his feelings. That is all! Now I am going to my room, where I can read and try to forget all of this talk of Courting. Honestly, you Marilla of all people should know, the only thing I care about are the state of affairs here at Green Gables, doing my Job competently and going onto Redmond. Please, can you speak no more Rachel of such affairs? I surely am not interested in Marriage. Why, I could very well end up an Old Maid! I promise I will be happy and content as such. Marilla is calm and happy as such and I find life here at Green Gables, a welcome comfort. It is not odd to have boys as friends. I assure you, much to your sad disappointment, that I am not even thinking about Matrimonial things." Anne explained to them then turned to head up the stairs, her hand running wearily, along the banister. She made her ascent upwards to her Gable room.
"What is it about this Town? Am I to avoid all male contact, out of fear of propriety?" Anne thought angrily as she hung up her nice clothes and slipped into a more comfortable Flannel Dress. She laid down on her bed and started reading her storybook, rebelliously.
At the Sloane residence, Charlie is in a rush to meet with Moody for a day of fishing. He is stopped from his hurried pace as his Father happens upon his going out.
"Charlie! Hey Boy! Where are you off to now!" Mr. Sloane caught his middle Son, as he was trying to leave their Home.
"I'm going fishing. I told Mother, already. Why? Do you want to come?" Charlie hinted and his Father scoffed at the idea.
"Not likely, Charles. I've still have a pile of paperwork sitting on my desk waiting for my attention. Run along but stay out of trouble. Stay away from the Sadler's Farm, Charles! He said next time you get near his Milking Cows, he's going to Tar and Feather you. Just promise me, if that old Coot gets you, you come back around and show your Mother and Me, so that we can get a picture!" He jests and goes back to his paperwork grinning at the thought.
"Sure thing, Father. Not even a problem. It's the quickest way to School. He just blames us for everything! Wretched Cows! Even Miss Shirley agrees with us over that fact!" Charlie says with distaste.
"So how are things going at School? I haven't heard much talk from you lately." Mr. Sloane decides he owes his Son at least the appearance of being interested in his Education, as such.
"Well, Gilbert is back. I can't say that I really missed him as much as I once thought I did. He's only been back a week and already he's pressing me to step aside in class standings." Charlie said wearily.
"What do you mean? Step aside?" Now he was showing great concern.
"He just has to be the center of attention, Father. It's sickening. I try hard but there are more things to life than just School. He is just being very competitive and I fear it could be affecting the entire class." Charlie's fabricated his response but it was more than satisfactory for his Father.
"Good! You could use some shaping up, Charlie but don't let a Blythe undermine you either! They think they know everything. Though they are hardly the Social type. Just remember Charles, you're a Sloan. You need smart friends but don't bow down to them. Hold your head up high. Our Family holds a reputation of being Social Leaders in Avonlea. I expect you to carry on our Traditions, just as I have all these fine years! Now run along. You'll be out with Moody Spurgeon, right?" Mr. Sloane checked with his Son.
"Yes. I'll be back by Sundown. Over at the Pond, if you are looking for me." Charlie stated
Charlie went on his way and stopped when he came up to where he found Moody sitting on a bench, in front of his House, with his Fishing gear out around him.
"Why do you insist on tying on that lure before we get to the Pond? It's just going to get tangled up along the way there. Then you will have to untangle your line." Charlie tells Moody, who then pricks his finger on his hook, after losing his concentration.
"Ouch! Charlie, stuff it! You"re late! I had to find something to do while I was waiting. It won't tangle if you are careful. Now here, I'm done. Let's get going. Gilbert is probably already there." Moody said.
"Oh I doubt it. He had to return some equipment his Father borrowed from the Smithy. He'll be late, as usual." Charlie said obviously.
"He sure gets stuck with that grunt work all the time." Moody complains.
"He's an only child so he gets all the extra chores. I'm sure glad my brother, Tommy has finally caught up. It was a drag having to do so much of the work around the House." Charlie complained.
"Don't even remind me, Charlie. At least your Family doesn't run a Farm! I am the youngest Boy, remember? Sure Eldon has to do the heavy labor but he gets to run the Tractor. I get to clean out the Barn, mind the Cow Pastures and feed Chickens! It's dirty, boring and Eldon is a bossy old hat! I keep hoping God will strike him dumb!" Moody says grumpily.
"Then he'll just use his fists, Moody. Remember that. At least Ella is sympathic." Charlie teased him.
"You want her? Heh, She wants you, Charlie! Says you're a mighty fine lad, all Tall with your big Blue Eyes and dark Black Hair." Moody teases Charlie.
"Do you want a black eye, Moody? Ella? I rather drown in the Barry's Pond!" Charlie laughed at the scenario.
"She's not that bad. She's a really good Cook." Moody defended his Sister. She really wasn't such a bad person.
"And greatly reaches the size of a Heifer Cow. I guess, she would be good for breeding but that would hardly do if I am forced to sleep on the Couch! Ella would rightly take up more than her side of a Bed!" He crowed.
"That's mean Charlie! I told her you don't like her. She does get some dumb ideas, that's the truth. Just don't say anything mean to Ella. She isn't a mean person. She just has strange taste." Moody said in her defense. As usual, Charlie could care less what Moody thought about it all.
"As long as my name doesn't end up on a, "Take Notice" board, she's safe but you better straighten her out quick, Moody. She is your Sister after all! You know who I have in mind anyways." Charlie offered with a fiendish grin.
"Are you still stuck on Miss Shirley? Honestly Charlie, she doesn't like you that way. What about Gilbert? He's closer to her age. How are you going to out do him, Charlie?" Moody inquired.
"I'm not sure yet. I'll think of something. He's not going to win this time, Moody. I'm the better choice and you know it! At least my Father is a Businessman. We are much better off than the Blythe's are! Our Equipment Business is quite prosperous! Why would she want some Pauper like Gilbert Blythe? Honestly, Moody, I don't know where you get your logic from." Charlie shakes his head with concern.
"Maybe from all of the girls. Ever since Gilbert has been back, Josie has been like a love struck lamb. Tagging along after him." Moody tells him. "Not to mention most of the other girls as well!"
"Who cares about Josie Pye? She means nothing to me anymore. I never really liked her. I just said I did because she was Popular. She can go chase little "Bo-Peep!", all around Barnyard! Maybe she will turn Gilbert's thoughts away from Anne and save me the trouble. Then I won't have to compete for Anne!" Charlie resolved triumphantly.
"I don't see that Gilbert has any interest in Josie, Charlie. He seems pretty gone on Anne. You've got your head in the clouds there Charlie. I'm glad I'm not you." Moody decided. She really is the prettiest girl in class now, Moody thought. Diana is pretty too but her Family is Rich. No ordinary guy will ever have a chance with her over. Moody was convinced of that. Well there was always Josie.
"So what's wrong with Josie, Charlie? I thought you like her?" Moody decided to try this safer route. Just in case there was something he didn't know about her that would make her a bad choice.
"She's fine, if you don't mind a Woman pulling you along by the ear, all the time. Grandma likes her. Says she has some style and good manners. Father though said she's sure to run a Man into the Poor House! Besides, the way she moons over Gilbert, is rather sickening, don't you think?" Charlie told him with disgust.
"Of course, Anne could drag me anywhere she wants! I'd follow that stunning Redhead anywhere she wanted me to go!" Charlie smiled wickedly. "It's gonna cost her though!"
"Charlie, that's our Teacher you are talking that way about!" Moody objected.
"Really Moody? That's all my Brother and Cousins ever talk about. Sheesh, Moody, no wonder Eldon's still a Batchelor! I don't know how you were ever even Born!" Charlie threw his hands up in the air to emphasize his point.
"Well it wasn't in those bushes outside, in the Haunted Woods, or some Farmer's Barn! That I can promise you!" Moody said indignantly.
"So Moody. Have you ever been with a Girl, in a Farmer's Barn? Hum?" Charlie taunted him, seeing a good opportunity to take advantage of Moody's sense of righteousness.
"No! Of course not! I'm not a Heathen! I've better manners than that!" He was as red as a Barn and Charlie enjoyed his fun at Moody's expense.
"I say if it's the right Barn and definitely the right Girl, who cares where you get her, as long as you get her!" Charlie grins at Moody's face of confusion.
"What Girl is going to kiss a Boy in a Hayloft?" Moody wanted to know.
"If she's the right Girl, she'll kiss you where ever you want! And a whole lot more!" Charlie was overwhelmed at his amusement.
"Yes, I'd kiss the right Girl whenever I got the chance. That I know for a fact!" Charlie added confidently.
"I don't know what to think about you Charlie. You better start working hard, if you think you're going to win over some Girl, for Wife!" Moody warned his friend.
"I'm not worried. I'm going to Queens and then head on over to Redmond. It's already a done deal. I'll get my Grandparents House and have a great Career! All I will need is a good looking woman to feather my nest and give me lot's of babies!" Charlie explained shamelessly and Moody was now besides himself. Charlie was just so full of himself.
"I'll probably go to Queens. That is fairly settled but I don't know about Redmond. If I'm to be a Carpenter, I won't need it. I'll just be wasting valuable time. I can make a decent living, building Houses. Father said I can build my own House, after a few years of saving. Then I can take a Wife. No need to be rushing everything. I want my Family to be comfortable." Moody explains.
"If you ever have one, Moody. By the time you get around to it, all the good Girls will be snatched up and you get what's left over! I don't want to take that chance!" Charlie had already made up his mind about all of this.
"Besides, Miss Shirley is only sixteen, so I have time. Then she can become the illustrious, Mrs. Charles Sloan." He put out as if Destiny had already decided on his Fate.
"I don't see any reason to rush into all of this Charlie. She may not even like you in that way." Moody reasoned.
"She let me walk her Home. That has to mean something!" Charlie stated.
"So did Gilbert. I don't think she takes anyone seriously. She's sixteen, Charlie. She went to Queens and came back with no Sweetheart. Maybe She's one of those Modern Women, Mother talks about. All Educated with no need for a Husband at all!" Moody said soberly.
"Don't say such a thing! A boy must have something to live for! Work is not enough incentive for me!" Charlie confessed honestly.
"What about Hockey? That's fun, right?" Moody tried to help Charlie see things in a different light.
"Ever kiss a Hockey Puck, Moody? Nope. I prefer a soft, pretty girl, that smells as sweet as Spring Flowers. Though Hockey is good, don't take me wrong about that. I'll take on Ice Skates and a Hockey Stick, any day! Just give me some hard ice and I'll be there!" Charlie did love Hockey as much as he did a pretty girl.
"At least with Hockey, you can count on every Season. A girl can be fickle. Who ever knows what they are really thinking much about." Moody said feeling depressed over the subject in general. It seemed to be a popular subject among his friends these days.
"Now Fish, they are as fickle as Girls!" Moody said also.
"Not if you have the right kind of Bait!" Charlie took a seat along the Shore and pulls out his Fishing line to thread his hook as he prepared to Fish.