Anne announced in the morning, "Gilbert was by early, when you were out in the barn, Matthew. He said he wanted to have a picnic this afternoon."
"Oh?" Marilla asked, her voice unnaturally high. "How nice. Why don't you leave Walter home; that way you and Gilbert can talk just between yourselves."
"No," Anne spoke up. "He said he wanted to have a picnic for all of us- you and Matthew, too."
"That's mighty kind of him," Matthew said, glancing meaningfully at Marilla.
Marilla hid a pleased smile, her cheeks flushed. "That is nice of him," she agreed. "To include us in your special moment."
"Well it's just a picnic," Anne said with a frown. "I mean it's nice and all."
"Yes, of course, it's just a picnic," Marilla agreed quickly.
She knew what Matthew was thinking- this is it!
But they did not know for sure- they couldn't know for sure- and they mustn't act as if they suspected anything.
The morning passed uneventfully for the rest of the family, but Marilla was on pins and needles.
For all her hesitation before, Marilla felt giddy as a schoolgirl now. She had to stop herself from spilling the beans several times.
This is big news for Anne- that they can finally go ahead and marry, she told herself. But, she reminded herself sternly- this is Gilbert's news, it isn't our news. And we'll spoil it for him if we tell Anne before he does!
She wondered how Gilbert would ask her- or even, if he would ask her. It wasn't so much of a question, really. Gilbert had said he asked her long ago- at this point they were just waiting for the time Matthew and Marilla would allow it.
So the news that they would allow it, finally, was all that really needed to be said. That news would make Anne so happy; she'd wanted this for so long.
But Marilla hoped he'd ask again. She wanted Anne to have that beautiful moment of proposal.
After all, a girl dreamed of that sort of thing. She had, long ago, herself.