On New Years Eve Allan Miller came to collect Juliet from New Moon for an afternoon ramble as he had done so many times before in his life. Emily and Ilse watched them go through the parlor window--Emily was making a rapid, amazing recovery and was already well enough to sit up all day and have visitors. They watched until the two disappeared into the Lofty John's bush, walking so close that their shoulders touched, and occasionally clinging to each other when the path became too slick with ice.

"Oh please," Ilse murmured under her breath as Allan parted the spruce boughs for Juliet and helped her in. "Oh Emily--they 're perfect for each other--they will realize it in time, won't they?"

Emily said nothing--she only smiled a happy, mysterious smile.

* * *

Juliet was smiling too--she was enraptured by Allan's closeness--the peace that fell between the two of them--the mystery and allure of the lovely spruce wood. The late afternoon sun slanted in through their branches, turning everything an exquisite, jeweled green.

"'The woods are lovely, dark and deep,'" she quoted, breathing in the tangy smell of sap. "'But I have promises to keep--'"

"'And miles to go before I sleep,'" Allan finished, his smile fading somewhat. "Oh, Juliet, I have something to tell you--"

"But I want to ask something, first," Juliet said, tucking her mittened hand in his. "Let's sit--my feet are frozen solid. Allan, dearest--what happened? You seem so much better now--happier--how is that? How did it come about?"

"I--don't--know," Allan admitted. "I suppose I've been getting better all the time--the fact that I'm home helps. I still think about the war--often. But the moment I turned up at the doorstep of New Moon--and you opened it--when I saw your face all the sorrow and torment in my heart melted. Juliet, how could I have thought I ever could have existed without you? I know you're engaged to John Lester--but I need you in my life, even if it's only as friends. Although--I wouldn't mind if you wanted more?"

There was a sweet questioning note in his voice. Juliet thrilled to hear it. "What did you want to tell me?" she asked, leaning companionably against him.

"I got a job--at the bank," Allan said miserably. "At the San Francisco branch. I leave at the start of next week. Everyone knows--I asked them not to tell you, though--I wanted to tell you in person."

Juliet felt the frozen feeling that had started in her feet move all the way through her. "Oh," she said in a small, hollow voice. "Oh."

"Juliet, Juliet!" Allan grasped her hand, and then turned her face so that she could look at him. "I asked them not to tell you because I wanted to get my courage up to ask you something myself. I know I have no right to ask anything of you--but Juliet, I love you! Won't you come with me, to California? As my wife? Say you will!"

* * *

Juliet was silent for a long while. Allan thought perhaps she was very angry--her face was troubled, her brow wrinkled. After all, she was betrothed to another man! But then Juliet laughed, and lifted sparkling eyes to his.

"How soon can you get a marriage license?" she queried.

"What--what?" said a surprised Allan.

"How soon can you get a marriage license?" Juliet repeated. "If you go tonight we can get married tomorrow. Oh, Allan, of course I'll go with you. I love you--love seems too shallow a word for what I feel. I've never loved anyone else."

"But--but--what about John Lester?"

"What about him?" Juliet laughed. "Don't worry--I'll handle that."

"But college!" Allan grasped her hand. "I know you wanted so badly to finish"

"There are schools in California, I'm willing to bet," Juliet said impishly. "And somehow, now, after everything--that doesn't seem a bit important."

"What about New Moon?" Allan brushed a lock of her chestnut hair from her forehead. "My darling, I know you didn't ever want to leav e it."

"Allan Miller!" Juliet leaned to press her cheek against his. "Are you trying to talk me out of marrying you? When I've wanted my whole life to do it? You don't think I'd run the risk of losing you again, do you? No--I'd follow you to the moon if that's where you were headed. 'Wherever you go, I will go'--oh, the Book of Ruth puts it just right, doesn't it? Let's go back to the house and tell everyone our news!"

"Not yet," Allan said. "I have a Bible verse of my own--'Rejoice and be glad, for what was once lost has now been found.' And there's something I've been aching to do for a while and haven't been able to--but I can now! And will!"

And sitting among the ghostly shadows of the spruce trees, he kissed her.

* * *

Allan went right to town for the license and the rings, and Juliet did a little, elfin dance of joy on the verandah of New Moon. Then she danced into the hallway and into the parlor, where Aunt Ilse and Mother looked at her as if she were mad.

"I'm the happiest girl in the world," she announced to them.

"And you're getting snow all over the parlor," said Mother wryly. "Go to the hall and take your boots off--then come and tell us why you're the happiest."

"I'll tell you now, then go." Juliet's eyes sparkled. "Mother--Aunt Ilse--call Aunt Elizabeth and Bella. We're going to need all the help we can get. Oh, and I know Joy Penhallow would gladly make the wedding cake--Trudy will be in charge of flowers, Ingleside always has such lovely ones--and I can wear Bella's dress and veil if she'll let me. We must hurry--we have only a day to arrange my wedding!"

"Juliet," said poor Aunt Ilse. "Who--are you--planning to marry?"

"Why, your Allan, of course!" Juliet smiled a contented smile. "We're getting married tomorrow, right here, in the parlor of New Moon. And when he goes to San Francisco--I go, too. Shame on you both for keeping his secret, though!"

The two women gave cries of joy and ran to embrace her--even Mother, who wasn't supposed to exert herself. Then Aunt Ilse ran for the phone and Juliet gave Mother a kiss and extracted herself from her embrace.

"Excuse me, Mother dearwums," she said. "But there's something I must attend to."

* * *

"Douglas!" Juliet summoned her brother. "I need you to do something for me. A special favor--all brides deserve a special favor--I'll explain when you get back, if you do this for me, what I'm talking about. Can you take a letter to Tall Pines in Avonlea? It's the house with the red shutters at the corner of the main road near the railroad bridge. And don't lose it--it's very important."

Douglas, mystified, agreed.

Dear John, Juliet wrote hurriedly,

I thought I could marry you, but now I know I couldn't possibly. I'm sorry--but you must see that you don't really love me, either. We've only been pretending. If you don't see it now, you will in time, I am sure. I hope that one day we will be able to be friends. But it will never be anything more, you must believe me.

Juliet Kent (and after tomorrow, Miller).

She folded the note and put it into an envelope with the hefty bauble John had given her. But at the last minute, she opened it back up and added a postscript.

P.S. Give this ring to Greta Burns. She loves you and she'd be a far better wife for you than I ever could have been.

"There," she said, handing the slim package to Doug. "Hurry now!"

As Doug went, Juliet sat at her desk and studied her naked hands. Then she reached into her pocket and took out the ring that Allan have given her again, and slipped it on her finger. It felt as light as her heart compared to the heaviness of John's ring--it felt right.

"How wonderful I feel," she whispered to herself in the darkened room. "I'm Allan's forever and ever now! But oh, I do feel sorry for John." She contemplated the thought for a moment, until some perverse imp made her giggle and she added,

"But I would like to be a fly on the wall in the Lester home with that old bat finds out her son has been jilted--by common Juliet Kent of New Moon!"