CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Anne and Adam did not rush to share the news of their engagement with Rachel and Marilla; rather, they lingered at Barry's pond well and truly until dusk, talking and laughing together, Anne in glowing joy over her new ring, which she placed proudly on her ring finger.
Finally, she thought with a sigh of satisfaction. I'm engaged, and getting married.
Even the most romantic of hearts might fail to understand Anne's happiness; though she loved Adam dearly, she still felt nervous that she was binding herself to another person, a man, for the rest of her life - and at that, one whom she knew so little about. Her confusion was indescribable; however, one look into the eyes of Adam Lynde, and all of her doubts were washed away in a haze of infatuation.
Green Gables was basked in a glow of evening light as they made their way to the porch, where Rachel and Marilla were seated, in a comfortable silence, enjoying the evening and fragrant blossom of autumn.
Adam was clutching Anne's hand as though he would never let go. In his eyes, Anne was the most important thing to him in the world, and he did not dare let her go. He felt for her in a way he had never felt for another human being before. The feeling was so remarkable, in fact, that it almost scared him.
Marilla had grown accustomed to their romance, however had never really fully approved of it. Oh, of course, she agreed like everybody else in Avonlea that Adam was charming, polite and enchantingly handsome. But the fact remained that Anne – her own Anne – was the girl, the object, of his affections. She didn't truly believe it was an appropriate pairing. She liked Adam, yet was uncomfortable with him. He was wonderful, yet she was cautious.
On the other hand, Rachel was beside herself with pleasure over their union; she thought it high time that her little Adam found a lady, and the one perfectly suitable, she believed, was Anne.
On this particular evening, Rachel glanced up from her lap and caught sight of the pair strolling blissfully together toward the house. She grinned a grin of supreme satisfaction, and yes, she admitted, smugness. 'You two take a long time,' she called to them. 'You're 'nature minglers', that's what!' She squinted, and saw that Adam was beaming radiantly.
'Why, Anne,' Marilla said, more quietly and with a notable air of self-composure. 'You've been out awhile.'
Anne laughed and sat down beside her. 'Yes,' she said. 'We were drinking in The Lake of Shining Waters. I could almost feel the magic swimming through the water and among the trees. It's such a delicious evening, isn't it, Marilla?'
Marilla laughed in spite of herself. 'You certainly have a tongue of your own, my girl,' she spoke.
Anne smiled.
'So, what's new in Avonlea – surely you've picked up on some of the gossip on your way about? No doubt Tilly Boulter has had something to say about the George Hewitt scandal.' Marilla pulled another thread through her cross-stitch pattern, sighed, and turned it over to secure the knot a little more tightly.
Adam glanced at Anne, and clasped her hand as Anne knelt down in front of Marilla. All of the youth that had always sparkled so in Anne's eyes still remained, Marilla noted, and that irreplaceable beauty was still evident in her smile and complexion. Anne had gotten her wish, she considered at that moment. She had become beautiful when she was grown up.
Anne took a deep breath. 'Well, Marilla, we do have some gossip,' she said, a smile spreading across her face. 'Marilla, Rachel – Adam and I are getting married.'
Marilla gasped in horror, but quickly disguised her reaction with a cough and a smile. 'Congratulations,' she said, swallowing the words she so wanted to say aloud. 'Adam, you must be – real proud.' She smiled, gritting her teeth thus.
Rachel, however, was overjoyed. 'Oh, my Lord,' she cried, 'oh, congratulations!' She wrapped Anne and Adam, in turn, in a hug so tight that it took many minutes for Rachel to finally draw away and look at the couple in sheer admiration. She had no way to express her supreme, irrepressible happiness. 'You must let me help plan the wedding, Anne. I will not allow you to leave me out of the preparations!' She hugged them both again.
Anne laughed a warm, deep laugh. 'Of course, Rachel,' she said, patting the woman's time-creased fingers. 'And you too, Marilla.'
Marilla smiled slightly, continuing her cross-stitch. 'I'd like to.'
* * *
Anne waited until the following day to break the news to Diana, though she was aching to let forth her news that night. Adam had convinced her to remain patient.
'Darling,' he said, 'Diana won't run away. Not like Gilbert.' Immediately as he spoke, he cursed himself for bringing up Gilbert Blythe's name, both for his purposes and Anne's reasons. Anne still became rather upset sometimes if the subject slipped into a conversation in which Anne was involved. And Adam was still slightly sour over their evidently close relationship.
Anne turned quiet. 'I know,' she said, the smile dissolving from her face. 'I'm going to bed now, sweetheart.' She yawned. 'I'm so tired. I'll see you in the morning.'
She hurried up the stairs and immediately stepped into bed. Now, after so many weeks of wiping the thought of Gilbert from her mind, somebody had carelessly slipped his name back into her thoughts, and stirred her soul from its peaceful slumber.
Diana was shocked when Anne told her she was marrying Adam Lynde the following morning.
'But – Anne – you're marrying…Adam?' she asked in astonished disbelief.
The smile on Anne's face faltered slightly. 'Aren't you happy for me, Diana?'
Diana hugged her friend. 'Oh, of course I am, darling. It's just…well…I always thought that you and Adam…well…' She fished for the right words that wouldn't offend Anne. 'I never thought it was…that serious. That he was just a passing beau. That's all. I'm sorry.'
Anne shook her head. 'Don't be,' she said. 'I can understand if you feel that way. I feel so happy, and yet I'm unsure. Am I doing the right thing?' She stared helplessly at Diana.
Diana knew that Anne was most certainly doing the wrong thing, but did not want to say anything of it. She knew she was still fragile and quite prone to tears, owing to Gilbert's sudden departure. 'Of course you are, Anne,' she said, slipping a reassuring arm around her shoulders. She made the decision to change the subject. 'Have you chosen a date yet? I simply must help with the wedding, I insist on that!'
Anne laughed, pulling herself from Diana's arms. 'We think it may be best to have it fairly soon, so we've settled for three weeks from Saturday. Is that soon enough to satisfy you, my dear Lady Diana?'
Diana curtsied in an aristocratic manner. 'My beloved Anne, I would be simply delighted.'
'In that case,' Anne said, with a twinkle of mischief in her eye, 'you are to be my, and mine only, wedding planner extraordinaire.'
Diana thrilled to the idea. 'Naturally. The Lady of Shalott must always have the professionals at hand.'
Anne and Adam did not rush to share the news of their engagement with Rachel and Marilla; rather, they lingered at Barry's pond well and truly until dusk, talking and laughing together, Anne in glowing joy over her new ring, which she placed proudly on her ring finger.
Finally, she thought with a sigh of satisfaction. I'm engaged, and getting married.
Even the most romantic of hearts might fail to understand Anne's happiness; though she loved Adam dearly, she still felt nervous that she was binding herself to another person, a man, for the rest of her life - and at that, one whom she knew so little about. Her confusion was indescribable; however, one look into the eyes of Adam Lynde, and all of her doubts were washed away in a haze of infatuation.
Green Gables was basked in a glow of evening light as they made their way to the porch, where Rachel and Marilla were seated, in a comfortable silence, enjoying the evening and fragrant blossom of autumn.
Adam was clutching Anne's hand as though he would never let go. In his eyes, Anne was the most important thing to him in the world, and he did not dare let her go. He felt for her in a way he had never felt for another human being before. The feeling was so remarkable, in fact, that it almost scared him.
Marilla had grown accustomed to their romance, however had never really fully approved of it. Oh, of course, she agreed like everybody else in Avonlea that Adam was charming, polite and enchantingly handsome. But the fact remained that Anne – her own Anne – was the girl, the object, of his affections. She didn't truly believe it was an appropriate pairing. She liked Adam, yet was uncomfortable with him. He was wonderful, yet she was cautious.
On the other hand, Rachel was beside herself with pleasure over their union; she thought it high time that her little Adam found a lady, and the one perfectly suitable, she believed, was Anne.
On this particular evening, Rachel glanced up from her lap and caught sight of the pair strolling blissfully together toward the house. She grinned a grin of supreme satisfaction, and yes, she admitted, smugness. 'You two take a long time,' she called to them. 'You're 'nature minglers', that's what!' She squinted, and saw that Adam was beaming radiantly.
'Why, Anne,' Marilla said, more quietly and with a notable air of self-composure. 'You've been out awhile.'
Anne laughed and sat down beside her. 'Yes,' she said. 'We were drinking in The Lake of Shining Waters. I could almost feel the magic swimming through the water and among the trees. It's such a delicious evening, isn't it, Marilla?'
Marilla laughed in spite of herself. 'You certainly have a tongue of your own, my girl,' she spoke.
Anne smiled.
'So, what's new in Avonlea – surely you've picked up on some of the gossip on your way about? No doubt Tilly Boulter has had something to say about the George Hewitt scandal.' Marilla pulled another thread through her cross-stitch pattern, sighed, and turned it over to secure the knot a little more tightly.
Adam glanced at Anne, and clasped her hand as Anne knelt down in front of Marilla. All of the youth that had always sparkled so in Anne's eyes still remained, Marilla noted, and that irreplaceable beauty was still evident in her smile and complexion. Anne had gotten her wish, she considered at that moment. She had become beautiful when she was grown up.
Anne took a deep breath. 'Well, Marilla, we do have some gossip,' she said, a smile spreading across her face. 'Marilla, Rachel – Adam and I are getting married.'
Marilla gasped in horror, but quickly disguised her reaction with a cough and a smile. 'Congratulations,' she said, swallowing the words she so wanted to say aloud. 'Adam, you must be – real proud.' She smiled, gritting her teeth thus.
Rachel, however, was overjoyed. 'Oh, my Lord,' she cried, 'oh, congratulations!' She wrapped Anne and Adam, in turn, in a hug so tight that it took many minutes for Rachel to finally draw away and look at the couple in sheer admiration. She had no way to express her supreme, irrepressible happiness. 'You must let me help plan the wedding, Anne. I will not allow you to leave me out of the preparations!' She hugged them both again.
Anne laughed a warm, deep laugh. 'Of course, Rachel,' she said, patting the woman's time-creased fingers. 'And you too, Marilla.'
Marilla smiled slightly, continuing her cross-stitch. 'I'd like to.'
* * *
Anne waited until the following day to break the news to Diana, though she was aching to let forth her news that night. Adam had convinced her to remain patient.
'Darling,' he said, 'Diana won't run away. Not like Gilbert.' Immediately as he spoke, he cursed himself for bringing up Gilbert Blythe's name, both for his purposes and Anne's reasons. Anne still became rather upset sometimes if the subject slipped into a conversation in which Anne was involved. And Adam was still slightly sour over their evidently close relationship.
Anne turned quiet. 'I know,' she said, the smile dissolving from her face. 'I'm going to bed now, sweetheart.' She yawned. 'I'm so tired. I'll see you in the morning.'
She hurried up the stairs and immediately stepped into bed. Now, after so many weeks of wiping the thought of Gilbert from her mind, somebody had carelessly slipped his name back into her thoughts, and stirred her soul from its peaceful slumber.
Diana was shocked when Anne told her she was marrying Adam Lynde the following morning.
'But – Anne – you're marrying…Adam?' she asked in astonished disbelief.
The smile on Anne's face faltered slightly. 'Aren't you happy for me, Diana?'
Diana hugged her friend. 'Oh, of course I am, darling. It's just…well…I always thought that you and Adam…well…' She fished for the right words that wouldn't offend Anne. 'I never thought it was…that serious. That he was just a passing beau. That's all. I'm sorry.'
Anne shook her head. 'Don't be,' she said. 'I can understand if you feel that way. I feel so happy, and yet I'm unsure. Am I doing the right thing?' She stared helplessly at Diana.
Diana knew that Anne was most certainly doing the wrong thing, but did not want to say anything of it. She knew she was still fragile and quite prone to tears, owing to Gilbert's sudden departure. 'Of course you are, Anne,' she said, slipping a reassuring arm around her shoulders. She made the decision to change the subject. 'Have you chosen a date yet? I simply must help with the wedding, I insist on that!'
Anne laughed, pulling herself from Diana's arms. 'We think it may be best to have it fairly soon, so we've settled for three weeks from Saturday. Is that soon enough to satisfy you, my dear Lady Diana?'
Diana curtsied in an aristocratic manner. 'My beloved Anne, I would be simply delighted.'
'In that case,' Anne said, with a twinkle of mischief in her eye, 'you are to be my, and mine only, wedding planner extraordinaire.'
Diana thrilled to the idea. 'Naturally. The Lady of Shalott must always have the professionals at hand.'