Reverend Samson Belle was a lucky man. Walt Blythe only suffered superficial bruises from Mr. Belle's assault. An hour after the altercation, Walt was happily sitting in the Ingleside kitchen, eating ice cream and being doted on by his mother, grandmother, and even Hope. The entire household was in an uproar. Jerry, who came back with everyone else from Avonlea and Gilbert, had to physically restrain Jem from finishing the job that Walter started.
As for Walter, as soon as he knew that Walt was going to be fine, he slipped away during all of the commotion. He was now aware that time was truly of the essence. He had to act soon or only death's wretched hand would be able to end the coming union.
The cool, damp evening air mingling with the humidity of the day caused a shallow fog to crawl along the damp ground of Rainbow Valley. Walter hurriedly marched to a certain birch-screened hollow in the lower corner near the marsh of Rainbow Valley. Something inside of him told him that what or rather whom he needed at that moment was there, hiding away from all the troubles outside.
Whether it was instinct or premonition, Walter was correct. There by the spring that Walter himself had once shared with him, against the curiously gnarled and twisted trunk of a maple tree, sat John Meredith. He was lost in the depths of a novel with only the sun's pink evening rays as his candle.
Walter cleared his throat loudly, hoping to gain the elder man's attention. It didn't work, so again Walter cleared his throat, also letting out a raspy cough.
Mr. Meredith serenely looked up, his black eyes not really here nor there for a moment. As Mr. Meredith was brought back from the land he had been visiting, he greeted his younger friend.
"Why hello there Walter; I see you've made it home safely."
Walter nodded. "I see you needed some fresh air. So did I. Is that a book of theology that you're reading?" he asked, pointing to the tome in Mr. Meredith's hand.
Mr. Meredith pointed to it as well, "This old thing? I could tell you it was Walter, but that would be a falsehood. In truth, it is but an old favorite of mine from my school days, David Copperfield. Have you ever read it?"
"Oh yes. Dickens and I became friends long, long ago. This is a favorite of my own as well. I like the feel of it much more than Great Expectations, which many compare it to."
"I have to agree with you there, Walter. I like the rather fairy tale-ishness of it. I find the cast of characters to be very well written. I believe that Agnes is my favorite, though."
"Oh really? How so?" Walter asked.
"Her unyielding love for David makes her the true heroine of the novel. She loved him unconditionally all through the book, but was never jealous or spiteful of his other affairs, not even when he married Dora. In the end, he realized that, and loved her all the more for it, but while he was blind to the love, she remained faithful."
Walter though a moment about what he was saying, then added, "She never showed it, though. For the longest time, even after David realized that he loved her, he believed that she held only sisterly feelings for him."
"Aha!" Mr. Meredith exclaimed, pointing his finger into the air. "To quote Miss Betsey Trotwood, he was 'blind!' I know a thing or two about that myself."
"Really?" Walter asked.
"Walter, you and I have always been what your mother calls, 'kindred sprits', have we not?"
"I believe so."
"Well, I'm going to share a something with you that I wouldn't share with just anyone else. I was once blind like David Copperfield, only I was blind to not only Rosemary's feelings, but also my own. You know that Rosemary turned me down when I first asked her to marry me?"
Walter laughed a little uncomfortably. "I believe there was talk of it, but never knew for certain."
"Oh, I'm sure there was talk. No doubt the town thought my unruly children drove her away."
"Something like that."
"Well, there was no truth to it. Rosemary turned me down in order to keep a vow she made to her sister, Ellen. It wasn't until she had to turn me down that she realized that she cared for me in a different way than she had cared for her first love who died. It wasn't until she turned me down that I realized that I loved her as much as I do. At first, I thought that I just admired her and enjoyed her company enough to marry her and give my children a mother. I thought that the romantic part of my life had died with Cecilia, and frankly didn't mind. When Rosemary said no, I finally saw that I loved her as deeply as I loved Cecilia; in a different way, but I loved her no less."
"Matters of the heart can be quite blinding, and devotion to promises and vows can cause great confusion." Walter admitted.
"Yes, Walter, I'm afraid so. I'm afraid right now, that Una's blind desire to be a wife and mother has blinded her as well. She can't see the good things in front of her because she longs so much for what others have. She was that way as a child too. She was always jealous of girls who had mothers. It wasn't evil, just natural.
I believe the war broke her heart. She never wanted much, and never let on to wanting anything. Then all she had ever dreamed of was stripped away. I should have let her know I noticed. I haven't been the inattentive father I was since Rosemary came into our lives. In a day's time, I saw all of the optimism in my younger daughter's heart fade away like the setting sun, and I was powerless to do anything about it. I tried to encourage her the best I could without letting on I knew that which she felt she couldn't divulge with anyone. Maybe I should have encouraged her to talk to me.
I thought that maybe her hope had been restored to her when she returned. As each day passed, she seemed more like the Una we knew before…" he stopped, but Walter finished.
"Before she believed that I died."
The two men who loved Una most in the world locked eyes, grey eyes staring into black ones. "You know?" Mr. Meredith asked.
"Finally, I do. I have Shirley to thank if this all turns out well."
"And you, Walter? Ho-how do you feel for my daughter?"
"I am in love with Una, Mr. Meredith. I too have been blinded by past love, and mistaken devotion for sisterly affection. I love her laugh. I love her smile. I love the way she skips when she thinks no one is watching her, and the elegant way the moonlight hugs her. I love the vast oceans of her eyes, and the onyx silkiness of her hair. I love her kindness. I love her heart. I love her devotion. I love the way she loves my children. I love that she harbors no ill will toward Katie."
Mr. Meredith jumped up and shouted, "Then go! Go tell her NOW! Tell her how what you've told me! I haven't known how to tell her that I cannot bless her union to that man, but now I don't have to!"
Walter started to run off to find Una, but turned around to ask the one question he desired to ask before he spoke with Una. "Then I have your blessing to ask Una to become my wife?"
John Meredith put his hands on Walter's shoulders and spoke each word earnestly, "Son," he smiled. "Son, you have my blessing, my prayers, and my hands pushing you off to find my daughter!" Then he literally pushed Walter away, and Walter ran off into the sunset.