Anne Shirley checked her watch. It was 5:58pm, just around the time when Ms. Stacey was set to arrive to pick her up for dinner. Anne looked at herself in the mirror one final time and made a few final fixes to her hair, which was styled into a loose updo with several locks hanging down, framing her face. She knew that Gilbert particularly liked her hair in such a fashion, though she managed to convince herself that Gilbert had nothing to do with the way she had chosen to style her hair. After adjusting her string of pearls until they laid just right on her neck, Anne grabbed her shawl and walked out of the door into the hallway to find Ms. Stacey.
"Why, Anne, I was just coming for you. Don't you look enchanting tonight!" Ms. Stacey said.
Anne flashed a smile at Ms. Stacey's complement. "Where is Gilbert? Is he still joining us this evening?" Anne asked as innocently and indifferently as possible.
"Yes, of course. I told him to meet us in the foyer at six o'clock sharp," Ms. Stacey replied as the two walked downstairs and into the entryway. "We've done all of our corresponding by letter, though. But, knowing Gilbert, I'm sure he'll be right on time." Sure enough, Gilbert was waiting, standing casually and daydreaming about what he would like to happen that evening.
"Gilbert!" Ms. Stacey yelled delightfully, interrupting his thoughts. "My, how much you have grown up!" She complemented while shaking his hand. Gilbert greeted Ms. Stacey pleasurably, though his eyes remained on Anne.
"Hello, Gil," Anne said as she smiled up at him. The pair stared at one another for several seconds, zoning out on the realities of the world an in on each other.
Ms. Stacey picked up on the exchange between Gilbert and Anne and grinned. Though she had never told anyone, she believed that Gilbert and Anne were destined to be together and would make a fine couple. After several seconds, she asked, "shall we head on our way?" She continued to smile playfully at the couple, though she hated to interrupt their subtle romantic gestures.
"Yes, yes, of course," Anne clarified, clearing her throat. Had she been staring at Gilbert Blythe? In front of Ms. Stacey, of all people? Anne suddenly became rapidly embarrassed regarding the situation and shot Gilbert a nasty glare, as if telling him, "why would you let me look at you like that in public?". Gilbert chuckled, extremely excited about the progress being made with Anne. So far, she had ran up to him and hugged him, seemed concerned about his being with Christine, and stared at him. However, he knew better than to get his hopes up prematurely. She was probably just excited to see him in a friendship way, not in a romantic way.
The trio then walked out of the boardinghouse to find the carriage driver patiently waiting for them. "The Pringle Hotel, please," Ms. Stacey informed the driver as she climbed into the carriage first, purposefully setting Gilbert and Anne up to sit next to one another.
"So, Gilbert, how was your first year of medical school?" Ms. Stacey said, beginning the conversation.
"Quite well. Dalhousie is quite different than Queens, but I managed to adjust fairly well."
"Yes. You and Anne are the two brightest pupils that I have ever encountered in my history of teaching," Ms. Stacey pointed out. "I am sure that the board of trustees will be equally as pleased with your performance, Gilbert."
"Well, one can only hope to do as well as Anne does," Gilbert stated, smirking at his statement. Anne blushed at his comment, evidently embarrassed by his flirtatious manners.
"Yes Gilbert, Anne has done a splendid job so far this school year. I suppose she told you about her book?" Ms. Stacey was aware that Anne and Gilbert had not been in contact with one another frequently and that Gilbert would not likely know of Anne's book, but she couldn't help posing the question to see what would arise of it.
"Your book?" Gilbert repeated, looking at Anne amusingly. "Anne, you wrote a book?" Gilbert's tone of voice made it seem that he doubted Anne's capabilities of writing, though he really was quite excited at her accomplishment. He simply could not resist teasing her and provoking an argument.
"I most certainly did write a book, Mr. Blythe." Anne held her head high with her chin pointed, putting on an air of superiority, which had sort of become a habit around Gilbert.
"Well, I'd be honored if I could have the pleasure of reading it, Anne," Gilbert suggested, as he desperately wanted to know what, and more importantly whom Anne had written about.
"Gilbert Blythe, I wouldn't let you lay a finger on my book, let alone read it. And after your critique of Avril's Atonement, I will never, ever trust you again to read some of my stories," Anne said teasingly, bringing up past situations that both she and Gilbert wished they could forget.
Gilbert desperately wanted to find out more about this book of hers, but decided that he would not likely receive any more information about it from Anne. He made a mental note to himself to ask Ms. Stacey about her writing later, when she wasn't around. Changing the subject, Gilbert asked, "So, Ms. Stacey, what are the details of Kingsport Ladies College, anyway? I'm afraid that I didn't do much research before applying for the position," Gilbert admitted.
"Hm, where to begin? There are fifty girls in the institution, and fifteen of them are boarders. Each and every one of the day students is a Pringle or half-Pringle. The only non-Pringles are some of the boarders, though there are only seven, which makes forty-three of the students Pringles."
"Only seven non-Pringles? When you said many Pringles attended the school, I expected that you meant five, not forty-three! How are there so many people from the same line of heritage who all live in one town?"
"Anne was just as surprised as you are about this, Gilbert. But I'm sure that you will benefit well from the challenge of dealing with the Pringle clan. It may be frustrating, but as Anne can likely attest to, it is quite fun to mock the Pringle's reactions to anything determined by a non-Pringle."
"I don't know how on earth you've survived here, Anne," Gilbert said with a chuckle.
"Well, I must say that my temper and stubbornness have actually proved to be valuable in this particular circumstance," Anne replied.
Gilbert and Ms. Stacey laughed as they pulled up to the Pringle Hotel, which was a fancy stone building with ivy growing up the side of the walls on the exterior and a brick driveway winding up to the inn's main entrance. The hotel was primarily a place for visitors and tourists to stay, though it also had a restaurant that was well known for its fine cuisine and delectable dishes.
The carriage driver dropped Anne, Ms. Stacey, and Gilbert off at the main entrance of the building, and they went inside. The threesome was seated in a large room with magnificently tall windows that looked out onto the sea, as well as tinkling crystal chandeliers and fanciful decorations.
"I have never been in the Pringle Hotel before, Ms. Stacey, and it is absolutely exquisite and grand beyond measure. However, I shouldn't be too surprised, considering that it is run by Pringles," Anne commented.
"Yes, you can expect anything of the Pringles to be expensive and materialistic," Ms. Stacey joked.
"Are the Pringles really as horrible as you two claim them to be?" Gilbert inquired.
"Don't worry, Gilbert. You'll find out soon enough!" Ms. Stacey chuckled.
After a few minutes of waiting, the waitress, who was very pretty with 'nut brown hair' and brown eyes made her way over to their table. She wore an apron with the name 'Pringle' embroidered on it in a cursive font. "Good evening. My name is Clara Pringle. What would you like to order tonight?" Though Clara Pringle was hypothetically addressing Gilbert, Anne, and Ms. Stacey, she kept her eyes focused on Gilbert- a gesture that did not go unnoticed to Anne.
"I would like the pot pie, please," Anne said, which forced the waitress to look at her instead of Gilbert. As Anne's anger grew, her eyes looked as if they were popping out of her head and her posture became overly-formal.
"I'll have the same thing as her," Gilbert thoughtlessly decided, not making eye contact with the annoying Clara-girl. Though he kept a straight face, he was secretly glowing with happiness on the inside for the jealousness that Anne was presenting in the situation.
"Oh, I'm sure you will like the pot pie, sir. In fact, I prepare them myself. In fact, you should come tomorrow and watch me make them; I would be a very talented homemaker, or so the other Pringles say," Clara said, smiling slyly. She had attempted to play the particular trick on many men before in order to lure them in.
"I will have the potato salad, please," Ms. Stacey proclaimed, saving Gilbert from having to respond to the girl's obvious flirting.
"Hmph. Your food will be prepared soon," Clara said with a hint of rudeness in her tone as she turned away superiorly, not used to being turned down by such handsome boys.
After Clara left, Anne giggled, "Well Gilbert, you now have an idea of what the Pringles are really like!"
Author's Note: Sorry that I'm not getting chapters on as quickly as I'd like to. I have three tests next week on the same day, and I have applications for honors/AP classes due in a few days, too. Next weekend I should have lots of time to post more chapters, though, as it is *supposedly* a no-homework weekend! :)