23

For all the valley was a loveable old place filled with secret glades and shady spots, it was also a bit of a thoroughfare between Ingleside and the Manse. Ken wanted nothing more than to abandon himself to the teasing game Rilla was playing by brushing his face with some grass, and later when she loosened it, her hair. But her previous qualms were chiming in his head now: someone might see.

Rilla did not need much convincing; she was a loyal sister and knew Nan might possibly need her. And if she didn't (which was just that smidgeon more possible since Nan had a twin) then she and Ken could always make use of his cottage.

They walked back to Ingleside and found Bruce fighting back tears because he had broken the bowl. The right one too, and everyone at the Manse was already in a mood.

Rilla hugged the boy to her, he even let himself be hugged, while Ken stood there watching with a lump in his throat. Anne appeared with the last slice of Teddy's birthday cake. She had raised three boys and she knew how they worked. Bruce wolfed it down before taking Anne's hand and followed her inside for a tall glass of cold milk.

"How old would Jims be now?" Ken asked Rilla.

"A darling and very scattershot four."

"And they're on holiday, you say? The Andersons."

"Mmm, yes, they had a bit of a windfall a while back and are spending a whole month at Dalvay-by-the-sea. Why do you ask?" She tilted her head and bit her lip, "you look like you're up to something."

"It's just that I remembered Uncle Leo has a truck."

Ken was about to explain further when Rilla's father came to the door. He was in his shirtsleeves and was wiping something off his hands like this was just another day, not one that had turned the cosy home of Ingleside into what felt like a haunted house.

"Ah Ken," Gilbert breezed, "I knew I'd nab you at some point. I've got a few minutes. Come in."

Ken shot a look at Rilla, Rilla gaped back at him.

"I'm not going to bite; I just want to take a look at your back. His gait is off, Rilla, you must have noticed," Gilbert went on – she could have sworn his eyes were twinkling – "I promise I won't steal him away for long."

It took longer than a few minutes though not too much longer, because Gilbert was already late for his rounds. He came out of the study first with his coat, hat and doctor's bag, and the twinkle had most definitely gone.

Ken was still buttoning up his shirt when he was leaving the study and rammed straight into Una. "Oh. Sorry, I… where's Rilla?"

"With Teddy and Bruce. I wanted to get in a quick word before you went out there because Rilla has got this idea in her head about going to Dalvay-on-sea."

"By-the-sea," said Ken, snapping his tie around his neck. "Don't you know it?"

"I told you I've never been anywhere."

"Rilla invited you there, I take it, and you don't want to go."

"I can't, I've got a thousand things that need my attention and never enough time as it is."

"Are these things more important than spending a day with your best chum? You could ask her about Redmond."

"It's not just me she invited, Ken. There's Bruce too, and the lance corporal. Rilla thought that as you had access to transport we could get there and back before it got dark."

Ken nodded. It looked like Rilla had managed the situation again by providing them all with a neat escape. With Bruce out of the Meredith's way and Willoughby out of the Blythes', perhaps a truce could be called between the two houses, or at least a negotiation.

A day at the seaside with the whole gang. Why not – it might even be good for her. Ken clapped his hands together and then clapped Una on the back.

"Get your swimming trunks, Miss Meredith, it looks like we're off for a swim."

Una shrugged his hand away and was looking very stern, "I'm very sorry, but we're not. I am promised elsewhere, I wasn't making it up - look, will you put your shirt on properly? This is not the cottage, we're in someone else's house."

"But if I go to the trouble of buttoning it, it will only be unbuttoned again."

He was going to wink next, but Una's deadpan face put a stop to that.

"Just because we're friends, Ken, it doesn't mean I'm no longer a girl. Tell that to Teddy if you've got to."

Ken Ford looked suitably chastened, because deep down he actually was. Anyone would think he was trying to impress her - and then he accidentally did.

He brushed by Una and a minute later Rilla came to the study door and gave a frustrated huff. A huff that seemed directed at Una and was squarely suggesting that she was the fly in all Rilla's ointment. Una with her good works, spoiling everyone's fun.

"We're not going to the beach today," said Rilla glumly, "Ken thought I should stick around and comfort Nan. He's gone to work on his report. And now Bruce is taking Teddy fishing."

"Oh!"

"So you did want to go - I was sure that you didn't, and I couldn't go off with Ken for the whole day just the two of us."

"That's true. You couldn't."

Una hadn't thought of that, she had never had to consider her own reputation; there had never been any need. Besides her brothers the only boy she had ever walked with was Walter, with Jem and Faith ever dawdling at the rear. If she had been caught red-handed with Ken's cigarette in her mouth last night, they would have blamed him. All this goodness she so carefully tended was starting to feel less good.

"Friday, we'll go on Friday, shall we, dearest? You, me, Bruce and Ken-'

"And Teddy, of course," Rilla nudged her.

"Of course," said Una, pretending she had no idea what that nudge meant.

...

see you tomorrow, love k.