Chapter 13 - The Unknown is a Bearer of Anguish

That Sunday, Anne and Diana had gone to visit Josephine Barry and Cole Mackenzie. It had been two weeks since her very short experience with the Queens College newspaper.

The friends were sitting in the small salon, and were having tea that afternoon, the young redhead had expressed her dismay at the stupidity and closed-mindedness of some people, "This world is changing far too slowly..."

Aunt Josephine, reassured the young lady, "Well, at least he's moving on anyway, quite frankly I don't see what more we can do for your friend, I'm afraid that's beyond us, everyone seems to be convinced of the good that these schools do, and I have every confidence in your judgment, Anne."

Anne's eyes were watery, "It's just... I hate not having any power, I hate fate. Then what? Ka'kwet's parents won't be able to see their daughter until they decide she's served her time at the boarding school?!"

The old woman looked at the redhead with a sorry look on her face, "I'm afraid so..."

Diana decided to change the subject, to get back in the right mood, "So Cole, are you ready for your first show tonight? You must be so nervous!"

The young boy did indeed look worried, "You can't imagine how much my dear Diana! But you'll be there to encourage me, so I'm reassured!"

A little later, they were on their way to Cole's exhibition, the four of them sitting in the carriage, when Aunt Josephine reminded the young artist of one thing, "I can't wait for you to discover the exhibitions in Paris, your eyes are not ready for it my dear Cole!", she said with a smile.

This information made Anne react, "What do you mean?! Are you going to Paris?! You must be so excited, Cole!", the young blond boy replied most naively, "What do you mean? Diana still hasn't told you anything?"

The redhead stammered, "What do you mean? Tell me what? Diana?", her friend who had been discreet from the beginning of the journey decided to finally play fair with her, she took her hand, "Well... I'm going to Paris too..."

Her young friend seemed to be happy for her, "But that's wonderful! Why didn't you tell me!", the brunette shook her hand a little more, "I'm staying in Paris for one term, that was the condition for me to be able to study here."

All of a sudden Anne had a blank stare, "Oh... I-I see...", Diana tried to apologize in a thousand ways, "I'm so sorry, Anne, I know you were so looking forward to spending the year together, and I'm even more devastated to leave you here alone, knowing that the girls haven't been the nicest to you lately."

Then the young redhead's gaze turned to Aunt Josephine and Cole, "Are you also going away for a trimester?", they exchanged glances and finally nodded their heads, "Then you'll all be in Paris, and I'll be alone in Charlottetown all that time..." All three of them took a sorry look, and all put one hand in the poor redhead's lap.

They had all finally arrived at the gallery, Anne's eyes were filled with wonder to see her friend's creations, there were many portraits in sculpture, figures that seemed to make graceful movements, "Oh Cole it's beautiful! It's not for nothing that you're my kindred spirit!"

Diana came rushing in, she seemed out of breath, "Cole! You'll never guess! There's a man who just acquired five of your works !"

The young artist was very happy to hear the news, "Pinch me!", which the redhead did without delay. He then left to meet his first buyer.

Aunt Josephine, who attended the scene, was serene, "I am so proud..."

Later that evening, Anne and Diana were in their room at the Blackmore Manor, the young redhead was brushing her hair in front of the mirror, she seemed worried, her friend noticed, "You know, during this term when I'll be in Paris, maybe you could take the opportunity to see Gilbert?"

She glanced at her friend, "Oh Diana, I barely have enough money to make two round trips to Avonlea, so go to Toronto...", the brunette pulled out an envelope from her bedside table drawer, "Well, Aunt Josephine and my parents and I decided to give you this for your birthday." she handed her present.

She was confused, "But my birthday's in a few months, and you'll be at-" her friend nodded, "I know, that's why we thought. If you need someone when I'm not there to support you, seeing Gilbert could do you a world of good."

Anne had lost her words, "Well I... Thank you, Diana! I don't know how to thank you and the others. But I'll make good use of it!" She hugged her.

Suddenly his friend wanted to ask him a delicate question, "Um, this may be none of my business, but Gilbert still hasn't answered your letter?", the freckled girl looked a little worried, "Well... No. I'm afraid I said something wrong in my letter... If I'd said anything stupid again... I think I express myself better in writing... unless I talk the way I write...? Oh no... that would be even worse. Do you think he wouldn't have received my first letter in ages? And to think I sent my reply yesterday... Do you think I should have waited?! Oh no Diana, I don't know how to deal with it when you have a... But at the same time I can't stand all his archaic rules, and I think Gilbert hates it too. He doesn't care who has to write first, or any other convenience..."

The brunette laughed at her friend's lengthy questioning, "Otherwise, I think the word you were looking for is 'fiance'. I would say that either he is looking for his words, or his studies are too time-consuming, or he never received your letter, but I don't believe in the latter possibility. Anne...?", she saw her friend who was as if frozen.

All of a sudden, the young redhead let go as if in a breath, "Fiance...?", she began to get anxious, "You don't think he's going to...? And then with what happened with Winn..? He won't do it now, she was a woman, and I'm still..."

Diana felt terribly sorry to have brought up this subject, "Oh Anne! Forget what I just said! And I'm sure her answer will come soon."

Anne got up from her chair, and started saying, "God, I look like Ruby, I don't want to be one of those girls who only thinks about getting a letter from her loved one, I should only think about school and scholarship too, so I won't write to Gilbert until he does."

Her best friend was stumped, "Um... Ruby could've said that last sentence as well."

The redhead looked at her friend with an evil eye, "You know you're not helping me at all right now, Diana."

The two young women went to bed after this very heated conversation, and that evening Anne had a hard time getting to sleep.