Impatient that she had to wait, Anne sat through dinner and retired with Roy and his mother to the drawing room afterwards. "Now," he said, "do you want to know what I have for you?" Gazing up at him with expectant eyes, Anne nodded trying to maintain her composure. "Here you go," he said somewhat pompously as he plucked an envelope from his coat pocket and handed it over. Anne was trying, really, she was but it was all she could do not to rip the paper open. Roy rocked back on his heels watching her expectantly, his arms crossed. Out fell two pieces of paper, Anne read them intently, "Shakespeare," she whispered glancing up at him. "A Midsummer's Night's Dream, oh darling." She clasped the tickets to her chest. "Shakespeare, it's always been my heart's desire." She recited:

I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine:
There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,
Lulled in these flowers with dances and delight.*

"Roy, darlingest one, this is simply delicious."

Mrs Gardner sniffed, "hm, waste of money if you ask me."

Their night when it finally arrived was more splendid than any Anne had previously enjoyed. Better even than any Aunt Jo had invited she and Diana to. The theatre was a grand old building in the old style. Gazing up at the edifice from the comfort of the carriage Anne felt quite overwhelmed. But with Roy on her arm, she confidently strode into up the steps and into the foyer. All of Kingsport it seemed were there and Roy greeted many, proudly introducing his new wife. When the bells chimed, they made their way into the auditorium, Roy showing their tickets to the attendant who led them to the side. "Oh Roy," Anne turned to him. "A box."

"Naturally, darling. Nothing but the best for my beautiful bride."

There followed the most magical two hours. Fairies and sprites, hoodwinking and being hoodwinked. Anne laughed uproariously when the mechanicals put on their 'play'. Their terrible acting so delightfully awful to watch. She fell in love with Puck, naturally, and wished he could manage her life for her. In the pause after his last soliloquy, she sighed and leant into Roy's side before rising with the rest to give a standing ovation.

"What did you think?" Roy asked her on their drive home.

"I could watch it again and again. I don't think I could ever grow tired of it. Thank you darling, I don't think my life will ever be the same."

Roy had to hand it to her, Anne could deliver a compliment like no one else he'd ever met. "Do you want to go straight home, or...? He asked her. Still full of magic Anne shook her head. Roy knocked on the ceiling and directed the driver to a place he knew.

"It's a lovely play isn't it. I thought you'd enjoy it."

Anne sipped her nightcap. Roy had ordered sherry, and she liked the way it warmed her on the way down. She leaned back on the sofa, other couples could be heard murmuring around them, and one party were rather raucous.

"It's magical," she smiled. "Oftentimes people have chided me for using that word, but in this case, I believe it's absolutely perfect."

After her late night, Anne felt entitled to a quiet morning. Mother Gardner had organised for them to go out, but Anne couldn't bear the thought. Instead of rising she rolled over and pulled up her covers.

"Anne lay back in her bed luxuriating. Marilla wouldn't approve, she thought, but a day relaxing isn't the worst idea and honestly, I don't think I can take another morning of polite small talk with Mother Gardner's ladies. A gentle knock interrupted her reverie, "yes," she called.

"Begging your pardon Madam," Nancy said entering. "The mail came and there's one for you."

Anne shuffled up her pillows and held her hand out. It had been a long while since anyone had written. "It's probably from my mother," she said. But by the feel of it, it wasn't. Marilla always used the same note paper, and this was thinner, cheaper. Reaching for her paper knife Anne slit the envelope and read:

Anne honey, it's been ages. I'm real sorry I haven't written I've been so busy with Jonas. He does such good work with the poor and has me come along, not that there's much I can do, but I sit with them and hold their hand. I've finally learnt how to brew tea so if all I do is bring them a cup and listen to their woes, I guess that's not too bad. Jonas, of course is wonderful. Now he really does make a difference. He gets things organized around them; he calls it wrapping them up in a big blanket. I like that analogy don't you, sounds so warm and comfy which is no bad thing on a cold night, I can tell you.

Anyways after a long day helping, I can us make a simple dinner, I promise my cooking is also improving, not that that says much, I guess. But I hardly ever burn meals now, and that's got to be an improvement. Of course, maybe Jonas may just be being polite but it's not too bad. We eat fine enough. Nothing like what you're dining off, I dare say, but we live quite a different life these days.

How's life with Roy? Are you simply loving married life? I think back on those days at Aunt Jimsie's place with such affection. We worked hard but we had a lovely time, didn't we.

Speaking of which, I haven'theard fromyousince your wedding.I admit I've spoken with Stella and Pris and they haven't heard from you either. We're just a little bit worried, Anne. I do hope nothing's amiss, write as soon as you can and put us out of our misery.

I miss you so much honey.

Your loving friend Phil

The letter fluttered to Anne's lap as she took in the last paragraph. The girls were worried about her, it sounded as though they had all been writing, but she hadn't received anything. They obviously had her address, so what had happened?

She rang the bell and shortly after Nancy appeared. "Nancy, um," this had to be handled delicately. "What do you normally do with the mail?"

"Oh, ordinarily I give it to Mrs Gardner, senior. She directed me to hand it all over to her, she said she'll take care of it after that. I hope I did right, I suppose I should have put it in her room like usual, only I thought you might like yours," she said pointing. "Since you were feeling poorly and all."

Anne smiled to put Nancy at ease. "No, that's fine Nancy, that was a lovely thought. Um," she added. "Does Mrs Gardner lock her bedroom?"

"She does. I don't know why, but of course I have a key, I need to clean in there shortly."

"I think I may have left something in there yesterday, do you mind if I come in with you?"

"Of course not, Mrs Gardner." Nancy wasn't sure about this, but she could hardly refuse one of her employers, plus she liked Anne.

Pulling her dressing gown around her and hastily putting her hair up, Anne followed Nancy across the hall and waited a touch impatiently as she unlocked the door. "I won't be long," Anne told Nancy. "I'll fetch you when I'm finished." Nancy stood outside the door for a moment wondering how Anne had cut her out but turned and went away. She had plenty of chores to attend to in the meanwhile and after all it was Anne's house, it wasn't as though she was breaking in. Anne for her part gave Nancy not a moment's extra thought.

With all the time in the world, Anne looked carefully around the room, her gaze stopping at the writing desk. She tried to open it – locked. Casting her memory back to orphanage cupboards she searched around for a hat pin. Utilising those old forgotten skills she poked the pin within the lock, sensing rather than hearing the little click. Then it was just a matter of wriggling the drawer rather roughly and it came away in her hand. Within she found a neat bundle of letters tied with a string, all addressed to Mrs Anne Gardner.

Ripping envelopes, she frantically read snatches in familiar handwriting.

You alright?

Worried.

Hope I haven't offended

Roy

Married

Stella says

Jealous

Jimsie

Quite well honey?

Settling down she slowly read each one. Pris, Stella, Diana, Phil, Jane in Winnipeg, even Aunt Jimsie had written. Each had asked repeatedly if she was alright with increasing concern lacing their words. Anne slid down to the floor and sat surrounded by damp paper as her tears fell but slowly her mood shifted. By the time she heard the front door open all she was aware of was cold anger. It was an uncomfortable feeling, but it was there and would not be gainsaid.

"Oh!" said Mother Gardner taking in the spectacle before her.

"Bitch!" spat Anne, any respect she had ever tried to summon for her mother-in-law completely dissipated. Marilla would not have approved of her choice of words, but Anne was beyond caring.

"Anne!"

"Just why, tell me that at least?"

"It was for the best, you needed to move on, you."

"You kept them from me, isolated me."

"I."

"Leave. Now."

Blindsided Mrs Gardner spluttered, "b but."

Feeling much as she did when Rachel Lynde had criticized her, the first time they met, Anne was resolute. "Leave."

"Fool of a girl."

Anne merely repeated her order.

"Where am I to go? This is my home."

"Not anymore, you've lost that right."

"Wait til Roy hears about this."

"Roy is my husband. He will do as I wish."

Mrs Gardner's eyes narrowed but she stood her ground. "I said leave." Anne reiterated. "We will send your things on."

Listening to the familiar click of Mother Gardner's shoes fading into the background and then the silence as the front door opened and closed, Anne finally had the chance to take a deep breath. Now to clean the room and herself up before Roy got home.

Taking the stairs two at a time Roy called out, he found Anne in their bedroom and asked. "Where's Mother?"

"Your mother is no longer residing here," Anne replied, her tone quietly confident.

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"She has been deceiving me. I will no longer live with her."

"Anne?"

"She kept my letters from me. I thought my friends had deserted me because they were unhappy with the way I treated them at our wedding. Turns out they've been increasingly concerned because I'd been ignoring them. Only I hadn't, had I. She's kept all my correspondence locked in her dressing table. I only found out because Nancy didn't know what she was up to and gave me today's mail."

"But how?"

"How do I know about the rest of them? I broke into your mother's room and found them. Loads of them, Roy, all chatting about their life, querying mine and wondering, over time why I hadn't replied. But it's not that I was rude, it's that I was ignorant. And your mother was there in the background orchestrating it, isolating me, then downgrading me every chance she got."

"That's not like Mother, she."

"I'm sorry Roy, I love you, but that's exactly like your mother. I know she gave birth to you, but she is not a nice woman. We can no longer live under the same roof. This is our home, I threw her out."

"Now just wait a minute. This is my house and I."

"Oh, your house is it, not my home?"

"Don't twist my words, Anne."

"Roy, you said it. Now is this your house or my home?"

Glaring at her, Roy was silent unwilling to accept he was beat. Softening Anne drew him to her. "What you have to understand about me is that I've been lonely in the past. I was an orphan."

"Yes, you told me before."

"I know, but I don't think you truly understand what that entails. I had no one just for me. Oh, those ladies brought me up, fed and clothed me, but not much more and by the time I was able I was put to work. I never had much of a childhood. But the worst of it was the loneliness." Her voiced dropped, "I even invented friendships you know, better an imaginary friend than none at all." She sighed. "I know about loneliness, isolation. I've worked hard since then to grow my own family."

"You have Marilla."

"I do, and she is dearer to me than anyone, maybe even you, though of course it is a mother's love, not a husband's." She patted him on the arm. "But a girl needs friends. Your mother tried too hard to mould me into the person she wants me to be, some worthy wife, but that's not me. Never will be me. You fell in love with someone, Roy, with someone who spoke her own mind, who loved life, who made mistakes but laughed them off. I don't think your mother ever approved of me and in trying to mould me, she isolated me from the family I'd striven so hard to create. Sure, I can exist without them, but I can't live. Do you understand? I haven't been living these past few months, I've been existing.

If you want me to live, we must try again, on our own. Last night was almost the first time we'd been alone since our wedding, and I loved it. I don't think I truly understood just how dismal I felt until I was alone with you at the theatre. I loved the play, don't ever think I didn't, but the most wonderous part of the evening was just being – with you by my side." She lapsed into silence letting her emotions ease watching him take in the import of her words.

Roy said nothing, he had noticed, vaguely, that Anne had grown quieter since they had gotten married, but if he thought about it at all it was just that she was maturing and happy that they were together, which made her calmer.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I guess it never occurred to me. Us men are hopeless at seeing these things. So long as there are no fireworks, we assume everything's fine. You never said."

"I did try," she replied.

"Yes, well I suppose you did. I'm just not a very good listener. Mother always."

"I don't want to talk about your mother. Actually, I don't want to talk at all," she said reaching her lips up to his.

"Ah," Roy was happy to let lips do the talking. He led her to their room and kicked the door closed.