Further Chronicles of Avonlea

but it DID worry me, and I frankly confess it, that I had never had a chance to be. Even Nancy, my old nurse

f anybody twitted Nancy on her single condition, she could point triumphantly to those two as evidence that "she could an she would." If I had n

eyed and red-haired, but it proves that it was not my appearance that put me out of the running. Neither was it the fact that I wrote poetry myself-although not of George Adoniram's kind-because nobody ever knew that. When I felt it coming on I shut myself up in my room and wrote it out in a little blank book I kept locked up. It is nearly full now, because I have been writing

sting that Adella Gilbert, across the road, who has a drunken husband, should pity "poor Charlotte" because nobody had ever wanted her. Poor Charlotte in

to cure her, because, after all, it's nice to have some one make a fuss over you. She brought me up my breakfast before I got up out of bed-a concession to my laziness that Nancy would scorn to make on any other day of the year. She had cooked everything I like best, and had decorated the tray with roses from the garden and ferns from the woods behind the house. I enjoyed every bit

My hair was brown and wavy, my cheeks were pink, and the lines could hardly be seen at all, though possibly that was because of the dim light. I always have my mirror

d of course I had to be quiet on those topics; and the young girls talked in corner groups about their beaux, and stopped it when I joined them, as if they felt sure that an old maid who had never had a beau couldn't understand at all. As for the other old maids, they

sonage repairs. The young girls were merrier and noisier than usual. Wilhelmina Mercer was there, and

e Cross and Georgie Hall were in a little group just before me. I wasn't li

I suppose she thinks we are awful

ich were climbing over Mary Gillespie's sill. I meant to inscribe them in the little blank book when I went h

beau, Miss Holmes?" sa

en over the room for a moment, and ever

deceit. It seemed to me that I simply could not say "No" to Wilhelmina before that whole roomful of women. It was TOO humiliating. I suppose all the prickles and sting

once, my dear,

topped sewing and stared at me. Most of them, I saw, didn't believ

im, Miss Holmes?" she coaxed,

ith a nasty little laugh. "Make her tell. We're all int

aught Mary Gillespie and Adella Gilbert exchanging significant smiles. That settled it, and made

ing about him, and it w

s name?" ask

ly in the blank book. As for the Fenwick part of it, I had a bit of newspaper in my hand, measuring a hem, with "

u meet him?"

ick. The only time I had ever been far enough away from Avonlea in my lif

that I had when I saw how they all took it in unsuspec

k like?" Susette

e respect dawning in those girls' eyes, and I knew that I had forever thrown off my reproach. Henceforth I should be a woman wit

and brilliant, piercing eyes. He had a splendid chi

he?" ask

d by an enlarged crayon portrait of Mary Gillespie's dec

marry him?" de

vexed Cecil by flirting with another man"-wasn't I coming on!-"and he was jealous and angry. He went out West and never c

I do so love sad love stories. But perhaps

. "He has forgotten all about me, I dare say

se girls would ask next. But I felt already a change in the mental atmosphere surrounding me, and all through supper I was thrilled with a secret ex

ight Nancy looked at m

girl to-night,

ame day. I had to have some outlet for my feelings. I called it "In Summer Days of Long Ago," and I worked Mary Gillespie'

to me of their little love affairs, and I became a sort of general confidant for them. It just warmed up the cockles of my heart, and I began to

to be punished for it sometime, somehow and somewhere. My punishment was delayed

y well off. Mr. Maxwell had bought the lumber mills, and they lived up at the old Spencer place which had always been "the" place of Avonlea. They lived quietly, a

arrived, and the minute I entered the room I knew something had happened, although I couldn't imagine what. Ev

have you seen him

-excitedly, getting out

He's here-in Avonle

Max

at they expected m

nd Josephine Cameron

d never be paler when

st known why I

sible!" I s

s development, as she supposed it, of my romance. "I

e-Cecil Fenwick," I

o say s

oh! so handsome, and just as you described him, except that his hair is quite gray. He has never married-I asked Mrs. Ma

re couldn't really be a Cecil Fenwick! My feelings were simply indescribable. Fortunately every one put my agitation down to quite a different cause, and they very kindly left me alone to recover myself. I shall neve

one of two things was bound to happen. He would hear the story I had told about him and deny it, and I would be held up to shame and derision for the rest of my natural life; or else he would simply go away in ignorance, and everybody would suppos

ery sure I didn't go, although Nancy thought I was crazy not to. Then every one else gave parties in honor of Mr. Fenwick and I was invited and never went. Wilhelmina Mercer came and pleaded and scolded and told m

rybody, young and old. He was very rich, too, and Wi

of his gray hair and quick temper-for Mrs. Maxwell says he has a pretty quick temper

use it is a waste of time and energy to oppose Nancy, but, of course, they didn't do me any good. My trouble was too deep-seated for pills to cure. If ever a woman was punished for telling a lie I was that woman. I stopped my subscription to

was moping in my r

an in the parlor a

rlo

just one hor

gentleman, Nan

Nancy, who didn't know anything about my imaginary escapades, "and he look

wn directly, Nancy,"

ght I'd probably need more than one. Then I hunted up an old Advocate for proof, and down I went to the parlor.

le habit of listening in the hall. Then my legs gave out completely, and I couldn't have walke

scowl on and looked angry clear through. He was very handsome, and his gray hair gave him such a distinguished

out of his eyes. He looked astonished, and then foolish. I saw the color creeping up into

nd it! I have called-I heard some foolish stories and I came here in a rage. I've been

ful enough, but not as dreadful as you might otherwise think. Those-those stories-I have a confessio

ok my hand and led me away from the door-to the knob of

nd talk it over '

ed me right. I told him how people were always twitting me for never having had a beau

a word, and then he threw back his

bout the love affair I had once had with some Charlotte Holmes here. She declared you had told her about it yourself. I confess I flamed up. I'm a peppery chap, and I thought-I thought-oh, confound it

t was very silly, too. But who would ever have supposed that there could be a r

cidedly. "It's predestination; that is what it is.

ch-so long that Nancy got restive and clumped through the hall every five minutes; but M

hat old quarrel, you kn

r. I couldn't even feel angry with Adella Gilbert. She was always a mischief maker, and when a woman is born that way she is more to be pitied tha

again-the very next

r that that even Nanc

her something. I shr

would make h

he house he brought trouble with him. Well, Miss Charlotte, I wish you happiness. I don't know

pect you to go away out there wit

canopy could you keep house without me? I'm not going to trust you to the mercies of a y

th Cecil. As for the blank book, I haven't told my husband about it yet,