The good ladies of Avonlea were gathered once again. Today they were sewing for the Church mission, and with the Minister's wife ill at home, tongues were wagging as fast as their needles in and out of linen.

"Is Marilla looking forward to Anne coming home?" Emily Sloane asked.

"Yes, indeed," said Mrs. Rachel Lynde. "The twins are mighty glad of it, too. Davy has been underfoot all week."

"Will she be coming home with a ring on?" Sara Boulter asked saucily.

Mrs. Lynde fixed her with a glare. "She's coming home a B.A., that's what."

"I hear Gilbert Blythe has gotten himself engaged," Emily said, as Sara settled back into her seat. "To a Miss Stuart."

"A fine family," Mary Andrews added. "My aunt knows them. It's a good match."

"Not at all like Anna Rogerson and Jack Bell. Did you ever hear the like?"

**

"Oh, Marilla, it is nice be home," Anne leaned over and inhaled the scent of the flowers resting on the windowsill. It didn't have the zing of life at Patty's Place, but everything was still so dear.

"I won't deny that we're glad to have you back," Marilla said, at the sink drying dishes.

"Won't you let me help, please, Marilla?" Anne asked.

"No, there's time enough," Marilla said. "I suppose you'll be wanting to go see Diana?"

"Oh, yes. I missed her at the station, but of course she couldn't come out. I'll head over for tea soon."

"It's a wonder Davy has let you out of his sight," Marilla said dryly. "It's all we've heard from him."

Anne laughed. "I promised him I would put him to bed again tonight, and every night this week. I'm looking forward to it. He's grown so. I won't have many more chances." She stood up. "I better get ready. I'll be home for supper." She kissed Marilla's leathery cheek on her way out, passing Rachel Lynde on her way in.

"Anne looks too thin and tired," Mrs. Lynde said, as the door closed behind Anne. "I didn't want to say so last night, but she looks almost as bad as Gilbert Blythe."

"You heard her, Rachel. They're all tired," Marilla said, setting down the last dried dish.

"They didn't eat well enough there," Mrs. Lynde said. "Gallivanting all over the place, entertaining, courting Mr. Gardner, doing lessons. She needs a summer of good food and quiet, that's what. It'll do her just right." She began to ready the tea table. "Mind you, I wonder that she doesn't regret turning down Mr. Gardner. Now I know, he's not an Islander, so it's probably for the best. But all the same, it has got to be weighing on her mind. Well, it's nothing that time and the Island air won't cure, I suppose."

**

The summer wore on. Mrs. Lynde was pleased to note that the color was returning to Anne's cheeks and put the reason square onto hers and Marilla's food and being back home on the Island, just as she had figured. Gilbert had not yet produced Miss Stuart and Mrs. Blythe was quiet on the whole matter, so the chatter amongst the ladies of Avonlea slowly quieted.

Then came September.

"You know I won't hold with that kind of talk, Janet MacPherson," Rachel Lynde said severely. "Anne is a good girl, that's what." She stabbed her section of the quilt.

"Oh, Rachel, no one is denying that she is," Rebecca Bell said. "We all like Anne. But you have to admit, this engagement came up real sudden. Especially since he had already proposed and she said no! Then for two years we heard talk about Anne and Mr. Gardner, and Gilbert and Miss Stuart were a sure thing at Redmond, they said. And now Anne and Gilbert come home and get engaged! I don't believe there was even a courtship."

There were murmurs of agreement around the circle.

"Those two were meant to be engaged and that's all there is to it," Mrs. Lynde said firmly.

**

"Anne! Oh, Anne, is it true?" Diana, holding baby Fred, greeted Anne breathlessly at the door.

Anne laughed, stepping into Diana's home. "There is no such thing as a secret in Avonlea, I suppose! Yes, dearest Diana, it's true. Gil and I are going to be married."

"Anne, I'm so happy for you that I could just burst!" She hugged Anne as tightly as she could with the baby in one arm. "When? When is everything? Oh, do come in and tell me all."

"Of course," Anne smiled, taking Fred into her own arms and following Diana into the kitchen. "It'll be three years yet, because Gilbert needs to finish his studies. I'm going to try and get a principal job in Summerside for the meanwhile. Miss Stacy wrote me about it." Anne cuddled young Fred and beamed at Diana as she sat. "Oh, Diana, I think words have finally failed me, I'm so happy."

"I did tell you so. I'm so glad it's Gil after all," Diana said, setting down the tea and plates and sitting across from Anne.

"I am, too," Anne confessed. "After Roy, I was certain I didn't want to be proposed to ever again. And then Gilbert...I was sure I had missed my chance. But here we are."

"It's simply Providential," Diana declared. "You fought it too long and fate had to step in. It's all so romantic, Anne!"

"It is," Anne said. "And here I thought I needed my dark eyed ideal for romance. What a fool I was. Roy was every bit my dark eyed ideal and look how that turned out."

A knock sounded from the open kitchen door.

"Oh, Minnie May!" Diana said, surprised. "I wasn't expecting you today."

"Mother needed to borrow some eggs," Minnie May said, barely sparing Anne a glance. "May I?"

"Of course," Diana said.

Minnie May gathered her eggs and departed quickly.

"When does Gil need to leave for school?" Diana asked. "We must have you to dinner, you and Gil together. Minnie May and Mother can take care of Fred for an evening."

"That's a wonderful idea! He leaves a week Saturday," Anne said, and they began discussing the menu.

**

"Minnie May Barry heard it straight from her mouth!" Gertie Pye said.

"Minnie May Barry has her head in the clouds," Julia Bell laughed.

"Just when you think you know a person!"

"It's the red hair. You can't trust someone with red hair," Josie Pye said smugly.

Prillie Andrews stepped over to the group of young women, a frown on her face. "Miss Shirley is a real nice lady and she has done nothing to any of you. You're all just being mean and jealous and spiteful," she said, and stormed out of the store.

"Well, have you ever?" Gertie exclaimed.

**

"Hello there, Mother," Gilbert said cheerfully, bending down to kiss his mother on the cheek. "How was your day?"

"Fine, fine," Mary Blythe said, distracted.

Gilbert sat across from her, with the newspaper. "When will Dad be home?"

"Oh, not until later," Mrs. Blythe said. "We'll have a late dinner. Gilbert, tell me. You like Anne, yes?"

Gilbert laughed. "Of course, Mother. I am not in the habit of proposing to ladies I don't like."

"And you trust her?" Mrs. Blythe pressed.

"Absolutely," Gilbert said. "Mother, what's going on?"

"There's been talk around town," Mrs. Blythe said. "Now you know I had always liked Anne, myself. Such a nice, cheerful girl, she was. But I haven't spoken with her in so long, that maybe she's changed."

"She hasn't," Gilbert said, simply. "And I don't hold with talk around town." He opened up his newspaper.

"Gilbert, I'm worried," his mother said frankly. "They're saying that you're her second choice, she's settling for you. That's not right, it shouldn't be like that. And you know that she wouldn't marry you before. You deserve better, dear."

"Mother, that's ridiculous," Gilbert said, stung. "Her second choice? Why, mine is the only proposal she said yes to. I call that first choice, no matter how long it took to realize it."

"I suppose," Mrs. Blythe conceded. "I just wonder that she doesn't regret her last no. I'm sorry, Gilbert, that's what they're saying."

"I don't care," Gilbert said. "I say, and Anne says, that this is the right decision. Honestly, Mother!"

"No, no, of course," Mrs. Blythe said, but her voice conveyed her anxiety.

Gilbert sighed. "Would it set your mind at ease to see Anne again?"

His mother considered. "Yes. Yes, I believe it would. Let's have her to tea."

**

Anne was working on the twins' mending when Gilbert arrived late the next morning.

"Hello, darling," Anne said, smiling.

Gilbert sat next to her on the porch bench, kissing her cheek, mindful of Mrs. Lynde's eyes in the window. "Hello, Anne-girl. Have you any plans this afternoon?"

"No, just an afternoon here. Perhaps a walk," Anne said.

"Or tea at the Blythes?" he asked.

"Oh, I'd like that," Anne said. "It's been so long since I've spoken with your mother, and I've missed her."

"Then we will see you at four." Gilbert leaned over and kissed her once again before standing.

"Do you have to go already?" Anne asked.

"I need to pick up some things for Mother," he said. "I'd love the company, though."

"This will keep," Anne said, putting aside Davy's pants. "I'd like to come." She waved to Mrs. Lynde and they set off.

As they got to town, Anne began to feel eyes upon her. "Is there something hanging from my hair?" she asked, patting it.

"Not a bit," Gilbert said, capturing her arm with his. "Ignore them. Have you spoken with Diana lately?"

"I was at her house the day before last," Anne said. "She invited us to dinner on Sunday to celebrate the engagement. Can you come?"

"Yes, I can. That'll be nice," he said. "So Diana is well? And Fred, the baby? Her sister?"

"Everyone is fine," Anne said. "I saw Minnie May when I visited, too. She's so big. All of my old pupils are. It can be quite a surprise sometimes."

"Minnie May is something of a chatterbox, isn't she? Gilbert asked.

"Oh, yes," Anne laughed. "She's forever driving Diana to distraction with all of her gossip. Now that you say it, she was rather quiet yesterday. I hope she isn't getting ill."

Gilbert stopped and pulled Anne to the side of the road. "Anne, are you happy?"

"Happy?" Anne repeated. "Happy isn't the word for it, Gilbert. I'm positively intoxicated with joy." She furrowed her brows. "Aren't you?"

"I couldn't put it better than that," Gilbert said and pulled her close. "Anne, you've made my future worthwhile." They stood, embracing, lost in each other and ignoring the passersby.

**

"I, for one, think it's indecent," Gertie Pye said. "Every day, it's the same. On the road, in the parks, they simply won't let go of each other."

"I think it's sweet," Jane Bell said. "They're just holding hands. And they won't see each other for ever so long."

"Christmas isn't that long," Gertie sniffed.

"Shh!" The girls quieted as Mrs. Blythe walked by, arm-in-arm, with Anne.

"I heard she won't hear of anyone speaking ill of Anne," Adella Sloane said. "And I think she's absolutely right. You're just being horrid and jealous, Gertie Pye. Come along, Jane," she said over Gertie's indignant reply. "It's time we give Anne our congratulations."

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