21 A Return to Avonlea

CHAPTER 21 A Return to Avonlea Marilla and Matthew traveled to Charlottetown to see Anne graduate. They sat and watched her receive her diploma. "Well," whispered Matthew, "aren't you glad we kept her after all?" "It's not the first time I've been glad, Matthew Cuthbert," Marilla snorted. "And I'm sure it won't be the last."

Anne returned home with Marilla and Matthew. She thought Green Gables had never looked more beautiful. The first thing she did was run down to see Diana. It didn't take long before they were talking and laughing just like before. "Does winning the Avery mean you won't be teaching next year?" Diana asked. They walked through the orchard as twilight settled. "That's right," Anne replied. "I'll be going to Redmond College to study English. And the scholarship will pay all my expenses so Matthew and Marilla won't have to worry. Isn't that wonderful?" "Oh, it is, Anne. Did you hear that the school in Newbridge offered Jane a job? And Gilbert will be teaching at the Avonlea school." "Gilbert?" Anne was surprised. "But i

thought he would go on to Redmond, as well." "His father can't afford it," Diana said. "Gilbert is planning to earn his own way so he must start teaching right away." Anne felt strange when she heard this news. "It will be odd to go to school without Gil. It won't be the same." The next morning at breakfast, Anne noticed that Matthew looked unwell. Marilla admitted that her brother was feeling poorly. "His heart is troubling him," Marilla said. "He's been very tired lately." "And how are you, Marilla?" Anne asked. "You're looking a little tired yourself. You shouldn't work so hard." "It's not that, Anne," Marilla sighed. "It's my eyes. They're giving me terrible headaches. The doctor will be sending me to a specialist."

Sometimes Anne forgot that Matthew and Marilla were much older. And they worried about their savings, and the ailing Abbey Bank that held all their money. Anne began to worry. Gently, Anne asked Marilla, "Have you heard anything new about the Abbey Bank?" "Rachel has heard rumors that the bank isn't doing well," she replied. "I wanted Matthew to put our money in the Savings Bank in the first place, but old Mr. Abbey was such a good friend of Father and he'd always banked with him." "Mr. Abbey is a very old man," Anne said. "Although he still holds the title of bank president, it is his nephews who have been running the institution." She went out to the barn to talk to Matthew. "You've been working too hard today, Matthew. Why don't you take things

easier?" "It's only that I'm getting old, Anne, and keep forgetting it." "If I had been the boy you sent for," said Anne, "I'd be able to spare you now in a hundred ways." "Well, I'd rather have you than a dozen boys, Anne," said Matthew, patting her hand. "I guess it wasn't a boy that took the Avery Scholarship, was it? It was a girl—my girl— that I'm proud of." Anne did her best to remember every moment of that night. It was the last night of her life before it was touched by sorrow. No life is ever quite the same after that.