In the Woods When First We Met

23. Insistence

When supper was ready, Marilla called up the stairs, "Anne?"

She called her twice more, but when there was no answer she came up the stairs.

She opened the door and found Anne curled up on her bed, fast asleep.

"Anne?" she called from the doorway.

She came over and gently shook her shoulder. "Anne," she said again, more loudly. She then noticed there was some dirt on the back of Anne's dress. She frowned.

Anne stirred. When she realized Marilla was there, she sat up quickly.

She breathed hard. "I'm sorry," she quickly said.

Marilla frowned. "Sorry for what? Are you sure you aren't ill? You can tell me if you are, you know that, don't you?"

Anne looked around her room, getting her bearings.

"I'm not," she said. "It must just be my arm, I guess it hurts more than I thought."

Marilla put her hand out and touched Anne's forehead.

"I'm not sick," Anne insisted. "Don't make me go to the doctor."

Marilla frowned. "Well, even if you aren't ill, we'll need to go about your arm anyway."

"No!" Anne said.

Marilla looked shocked. "What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing," Anne said. "Nothing, nothing...just...I don't need to go to the doctor."

"Who wrapped up your arm for you?" Marilla asked.

"Just a boy."

Marilla waited, her eyebrows raised.

"Um...his name was...Gilbert-something." Anne said, trying to seem as if she couldn't quite remember. She wanted it to seem as if a boy had just casually lent her the scarf, rather than having it sound as if she'd spent all day with him.

"Gilbert Blythe?" Marilla asked with interest.

"Yes, that's him. Do you know him?" Anne asked her.

"Yes, I know the Blythes' quite well. I didn't realize Mr. Blythe was back from Alberta yet. I do hope he's doing better." Marilla looked somber for a moment.

Then Marilla said, "Well, his son is a nice boy. When you give back his scarf, remember to tell him thank you."

"'I will," Anne said.

"Come down to supper now," Marilla said, "And for goodness sakes, Anne, how did you get so dirty? Look at the back of your dress. Look at your stockings."

Anne brushed off her dress. "Um. I fell. Playing. At recess."

"Well, wear your brown dress to school. I'll wash your other things tomorrow."

"No," Anne said quickly. "I want to wash everything myself."

Marilla looked at her funny.

"I...I was thinking, Marilla. I really ought to be doing more for you. I mean, I wasn't the boy you expected, but you let me stay, and, and I really like it here, and you never did get what you really wanted-"

"You don't need to re-hash all that, Anne. We aren't looking to make a change. Matthew never even thinks of it. Nor do I. What's done is done, and here you are, and that's that."

Anne pleaded, "I just want to help, Marilla. I thought I'd take over the washing from now on. I know how to do it! I used to do the washing for the Hammonds. And it would free up so much of your time."

Marilla gave her a rare smile. "It would free up my time, and it's good of you to think of it. Perhaps soon. But right now you'd best not try to do any washing at all. You'll have to heal up first."

"I can do it, though! I can! My wrist doesn't even hurt!" Anne insisted.

Marilla looked at her. "Anne, you just said, when I woke you up, that your arm hurt worse than you thought. Now it would be foolish of you to try to do it. The dry laundry alone would be a challenge, hauling wet laundry would be an impossibility."

"But-"

"Anne, I am glad you want to help. And I'd be happy for you to take on more in good time. But just now it would be foolish. You must see that."

Anne looked desperate. What could she do?

Marilla went to the door. "Come to dinner now. And don't look so despondent! I never said you couldn't help me. I only said you couldn't do the wash. Perhaps you can do a bit of dusting. That's something you don't need both hands for. But you must be very careful when you do it."

"Yes, Marilla," Anne said, getting up off her bed and following her downstairs.

Now she didn't know what to do. And she didn't have very long to figure out a solution, either. Marilla said she'd do the washing the very next day.