Part 2 of "In The Woods When First We Met"

219. Townsfolk

Billy and Jane stared at each other.

"I hate you," Billy said, practically spitting the words out.

Then he started to cry.

Jane didn't know what to do. But she didn't have to think of anything to say, because Billy turned and stomped off, heading for the woods.

Jane watched after him, wondering if she should follow.

No. I'll give him time to blow off steam. He'll calm down.

She thought about going back to Green Gables, but then shook her head and turned for home. The others were with Anne; they'd make sure she was all right. Jane wanted to go home and see if her mother would give her a hug.

Once Billy came home with his story of what she'd done, she wouldn't get any more.

---

When Jane returned to her house, she couldn't decide if she was nervous or relieved that Billy wasn't there.

Jane became very needy at home, hanging onto her mother and trying to soak up all the affection she could, though there wasn't much to be had.

As the evening went on, her parents began to wonder where Billy was, and asked Jane if she'd seen him.

"No," she lied. Then she sighed. She was not good at being untruthful. "I saw him earlier...outside. But I haven't seen him since."

Her mother stood at the window, watching out of it, but her father said, "He must have gone off with some friends. He'll be back before it gets too dark."

Then he commented, "Look, there goes the Pye's carriage. I wonder what they're doing out so late. I hope no one's ill."

But Mrs. Andrews was not distracted by whatever the Pyes were doing. She was focused on Billy. "Did he seem upset after apologizing to Anne?" she asked. "Did she say something unkind to him?"

Jane was bothered- but not surprised- that her mother would blame Anne for upsetting Billy.

"No, Mother, Anne didn't say a word to him when he apologized," Jane finally said. This was not a lie. Anne hadn't said a word when Billy had apologized, because Anne had been asleep.

"She told him she'd forgive him, though, didn't she?" Mr. Andrews asked.

Mrs. Andrews pushed, "She must have. She can't go on holding a grudge against him."

"She won't," Jane said softly.

She won't hold a grudge because holding a grudge means being angry and right now she's so sad and tired she can't even muster up some anger.

"Harmon, it's getting dark out now. Let's go look for him. If he's at a friend's house that's fine, but we ought to at least know that he's there. I'm worried."

After her parents left, Jane sat in the parlor alone, staring out the window and wondering where Billy was.

---

It was nearly three hours before her parents came home. They had gone to every house they thought Billy might be, but he was nowhere to be found.

Strangely, many of their neighbors and friends seemed distant from them, and unwilling to help. One family did not answer the door at all, though the Andrews could clearly see that they were at home. Others told them curtly that Billy was certainly not in their house, and they could be of no assistance.

But if there was any ill will in their response, the Andrews did not detect it. They simply inquired if their son was there, and upon hearing no, they moved quickly on to the next house, hoping he'd be at the next one.