Anne with an E The Next Chapter

The Warning

No sooner did Ruby wish the Barry's a good night and close the door did Diana hear her mother march up the stairs and enter the room. Her face was stern and pale and she could see that her mother was truly beside herself.

She started in on Diana in a hurried whisper that was telltale of her mother's discipline. Being angry for whatever reason yet acting like everything was perfect in front of their father. She sat up and prepared to take it.

"What will it take for you to conform? First you refuse finishing school and now you refuse a perfectly decent partner for marriage... a gentleman who can offer you an amazing future."

"Mother, I refused finishing school in lieu of an education which was my right. I appreciated immensely that you and father agreed and paid for this. I understand that this is greatly important to you and have done my best to live up to your expectations, but mother I cannot do this. I cannot marry James Andrews".

"And why not? Why on earth not? Ruby seemed perfectly smitten with him, why can't you?"

"Mother, I want to marry someone I love, who loves me too?"

"YOU are a STUPID STUPID girl" her mother roared in hushed tones. "Do you think that when I was introduced to you father 25 years ago, I was in love? He was a chubby, pimple faced 17 year old with no confidence. He couldn't even look me in the eye. I grew to love him, as most women do".

"And what if I don't want that" she replied.

Her mother changed angles. She softened a bit thinking this might be the way to reason with Diana. She approached the bed gently and sat on the edge of the bed. "Diana... is there something going on with the Baynard boy...you can tell me" she said sweetly.

"And what if there were?" She leaned forward and rested her arms on her legs."What would you say to that".

Her mother looked uncomfortable and said gingerly "Diana, we all have school girls crushes...feelings that feel... so, so strong" she said awkwardly while brushing hair gently off her daughter's forehead "but it ends up being just childhood silliness" she said with a gentle smile.

"What is the issue with the Baynard boy mother?" Do you know anything about him?"

"Diana, are you sneaking around with him?" Mrs Barry started to show the anger, the part she had attempted muster momentarily until she reasoned with Diana. "What is going on?" Diana hated hearing her mother talk about her relationship with Jerry like that. Sneaking around made it sound cheap and meaningless.

"Mother, I want to know what your issue is with Jerry. He is my friend and I care a great deal about him. He has done so much to help Mr and Mrs Cuthbert this year, he practically ran that farm and property single handedly. He has been nothing but caring and supportive to them and to Anne. What is the issue?" Diana said passionately.

"Must I spell it out?" Her mother said tersely. "It's just like you said, he is a farmhand... an uneducated little simpleton with no future."

"Uneducated... but until recently you had no interest in having me pursue an education?" Diana's voice rose. Her mother shushed her and move her hands up and down signaling to keep the volume down.

"Diana really... you've been to the schoolhouse at least, you've passed your exams. He's never set foot inside a school has he?" she said trying to reason with Diana.

"Mother, not everyone has the same opportunities. Do you know that Jerry taught himself to read.... He could be brilliant for all we know!"

"Oh regardless!!!" Mrs Barry said aloud "I forbid you to see him again".

"Mother Jerry lives at the Cuthberts, I can't avoid him when I go there".

"Then you won't need to go there anymore. Soon enough Anne will be married to Gilbert and you can visit her there. She waved her hands dramatically and said "If I so much as hear that you are spending anytime at the Cuthberts, I will speak to your father about moving things along with James - he will move this arrangement up to the Spring".

"Arrangement?" This is my life Mother, you can't make arrangements for me and James."

"Oh yes I can" she said vehemently. "Diana, like it or not, we support you financially, and before long, the teaching contract you have will be over and you will be back home. We cannot continue to keep you on well into adulthood. You need to move forward and we all know that the only way to do so is to marry well. It's simply a financial transaction between families" she said callously.

She stood up sharply and stared at her daughter. "I have done everything to steer you right and provide you with opportunities and still you defy me. You are making a fool of me and I will be the laughingstock of the community and your father will not forgive me. Don't you see that your decisions have an enormous impact on me and your entire family. Stop thinking of just yourself."

Diana looked at her mother and swallowed hard to clear the lump in her throat. "And I get traded, like chattel".

"That, Diana, is all that we are. Accept it and you will live a happier life."

With this, a single tear rolled down Diana's face. She looked up at her mother who stood stern faced. The Jerry Baynard conversation was over. She could see there was no way around it anyway.

"I'll tell your father that I've checked on you and you've gone to sleep. Be ready for 7:15 tomorrow. James will be here to take you. I am pleased that you agreed to let him take you. You'll have a chance to have a proper goodbye".

With this, Mrs Barry turned on her heels and was quickly out the door.

Diana buried her face in the pillow and cried silently. She had no idea how to do this. No girl in Avonlea had ever defied her parents. Prissy Andrews had embarrassed her family by running out on Mr. Philips at the wedding, but her mother had immediately supported her decision in favor of school. She didn't know how to do this and felt a world of pressure on her chest just thinking of living with James. Something in her bones felt he was not right for her... but she just couldn't pinpoint the feeling.