Chapter XXVI
Enter Christine
The girls at Patty's Place were dressing for the reception which theJuniors were giving for the Seniors in February. Anne surveyed herselfin the mirror of the blue room with girlish satisfaction. She had aparticularly pretty gown on. Originally it had been only a simple littleslip of cream silk with a chiffon overdress. But Phil had insisted ontaking it home with her in the Christmas holidays and embroidering tinyrosebuds all over the chiffon. Phil's fingers were deft, and the resultwas a dress which was the envy of every Redmond girl. Even Allie Boone,whose frocks came from Paris, was wont to look with longing eyes on thatrosebud concoction as Anne trailed up the main staircase at Redmond init.
Anne was trying the effect of a white orchid in her hair. Roy Gardnerhad sent her white orchids for the reception, and she knew no otherRedmond girl would have them that night--when Phil came in with admiringgaze.
"Anne, this is certainly your night for looking handsome. Nine nightsout of ten I can easily outshine you. The tenth you blossom out suddenlyinto something that eclipses me altogether. How do you manage it?"
"It's the dress, dear. Fine feathers."
"'Tisn't. The last evening you flamed out into beauty you wore your oldblue flannel shirtwaist that Mrs. Lynde made you. If Roy hadn't alreadylost head and heart about you he certainly would tonight. But I don'tlike orchids on you, Anne. No; it isn't jealousy. Orchids don't seem toBELONG to you. They're too exotic--too tropical--too insolent. Don't putthem in your hair, anyway."
"Well, I won't. I admit I'm not fond of orchids myself. I don't thinkthey're related to me. Roy doesn't often send them--he knows I likeflowers I can live with. Orchids are only things you can visit with."
"Jonas sent me some dear pink rosebuds for the evening--but--he isn'tcoming himself. He said he had to lead a prayer-meeting in the slums! Idon't believe he wanted to come. Anne, I'm horribly afraid Jonas doesn'treally care anything about me. And I'm trying to decide whether I'llpine away and die, or go on and get my B.A. and be sensible and useful."
"You couldn't possibly be sensible and useful, Phil, so you'd betterpine away and die," said Anne cruelly.
"Heartless Anne!"
"Silly Phil! You know quite well that Jonas loves you."
"But--he won't TELL me so. And I can't MAKE him. He LOOKS it, I'lladmit. But speak-to-me-only-with-thine-eyes isn't a really reliablereason for embroidering doilies and hemstitching tablecloths. I don'twant to begin such work until I'm really engaged. It would be temptingFate."
"Mr. Blake is afraid to ask you to marry him, Phil. He is poor and can'toffer you a home such as you've always had. You know that is the onlyreason he hasn't spoken long ago."
"I suppose so," agreed Phil dolefully. "Well"--brightening up--"if heWON'T ask me to marry him I'll ask him, that's all. So it's bound tocome right. I won't worry. By the way, Gilbert Blythe is going aboutconstantly with Christine Stuart. Did you know?"
Anne was trying to fasten a little gold chain about her throat. Shesuddenly found the clasp difficult to manage. WHAT was the matter withit--or with her fingers?
"No," she said carelessly. "Who is Christine Stuart?"
"Ronald Stuart's sister. She's in Kingsport this winter studying music.I haven't seen her, but they say she's very pretty and that Gilbert isquite crazy over her. How angry I was when you refused Gilbert, Anne.But Roy Gardner was foreordained for you. I can see that now. You wereright, after all."
Anne did not blush, as she usually did when the girls assumed that hereventual marriage to Roy Gardner was a settled thing. All at once shefelt rather dull. Phil's chatter seemed trivial and the reception abore. She boxed poor Rusty's ears.
"Get off that cushion instantly, you cat, you! Why don't you stay downwhere you belong?"
Anne picked up her orchids and went downstairs, where Aunt Jamesina waspresiding over a row of coats hung before the fire to warm. Roy Gardnerwas waiting for Anne and teasing the Sarah-cat while he waited. TheSarah-cat did not approve of him. She always turned her back on him.But everybody else at Patty's Place liked him very much. Aunt Jamesina,carried away by his unfailing and deferential courtesy, and the pleadingtones of his delightful voice, declared he was the nicest young man sheever knew, and that Anne was a very fortunate girl. Such remarks madeAnne restive. Roy's wooing had certainly been as romantic as girlishheart could desire, but--she wished Aunt Jamesina and the girls wouldnot take things so for granted. When Roy murmured a poetical complimentas he helped her on with her coat, she did not blush and thrill asusual; and he found her rather silent in their brief walk to Redmond.He thought she looked a little pale when she came out of the coeds'dressing room; but as they entered the reception room her color andsparkle suddenly returned to her. She turned to Roy with her gayestexpression. He smiled back at her with what Phil called "his deep,black, velvety smile." Yet she really did not see Roy at all. She wasacutely conscious that Gilbert was standing under the palms just acrossthe room talking to a girl who must be Christine Stuart.
She was very handsome, in the stately style destined to become rathermassive in middle life. A tall girl, with large dark-blue eyes, ivoryoutlines, and a gloss of darkness on her smooth hair.
"She looks just as I've always wanted to look," thought Anne miserably."Rose-leaf complexion--starry violet eyes--raven hair--yes, she has themall. It's a wonder her name isn't Cordelia Fitzgerald into the bargain!But I don't believe her figure is as good as mine, and her nosecertainly isn't."
Anne felt a little comforted by this conclusion.