Chapter XXXII
Tea with Mrs. Douglas
On the first Thursday night of Anne's sojourn in Valley Road Janet askedher to go to prayer-meeting. Janet blossomed out like a rose to attendthat prayer-meeting. She wore a pale-blue, pansy-sprinkled muslin dresswith more ruffles than one would ever have supposed economical Janetcould be guilty of, and a white leghorn hat with pink roses and threeostrich feathers on it. Anne felt quite amazed. Later on, she found outJanet's motive in so arraying herself--a motive as old as Eden.
Valley Road prayer-meetings seemed to be essentially feminine. Therewere thirty-two women present, two half-grown boys, and one solitaryman, beside the minister. Anne found herself studying this man. He wasnot handsome or young or graceful; he had remarkably long legs--solong that he had to keep them coiled up under his chair to dispose ofthem--and he was stoop-shouldered. His hands were big, his hair wantedbarbering, and his moustache was unkempt. But Anne thought she liked hisface; it was kind and honest and tender; there was something else in it,too--just what, Anne found it hard to define. She finally concluded thatthis man had suffered and been strong, and it had been made manifestin his face. There was a sort of patient, humorous endurance in hisexpression which indicated that he would go to the stake if need be, butwould keep on looking pleasant until he really had to begin squirming.
When prayer-meeting was over this man came up to Janet and said,
"May I see you home, Janet?"
Janet took his arm--"as primly and shyly as if she were no more thansixteen, having her first escort home," Anne told the girls at Patty'sPlace later on.
"Miss Shirley, permit me to introduce Mr. Douglas," she said stiffly.
Mr. Douglas nodded and said, "I was looking at you in prayer-meeting,miss, and thinking what a nice little girl you were."
Such a speech from ninety-nine people out of a hundred would haveannoyed Anne bitterly; but the way in which Mr. Douglas said it madeher feel that she had received a very real and pleasing compliment.She smiled appreciatively at him and dropped obligingly behind on themoonlit road.
So Janet had a beau! Anne was delighted. Janet would make a paragon of awife--cheery, economical, tolerant, and a very queen of cooks. It wouldbe a flagrant waste on Nature's part to keep her a permanent old maid.
"John Douglas asked me to take you up to see his mother," said Janetthe next day. "She's bed-rid a lot of the time and never goes out ofthe house. But she's powerful fond of company and always wants to see myboarders. Can you go up this evening?"
Anne assented; but later in the day Mr. Douglas called on his mother'sbehalf to invite them up to tea on Saturday evening.
"Oh, why didn't you put on your pretty pansy dress?" asked Anne, whenthey left home. It was a hot day, and poor Janet, between her excitementand her heavy black cashmere dress, looked as if she were being broiledalive.
"Old Mrs. Douglas would think it terrible frivolous and unsuitable, I'mafraid. John likes that dress, though," she added wistfully.
The old Douglas homestead was half a mile from "Wayside" cresting awindy hill. The house itself was large and comfortable, old enough to bedignified, and girdled with maple groves and orchards. There were big,trim barns behind it, and everything bespoke prosperity. Whatever thepatient endurance in Mr. Douglas' face had meant it hadn't, so Annereflected, meant debts and duns.
John Douglas met them at the door and took them into the sitting-room,where his mother was enthroned in an armchair.
Anne had expected old Mrs. Douglas to be tall and thin, because Mr.Douglas was. Instead, she was a tiny scrap of a woman, with softpink cheeks, mild blue eyes, and a mouth like a baby's. Dressed in abeautiful, fashionably-made black silk dress, with a fluffy white shawlover her shoulders, and her snowy hair surmounted by a dainty lace cap,she might have posed as a grandmother doll.
"How do you do, Janet dear?" she said sweetly. "I am so glad to see youagain, dear." She put up her pretty old face to be kissed. "And this isour new teacher. I'm delighted to meet you. My son has been singing yourpraises until I'm half jealous, and I'm sure Janet ought to be whollyso."
Poor Janet blushed, Anne said something polite and conventional, andthen everybody sat down and made talk. It was hard work, even for Anne,for nobody seemed at ease except old Mrs. Douglas, who certainly did notfind any difficulty in talking. She made Janet sit by her andstroked her hand occasionally. Janet sat and smiled, looking horriblyuncomfortable in her hideous dress, and John Douglas sat withoutsmiling.
At the tea table Mrs. Douglas gracefully asked Janet to pour the tea.Janet turned redder than ever but did it. Anne wrote a description ofthat meal to Stella.
"We had cold tongue and chicken and strawberry preserves, lemon pie andtarts and chocolate cake and raisin cookies and pound cake and fruitcake--and a few other things, including more pie--caramel pie, I thinkit was. After I had eaten twice as much as was good for me, Mrs. Douglassighed and said she feared she had nothing to tempt my appetite.
"'I'm afraid dear Janet's cooking has spoiled you for any other,' shesaid sweetly. 'Of course nobody in Valley Road aspires to rival HER.WON'T you have another piece of pie, Miss Shirley? You haven't eatenANYTHING.'
"Stella, I had eaten a helping of tongue and one of chicken, threebiscuits, a generous allowance of preserves, a piece of pie, a tart, anda square of chocolate cake!"
After tea Mrs. Douglas smiled benevolently and told John to take "dearJanet" out into the garden and get her some roses. "Miss Shirley willkeep me company while you are out--won't you?" she said plaintively. Shesettled down in her armchair with a sigh.
"I am a very frail old woman, Miss Shirley. For over twenty years I'vebeen a great sufferer. For twenty long, weary years I've been dying byinches."
"How painful!" said Anne, trying to be sympathetic and succeeding onlyin feeling idiotic.
"There have been scores of nights when they've thought I could neverlive to see the dawn," went on Mrs. Douglas solemnly. "Nobody knows whatI've gone through--nobody can know but myself. Well, it can't last verymuch longer now. My weary pilgrimage will soon be over, Miss Shirley.It is a great comfort to me that John will have such a good wife to lookafter him when his mother is gone--a great comfort, Miss Shirley."
"Janet is a lovely woman," said Anne warmly.
"Lovely! A beautiful character," assented Mrs. Douglas. "And a perfecthousekeeper--something I never was. My health would not permit it, MissShirley. I am indeed thankful that John has made such a wise choice. Ihope and believe that he will be happy. He is my only son, Miss Shirley,and his happiness lies very near my heart."
"Of course," said Anne stupidly. For the first time in her life she wasstupid. Yet she could not imagine why. She seemed to have absolutelynothing to say to this sweet, smiling, angelic old lady who was pattingher hand so kindly.
"Come and see me soon again, dear Janet," said Mrs. Douglas lovingly,when they left. "You don't come half often enough. But then I supposeJohn will be bringing you here to stay all the time one of these days."Anne, happening to glance at John Douglas, as his mother spoke, gave apositive start of dismay. He looked as a tortured man might look whenhis tormentors gave the rack the last turn of possible endurance. Shefelt sure he must be ill and hurried poor blushing Janet away.
"Isn't old Mrs. Douglas a sweet woman?" asked Janet, as they went downthe road.
"M--m," answered Anne absently. She was wondering why John Douglas hadlooked so.
"She's been a terrible sufferer," said Janet feelingly. "She takesterrible spells. It keeps John all worried up. He's scared to leave homefor fear his mother will take a spell and nobody there but the hiredgirl."