The Hired Boy |Ruby Gillis & Jerry Baynard|

Six | Ruby and Lillian become aquainted

Ruby smiled faintly in her dreams. Both she and Anne were fast asleep, as were most at such an early hour. Her face was pressed against her hands and she looked quite sweet and angelic in her pleasant sleep. Little did she know her pleasant sleep was only moments from being disrupted.

Outside it was barely approaching dawn. Birds, unheard by Ruby and Anne, were chirping back and forth gaily.

Marilla, still dressed in her night clothes, crept into the room and gently shook Ruby. After several shakes, Ruby sat up in bed, startled. She blinked at Ms. Cuthbert in the light of the candle she held aloft. "What's wrong?" asked Ruby.

Seeing the girl was worried Marilla said quickly, "Nothing is wrong. Jerry would like you to wake up, dress and meet him on the porch."

Ruby stared at Marilla as if she didn't believe her. "Right now?"

Marilla nodded. "You'd best hurry." She left the room.

Ruby remained sitting on Anne's bed, extremely put out. She'd been having the most wonderful dream in which she'd been on a lovely walk with Gilbert Blythe. But just as the boy was leaning in to kiss her — Marilla had shaken her away.

Ruby had spent Saturday night at the Cuthbert's so that next day Jerry could start showing her around the farm. But she hadn't expected to wake so early, and was none to pleased about it.

Ruby forced herself out of bed, her expression one of utmost misery. As she tiptoed across the room to fetch her dress and pinafore, cold air came seeping through the fabric of her nightdress. Ruby could not help but cry a few tears as she readied herself for the day ahead.

The sound of sniffling awoke Anne. She sat up in bed and asked blearily, "Are you alright, Ruby?"

"I have to go out a help Jerry!" Ruby looked at Anne with pitiful eyes. "Anne, won't you come? It would be much more bearable if someone else was there besides Jerry!"

"Oh, Ruby, I would but —" Anne yawned. "—I'm just so sleepy." Then, already half a sleep, Anne sank beneath the covers.

Ruby cried a little harder.

Once she was dressed and all tears were wiped away, Ruby crept through the Cuthbert's house and out on to the porch.

Jerry was already waiting on the steps. When he heard the door open behind him, he eagerly jumped to his feet.

"Good morning, Miss Ruby." Jerry grinned at her.

Ruby thought he looked far too happy for such an early hour.

"Why do we have to wake up so early?" Ruby didn't bother to return his greeting as she pulled her shawl more tightly around her shoulders. The morning air was quite frosty. "Do you always wake up now?"

"Not so early." Jerry gathered the buckets by his scuffed up shoes. "But if I am to help you and attend to my daily chores, I thought it would be best to get started now."