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

210. Called to Action

As Dr. Carter was away on a trip, and the Cuthberts' did not want to wait, Matthew went over to Carmody Friday afternoon to see if the doctor there would come. Disappointingly, the doctor seemed rather unwilling to make the trip- short as it was- but ultimately he did.

He was not with Anne long, and when he left, he told Marilla, "There is absolutely nothing wrong with your little girl. She is playing at being sick, and you must be sterner with her". And he took his hat and left.

Matthew and Marilla, who had pinned all their hopes on the doctor, felt abandoned.

After he left, Marilla went up and told Anne that Gilbert had come while she was with the doctor. Anne replied that she did not care.

The Carmody doctor's indignant attitude and short-tempered words made Marilla feel put out with Anne, and she told her crossly, "I've turned Gilbert away three times now, Anne! Three times before this! He came Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday! And Diana even came, and you know her mother wouldn't allow it, so she took a mighty big risk showing up here for you!"

When that did not stir any response in Anne, Marilla- sounding angry- told her, "If either of them come again- and I'm sure they will- I'm not going to turn them away, and you'll have to go down and see them."

"I won't," Anne refused.

And she was right- she would not go down and see them.

So when Gilbert tried again to visit on Saturday afternoon, Marilla eventually decided to send Gilbert up to her.

Marilla thought that as close as they were- and as well as Gilbert handled Anne's situation in the past, that he might be of some help now.

So she had gotten Anne to sit up, and washed her face as if she were a small child, because Anne did not seem to want to bother with taking care of herself anymore. She had tried to get Anne dressed, but Anne didn't want to, and pulled the quilt back up over herself.

"Anne, seeing Gilbert will do you a world of good. Hasn't it always? Come on, now- get dressed and go down to see him."

"I don't want to."

"Well, he's here, ready to see you. Do you want him to come up here? You don't have to go down, I suppose. Let's just get your dress on- look, you can just slip your dress on over your nightgown if you really don't want to change, and-"

Anne turned away from her.

"Anne, come now, you can't have him up here while you're in your nightgown!"

"He's seen it before," came Anne's disinterested reply.

"Has he?" Marilla raised her eyebrows. "Should I be afraid to hear this story?"

"There's no story. He came to the door and I was in my nightgown." Anne let out a breath as if speaking that much had exhausted her.

"Well, all right then. Here, just put on your robe, at least."

"I don't want him to come up here," Anne complained.

"Anne, I cannot let you continue this way. Now Gilbert has helped you before, hasn't he? Maybe it'll lift your spirits to talk to him, and then you can join the living!"

"Fine."

"I won't leave the two of you alone, of course- I'm already surprising myself, having him come up to your room and you not even decently dressed, but we've strayed beyond what is reasonable, haven't we?"

Then Marilla thought, "No, actually, I will  leave you alone. Maybe there's something you'll tell him that you aren't telling me! Because, Anne, you must have some help."