Amazing Grace // Gilbert Blythe

Chapter 1

Grace Miller was as plain as plain could be, or so she's been told for as long as she can remember. With a quiet tone of straight, weasel brown hair and eyes of a faded, flat green there wasn't a thing particularly stand-outish about her. She had once been told that the dimple in her cheek was something to envy but by and by she passed through life with very little notice. That was the thing, Grace never seemed to be noticed. By teachers or shop clerks or passers by she was so very plain that she blended into any crowd of people. 

Now a particularly vain child may find this frustrating and go about finding new ways to stand out, but Grace never minded. In all honesty she never much noticed and preferred to direct her attentions to the book she was reading or the sum she was solving for if one were to compliment Grace on something it would be her academic ability. She couldn't claim the title of teachers pet however, as she didn't make much effort in the ways of answering questions or winning spelling competitions instead she'd quietly work and then wander off into daydreams while she waited for the next set of instructions. 

When her father announced they would be moving to a town called Avonlea Grace nodded her head and continued her piano practice with out much difficulty. She often moved and had grown used to it, leaving her school wouldn't be a loss, although she wasn't popular she didn't have any particular friends she'd wish to stay for. The day came when the cart pulled up outside their house,which was a rather large one with a trail of green vines and pink flowers around the doorway and up the wide windows, if Grace would miss anything it would be the house she had been in for the last year or so. Big with a beautiful garden filled with blooming flowers and blossom trees. 

The trip to Avonlea was a long one but she would arrive by nightfall, her father had opted to get a separate carriage and join her later claiming that he had work to complete. Grace didn't much believe him, since the passing of her mother the gap between them was clear and the two couldn't seem to quite connect. He wasn't a bad man, not one ounce, he worked hard and gave Grace everything she could ask for. He attempted to appease her with puffed sleeves and flounces but she didn't care for fashion although she appreciated the thought all the same. So the ride was quiet and she sat curled up with a book in her hand till the light began to fade and then she watched out the window at the passing trees. 

The house that the carriage pulled up to wasn't as large as the previous one but could still in all manners be referred to as a big house. The door was ruby red colour and the windows were low set, it gave off a very cottage like feeling and Grace couldn't help but think that this one seemed more like a home then a house. 

Inside and through the hallway the sitting room was decorated with a woven round rug and a plump red armchair, loading the fire she set off to look around before returning and settling down with her book waiting for her father's return. The house had two sitting rooms, one for company and one for personal use, it also had three rooms leaving one for a guest room. There was a separate kitchen and dining room, despite the amount of rooms it was decorated to have a cosy feeling and Grace enjoyed the warmth of the fire and comfortable cushioning of the armchair as she fell into a different world.

When the door opened she was knocked out of her reverie and looked up to see her father pulling off his coat and hat. 

"Grace, glad you got here safely. You must be tired and you'll start school tomorrow so you can head up to bed if you like, your room is the first one on the left. I had the maids prepare it for you with your belongings." He smiled a hesitant smile exited to put away his outer wear, not to waiting to hear a response.

With a gentle sigh she made her way up stairs, "not a bad man, nor a particularly cold one either," she thought to herself, "just not a very good conversationalist when the topic isn't business."