A Bend in the Road Chapter Four

 Chapter Four

A Danger Averted

    "I've had the loveliest evening," Katherine sighed with happiness as she sank onto the bed in the little east gable room. Anne was smiling knowingly but wisely refrained from speaking. "Now, what are you smiling about?" Katherine frowned. "Never mind your excuses, I want to know what secret you've been keeping from me!"

    "Oh, Katherine… I hardly know what to say…"

    "Why, Anne! I've never known you to be at a loss for words before!" Katherine shook her head in mock disappointment. Anne only laughed at her.

    "Gilbert Blythe asked me to marry him."

    "And you said yes, of course," Katherine smiled. She remembered well the second day after their arrival at Green Gables… how that little Barry girl had happened to mention that Gilbert was dying and Anne had turned white. She remembered how Anne had sat up all the night, praying silently, weeping. Although Anne had never told her… not in so many words… Katherine could see plain as day that she loved him. Strange how a woman always knows… even a woman who has never before had love in her life. Anne, of course, had answered in the affirmative and Katherine threw her arms around her friend… a gesture completely foreign to her yet somehow it felt natural. She felt suddenly as if she had shed years and returned to her lost girlhood.

oOo

    "Gilbert and I are going for one of our old-time rambles today…" Anne laid down her patchwork with a dreamy smile. "Down Lover's Lane, around the Lake of Shining Waters…" she paused and turned to Katherine. "I feel a little guilty, though, leaving you alone all day."

    "Oh, you go on and enjoy yourself." Katherine shook out the shirtwaist she was embroidering and surveyed it, satisfied. "I was planning on venturing into town on my own today. I owe a call to Ruby Gillis and to Mrs. Irving and perhaps I'll make it over to Lawson's… I wanted to look at that dark red taffeta you mentioned... There's Gilbert now."

    Her patchwork forgotten, Anne flew to meet him and the two wandered off together, arm-in-arm. Katherine watched them go with a wistful little sigh. Then, shaking her head at her own foolishness, she wended her own way towards Avonlea.

    It was a lovely day… one of those lazy, warm, late-summer afternoons with fleecy clouds floating slowly by in a sapphire sky and the sun beaming comfortably down to cast a golden glow on fields ripe for harvest. Already many of the farmers were out in their fields with their teams of blacks and bays. Katherine walked slowly, breathing the clear, fresh air slowly and taking in every little sight and sound all along the little path that twisted and turned its way into Avonlea. The closer she got to town, the slower she walked. She felt that somehow, if she slowed down, then time would also slow down and she wouldn't have to return to Kingsport so soon.

    She stopped then, for just before her was perhaps the loveliest little farm she had ever seen… next to Green Gables, that is. Rolling green pastures sheltered contented-looking Jersey cows and just beyond, a flock of fat little white hens. A beautiful white farmhouse surrounded by a whitewashed picket fence sat far back from the road, nestled in a grove of ancient old oak trees. Katherine leaned over the fence as she took in the little scene. It wasn't the Taj Mahal, nor the pillars of Karnak, but somehow it caught her interest perhaps even more than those mystical places of dream and fantasy would have.

    "Here is a place I could really call home," she mused dreamily. "I feel as if I know it already… if this little farm was a person, I suppose I could call it a kindred spirit." Then she laughed at herself. "Listen to me! I declare that Anne is contagious."

    Later that afternoon, having made her calls, she decided to purchase the red taffeta after all, although the price really was rather extravagant. Anne had insisted that she get some sort of a suitable party dress and, also according to Anne, deep red was supposedly Katherine's color… "Though I can never wear it myself," Anne had confided to her, mournfully.

    By the time she turned back toward Green Gables, Katherine was caught up in such a reverie that she scarce paid attention to her surroundings. It wasn't like her to think about clothes but that red taffeta had put her into an unusual frame of mind. She was wondering how to make it up and whether she should use the latest fashion in skirt gathers or if she should stick to the old and familiar. She was so diverted by this fascinating subject, that she didn't hear the cries of warning or the thundering hooves behind her until it was nearly too late. Whirling in shock, she saw in alarm the runaway horse with its empty wagon, rearing up and plunging straight toward her with its head thrown back, eyes rolling in fear. She froze, paralyzed with shock until the horse was nearly atop her. At the last moment, she heard someone calling her name and felt herself whisked off her feet and jerked out of the path of the oncoming animal just in the nick of time.

    There was no chance of her being lost in daydream this time as she stared after the near-disaster scene, breathing heavily in her sudden fright.

    "Are you all right, Miss Brooke?" It was only then that she turned to see her rescuer and instantly felt the blood rush into her cheeks. Fancy Katherine blushing! She thought she had forgotten how… or else had never learned.

    "Mr. McAllister!" she cried, pressing a trembling hand to her heart. "I… I… You saved my life! I don't know what came over me…"

    "I'm thankful I was able to reach you in time," he answered in a low voice. "I didn't think I was going to make it." He turned to glare at Abner Sloane who was hurrying up to them.

    "What was the idea, bringing that dog into town… with that horse?" he spoke angrily. "That horse is green-broke and shouldn't be hitched to a wagon at all. And that dog…" But words seemed to fail him considering the dog.

    "That is a good horse," Abner returned, equally angrily. "And none of my other horses are strong enough to pull a heavy load. And as for my dog…" but words failed him as well.

    "Well, you'd better get someone to train him better… Miss Brooke could have been killed!"

    "Begging your pardon, Miss Brooke, ma'am," Abner tipped his cap. "I'm right sorry you were put in danger. I must see to getting my horse home now, if you'll excuse me."

    David shook his head in disgust.

    "He should know better than to use such an animal as that horse… it's practically wild." But he turned to Katherine, concern filling his eyes. "Are you certain that you're all right?"

    "Yes… thank you… I'll be fine…" she faltered shakily. The incident had been rather bone-jarring, to say the least.

    "I've got my wagon back at Lawson's… I'll take you home."

    Katherine accepted his offer gratefully, although she felt that, had she refused, he would have insisted anyway. On the road home, she found that it was even more pleasant to discuss the beauties of Avonlea with a companion than to enjoy them silently by oneself.

    As they passed the little farm that she had seen on the way into town, she pointed it out, eagerly.

    "Whose farm is that?" she asked. "It really is the most beautiful spot I've ever seen."

    "You like it?" Something shone suddenly in his eyes that almost frightened her, but he was smiling, pleased. "That's my place."

    "Really?" Katherine's heart suddenly skipped a beat and she was at once annoyed with herself. Hadn't she herself once said that such a phenomenon as one's heart skipping a beat was stuff and nonsense? "I do like it… I love it. It's… enchanting." There. Another uncharacteristic phrase. What really was the matter with her? But she hardly cared.

    "I'm glad you think so," he laughed, but then his expression grew thoughtful and he seemed for a moment to be far away… ten years away… when another young woman had said something quite the opposite. But that had been so long ago that it hardly mattered anymore.

    When at last the wagon drew up before the Green Gables gate, both were a little sorry. Although neither said as much to the other, both felt that the ride had been much too short.

    "Thank you again, Mr. McAllister," Katherine said as he handed her down and gathered up the reins again.

    "I'd much rather you called me David," he answered, unexpectedly. "I'm really not used to formalities."

    "If you call me Katherine," she said softly.

    "Katherine, then." he smiled as she stepped back to allow him to turn his horse. But he leaned down again. "The Sloanes are having a corn husking tomorrow evening. Perhaps you would like to come?"

    "I don't know… I've never… husked corn… before…" Katharine replied hesitantly.

    "It's not hard to learn," he grinned. "I'll wager you'll be a natural in five minutes flat."

    "Then I'll come," Katherine laughed.

    "I'll come by at six tomorrow to pick you up." And with a friendly wave, he slapped the reins over the horse's back and moved on down the road.