Red Hair

Next day, Marilla didn’t tell Anne about her conversation with Matthew. She gave Anne a lot of work in the kitchen.

«Marilla,» said Anne excitedly, «I have to know about my future. Please tell me. Are you going to send me away?»

«No,» said Marilla. «You can stay at Green Gables with Matthew and me. But you have to be good.»

Anne started to cry.

«Why are you crying?» asked Marilla in surprise. «Don’t you want to stay with us? Don’t you like Green Gables?»

«Oh, yes, Marilla!» cried Anne. «I like it very much. I’m crying because I’m very happy. And I’ll always be good.»

***

Some days later, Mrs. Lynde came to tea with Marilla. When she arrived, Anne was outside. Marilla and Mrs. Lynde sat in the kitchen and talked.

«I think you’re making a mistake,» said Mrs. Lynde. «You don’t know anything about children.»

«No, but I can learn,» said Marilla.

Anne ran into the kitchen. She saw Mrs. Lynde and stopped.

«The Cuthberts didn’t take you for your pretty face!» Mrs. Lynde said. «She’s very thin, Marilla. And her hair is as red as carrots! Come here, child. I want to see you.»

Anne ran across the kitchen and stood in front of Mrs. Lynde. Her face was red and angry. «I hate you!» she cried. «I hate you- I hate you!»

«Anne!» cried Marilla.

«You’re a very rude woman,» Anne told Mrs. Lynde. «And you’re fat!»

«Anne, go to your room!» said Marilla. «Wait for me there!»

Anne started to cry. Then she ran upstairs.

Mrs. Lynde got up from her chair. «I’m going home now, Marilla,» she said. «That child is very wild. You’ll have a lot of problems with her!»

«But you said unkind things about her!» said Marilla.

After Mrs. Lynde went home, Marilla went upstairs. «Why did Anne say those things?» she thought unhappily. «Now Mrs. Lynde will tell everybody in Avonlea about her.»

«Stop crying and listen to me, Anne,» she said. «You were very rude to Mrs. Lynde. She was a visitor in my home.»

«But she was very unkind,» said Anne.

«I want you to say sorry to Mrs. Lynde,» said Marilla.

«Never!» said Anne. «I’m not sorry.»

Marilla remembered something. When she was a child, her aunts often talked about her. «Marilla isn’t a very pretty little girl,» they said.

«Maybe Mrs. Lynde was unkind,» said Marilla quietly. «But you have to say sorry. Stay here in your room!»

Next morning, Anne didn’t come down to breakfast. Marilla told Matthew the story. «She was very rude,» she said.

«But, Marilla,» said Matthew. «Mrs. Lynde doesn’t think before she speaks. Please don’t be angry with Anne.»

Anne stayed in her room all day. Marilla took food upstairs, but Anne didn’t eat very much. In the evening, Matthew went quietly up to Anne’s room.

Anne was on a chair by the window. She looked very small and unhappy. Matthew felt very sorry for her. He closed the door. «Please go and say sorry to Mrs. Lynde, Anne,» he said.

«All right, Matthew,» said Anne. «I wasn’t sorry yesterday, but I’m sorry now. I’ll do it because you asked me.»

«Good,» said Matthew happily. «It’s very quiet downstairs without you, Anne.» He went quietly out of the room.

Later, Marilla and Anne walked to Mrs. Lynde’s house.

«I’m very, very sorry, Mrs. Lynde,» said Anne. «I was very rude to you. You were right about my red hair. And I am thin and ugly.»

Mrs. Lynde smiled. «I was rude to you, too,» she said. «You do have red hair. But maybe it will change color when you’re older.»

«That’s very kind of you, Mrs. Lynde!» said Anne. «Now I can hope for prettier hair. Please can I go outside and play?»

«Yes, of course,» said Mrs. Lynde. «Find some flowers.»

Anne went out and closed the door behind her.

«Anne is really sorry,» thought Marilla. «But she’s funny, too.»

«She’s a strange little girl,» said Mrs. Lynde to Marilla. «But she isn’t a bad child. I like her.»

On the way home, Anne suddenly put her small hand into Manila’s hand. «I love Green Gables, Marilla,» she said. «It’s my home now.»