"Say, can you tell me a bedtime story?" Davy asked Anne, who was watching the sunset from Davy's bedroom window.
"I don't want a fairy story," said Davy.
"Fairy stories are all right for girls, I suppose, but I want something exciting, with lots of killing and shooting in it,
and a house on fire, and interesting things like that."
Fortunately for Anne, at this moment Marilla called out from her room, "Diana is signaling you, Anne."
Anne saw the light flashing from Diana's window and left Green Gables to walk to her friend's house.
When Anne arrived, Diana looked nervous and asked Anne to sit with her.
"Anne, I've got something to tell you," said Diana.
"And I couldn't wait any longer. I am engaged to be married!"
Anne felt shocked, and then she smiled.
Fred! Anne knew that Diana and Fred were friends and often spent time together, but she hadn't realized they were in love.
Anne hugged Diana tightly, saying, "I'm so happy for you Diana!"
Anne was happy, but she also felt a little strange.
She felt as if Diana had gone forward into a new world, shutting a gate behind her and leaving Anne on the outside.
"What does Diana see in Fred?" Anne wondered.
"He's nice and friendly, but he's just Fred Wright."
"I'm so happy," Diana said, "but it does seem ridiculous to think that I am engaged!"
"Well . . . what's it like to be engaged?" Anne asked curiously.
"Hmm," said Diana, acting very much like an adult now.
"That depends on who you're engaged to.
It's perfectly lovely to be engaged to Fred, but it would be horrible to be engaged to anyone else."
Anne laughed. "Well, that's not much help, considering there's only one Fred!"
"Oh, Anne, you don't understand!" said Diana.
"It's so hard to explain. Never mind, you'll understand one day.
Now Anne, I'm going to ask you a serious question, but don't be annoyed.
Do you like Gilbert in any special way?"
"I like Gilbert very much as a friend and not a bit in the way you mean," said Anne calmly and firmly. She believed she was speaking sincerely.
Diana sighed. She wished somehow that Anne had answered differently.
"Don't you ever want to get married, Anne?"
"Perhaps someday," said Anne. "When I meet exactly the right person."
"But how will you know?" asked Diana.
"Oh, I will just know." said Anne. "He must be extremely handsome and mysterious."
"People's ideals change sometimes," Diana said.
"Mine won't," Anne said firmly.
"What if you never meet him?" Diana asked.
"Then I shall never marry!" was Anne's cheerful response. "I'll be fine!"
Diana shook her head. Just then someone knocked on the door, and Diana and Anne got up to answer it.
A very attractive, well-dressed woman was at the door.
"Is this where Mr. James Harrison lives?" the woman asked.
"No, Mr. Harrison lives over there," replied Anne, astonished to hear a woman asking for her quiet neighbor.
"Well, I did think this place was too tidy," the woman replied.
"Is it true that Mr. Harrison is going to get married soon? A friend told me he was."
"No, no, I'm sure he's not," said Anne.
"Diana's the only person getting married here!"
Diana giggled.
"I'm very glad to hear that," the woman responded, "because Mr. Harrison is already married. I'm his wife.
You look surprised! I suppose he's been pretending to be a bachelor and is breaking hearts all over Avonlea."
Anne and Diana tried not to laugh.
"I suppose," the woman continued, "that parrot is still there?"
"I think it's dead," said Anne.
The woman seemed glad. "Really? That's good news. Good evening, ladies."
With that, she walked briskly down the path and out of the yard in the direction of Mr. Harrison's house.
Anne and Diana went back inside, discussing what had just happened, and then Anne went home to tell the surprising news to Marilla.
The next day Anne went to see Mr. Harrison to find out his side of the story.
His house looked very different! The floor was scrubbed, and so was every piece of furniture in the kitchen.
The windows were so clean Anne could see her reflection!
"Sit down, Anne, sit down," said Mr. Harrison.
"Emily's gone shopping with Mrs. Lynde. Well, Anne, my easy times are over!
It's all tidiness for me, I suppose."
Mr. Harrison tried to sound sad, but it was clear that he was secretly pleased.
"Mr. Harrison, you're glad your wife is back!" Anne exclaimed.
"Well, I'm getting used to it," he said sheepishly.
"And I never pretended I wasn't married.
It's just that no one ever asked me!"
"Why did you and your wife separate?" Anne asked.
"Well, we loved each other," said Mr. Harrison.
"But after we got married, Emily spent all her time cleaning and ordering me around!
I was cranky and hard to live with too, I suppose. It was both our faults.
Aside from that, though, Emily didn't like parrots.
She said I had to choose between her and Ginger, and . . . I chose Ginger!
Understand, Anne, that I was pretty angry with Emily at the time, and she was angry with me.
But now we've realized we still love each other very much, so Emily's going to stay. You have a new neighbor, Anne!"