Life at Patty's Place continued pleasantly enough.
The nights grew cold, but on Friday evenings, the big living room was warm and crowded with guests, laughing and talking until late at night.
Gilbert came occasionally on Friday evenings.
He always seemed to have a good time, but he spoke to Anne politely, the way a new friend would. Their old camaraderie was gone entirely.
One rainy winter's day, Anne was leaving Redmond to go home.
The wind suddenly blew strongly, turning her umbrella inside out.
Anne was clutching at it frantically when a voice close to her said, "Pardon me, may I offer you the shelter of my umbrella?"
Anne looked up. A tall, handsome man with dark, melancholy eyes—the hero of Anne's dreams—stood before her.
"Thank you," Anne said.
"Let's hurry over to that little building," suggested the stranger.
"We can wait there until this shower is over."
The man's words were very ordinary, but his voice! And his smile!
Anne felt her heart beating strangely. They hurried to the building.
The raindrops sparkled on Anne's shining hair. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes big and starry.
The man looked at her admiringly, and Anne blushed under his gaze.
"We are schoolmates, I see," he said, indicating Anne's jacket with the school crest. "My name is Roy Gardner."
"Sorry, but I don't recognize you," said Anne frankly.
"I studied at Redmond for two years," Roy said, "and then I went to Europe.
I've come back to do the last year of my arts degree."
Roy walked Anne home to Patty's Place.
Before he left, he arranged to visit Anne the following Friday.
Later that evening a box arrived at Patty's Place for "Miss Shirley."
It contained a dozen magnificent red roses.
Phil impertinently read the card. "Roy Gardner!" she exclaimed.
"Why, Anne, I didn't know you were acquainted with Roy Gardner!"
"I met him this afternoon in the rain," explained Anne.
"My umbrella turned inside out and he came to my rescue with his."
"Oh." Phil looked suspiciously at Anne. "And so, naturally, he sent you roses! I smell romance!"
"Nonsense!" Anne replied stiffly. But she lay awake a long time that night thinking about Roy.
Perhaps her prince had come at last.
Over the next few months, Anne and Roy became a couple.
Roy came to Patty's Place every Friday night, and Gilbert stopped coming.
Roy and Anne went to all the college events and parties together.
He regularly sent her flowers and was always sure to murmur a poetic compliment whenever he took her hand or helped her with her coat.
Spring came and the girls at Patty's Place were dressing for the Redmond Spring Dance.
Anne looked at herself in the mirror with satisfaction.
She had a particularly pretty gown on.
Originally it had been only a simple chiffon dress, but Phil had embroidered tiny rosebuds all over the chiffon and now it was simply stunning.
Anne was trying to fasten a little gold chain around her neck when Phil came in.
"By the way, Anne, Gilbert Blythe has been seen constantly with Christine Stuart. Did you know?"
Suddenly Anne's fingers didn't work, and she couldn't put the necklace on.
"No, I hadn't heard," she said carelessly. "Who is Christine Stuart?"
"Christine Stuart transferred to Redmond this semester.
She studied music at a university in Toronto," Phil replied.
"I haven't seen her, but they say she's very pretty and that Gilbert is quite crazy over her.
I was so angry when you refused Gilbert, Anne!
But Roy Gardner was meant for you. I can see that now. You were right, after all."
Anne suddenly felt dull, and Phil's chatter seemed trivial.
At the dance Anne danced many times with Roy, but she was acutely conscious of Gilbert.
He stood across the room, talking to a girl who must have been Christine Stuart.
She was lovely, with a pale complexion, long dark hair, and rosy red lips.
Anne was not sorry when the evening ended, and everyone went home.
Phil and Anne made hot chocolate and stayed up late discussing the night.
"All of Redmond knows that Roy is crazy about you, Anne!
And you've been going out for nearly six months now!" said Phil candidly.
"You're going to marry Roy, aren't you?"
"Phil, he hasn't even asked me!" Anne said.
"You do love him, don't you, Anne?" Phil asked.
"I . . . I . . . suppose so." Anne realized she was confessing her love for Roy for the first time. But strangely, she felt stiff inside.
Why had her face gone red that evening every time she'd seen Gilbert Blythe and Christine Stuart together?
After Phil went to bed, Anne thought about Roy.
"Of course, I love him. Roy is my ideal.
Who could resist those glorious dark eyes, his melancholic voice, his handsome looks?"
Anne knew that half the girls at Redmond were envious of her.
And Roy had written poems for her!
Admittedly, he did copy them from magazines, but they were good poems, and very romantic!
Anne began thinking about Gilbert. Gilbert, she knew, would never write her poems, but on the other hand, Gilbert would always understand a joke.
The day before, Anne had told Roy a very funny story, but he had only smiled politely and didn't laugh.
Anne recalled telling Gilbert the same story a long time ago and both of them laughing about it for ages.
Anne wondered uneasily if life with a man who had no sense of humor might be boring.
But who could expect a handsome, melancholy, romantic hero who wrote her poems to see the funny side of things?
It was too much to ask! Anne put thoughts of Gilbert out of her head, and went to sleep dreaming of Roy's dark, soulful eyes.