A New Beginning || Gilbert Blythe x Oc ||

Chapter 4

"How about we go and visit Anne?" she suggested, her smile broad and encouraging.

Lydia's expression transformed from one of worry to one of hopeful anticipation. "That's a great idea," she agreed, her smile mirroring Diana's enthusiasm.

However, her excitement quickly gave way to a more practical concern, her brows knitting together in thought. "How are we going to get there? Our mother and father won't let us leave alone," Lydia pointed out, the obstacle seemingly insurmountable in her mind.

Diana's response came with a mischievous smirk, her eyes alight with the thrill of a challenge. "We sneak out," she proposed, the very idea imbued with a sense of adventure and rebellion.

With a shared sense of purpose, the two girls hastily prepared for their clandestine journey. They moved with quiet determination, ensuring their actions went unnoticed. With one last cautious glance back at the house, they slipped out of the front door, their departure unseen by their parents.

Diana took the lead, her familiarity with the paths and shortcuts through Avonlea guiding them confidently towards Green Gables, the home of the Cuthberts. The journey was filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension, each step bringing them closer to Anne and the unknown situation they were determined to understand.

Once they arrived at the Cuthberts' home, the girls paused, catching their breath and steadying their nerves for the encounter ahead. The house stood quiet and seemingly peaceful, but Lydia and Diana exchanged a look that communicated their shared anxiety. What would they find inside? How would Anne and the Cuthberts react to their unexpected visit?

Gathering their courage, they approached the door, ready to face whatever awaited them on the other side, driven by their concern for their friend and the hope that they could offer her some comfort.

Without hesitation, Lydia raised her hand and knocked on the door, a series of deliberate taps breaking the silence around the Cuthberts' home. Both girls stood in anticipation, their hearts racing with a mix of excitement and nervousness. Moments later, the door swung open to reveal Mrs. Cuthbert. Her expression registered surprise upon seeing Diana, the Barrys' eldest daughter, and Lydia, the girl they had taken under their wing, standing on her doorstep.

"May I help you, ladies?" Marilla Cuthbert asked, her tone polite yet guarded, as she assessed the unexpected visitors.

"Good Afternoon, Miss Cuthbert," Diana responded with a courteous nod, her manners impeccable as always. "We are here to see Anne," she added, her voice carrying a hopeful note. The request was simple, but behind it lay a world of concern and friendship that had propelled the girls to undertake their secret journey. Diana and Lydia waited anxiously for Marilla's response, hoping for a chance to see their friend and to ensure that she was truly alright in her new home.

The revelation from Marilla struck like a cold wind, leaving Lydia momentarily breathless. "Anne left this morning... back to Charlotte Town," Marilla's words echoed uncomfortably in the air, heavy with an unspoken regret.

Lydia's world seemed to pause, her light blue eyes reflecting a turmoil of emotions. The promise she had shared with Anne, a vow of enduring friendship and support, felt as though it were slipping through her fingers like grains of sand. Diana, sensing the depth of Lydia's distress, exchanged a glance full of concern with Miss Cuthbert, whose expression had softened into a frown of sympathy.

"I'm very sorry..." Marilla's voice carried a tinge of guilt, a rare admission from the stoic woman.

"It's fine..." Lydia managed to whisper, her voice barely above a breath. The urgency to return before their absence was discovered now overshadowed their initial quest. With a heavy heart, Lydia took Diana's hand, her grip conveying a desperation to hold onto something solid, something real.