The Three of Us

175. Mrs. Blythe Has a Visitor

Mrs. Scheper was on the magazine board.

A tall woman- well meaning but rather pushy- full of ambition, drive and independence, she could be a formidable person to meet. Anne did not expect to meet her so abruptly.

Gilbert was home- finally, at long last, the first year of Redmond was over, and summer promised to be full of splendor.

Mrs. Scheper came to Gilbert's farm one early afternoon. Anne was in Gilbert's father's bedroom, with a chamber pot and a little boy who'd nearly had an accident, so she did not get to meet her guest at the door.

Unfortunately for Anne, Marilla did meet her guest as she approached.

"Pardon me," Mrs. Scheper inquired once she got close enough to call out. "Is this the Blythe farm?"

"Yes," Marilla answered, looking at her quizzically. It wasn't very often that strangers came to call.

"I'm Mrs. Grant Scheper," the lady said loudly, announcing herself and reaching out to shake Marilla's hand firmly. "I was hoping to meet Mrs. Blythe."

"Mrs. Blythe?" Marilla repeated. Her first thought was that this was some old relation of Gilbert who had been out of touch with the family long enough that she wasn't aware of Gilbert's mother's passing.

"Mrs. Anne Blythe," she clarified. "I'm from the board of Mothering magazine. Are you headed that way too? Why, of course you are. I'm sorry, what did you say your name was?"

"I didn't," Marilla stated. "But it's Marilla Cuthbert."

"Oh! Marilla Cuthbert! You're Anne's mother!" And she reached for Marilla's arm, pulling her close as if they were old friends.

"Yes, I suppose I am," Marilla said, caught off guard at realizing that 'Mrs. Blythe' was not Gilbert's mother but instead was her Anne.

"You must be so proud of her success! My goodness, we've never done better. Our readers so look forward to her columns every month. They're warm, but with a touch of humor, too. And her descriptions- why, it's as if you're really there- and now we are here. How exciting! And the fan mail, I'm sure you've all been simply inundated with it. That's what comes of success, mind you-"

As Mrs. Scheper was saying all this, she was making her way up the front porch, dragging Marilla beside her.

"Do you live near? It's just perfectly lovely if you do. You're able to visit all the time, I'm sure. What a relief for a mother of a little one! Do you think they'll have any more children? Walter is three, isn't he, but you don't suppose he'll be an only child, do you?"

"Uh-"

Mrs. Scheper was knocking on the front door.

Gilbert came to get it.

"Good afternoon," the lady chirped, bubbly. "Mrs. Grant Scheper, from Mothering magazine? I was hoping Mrs. Blythe was home. I was in the area and I thought, wouldn't it be wonderful to stop by and meet our newest and brightest? I could even do a little interview- a 'behind the scenes', so to speak- get to know the real Mrs. Blythe!"

"Yes," Marilla cut in, her voice a bit hard. "Have you any idea where Mrs. Blythe might be?"

Gilbert looked at Marilla, as if needing help, but Marilla refused to offer any.

"Uh...come in," he finally said. "Both of you."

Gilbert let the two ladies in, but then did not know what to do with them. He stood with them uncomfortably in the parlor and finally said, "I'll see what's keeping my...uh, Anne."