"I was hoping you would drop by this evening," said Anne to Mrs. Cornelia Elliot one evening a couple days afterward. "Gilbert had to go to see young Ben Wentworth and I was dying for some company and a dish of gossip."
Mrs. Elliot settled herself in a chair and took out her knitting as she sighed heavily. "Young Ben Wentworth has nothing in the world wrong with him. He just likes to sit in a chair and be lazy. Being sick is just an excuse so his wife will do his work for him."
"I heard some report that Jim Taylor is going to marry Mary Drew." Said Anne taking up HER sewing, " I never would have guessed it."
"Yes, it's true, Jim asked Mary over a year ago and she finally decided to take him. Well, that's typical for Mary, she was always slow at deciding things. I remember when she was just a little thing, she came to my house and I told her she could pick some flowers to take to her Mother. She was in tears when half an hour later she still hadn't decided which flowers to pick. "I don't want to take the wrong ones," she said, "if I take daisies I might lie awake tonight wishing I would have picked lilies." She gets it from her Grandfather, Thomas Drew. He felt so terrible after his wife died that he wanted to kill himself. The problem was, he took so long to decide how to do it that he ended up dying of natural causes. Just like a man!"
Anne laughed heartily, "I thought you would stop being so against men now that you are married."

Image by 'Starlene'

"Fine, I suppose. She was carrying a big basket of groceries on one hip and and lugging a squalling baby on the other. Her husband Billy was strolling along behind her, his hands in his pockets, not even noticing the hard time his wife was having. Just like a man!" Mrs. Elliott sniffed as she clashed her needles and bore the frowning look that showed what she would do if any contemptible man walked up at that juncter. Susan, who couldn't stand Billy, was however not going to let Mrs. Elliott run down her relatives.

But she couldn't think of any excuse for him, so huffed down to the kitchen and vented her anger on Mrs. Elliott by banging the pots and pans.
"I went to see Cilla Finigan today." said Miss Cornelia, ignoring the loud crashes in the kitchen. "That poor girl."
"What about her?" Asked Anne.
"You mean you haven't heard? Well, she really likes Edward Nath and she is pretty sure he likes her, but Edward has always been so shy and she doesn't think he'll ever get up the courage to ask her to marry him."
"Oh my, and Cilla certainly is not of the shy sort. Well, opposites attract, I suppose."
"She claims she won't marry anyone but him and if he never asks her she will end up an old maid."
Anne clapped her hands together. "This sounds like my kind of job. All I have to do is get Ed to propose to Cilla!"
Miss Cornelia blinked. "Do you think you should take up matchmaking in your.. ahem.... condition?" She asked with concern.
"I'll have the help of Diana. She has helped with some of my other 'matchmaking.'"
"Well," said Miss Cornelia as she rose half an hour later, "I must be going now."
"Oh, must you?" Asked Anne dissapointedly, "I was hoping you would stay for a while longer."
"Yes, Marshall is going to drive me over harbour tommorow and I have to make sure there is enough food to last him till I get back. I tell you Anne dearie, men are so completely helpless when it comes to cooking. When did you say Mr. and Mrs. Wright were arriving?"
"They should get here tommorow afternoon."
"Well, goodbye, take care of your self."
Anne walked Miss Cornelia to the gate. When she returned to the veranda, Susan was there, knitting away on some mysterious little booties.
"Mrs. Doctor dear," she said pensively, "I am sorry if I didn't act properly in the presence of your guest. I should have remembered my place in this house"
Anne smothered a smile. "That's alright, Susan," she said.