Categories > Books > Anne of Green Gables > The Chronicles of Marilla Cuthbert
THE CHRONICLES OF MARILLA CUTHBERT
PART ONE: MEANT TO BE?
Summary: This chronicles the life of Marilla Cuthbert and before Anne came to stay. Marilla as you never seen before. Marilla had a secret lover...was the relationship meant to be?
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I am aware some readers may not like the idea of Marilla and another woman. This fic will contain mild adult themes.
It begins before Anne came to Green Gables. I will try my best to get the dates etc right. Any errors are mine alone.
DISCLAIMER: the characters from Anne of Green Gables belong to L.M. Montgomery.
PROLOGUE
1880
Prince Edward Island
Fifteen-year old Anne Shirley passed the amethyst brooch over to Marilla and watched as her guardian pinned it on.
" Marilla, would you tell me how you came to get this brooch?" Anne asked as she collected her blue cardigan from Marilla's bed. They were about to go to dinner at Mrs. Rachel Lynde's house
It had been several months since Matthew passed away.
Anne knew she should go back to Queens College; but her heart wasn't in it. How could she go back and leave poor Marilla all alone?
" It is a long story Anne," Marilla replied-somewhat stiffly. A memory came flooding back but she pushed it towards the back of her mind.
" We have time," Anne pointed out.
" I will tell you on the way." Marilla wondered if she should tell her. That part of her life was over-it had been for years now.
" Was the brooch a keepsake from a tragic romance?" Anne asked eagerly as they walked towards Rachel Lynde's house.
" It was from a romance yes, but it wasn't tragic as you call it." Marilla paused, " Well, it did not end well. The brooch was given me to me by a friend of mine named Kathryn Jenkins."
Anne stopped walking and glanced at Marilla in surprise,
" But...Kathryn...was a woman!"
" Yes she was." Marilla said and continued walking, not wanting to see Anne's reaction. Perhaps she was a little hasty in telling her this story.
" You said the brooch was a keepsake from a romance," Anne was confused now.
Marilla nodded, " Given to me by Kathryn," she added and let Anne put the two and two together.
Anne's eyes went wide, " Oh." She said, " Kathryn was your lover." She guessed and Marilla nodded.
" What happened?" Anne asked. It was Marilla's turn to be surprised-Anne was taking the news awfully well. She should have given the girl more credit.
" It happened before you came to Green Gables." Marilla explained, " She and I were together for three years and everything just fell apart one year. The last I heard she was living in Charlottetown.
" Do you miss her?" Anne boldly asked. Now she knew part of the reason why Marilla wasn't an affectionate woman-she had closed her heart to love.
" Anne Shirley!" Marilla exclaimed, horrified, " What a question to ask me!" they fell silent after that.
*
A few days later, Green Gables was quiet once again; Anne had left to visit Miss Josephine Barry-Diana Barry's great-aunt. Marilla hated the silence and emptiness of the place. She finished cooking and decided to pay Rachel Lynde a visit. As she headed for the door, the hallway spun dizzily around her.
She rubbed her temples, she could feel another headache coming on. They were getting worse and the doctor had warned her she could lose her eyesight completely.
Marilla Cuthbert, you know you cannot look after this place by yourself, she told herself, accept Rachel's offer to live with her. The pain in her head intensified and she knew then she was not up to visiting that day. She turned and walked up the stairs for a rest.
*
" I don't know Anne." Kathryn Jenkins placed her mug of tea back into its saucer, " What if she does not want to see me? Its been years..."
" I know it has, but she does miss you." Anne answered, " she does not say in so many words, but I could tell. Why don't you see her? What harm can it do?"
" Plenty." Kathryn took out the hairpins from her brown hair and it tumbled to her shoulders in waves.
Kathryn had been so surprised when this red-haired girl showed up at her door, claiming she knew an old friend of hers. She had been doubly surprised to learn that this old friend was Marilla and that she had adopted this peculiar girl!
" You might find Marilla has even changed." Anne added.
*
It was supper time and Marilla had finished the last of her bread and soup. The headache had eased somewhat thanks to a long nap. She put the empty dishes in the sink when there was a knock on the door.
" Who could this be at this hour?" she muttered. She wiped her hands on her apron before answering the door.
" Hello Marilla." The caller greeted her and Marilla just stared, dumbstruck.
After several minutes of silence, Marilla found her voice, " What are you doing here?" she demanded.
Kathryn Jenkins studied Marilla; her eyes were cold and she looked more harsh somehow.
" I..." Kathryn was unable to explain herself, " Someone arrived at my home, claiming she knew you. I was so surprised to learn you adopted this person-"
" Anne." Marilla seethed. It all fell into place. Instead of visiting Miss. Josephine Barry, Anne went to find Kathryn! Anne appeared then, looking sheepish, " I am sorry Marilla, but-"
" You had no right to meddle in my affairs!" Marilla snapped.
Anne winced, " I know Marilla. I knew you would be angry with me, but all I want is for you to be happy."
" And you think this woman will make me happy?" Marilla was scornful.
" Marilla, please-" Kathryn pleaded, " You wouldn't forgive me when I asked and I knew then our relationship was a doomed failure. You gave me no choice."
" Oh, so now it is my fault?" Marilla snarled, looking very angry indeed. Anne began to wonder if this was such a good idea after all.
Not if you do something about it. Anne told herself, I have to salvage this somehow.
" Where do you think you're going? I am not finished with you yet Anne Shirley." Marilla warned.
" The two of you need to talk things through and you cannot do it with me around." Anne explained.
" Oh please stay Anne." Kathryn begged Anne. She did not want to be alone with Marilla. The women looked as though she could strike someone. Even thought Marilla does not resort to violence.
" Yes stay. I can tell you all about Kathryn and I and how she left me in the end." Marilla turned away and walked into the kitchen.
Anne sighed and nodded. Kathryn took this as an invitation inside. " You will understand why Marilla hates so me and realize why this was not a good idea." Kathryn whispered to Anne as Marilla poured them mugs of tea and reluctantly allowed Kathryn sit down at her table. The woman took off her hat and laid it next to her.
She has not changed a bit. Marilla grudgingly admitted, except for a few grays, she is still quite-beautiful. Just the way I remember her.
Kathryn then proceeded to tell Anne their story....
PART ONE: MEANT TO BE?
Summary: This chronicles the life of Marilla Cuthbert and before Anne came to stay. Marilla as you never seen before. Marilla had a secret lover...was the relationship meant to be?
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I am aware some readers may not like the idea of Marilla and another woman. This fic will contain mild adult themes.
It begins before Anne came to Green Gables. I will try my best to get the dates etc right. Any errors are mine alone.
DISCLAIMER: the characters from Anne of Green Gables belong to L.M. Montgomery.
PROLOGUE
1880
Prince Edward Island
Fifteen-year old Anne Shirley passed the amethyst brooch over to Marilla and watched as her guardian pinned it on.
" Marilla, would you tell me how you came to get this brooch?" Anne asked as she collected her blue cardigan from Marilla's bed. They were about to go to dinner at Mrs. Rachel Lynde's house
It had been several months since Matthew passed away.
Anne knew she should go back to Queens College; but her heart wasn't in it. How could she go back and leave poor Marilla all alone?
" It is a long story Anne," Marilla replied-somewhat stiffly. A memory came flooding back but she pushed it towards the back of her mind.
" We have time," Anne pointed out.
" I will tell you on the way." Marilla wondered if she should tell her. That part of her life was over-it had been for years now.
" Was the brooch a keepsake from a tragic romance?" Anne asked eagerly as they walked towards Rachel Lynde's house.
" It was from a romance yes, but it wasn't tragic as you call it." Marilla paused, " Well, it did not end well. The brooch was given me to me by a friend of mine named Kathryn Jenkins."
Anne stopped walking and glanced at Marilla in surprise,
" But...Kathryn...was a woman!"
" Yes she was." Marilla said and continued walking, not wanting to see Anne's reaction. Perhaps she was a little hasty in telling her this story.
" You said the brooch was a keepsake from a romance," Anne was confused now.
Marilla nodded, " Given to me by Kathryn," she added and let Anne put the two and two together.
Anne's eyes went wide, " Oh." She said, " Kathryn was your lover." She guessed and Marilla nodded.
" What happened?" Anne asked. It was Marilla's turn to be surprised-Anne was taking the news awfully well. She should have given the girl more credit.
" It happened before you came to Green Gables." Marilla explained, " She and I were together for three years and everything just fell apart one year. The last I heard she was living in Charlottetown.
" Do you miss her?" Anne boldly asked. Now she knew part of the reason why Marilla wasn't an affectionate woman-she had closed her heart to love.
" Anne Shirley!" Marilla exclaimed, horrified, " What a question to ask me!" they fell silent after that.
*
A few days later, Green Gables was quiet once again; Anne had left to visit Miss Josephine Barry-Diana Barry's great-aunt. Marilla hated the silence and emptiness of the place. She finished cooking and decided to pay Rachel Lynde a visit. As she headed for the door, the hallway spun dizzily around her.
She rubbed her temples, she could feel another headache coming on. They were getting worse and the doctor had warned her she could lose her eyesight completely.
Marilla Cuthbert, you know you cannot look after this place by yourself, she told herself, accept Rachel's offer to live with her. The pain in her head intensified and she knew then she was not up to visiting that day. She turned and walked up the stairs for a rest.
*
" I don't know Anne." Kathryn Jenkins placed her mug of tea back into its saucer, " What if she does not want to see me? Its been years..."
" I know it has, but she does miss you." Anne answered, " she does not say in so many words, but I could tell. Why don't you see her? What harm can it do?"
" Plenty." Kathryn took out the hairpins from her brown hair and it tumbled to her shoulders in waves.
Kathryn had been so surprised when this red-haired girl showed up at her door, claiming she knew an old friend of hers. She had been doubly surprised to learn that this old friend was Marilla and that she had adopted this peculiar girl!
" You might find Marilla has even changed." Anne added.
*
It was supper time and Marilla had finished the last of her bread and soup. The headache had eased somewhat thanks to a long nap. She put the empty dishes in the sink when there was a knock on the door.
" Who could this be at this hour?" she muttered. She wiped her hands on her apron before answering the door.
" Hello Marilla." The caller greeted her and Marilla just stared, dumbstruck.
After several minutes of silence, Marilla found her voice, " What are you doing here?" she demanded.
Kathryn Jenkins studied Marilla; her eyes were cold and she looked more harsh somehow.
" I..." Kathryn was unable to explain herself, " Someone arrived at my home, claiming she knew you. I was so surprised to learn you adopted this person-"
" Anne." Marilla seethed. It all fell into place. Instead of visiting Miss. Josephine Barry, Anne went to find Kathryn! Anne appeared then, looking sheepish, " I am sorry Marilla, but-"
" You had no right to meddle in my affairs!" Marilla snapped.
Anne winced, " I know Marilla. I knew you would be angry with me, but all I want is for you to be happy."
" And you think this woman will make me happy?" Marilla was scornful.
" Marilla, please-" Kathryn pleaded, " You wouldn't forgive me when I asked and I knew then our relationship was a doomed failure. You gave me no choice."
" Oh, so now it is my fault?" Marilla snarled, looking very angry indeed. Anne began to wonder if this was such a good idea after all.
Not if you do something about it. Anne told herself, I have to salvage this somehow.
" Where do you think you're going? I am not finished with you yet Anne Shirley." Marilla warned.
" The two of you need to talk things through and you cannot do it with me around." Anne explained.
" Oh please stay Anne." Kathryn begged Anne. She did not want to be alone with Marilla. The women looked as though she could strike someone. Even thought Marilla does not resort to violence.
" Yes stay. I can tell you all about Kathryn and I and how she left me in the end." Marilla turned away and walked into the kitchen.
Anne sighed and nodded. Kathryn took this as an invitation inside. " You will understand why Marilla hates so me and realize why this was not a good idea." Kathryn whispered to Anne as Marilla poured them mugs of tea and reluctantly allowed Kathryn sit down at her table. The woman took off her hat and laid it next to her.
She has not changed a bit. Marilla grudgingly admitted, except for a few grays, she is still quite-beautiful. Just the way I remember her.
Kathryn then proceeded to tell Anne their story....
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