Categories > Books > Anne of Green Gables > The Chronicles of Marilla Cuthbert
CHAPTER ONE
How Marilla met Kathryn...
1877, Avonlea, PIE
Marilla entered the store one fine October morning and went to the counter. The storekeeper Mr. Brian Taylor welcomed her with a smile, " Good morning Miss. Cuthbert. How are you?"
" I am fine," Marilla replied.
" And how is Matthew? Has he recovered from that chest cold?"
" Yes, quite. He still has trouble breathing, but he is better than he was." Marilla told him. " I came to get the cookbook that you put on hold for me.."
" The cookbook. The man suddenly seemed a bit nervous, " Well, Miss. Cuthbert, there's a problem."
" What do you mean? I asked specially for that book. I need it because it has the recipe for plum reserves; which I am to make for the Sunday picnic."
" Since you did not put any down payment on that book, I had to give it away."
" Give it away!" Marilla exclaimed, " After you assured me you wouldn't do such a thing?"
Mr. Taylor looked embarrassed, " Well, you see I had no choice-especially since the woman paid in cash right then and there and you did not."
Marilla was very annoyed, " But I told you I was going to pay for it today-"
" I am very sorry." The storekeeper shrugged, " There's not a lot I can do. We don't have any other copies either."
" Who is the woman you sold the book to?"
" Her name is Kathryn Jenkins. She's a new arrival to Avonlea." The man didn't offer any other information. Marilla left the store then. She sighed, wondering if Rachel Lynde had a recipe she could borrow. It was then she decided to pay this woman a visit since the woman stole the book from her.
*
Marilla glanced down at the address written on a piece of paper and up at the two-storey house. It was painted white with a verandah wrapped around it. Trees surrounded it and the garden was in full bloom. There was a carriage parked alongside the house and a stable on the other side, a bit further back.
She knocked on the door and waited. The door opened and woman peered out at her. " Hello?"
" Yes," Marilla went straight to the point, " I believe you have something of mine Ms. Jenkins."
The lady's eyebrows raised with surprise, " Excuse me, what on earth do you mean? I don't believe I know you either."
" I was the Carmody store," Marilla then went on to explain.
" I don't see what the fuss is about. But I bought that book fair and square. I certainly did not steal it from you Ms-"
" Miss Cuthbert." Marilla glared at her, " Mr. Taylor was holding that book for me-"
" As I said, I paid for it and everything. That book belongs to me now. I am sure you can get other recipe books from somewhere."
Marilla opened her mouth to argue but Kathryn beat her to it.
" If you'll excuse me Miss. Cuthbert, but I am very busy. Once again I am sorry, although I don't see why I should be apologizing." Then she firmly, and rudely, closed the door in Marilla's face.
" Did you get the book?" Matthew asked his sister during supper. His sister had returned home empty-handed and fuming. She told him about the rude woman, " I tried Matthew. I guess I will have to borrow a recipe from Rachel. But I believe she does not make plum reserves for Thomas does not care for them." Marilla's brow wrinkled,
" The only thing left to do is to drive to the nearest town and find another book. But the picnic is in two days. How am I supposed to go to town, then find the time to cook when I return? It is hopeless Matthew."
" Can't you do it from memory?" he suggested.
" I made them two years ago Matthew. No, I can't do it from memory." Marilla snapped and then lapsed into silence.
*
Kathryn flipped through the book and sighed. It had been heartless of her to be so rude to Miss. Cuthbert. She was only inquiring about why she came to possess this book. The storekeeper had insisted he was holding for someone and couldn't possibly sell it. But Kathryn was adamant-she wanted the recipe book and would be prepared to pay cash right then and there. The storekeeper finally relented and sold it to her.
Then a few hours later, that woman showed up at her door.
Kathryn got up and looked at the clock. It was nine am the following morning. Surely it wasn't too early to pay her a visit. She had went back to the Carmody store and asked Mr. Taylor where Marilla lived.
She drove to Green Gables and hurried to the front door. She paused, before knocking.
The door opened and Marilla answered. " You." She greeted Kathryn, " What are you doing here?"
" I came to sooth ruffled feathers." Kathryn replied and held up the book, " and to give the book to its rightful owner." She passed it to Marilla.
" Thank you," Marilla said, " That's very kind of you." Then asked Kathryn if she would stay for a cup of tea.
And from that day forth, she and Marilla became firm friends....
How Marilla met Kathryn...
1877, Avonlea, PIE
Marilla entered the store one fine October morning and went to the counter. The storekeeper Mr. Brian Taylor welcomed her with a smile, " Good morning Miss. Cuthbert. How are you?"
" I am fine," Marilla replied.
" And how is Matthew? Has he recovered from that chest cold?"
" Yes, quite. He still has trouble breathing, but he is better than he was." Marilla told him. " I came to get the cookbook that you put on hold for me.."
" The cookbook. The man suddenly seemed a bit nervous, " Well, Miss. Cuthbert, there's a problem."
" What do you mean? I asked specially for that book. I need it because it has the recipe for plum reserves; which I am to make for the Sunday picnic."
" Since you did not put any down payment on that book, I had to give it away."
" Give it away!" Marilla exclaimed, " After you assured me you wouldn't do such a thing?"
Mr. Taylor looked embarrassed, " Well, you see I had no choice-especially since the woman paid in cash right then and there and you did not."
Marilla was very annoyed, " But I told you I was going to pay for it today-"
" I am very sorry." The storekeeper shrugged, " There's not a lot I can do. We don't have any other copies either."
" Who is the woman you sold the book to?"
" Her name is Kathryn Jenkins. She's a new arrival to Avonlea." The man didn't offer any other information. Marilla left the store then. She sighed, wondering if Rachel Lynde had a recipe she could borrow. It was then she decided to pay this woman a visit since the woman stole the book from her.
*
Marilla glanced down at the address written on a piece of paper and up at the two-storey house. It was painted white with a verandah wrapped around it. Trees surrounded it and the garden was in full bloom. There was a carriage parked alongside the house and a stable on the other side, a bit further back.
She knocked on the door and waited. The door opened and woman peered out at her. " Hello?"
" Yes," Marilla went straight to the point, " I believe you have something of mine Ms. Jenkins."
The lady's eyebrows raised with surprise, " Excuse me, what on earth do you mean? I don't believe I know you either."
" I was the Carmody store," Marilla then went on to explain.
" I don't see what the fuss is about. But I bought that book fair and square. I certainly did not steal it from you Ms-"
" Miss Cuthbert." Marilla glared at her, " Mr. Taylor was holding that book for me-"
" As I said, I paid for it and everything. That book belongs to me now. I am sure you can get other recipe books from somewhere."
Marilla opened her mouth to argue but Kathryn beat her to it.
" If you'll excuse me Miss. Cuthbert, but I am very busy. Once again I am sorry, although I don't see why I should be apologizing." Then she firmly, and rudely, closed the door in Marilla's face.
" Did you get the book?" Matthew asked his sister during supper. His sister had returned home empty-handed and fuming. She told him about the rude woman, " I tried Matthew. I guess I will have to borrow a recipe from Rachel. But I believe she does not make plum reserves for Thomas does not care for them." Marilla's brow wrinkled,
" The only thing left to do is to drive to the nearest town and find another book. But the picnic is in two days. How am I supposed to go to town, then find the time to cook when I return? It is hopeless Matthew."
" Can't you do it from memory?" he suggested.
" I made them two years ago Matthew. No, I can't do it from memory." Marilla snapped and then lapsed into silence.
*
Kathryn flipped through the book and sighed. It had been heartless of her to be so rude to Miss. Cuthbert. She was only inquiring about why she came to possess this book. The storekeeper had insisted he was holding for someone and couldn't possibly sell it. But Kathryn was adamant-she wanted the recipe book and would be prepared to pay cash right then and there. The storekeeper finally relented and sold it to her.
Then a few hours later, that woman showed up at her door.
Kathryn got up and looked at the clock. It was nine am the following morning. Surely it wasn't too early to pay her a visit. She had went back to the Carmody store and asked Mr. Taylor where Marilla lived.
She drove to Green Gables and hurried to the front door. She paused, before knocking.
The door opened and Marilla answered. " You." She greeted Kathryn, " What are you doing here?"
" I came to sooth ruffled feathers." Kathryn replied and held up the book, " and to give the book to its rightful owner." She passed it to Marilla.
" Thank you," Marilla said, " That's very kind of you." Then asked Kathryn if she would stay for a cup of tea.
And from that day forth, she and Marilla became firm friends....
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