Anne of Windy Poplars - L. M. Montgomery [2]
‘You can see them, but it’ll be Rebecca who’ll really decide whether they’ll take you or not. Rebecca Dew rules the roost at Windy Willows, I can tell you.’
Windy Willows! It couldn’t be true – no, it couldn’t! I must be dreaming. And Mrs Rachel Lynde was actually saying it was a funny name for a place.
‘Oh, Captain MacComber called it that. It was his house, you know. He planted all the willows round it, and was mighty proud of it, though he was seldom home and never stayed long. Aunt Kate used to say that was inconvenient, but we never got it figured out whether she meant his staying such a little time or his coming back at all. Well, Miss Shirley, I hope you’ll get there. Rebecca Dew’s a good cook and a genius with cold potatoes. If she takes a notion to you you’ll be in clover. If she don’t – well, she won’t, that’s all. I hear there’s a new banker in town looking for a boarding-house, and she may prefer him. It’s kind of funny Mrs Tom Pringle wouldn’t take you. Summerside is full of Pringles and half-Pringles. They’re called the “Royal Family”, and you’ll have to get on their good side, Miss Shirley, or you’ll never get along in Summerside High. They’ve always ruled the roost hereabouts. There’s a street called after old Captain Abraham Pringle. There’s a regular clan of them, but the two old ladies at Maplehurst boss the tribe. I did hear they were down on you.’
‘Why should they be?’ I exclaimed. ‘I’m a total stranger to them.’
‘Well, a third cousin of theirs applied for the Principalship, and they all think he should have got it. When your application was accepted the whole kit and boodle of them threw back their head and howled. Well, people are like that. We have to take them as we find them, you know. They’ll be as smooth as cream to you, but they’ll work against you every time. I’m not wanting to discourage you, but forewarned is forearmed. I hope you’ll make good just to spite them. If the widows take you, you won’t mind eating with Rebecca Dew, will you? She isn’t a servant, you know. She’s a far-off cousin of the Captain’s. She don’t come to the table when there’s company – she knows her place then – but if you were boarding there she wouldn’t consider you company, of course.’
I assured the anxious Mrs Braddock that I’d love eating with Rebecca Dew, and dragged Mrs Lynde away. I must get ahead of the banker.
Mrs Braddock followed us to the door.
‘And don’t hurt Aunt Chatty’s feelings, will you? Her feelings are so easily hurt. She’s so sensitive, poor thing. You see, she hasn’t quite as much money as Aunt Kate – though Aunt Kate hasn’t any too much either. And then Aunt Kate liked her husband real well – her own husband, I mean – but Aunt Chatty didn’t – didn’t like hers, I mean. Small wonder! Lincoln MacLean was an old crank, but she thinks people hold it against her. It’s lucky this is Saturday. If it was Friday Aunt Chatty wouldn’t even consider taking you. You’d think Aunt Kate would be the superstitious one, wouldn’t you? Sailors are kind of like that. But it’s Aunt Chatty – although her husband was a carpenter. She was very pretty in her day, poor thing.’
I assured Mrs Braddock that Aunt Chatty’s feelings would be sacred to me, but she followed us down the walk.
‘Kate and Chatty won’t explore your belongings when you’re out. They’re very conscientious. Rebecca Dew may, but she won’t tell on you. And I wouldn’t go to the front door, if I was you. They only use it for something real important. I don’t think it’s been opened since Amasa’s funeral. Try the side-door. They keep the key under the flower-pot on the window-sill, so if nobody’s home just unlock the door and go in and wait. And whatever you do don’t praise the cat, because Rebecca Dew doesn’t like him.’
I promised I wouldn’t praise the cat, and we actually got away. Ere long we found ourselves in Spook’s Lane. It is a very short side-street leading out to open country, and far away a blue hill makes a beautiful back-drop for it. On one side there are no houses at all, and the land