"Isolde." She jumped.
"Yes, Father?" she said.
"Have you finished your reading?" She nodded. Clive Pettibone strode into the room and glanced over her shoulder.
"You read ahead."
"Yes, sir."
"Are you enjoying it?"
"Yes."
"I thought you might. There's a letter for you." He held it out. She recognized the handwriting. David.
"Thank you," she said, taking it. Clive smiled and left her alone.
Dear Izzy,
Halifax is pretty dreary with you gone, but I've got my studies to keep me busy. If this war goes on much longer, we'll need all the doctors we can get out in the field. That's where Arthur and I step in. I'm glad to hear you reached Avonlea safely. I'm sure it's beautiful there this time of year. The hospital I work at is full all the time now with the wounded coming in from Europe...
Oh, the war! She didn't want to hear about the war! Izzy skipped to the next page.
At least they give us some time off. I'll be in Carmody next week visiting my uncle. Finally, I'll get to see you again!
Izzy sat up straighter and felt her cheeks redden. Carmody! She'd be able to see David almost every day! She smiled, placed the letter in her desk and went back to her reading, still smiling.
* * * * * * * * * *Those who knew such things said the King farm had one of the best views in Avonlea. From the porch, one could look out and see the blood red road cutting a swath through fields that would soon be full of wildflowers. Beyond the fields were the woods, now misty with new foliage. The air was slightly damp that time of year, and the road gave off a satisfying earthy smell. Felix King leaned against a pillar and breathed it in. Digger, the aging retriever, laid down beside him. It was good to have Digger's company. Digger didn't fuss over him and, more importantly, he didn't ask questions. More than anything, Felix hated the questions. His right shoulder began to ache and he grimaced as he adjusted his position. Being wounded was hell, but he could hardly complain. Plenty of others had lost limbs...or died.
He heard the screen door open and close quietly behind him and Felicity joined him.
"What are you doing out here?" she asked, sinking into a rocking chair and propping up her feet.
"Nothing." She nodded and absently patted her stomach. In another two months, she would be a mother. It was a strange thought to her, the idea of being a mother. She worried incessantly about not being ready, and wondered if all women felt that way the first time they had children.
"Pretty, isn't it?" she said. "Did you miss it while you were away?"
"I suppose. I mean, I didn't think about it much." They sat in silence for a few more minutes. Finally, Felicity stood.
"I'm going to help mother with dinner," she said. "Are you coming in soon?"
"No, I think I'll stay out here for a while."
"All right. If you see Gus, send him inside, there's something I want to talk to him about." She vanished into the house. Felix stood quietly for a moment, then left the porch and began walking. He didn't really know where he was going, and it didn't matter. He just wanted to move and be active.
He found his father in the barn, rubbing down the workhorse.
"Hello, Felix," Alec said.
"Need any help?" Felix asked, wanting more than anything to feel somehow useful.
"Just about done here," Alec replied, putting the horse in its stall. "Time to go in for supper." Felix nodded. Alec studied his son's face while wiping his hands on a towel. "Is there anything you want to talk to me about?"
"No, it's all right."
"You've been awfully quiet lately. Almost as though you were at loose ends."
"I feel useless."
"Well, it's hard to do much with a wounded shoulder."
"I know."
"If you need something to do, why don't you go and see Mr. Tremayne at the White Sands? Maybe you can get your old job back."
"Yes, I was thinking about that."
"Well, there you are, then. Come on, let's go in. I'm sure your mother's prepared another feast for her returning hero."
* * * * * * * * * *It was unfathomable to Sally Potts just how it was that Izzy Pettibone, the town tomboy, could land such a handsome beau as David Boyne. Sally watched them sullenly as they enjoyed fountain sodas together and did some grocery shopping at the general store. There was no doubt that they were happy together. Izzy was elated to see David again, and to get news of Arthur, who was too busy to write as often as he used to.
When their shopping was done, she packed the purchases into a basket, opened the door...and ran smack into Felix King.
Izzy felt a sudden shiver run up her spine, and she realized that she couldn't say a word. She and Felix stared at each other for a minute, then David came out.
"Felix," she said. "I had no idea you were back." He glanced at David.
"Obviously not," Felix said. Izzy blushed.
"Felix, this is Arthur's roommate, David Boyne. David, this is Felix King, an old friend of mine. How long have you been home?"
"Less than a week. I was in a hospital in Halifax before that."
"Were you sick?"
"Wounded."
"How are you?"
"I'll be fine." There was a long pause.
"I'd better get these groceries home," she finally managed to say. Felix nodded.
"I'll see you around." He stood and watched while she and David disappeared into her house. She never turned and looked back at him.
It didn't matter. She didn't matter. Felix viciously kicked a stone across the road. It figured that the minute he turned his back she'd go off and find someone else. He couldn't really blame her. All the same, seeing Izzy with someone else had been like a kick in the guts. At least Mr. Tremayne had given him his job back. Mr. Tremayne had been incredibly grateful for Felix's presence, since the war had robbed Avonlea of most of its male population. Now he'd have something to do. He kicked another rock and sent it rolling down the hill.
Izzy was monumentally grateful that David was busy the next day and couldn’t see her. She needed time to sort things out. She was also grateful that when she visited the King farm, Felix happened to be home.
"Are you glad to be back?" she asked him as they walked along the beach.
"I suppose. I fell a little useless, though."
"I heard you got your job at the White Sands back." He nodded. "So now you'll have something to do."
"Yes."
"I wanted to apologize for yesterday. I--I didn't expect you back and I didn't know what to do."
"I'm surprised Cecily didn't tell you I was coming home."
"I haven't seen much of Cecily lately. Besides, we only just arrived from Halifax ourselves."
"Is that where you met him?" Izzy frowned.
"Felix, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. I was just surprised to see you with someone else, that's all."
"Felix King, you're jealous!"
"I am not!"
"You stopped writing to me two months ago! All my letters to you were returned! What was I supposed to think?"
"I was wounded and lying in a hospital two months ago!"
"I didn't know that."
"Then let's just forget about this, all right?"
"Fine." They continued walking in silence.
* * * * * * * * * *Izzy and Felix didn't see much of each other throughout the month of April. She wanted to see him, but he always seemed to be working.
"He's trying to keep busy," Cecily told her. "He needs to occupy his mind." Izzy understood. An idle mind breeds thoughts and unpleasant memories.
Of course, there was always David. She got to see a lot more of him that month. She enjoyed his enthusiasm and wry humor. It reminded her of how Felix used to be.
"Something's bothering you," her father observed one evening when they were alone. Izzy sighed.
"I was thinking of the way things used to be, before we went away and before Felix went off to war. We were such good friends and now I feel like he doesn't want to speak to me any more." Clive nodded and set aside the newspaper he had been reading.
"Izzy, you have to understand that war changes people in strange ways, especially a war as terrible as this one. When you see your friends dying, it changes you. Now, David hasn't seen battle. He hasn't been spoiled that way."
"He's seen the injuries." Clive shook his head.
"Not the worst ones. Not the cases that are fresh off the battlefield. When he sees that, he'll change too. It takes time for two people to readjust to each other. Your mother and I went through the same thing when I came back. The best thing you can do is be patient with him. Let him come around in his own time." Izzy nodded.
"I'll go see how he is tomorrow," she said.
* * * * * * * * * *It was very warm, even for May, but heavy clouds crowded the horizon and the wind began picking up around noon. Standing next to the lighthouse, Felix could see the whitecaps cresting on waves far from the shore.
"Looks like we're in for some weather." The voice from behind startled him, and he turned. Izzy stood a few feet away. He hadn't even heard her approach.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I stopped by your house and your mother said you were straying here. I wanted to talk to you."
"You shouldn't have come. It's going to rain." Right on cue, a large raindrop landed on his head.
"Then maybe we should go inside." Felix considered this for a moment as more raindrops fell, then opened the door and ushered her into the lighthouse.
"What did you want to talk about?" he asked, shutting the door securely behind him.
"I don't know. Anything," she said. "I've hardly seen you since you got back."
"Well, you've been busy." He filled the teakettle with water and put it on the stove.
"Felix, that's not fair. It isn't as though I was avoiding you. You were working all the time."
"I need something to do. I couldn't wait around the house for you to have time for me."
"Why are you so angry with me?"
"I couldn't say, Iz. I mean, shouldn't every man be happy when he comes home from war and sees his girl with someone else?"
"I told you that--"
"Yes, yes, the letters. So this is my fault, is it?"
"I didn't say that. And I didn't come here to fight, I came because I want to be your friend."
"Friend. Wonderful. Very generous of you." The teakettle steamed and whistled and he angrily snatched it up and poured the water into the teapot. "And if I'm good, maybe I'll be allowed to tag along when you go out with what's-his-name."
"His name is David, Felix King, and you can just stop being so self-righteous. Don't think I can't still punch you in the nose if I have a mind to." They stared at each other for a moment, and then suddenly they began to laugh. They laughed until their sides hurt and tears rolled down their cheeks.
"I don't even know what was so funny," Felix gasped, once he could speak again.
"I don't either, but wasn't I a terrible little girl?" They began laughing again.
"Would you like some tea?" Felix asked when they had recovered. Izzy nodded and they settled down with mugs to wait out the storm.
"Remember when I almost killed Digger?" he asked.
"Of course. Remember when you tried to turn your house into a hotel?"
"And you and Cecily were ambushed in the barn by that skunk?" Izzy giggled.
"Remember how we used to tease Felicity and Gus?"
"Remember when you wore a dress to school and still hit a home run?"
"Ahh, yes, the fighting spirit of the Pettibones. Remember the bachelor auction?"
"Ack, and Velma Bugle?"
"Skim milk trying to be cream, I still say." Felix laughed. "Remember Pine Bend?"
Felix groaned. "Don't remind me of my stupidity."
"And those disastrous love letters Sara helped us write."
"Sara. She should never get involved in other peoples' romances."
"Did any of her matchmaking schemes work?"
"I don't think so." Izzy smiled and contemplated the steam rising from her mug for a moment.
"Felix, why are you here?" she asked him.
"What, here at the lighthouse?"
"Yes." He sighed.
"I needed to get away from everyone fussing over me and asking me questions about what it's like in Europe and what it's like to be home. I guess I just like it here, too."
"I like it too. This place always reminds me of that poem The Music Makers."
"Which one is that?"
"'We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams, wandering by lone sea breakers and sitting by desolate streams...'"
"Pretty ugly music we're making now."
"It'll get uglier too, I hear. Let's not talk about the war."
"Good plan. I'd rather avoid the subject too."
"So, are you looking forward to becoming an uncle?"
"Absolutely. I like kids, and it's been a while since I've had one around. Ever since Aunt Olivia and her family moved away there's been a considerable lack of youth in the King family, unless you count Daniel, and he's growing up pretty quickly."
"I guess we're all growing up pretty quickly these days."
"I guess so." She cocked her head to one side and listened.
"Sounds like it's letting up."
"Good thing, too. Another ten minutes here and your reputation would be utterly ruined, and you'd be forced to marry me."
"Nobody knows I'm here except for your mother, and I doubt she'd tell on me."
"Then at least you won't have to worry about some dreaded union with me."
"I can't even think about getting married now, I'm only eighteen. I promised myself I wouldn't think about it until I was at least nineteen." Felix laughed softly. The wind had died down and they could hear waves crashing on the shore. "Did you ever hear music in the water?" she asked suddenly.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean did you ever just listen to the water and hear a sort of music in it? I have."
"I don't think I have."
"You should try it sometime. It's the most peaceful feeling in the world."
"Well, peace is something I don't think I'll have for a while. Not after what I've been through." He opened the door and poked his head outside. "The rain's stopped, do you want me to walk you home?" Izzy nodded.
"Thank you, I'd like that."
After that day, things were better with Izzy and Felix. Almost back to the way they were before he left for the war. Almost. David was an invisible presence whenever they were together, although through some silent pact neither Felix nor Izzy ever referred to David. Izzy also began reforging ties to other members of the King family, most notably Cecily. There was no pact of silence with Cecily, and Izzy could talk to her about David to her heart's delight.
"I wish Felix wasn't so difficult about David," she said to Cecily one afternoon.
"What could you expect, Izzy? Felix cares about you. It hurt to see you with someone else."
"I don't think Felix feels that way about me anymore. We're just friends."
"Do you love David?"
"Love him? I don't know. I like him a lot, but I don't really know if I love him." Cecily nodded.
"You might want to decide soon, Izzy, because the way things seem to be going with you two, I'd place bets on David Boyne proposing to you by the end of the summer."
* * * * * * * * * *"Felix King, where is Simon Tremayne, I must speak to him at once!" Felix nearly jumped out of his skin when Hetty came barging into the hotel waving a bill in her right hand.
"He went out, but he should be back in a few minutes," he replied. Hetty sighed and eased herself into a nearby chair.
"I swear, Felix, but I'm not gone a week before this hotel falls to wrack and ruin. And that fancy doctor in Halifax hasn't done a thing to help my back. And now look at this!" she shoved the bill into his hands. "Just look at this month's grocery bill. Rationing or no rationing that is an outrageous figure! And I've received word from Sara that she's coming to pay us a visit, too! As if I don't have enough on my mind!"
"Sara's coming back?" he said. Hetty nodded.
"She's been living in Montreal since the beginning of the war. She's engaged to some member of the French aristocracy who's off fighting somewhere on the western front. A Catholic, too! Can you imagine that! What would her mother say? Ruth must be rolling in her grave to know that her daughter's marrying some papist!"
"I'm sure Sara's mother would only want her to be happy," said Felix. Hetty groaned as she massaged the small of her back.
"Felix, be a dear and hand me a cushion from that sofa," she said, gesturing to the settee nearby. Felix did as he was told and she stuck the cushion behind her back. "And how are you enjoying being home, young man?" she asked him. Felix shrugged.
"It's all right, I guess. It feels strange."
"You just need time to get used to things. What you need is a good, sensible girl to straighten you out." Simon Tremayne chose that moment to enter the lobby. Hetty sprang to her feet.
"Simon!" she bellowed, holding out the bill. "Just what is this?"
"Don't you start with me about the bills!" he said. "I've got enough on my mind without you blabbering on about that!" He strode past her and headed up the stairs to his office. Hetty followed him.
"Don't think you'll get away so easily!" she cried. "Why just look at this! What on earth is Chef Pierre doing? I'll have a talk with him right away but in the meantime..." Her voice faded away as Mr. Tremayne shut the door.
* * * * * * * * * *A war did not change everything in Avonlea. People could still take pleasure in the simple things, such as the birth of Felicity and Gus Pike's son, Alexander. When Izzy went to visit the mother and the new arrival, she found Felix sitting under the maple tree in the front yard of the Pike house making silly faces into a bassinette. She stopped and leaned on the fence to watch, enjoying the spectacle. After a few minutes, Felix turned and saw her.
"Hello, there," he said.
"Have I come at a bad time?" she asked, smiling bemusedly.
"Not at all. I was just teaching my nephew the fine art of gentlemanly behavior. Now you see, Alexander, when greeting a lady, you always bow and kiss her hand." Felix illustrated with Izzy, who laughed.
"Stop that!" she said. "Is Felicity around?"
"She's inside napping and Gus is out pruning the orchard so I get to baby-sit for a while." Izzy peeked into the bassinette and the infant gazed back at her with enormous blue eyes.
"He's beautiful," she said. "May I hold him?"
"Sure," said Felix. "He's great, he never cries." Izzy gently lifted the baby and settled him on her shoulder.
"I haven't seen you so happy in a while," she said. Felix shrugged.
"I told you, I like kids."
"I can see that. I heard Sara's coming to pay us a visit."
"You heard correctly. She was supposed to come last week, but she was delayed."
"When's she coming?"
"Two weeks from today."
"It'll be good to see her again."
"What are you doing tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow? Nothing. Why do you ask?"
"I wondered if you might be up for some fishing. I know of an exceptionally good fishing hole."
"Fishing? I haven't done that in ages. Sounds fun."
"Good. Meet me at my house around eight o'clock tomorrow."
"All right, I'll be there."
* * * * * * * * * *"I've been fishing here since I was seven," Felix explained as he and Izzy made their way through the woods to his private fishing hole. "It's where I first met Gus Pike."
"Is it?"
"Yup. Charming the fish with his fiddle. It was his bait, so to speak." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "From now on, you have to be very quiet. The fish here have ears." Izzy smiled and approached the shore with an exaggerated tiptoe. Felix grinned, watching her. They set their lines in the water and settled down to wait. It got hot, and flies and mosquitoes buzzed. After a while, Felix sighed.
"Are you getting anything?" he called to Izzy.
"Not even a nibble," she replied.
"It's too hot; the fish aren't biting," said Felix, taking his line out of the water.
"What are we going to do, then?" she asked him, setting her rod aside.
"I saw some blackberry brambles not too far away. Why don't we kill time by picking some?"
The blackberries were plentiful, since they had just come out and the birds hadn't gotten to them yet. Izzy hummed to herself as she filled her basket. She pushed back a branch, that year's slim new growth, to reach a cluster of berries, but the branch leapt from her hand and slapped her in the forehead. Izzy angrily fished out a pocketknife and began cutting the branch. The knife was sharper than she realized, and it suddenly sliced through the branch and kept going, embedding itself in her left forearm.
Izzy cried out and dropped the knife, clapping her right hand over the wound.
"What happened?" Felix asked, running over.
"I cut my arm," she explained. Blood was beginning to ooze around the fingers clamped over the cut. Felix quickly led her over to the stream, which was fast moving and clean. She dipped her bloodied arm into the water.
"Was it a sharp knife?" he asked. Izzy nodded. "Was it clean?"
"Pretty clean. It wasn't rusty or anything. I was just using it to cut away a tree branch." Felix took out his handkerchief. He took her arm, lifted it from the water, and wrapped the handkerchief tightly around the cut.
"There," he said. "Just hold onto it for a while to stop the bleeding." She winced slightly.
"It hurts a little," she said. Felix smiled, leaned over, and kissed the bandage lightly.
"What did you do that for?" she asked. He shrugged.
"My mother used to do that whenever I was hurt, when I was little," he explained. "It used to make it feel better." She smiled at him. Felix cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I don't suppose I did as well as Doctor David would have," he said.
"Not technically, but David wouldn't have kissed it to make it better."
"Is he a doctor now?"
"Yes. He and Arthur graduated last week."
"Good for them."
"Felix, please, let's not talk about it." An awkward silence fell. So there it was, Felix had finally addressed the unaddressable. Izzy sighed heavily and Felix roused himself from a semi-trance.
"You'd better go and have your arm looked at by the doctor," he said.
"Yes, I suppose so," she said, rising. "Don't bother coming with me, you can stay here. I can find my way back alone."
* * * * * * * * * *The Sara Stanley who stepped off the train was thinner, paler, and as fashionable as ever. It was hard not to feel shabby beside her. She caught sight of the Kings, grinned, and came running over to embrace them. She hadn't changed a bit.
"Sara Stanley, such a display in public!" Hetty admonished her.
"I can't help it, it's been ages since I've seen everyone."
"Yes, well, I can see the city has dyed you the usual grayish shade, but we'll get some fresh air into you here," said Hetty.
"I'm so glad you're here," said Janet, hugging her niece. "I was so worried about you, living in Paris with the war going on..." Sara smiled wanly, thinking of her fiancé.
"I'm glad you were here to greet me, Felix," she said, turning to her cousin.
"Wouldn't miss this for the world," said Felix.
"Where's Felicity?"
"She had to look after the baby, but she and Gus promised to stop by the farm for supper," said Alec, taking Sara's valise. "Now, you'll stay at Rose Cottage, of course."
"Yes, we have your room all fixed up for you," said Cecily.
"But first, we want all the news," said Hetty as they moved towards their buggies. "You saw Olivia and Jasper in London before you left, didn't you? Tell us all about them!"
* * * * * * * * * *Sara was not one to stay idle for long, and within a week of her arrival she was accompanying Cecily and Izzy to their Red Cross meetings.
"Can we have order please!" Muriel Pettibone shouted over the din of the ladies crowding the town hall. They quieted down and took their seats. "Now," she began, "our first order of business is the fund raiser we were going to have to benefit the Charlottetown hospital. Has anybody come up with any good ideas?"
"How about another bachelor auction?" Sally Potts suggested.
"Can't. There aren't any bachelors left in Avonlea," said Emma Bradley.
"What about a play?" said Sara. "We could produce it cheaply and send the proceeds to the hospital."
"Sounds all right to me," said Eulalie Bugle, as though that settled the matter.
"What play?" someone asked. The room erupted in noise, as everyone discussed the possibilities. Muriel tapped the podium with her gavel and vainly called for order. Hetty King snatched up the gavel and gave three sharp raps on the podium with it.
"Quiet!" she shouted. Everyone lapsed back into silence. "I think the best thing to do is a classic. Something by Shakespeare, I think."
"A Midsummer Night's Dream!" said Felicity. "It would be perfect!"
"All right," said Muriel, taking back her gavel. "All those in favor?" Hands went up all over the room. "All right. Now, let's move on..."
"You've got to try out, Izzy," said Sara.
"Me? I don't know anything about acting."
"What about that play we did for the drama competition a few years back?"
"I had one line!"
"It doesn't matter, you'll do fine. Please try out with me, I know Cecily won't do it, she's got terrible stage fright." Izzy sighed.
"Well, it's for a good cause," she said. Sara grinned triumphantly and turned her attention back to the chairwoman.
* * * * * * * * * *The tryouts weren't nearly as bad as Izzy thought they would be. In fact, they were kind of fun. At the end of it, she had been cast as Helena, Sara had been cast as the lovely Hermia, Felix was Demetrius and David Boyne, who was staying with the Pettibones as a guest of Arthur's, was playing Lysander.
"What is this play about, anyhow?" Felix asked Sara on the first day of rehearsal. Sara sighed, irritated that not everyone knew as much about Shakespeare as she did.
"Well, Hermia and Lysander are in love, but Hermia's father wants her to marry Demitrius, who loves Hermia too. Helena is in love with Demitrius who only wants to get away from her."
"She should be played by Velma Bugle, then," Felix murmured.
"Anyhow, Hermia and Lysander run away together, but Demitrius follows them, and Helena follows Demitrius, trying to get him to fall in love with her. Oberon, the fairy king, feels sorry for her, so he sends Puck to give Demitrius a love potion. Of course, he accidentally gives it to both Demitrius and Lysander, who both fall in love with Helena. So, they fight over her and there's all sorts of mayhem until it gets sorted out and everyone ends up happy in the end."
"So, who gets Helena?" Sara smiled.
"Read your script, Felix, and figure it out."
"So, how are you enjoying your time on stage?" he asked Izzy a few days later.
"I'm enjoying it very much."
"Good. Did you know we end up together at the end of the play?"
"Yes, Felix."
"And David ends up with Sara."
"No, Lysander ends up with Hermia."
"Well, if you want to look at it that way..."
"Izzy!" David called. She waved him over. "How about a soda after rehearsal?"
"I'd like that."
"Izzy, David, we're doing your scene now!" Hetty bellowed.
"All right," said Izzy. "Excuse us, Felix." Felix watched them head for the stage for a moment, then ran over to Felicity, who was acting as assistant director.
"Felicity, don't you think we should rehearse the scene with Lysander, Helena and Demetrius?" Felicity turned to him, irritated, for she was trying to get little Alex to sleep.
"What?"
"The scene..."
"Oh, fine, we'll do it after this one!"
The scene to which he was alluding was the one where Lysander and Demetrius do battle for Helena's favor. This time, Felix pulled out all the stops, changing lines around and comically fighting David. Sara was laughing so hard she missed her entrance, but Izzy was appalled. Hetty finally called a halt to the whole scene and they tried another, but Felix felt at least a little satisfied.
After two weeks of rehearsals the play opened to a packed house. It seemed that everyone within a ten-mile radius had come.
"Isn't this exciting?" Sara whispered to Izzy before they went on. Izzy felt like she was going to be sick.
Things went well throughout most of the first act. Then they got to the problematic scene between Helena and the two men. As Demetrius came running across the stage in pursuit of Helena, Lysander stuck out his foot and tripped him. Felix went flying and the audience howled. He jumped to his feet.
"Just what makes you think you deserve her?" he demanded. That wasn't the line. Backstage, Hetty began frantically tearing through the script.
"What is he doing?" she said.
"What are you doing?" Izzy hissed to him. David seemed to be at a loss.
"I-I love Helena," he finally said.
"And why is that? Is it because of her fair features alone? For I know you cannot understand the way she thinks as I do."
"It is enough that I love the lady passionately, is it not?" said David.
"Nay, sir, for you love fair Hermia," said Izzy, desperate to get the scene back on track. Thankfully, Felix went back to his lines. Hetty and David both looked immensely relieved.
What on earth did you think you were doing?" Izzy demanded when she and Felix were backstage. Felix shrugged.
"Acting," he replied. Izzy rolled her eyes and stalked off.
"Felix," said Sara, approaching from behind. "Just what is going on between you and Izzy Pettibone?"
"Absolutely nothing," Felix replied. "She has him now."
"Felix, for heaven's sake, nothing's ever final. If you have feelings for her you should at least let her know so she can make her choice."
"I think she's already made it."
"No she hasn't. I can assure you of that."
* * * * * * * * * *Despite Felix's revisions, the play was a success and the Avonlea Red Cross was able to send a tidy check to the hospital in Charlottetown. It was summer at last. The White Sands Hotel was full of guests again, despite the war, the days were longer, and the fields were full of wildflowers coated with butterflies and dandelion fluff.
"It's just like I remember it here," Sara said dreamily, pausing in her dull task of bandage rolling to look out Rose Cottage's front window. Izzy glanced up at her and smiled.
"I missed it when I was in Halifax," she admitted. "But I've hardly even noticed it this year. I guess after a while you start to take it all for granted." She tossed her last bandage into the overflowing basket and stood. "I've got to be off, I promised I'd help Muriel with dinner tonight."
It was lovely walking home in the July sunset. The heat of the afternoon had faded, and it was easier to just enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. She hummed as she skipped up her front steps and entered the house.
She knew immediately that something was wrong. Muriel was sitting on the sofa in the front room, rubbing Arthur's shoulders comfortingly. Arthur looked as though someone had slapped him in the face. Clive stood by the fireplace, one hand on the mantle. In the other hand was a yellow telegram.
"What is it?" Izzy asked. They looked up, startled. No one had even noticed that she'd come in.
"Oh, Izzy," said Muriel, hurrying over and hugging her.
"Izzy, I received word today that Morgan..." Clive trailed off.
"Oh, no!" Izzy cried.
"I'm so sorry, Izzy," Muriel said softly. Izzy felt a giant lump begin to rise in her throat. She broke away from Muriel, backed out of the room, and ran out of the house.
She began to run. She wasn't sure exactly where she was going, she just wanted to run. Her hair fell out of its pins and streamed down her back, but she kept going. She ran until she couldn't breathe any more, and she leaned against the fence of the King farm for support. She heard the door open and close.
"Izzy?" Felix called quietly to her. Izzy looked up at him and suddenly began to cry. Izzy never cried.
"What is it?" he asked, hurrying down the steps towards her. "Is it Morgan?" Izzy nodded weakly. Felix wrapped his arms around her and let her cry on his shoulder for a while. When she was a little calmer, he took her hand.
"Come on, let's take a walk," he said. She meekly allowed him to lead her to the barn, where they sat in the hayloft together.
"I don't even know where it happened or how," she said. "I just couldn't bear to be in the house. It's awful, isn't it? I mean, all this killing. It's just awful. And I started thinking about how Arthur's going to be heading for the front soon to work in the hospitals, but the doctors aren't much safer, are they?"
"Nobody ever gets used to senseless death," said Felix, wiping her tears away with his handkerchief. "Not even when you've been in battle yourself." He thought about his friend, Elbert, who had been killed months ago. "But I guess it's worse staying home and not knowing what's going on." Izzy nodded and felt comforted by Felix's presence. She also rather dreaded going home and seeing David, who would be full of condolences. She didn't want to see him at that moment. He had never lost anyone close to him; had never seen anyone die, so how could he possibly know how she felt? She didn't want his pity. Felix knew, though. They sat and talked for over an hour. By then, Izzy felt up to going home, and Felix walked her back.
* * * * * * * * * *What did she want? She wasn't sure any longer. Once everything seemed so easy. She cared for David. Did she love him? Izzy didn't really know. But then Felix came home, and Morgan's death had brought them closer together. The summer was almost over. It was August. Soon, Arthur would be leaving for Europe, and David would leave too. Did she, somehow, want David to go?
"What are you thinking?" Muriel asked her one evening.
"Lots of things," Izzy replied.
"Anything you want to talk about?"
"I don't think any amount of talking would help. It's something I have to do alone." Muriel nodded, understanding, and didn't ask any more questions.
"You've been awfully melancholy lately," David observed one morning. Izzy smiled.
"I'm sorry, but I've got a lot on my mind," she said.
"Oh. Well, may I interest you in a walk?"
"All right."
They wandered through one of the fields and stopped by the lighthouse to rest.
"Are you upset about me and Arthur going?" he asked her.
"That, and other things."
"Still Morgan?"
"Partly."
"Izzy," he sat up straighter beside her. "There's something I've been wanting to talk to you about."
"Oh?"
"Yes. We've known each other for a while..."
"Yes."
"Well the fact is, Izzy, I want to marry you."
"Oh."
"You don't have to make a decision now, if you don't want to. But I do want to marry you, Izzy. I love you." Izzy was silent for a while.
"I don't know what to say," she said. "Can I have a little while to think it over?"
"Of course. Though I hope you won't keep me waiting for too long."
"Don't worry, I won't."
* * * * * * * * * *"Has Izzy seemed...distracted lately?" Arthur asked David later that day.
"She's still shaken up by Morgan's death."
"I think it's more than that."
"Well, I might have an inkling of what it is." They settled down at the general store's soda counter with cherry sodas.
"Really? What?"
"I asked her to marry me today?" Arthur stared at him, astonished.
"Are you serious? What did she say?"
"She needed time to think about it, but I think she'll say yes."
"Congratulations!"
"Don't congratulate me yet!" David sighed. "If she does accept, I'd sure like to live here in Avonlea, though."
Hidden behind a hat display, Sally Potts could hear the whole exchange without being seen by either Arthur or David. Her eyes widened. What news! She eased out of the store, still unnoticed and ran to Jane Spry's house.
"Jane, you'll never guess!" she cried. "David Boyne asked Izzy Pettibone to marry him?"
"No! What did she say?"
"Nothing yet, but it'll probably be yes, David says. And he wants to live in Avonlea after the marriage!" When Velma Bugle dropped by Jane's house for a visit that afternoon, Jane related the story to her and an elated Velma happily told Sara and Cecily when she met them on her way home. Sara and Cecily sadly went to tell Felix.
"Felix, we heard today that Izzy agreed to marry David Boyne," Sara said as gently as she could.
"And they're going to live in Avonlea," Cecily added.
"Oh," was all Felix could say for a moment. "Well, I guess she's come to a decision, hasn't she, Sara." Sara looked away. Felix nodded and went upstairs where he locked himself in his room and stared at the ceiling for the next two hours. By the time he came downstairs for supper, he had made his decision too.
"I've decided to leave Avonlea," he announced. "There doesn't seem to be much point in staying." Truthfully, the thought of seeing Mr. and Mrs. David Boyne every day was horrifying to him. "I think I'll go to Halifax, or Montreal for a while." Sara and Cecily, the only members of the family who knew about Izzy and David, exchanged a glance.
"You can stay in my house in Montreal, if you want," Sara offered. "There's plenty of room."
"Oh, Felix," Janet protested. "Is this really necessary?"
"Yes," said Felix. "I have to start my own life sometime, Mother. I'd like to leave by the end of the week."
* * * * * * * * * *Felix managed to avoid Izzy for the next few days as he prepared to leave. On the day of his departure, his family sadly drove him to the train station early, bid him goodbye, and dropped Cecily and Sara off at their Red Cross meeting.
"Cecily, Sara, good, you're late too!" said Izzy, catching up with them outside of the town hall. "Where have you been? I feel like I haven't seen anybody in ages." Sara and Cecily glanced at each other, then Cecily handed Izzy the letter Felix had written for her.
Dear Iz,
I heard the good news. Congratulations. Unfortunately, Avonlea doesn't seem to hold any charms for me, so I'm going to Montreal to see how things work out for me there. I'm sorry I'm saying goodbye this way, but I couldn't bear any scenes. Maybe I'll see you again someday, but if I don't, know that I wish you the best of luck in the world.
Sincerely,
Felix
Izzy frowned as she read.
"Good news? What is he talking about? Cecily, why did he leave?" Cecily looked puzzled.
"Why, because--"
"Well, well, hello Izzy Pettibone," Velma Bugle said, sauntering up to the little group. "Congratulations."
"Why is everyone congratulating me?"
"I heard about your upcoming marriage to David Boyne. Quite a nice catch. Very handsome."
"Who told you I was engaged to David Boyne?"
"I heard it from someone who heard it straight from the horse's mouth."
"Well the horse's mouth was ill informed. I am not engaged to anybody! I said no to David this morning." Velma's face fell.
"You did?"
"You did?" Cecily and Sara cried.
"Yes, I--Is this why Felix is leaving? Is this why he wrote the letter?"
Cecily nodded.
"I don't believe this!" Izzy cried.
"It's not too late, we dropped him off early. Maybe you can still catch him," Sara said hopefully.
"The station's too far; I'd never make it in time." It would seem that Providence heard them, and sent Hetty King trotting up in her buggy.
"Girls, you're terribly late," she scolded. "What are you doing chattering together out here? There's work to be done."
"Miss King, may I borrow your buggy?" Izzy asked.
"What?"
"Let her have it, Aunt Hetty," said Sara.
"I suppose so, but what...?" Izzy sprang into the seat, grabbed the reins and took off in the direction of the train station. She reached it in record time, tossed the reigns to a porter and ran onto the platform.
The train was waiting for its passengers, but Felix hadn't boarded yet.
"Felix!" she cried, running down the platform towards him.
"What are you doing here?" he asked as she approached. "Didn't you get my note?"
"Yes, I-I don't want you to go, Felix." He sighed.
"It's not your decision to make, Iz. You made your choice, and so have I."
"Please, Felix, you're my best friend. I don't want to go through life without ever seeing you again."
"Let's be realistic here, Izzy. Do you honestly think I want to stay here knowing I'll be seeing you two together every day?"
"You wouldn't be seeing me and David together here every day. You wouldn't be seeing us together here at all."
"And why is that? Are you planning to live somewhere else?"
"I have no idea where David plans to live, but I'm staying right here in Avonlea. David and I are not engaged. Whoever told you that was sadly mistaken." She sighed. "Felix, if you're going away to find your place in the world, or whatever it is you want to do, then do it, but make sure you're going away for the right reasons. Don't leave because you think there's nothing here for you." The train blasted its whistle. "If you're going, go before you miss your train." Felix glanced at the train, and then looked back at her.
"Mind giving me a ride home?" he asked.
There was an especially spectacular sunset that evening, and Felix King sat on the grass by the lighthouse, watching it. Izzy came up to him quietly and sat next to him without saying a word. After a moment, he put his arm around her shoulder and drew her closer. They watched the sun set together, and listened to the music in the waves.