"That's right, Aunt Janet," Andrew replied. "We're going, and there's nothing you can do about it."
Felix looked over at Izzy, who had a confused look on her face. "Um, Felix," she whispered to him, "who are these guys?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, Iz," he said. They got up from the table and walked over to Peter and Andrew. "Uh, Izzy, this is Peter Craig--my Aunt Hetty's former hired hand--and my cousin Andrew King. Peter and Andrew, this is my sweetheart, Izzy Pettibone."
"Nice to meet you two," she told them, shaking their hands.
"Same here," Andrew remarked. "I know Felix mentioned you in his letters, but he never said anything about how beautiful you are. He's a lucky guy."
"Yeah. And I'm lucky to have him."
Peter and Andrew found a couple of empty seats next to Hetty and Daniel, and Felix and Izzy went back to their seats. Not much was said during the rest of supper, because everyone was still shocked about Peter and Andrew leaving for Europe in two days. When everyone finished, and after the dishes were put away, the family plus Izzy gathered in the parlor. "Andrew, Peter, are you sure you can't wait and go after New Year's?" Janet asked them.
"Aunt Janet, if we could wait, we definitely would. Unfortunately, we can't," answered Andrew.
"He's right, Mrs. King," Peter added.
"I know I believe everyone should do their duty to the Empire, but the fact that you two are leaving on New Year's Eve is preposterous all the same," Hetty remarked.
"We don't like it either, Miss Hetty, but we don't have a choice. None of us can do a thing about it, not even you."
"Does your mother know about this, Peter?"
"She knows. I'm going to go see her tomorrow."
"That's good. Well, if you two like, you can stay at Rose Cottage. Rachel is away, and there's a lot of room."
"Sure; thanks."
"I'll take you back home, Hetty," Alec offered.
"Thank you."
The two of them left, and Eliza decided to go upstairs to bed. Then Janet told Daniel, "You should think about doing the same. Come on." With that, they went upstairs. She had a feeling the remaining six had to discuss some things. She was right. The six put on their hats and coats, lit a couple of lanterns, and went outside for a long walk. Felicity had one of the lights; Andrew took the other one. They went in the direction of the lighthouse.
"So, how is life in Avonlea?" Andrew wanted to know.
"Hectic. Forever changing," Felicity replied. "You're going to be a first cousin in about six months, Andrew. Gus and I are expecting."
"That's great!" Andrew was extremely excited. "How's the Foundling Home?"
"It's closed for now. The Deans moved to Fredericton earlier this month to live with their aunt and uncle. I had no choice but to sell the home and move back into the house. The good news is that when I get my bearings and Gus gets paid, I'm going to buy it back. I have a new job teaching a little girl, Alice, to communicate. I'm also going to take courses here so I can teach myself everything I need to know. The Foundling Home would become a school for the deaf--the first and only one on the Island."
"Even more good news. Whose idea was it to buy back the Home?"
"Gus's."
"Wow." Andrew's attention shifted. "What about you, Cecily? What have you been doing?"
"I finished school last winter. I'm working at the telegraph office now," Cecily explained.
"That's good. Do you have a sweetheart?"
"No, not yet."
"That's okay. You'll meet that special someone someday. Izzy, tell us about yourself. You weren't here when I last was."
"I moved here a little over seven years ago," Izzy began. "My father became the school teacher; your aunt Hetty went on a sabattical to write and take care of your other cousin, Montgomery. Anyway, I was a tomboy when I first moved here. Felix and I became good friends. I even punched him in the nose."
"You did?" Andrew didn't believe what was hearing. A girl punched one of his cousins in the nose?
"Yeah. Meanwhile, my friendship with Felix began to grow, and I realized that I needed to prove to my father, to Felix, and to myself that I was becoming a woman. At the same time, Felix was thinking that we were becoming more than friends. About three years ago, on Dominion Day, Felix tried to act on his feelings for me. I wouldn't let him, though; I wasn't ready, nor was I sure what to think about it. Later, he supposedly told his friends that we kissed. Eventually, all of Avonlea found out, and I was angry at him. We stopped speaking to each other."
"Bad Felix."
"I know," Felix said. "Iz, tell Andrew how we made up."
"I was getting there. A month or so later, I invited my aunt Lillian to visit. I wanted to go live with her, seeing as how nothing was going for me here. Felix was still trying to apologize to me, and I wouldn't let him because of my stupid pride, I suppose. Anyway, soon I was about to leave for Boston. I went to see my aunt at the White Sands--which is another story all together--and was very excited about going. I told her it would be like a whole new me. Felix heard this and told me I didn't need a whole new me, and that I was perfect the way I was. He also told me not to go, but to stay here with him. I never heard him take such a strong stand on something.
"Well, my aunt had to go back to Boston because of financial problems, so I had to stay behind anyway. Felix and I said goodbye to her. After she was gone, we finally got to talking about what happened. I told him there was only one thing we needed to do to set things right. I had him close his eyes, and we shared our first kiss. It was so sweet."
"I imagine. Where's your family, though?" Andrew wondered.
"My father and stepmother live in Halifax. I have two brothers, Morgan and Arthur. Morgan has enlisted; he's leaving tomorrow. Arthur lives in Charlottetown and is an intern at the hospital there. He was going to be a veterinarian, but he gave that up and went away to medical school instead. Morgan was studying to be a teacher at Dalhousie before he got drafted."
"Wow. What happened to your real mother, though?"
"She died when I was very young."
"That's too bad. Now, I want to hear about how your significant other is doing. Felix?"
"I was also in the war. I came home on Christmas Eve," Felix explained. "Trust me when I tell you two it was not a pleasant experience. Now I'm back at the White Sands."
"Did you get hurt over there?"
"It's a long story. When we get to the lighthouse, I'll tell all of you what happened."
A few minutes later, the six young people reached the lighthouse. They went inside, and Felix got a fire going in the stove. Cecily and Felicity sat at the table, while Peter and Andrew occupied the bed, and Izzy got a couple of chairs for herself and Felix. She set them up so they were facing in between the bed and the table. When Felix finished with the fire, he joined Izzy and the others and told them what happened. Izzy held his hand and caressed it as he told the painful, heartwrenching story. Although she heard it once before, she cried this time, because hearing the story again cut her like a knife. Cecily reached over to Peter and took his hand as she listened; she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Felicity hid her face in her hands; she was also sobbing. Andrew rested his elbows on his thighs and his chin in his hands, listening intently.
"When I came home, I was extremely distraught. I wouldn't talk to anyone close to me, not even Izzy. Last night she came here to see me. I wouldn't let her stay," Felix explained, "but she insisted. She told me I needed to talk about what happened sooner or later, and that no matter what, Elbert wasn't coming back. I finally told her everything as I have told the rest of you tonight. I'm back to my old self again...well, almost." He turned to Izzy and asked, "Do you mind if I show them?"
"No; go ahead."
He removed his coat and shirt, and everyone saw the bloodied bandages on his chest. "Oh my God, Felix!" Cecily cried. "What happened?"
"It was a bear. I got deep gashes on my chest and back trying to fight it off and protect Izzy. I dedicated them to her, Elbert, and any other Canadian who has died so far in this war."
"You were pretty brave to do that, you know," Felicity remarked, wiping her eyes. "You're not really a coward after all."
"You know, we should get back." Andrew suggested. "It's going to be a busy day tomorrow."
"Yeah," Peter added. "Besides, Miss Hetty is expecting Andrew and me."
Felix put his shirt and coat back on and extinguished the fire in the stove. The six of them got up to leave. Before they did, though, Cecily suggested that they meet back at the lighthouse the next day to watch the sunset. Everyone agreed and then left. After Peter and Andrew entered Rose Cottage, Felicity and Cecily walked back to King Farm, and Felix and Izzy continued to town, hand in hand, alone, at night.
When they reached her house Felix walked in with her and lit one of her lamps so she wouldn't have to go upstairs in the dark. "Good night, Iz," he said. "See you tomorrow."
"Yeah. Good night."
He set his lantern down on a nearby table, took her in his arms, and they exchanged a passion-filled kiss. They hugged after that, and Felix took his lantern and went home. Meanwhile, Izzy went upstairs, changed into her nightgown, and wrote in her diary:
December 29, 1914
Today was a hectic day. I went to the doctor with Felix this morning to see about his scrapes. Dr. Snow cleaned them up and re-bandaged them. After the appointment, Felix went back to work.I got a telegram from Morgan as well. He's leaving for Europe tomorrow, and was not allowed to come here to Avonlea to say goodbye to me personally! I was saddened by that. Afterward I sent two telegrams to Halifax--one to Father and Muriel, and one to Morgan.
Cecily got a telegram from the War Office this morning. They found Elbert's body, and they're sending it back. It'll get here a few days after New Year's. Cecily, Felix, and I went to tell Elbert's family the bad news. His mother was a nervous wreck. It was hard to tell her, especially for Felix to be there.
Felicity got a telegram from Sara. Sara's coming home in a couple of weeks. Her school is being converted to a hospital for wounded soldiers for the duration of the war. We went to take it to Felicity, but we forgot she was in Charlottetown with Miss King. Cecily and I ate lunch with her father. Soon after that, her mother came home from Carmody with Daniel and Eliza in a motorcar! Cecily and I were surprised; so was Mr. King! They decided to keep it, though. Felix wants to borrow it sometime and take me for a ride in it.
Later, Cecily and I met Felicity and Miss King at the train station. Mrs. King and Eliza were there too in the new car. Felicity and her aunt Hetty were stunned! Miss King went home with me and Cecily; Felicity accompanied her mother and Eliza.
There was a major surprise at the King house during supper tonight. Peter Craig (Miss King's former hired hand) and Andrew King (Felicity, Felix, and Cecily's other cousin) came over, dressed in Naval officer's uniforms and announced that they're leaving for Europe in two days (on New Year's Eve). None of us knew what to think, especially Mrs. King!
After supper, Peter, Andrew, Felicity, Felix, Cecily, and I went for a walk. Andrew asked us what we had been doing for the last few years or so. Later, Felix finally told everyone else about what happened in Europe and about our encounter with the black bear last night. All were surprised, too, but were relieved to know we got through it.
Later, after the others turned in for the night, Felix walked me home. He is so sweet!!
Tomorrow, the six of us are going to meet at the lighthouse to watch the sunset, just like Felix and I did the evening before he left for Europe. There is nothing like an Avonlea sunset.
Good night for now. Another hectic day tomorrow.
Izzy Pettibone, Age 19
* * * * *
"Felix, I don't think you're going to be borrowing the new car anytime soon."
It was early in the morning. Felix and Cecily were downstairs in the kitchen. She was bandaging his scrapes, and he wondered if he would ever be allowed to drive the car. Suddenly, a thought entered his mind. "Do you remember--no, you wouldn't. You were at the sanitarium."
"Remember what?"
"Well, while you were away, we got a new minister. Mother and his wife became close friends. One day, they got drunk from a health tonic and drove Mrs. Pettibone's motorcar all over Avonlea. They got into trouble, but it was a riot!"
Cecily laughed hysterically. She couldn't picture her mother drunk and driving a car at the same time. "I did know about the weird minister. I think Dora wrote and told me about it. She also said Sara fell in love with their son, Booth."
"Yeah. Booth's lucky...unless he's still living here in Canada."
"No, he's not living in Canada anymore. His parents still live in Moncton, but he moved back to New Orleans."
"Then he is lucky, because the Americans aren't involved in this senseless war. I kinda wish they were, though. The Allies need a boost."
"Yeah. Anyway, I knew about Booth 'cause he and Sara have been writing each other for a few years. Then Sara would write to me and tell me what was going on with him. She wrote me here, of course, after I came home. I'm glad she's coming home, you know."
"Me too. Are you almost done with me?"
"Almost."
Cecily finished re-bandaging Felix's wounds, and he put his shirt on. "Thanks, Cecily. Now I get to go pick up Aunt Hetty and listen to her argue with Mr. Tremayne about the decorations for the New Year's Eve party."
"Oh yeah! The party!" Cecily became more excited than ever. "I wonder if I could get the afternoon off to go buy a dress."
"Cecily, you have lots of dresses."
"I know, Felix, but none of them are really formal."
"You could borrow one of Felicity's."
"Um, Felix. I'm taller than she is. Plus, the only really fancy dress she has right now is her wedding dress."
"What about your bridesmaid dress?"
"That's a summer dress, Felix. Besides, I donated it to the foreign missions last summer. You know, maybe I should take Izzy and Felicity with me."
Just as she said Felicity's name, Felicity came running downstairs in her housecoat, covering her mouth with her hands. Next she ran out the door in the cold. "Maybe you should ask her later," Felix suggested.
"Yeah. Don't think she's in the mood yet."
"What about Mother? Did she ever get a dress yesterday?"
"I don't know. I'll ask her."
"Ask who what?" a voice asked. Cecily and Felix turned around, startled. It was their mother.
"Ask you if you want to go with Carmody with me later," Cecily said. "I have to go get a dress for New Year's Eve."
"Well, I didn't ever get my dress yesterday, either. I'd love to go with you. Were you going to ask anyone else?"
"Just Felicity and Izzy. Were you wondering about Aunt Eliza?"
"Yes. I was going to ask her to come, but who would watch out for Daniel?"
"Father will be here. Maybe Andrew will come and visit. Then the three of them could do something together."
"That would be good."
Felicity came inside after that. "Sorry about that," she told everyone.
"Dear, there's no need to apologize," her mother reassured her. "Morning sickness is totally normal at this point."
"Normal? I hate it! Does it ever go away?"
"Yes. Now, would like to help me with breakfast?"
"Sure."
Janet and Felicity got some eggs cooking, and Cecily and Felix sat down to eat. Soon enough, Alec, Daniel, and Eliza showed up. A few minutes later, breakfast was served. "Cecily," Felix whispered, "are you going to ask Felicity and Aunt Eliza?"
"Ask us what?" Felicity inquired.
"I was going to ask you and Aunt Eliza to go to Carmody with Mother and me," Cecily replied.
"That's strange. I was going to ask you to go with me!" Felicity was so excited.
"Well, Cecily dear, I would go, but I think I'll stay here and visit with Andrew," Eliza told her.
"That's fine. When we get to town, I'm going to ask Izzy to come, too."
"Oh, I forgot to ask you Cecily," Janet began, "do you know if you can get the day off, though?"
"I was going to work this morning and ask for the afternoon off. I'm sure it'll be okay," she answered.
"I hope so."
"Well, everyone," Felix announced after he finished eating, "I'm off to work. I'll see you later."
"Alright. Goodbye, Felix."
He waved goodbye to everyone and took off. Before leaving herself, Cecily asked, "Mother, do you think we could take the motorcar?"
"Sure, dear. Do you want me to pick you and Izzy up?"
"Yeah. Maybe I should ride to town with Felix. I'll see you all later."
"Bye, dear."
Cecily grabbed her hat and coat and ran off to the barn as fast as she could to ask Felix for a ride to town. He agreed to take her. They got in one of the sleighs and drove to Rose Cottage to get Hetty before heading to town. When the three of them arrived at the telegraph office, Izzy was waiting at the door. "Hello, everyone," she said as Cecily got out of the sleigh. "I didn't get a chance yesterday to ask how your back was, Miss King."
"Much better, thank you," she replied.
"Hey, Felix."
"Hey, Iz." Felix got out of the sleigh to give her a hug and a quick kiss. "Cecily and I have to ask you something. Ladies first, Cecily."
"Thanks a lot, Felix," she said with a sarcastic tone. "Do you want to go to Carmody with me this afternoon to look for a dress for the New Year's Eve party? My mother's going to pick us up in the car. Felicity will be coming, too."
"I'd love to. Now, Felix, what was your question?"
"Let's go inside."
The couple went inside leaving Hetty and Cecily outside in the cold. Inside, Felix took Izzy's hands, inhaled deeply, and asked, "Would you like to go to the New Year's Eve party with me?"
Izzy was ecstatic. "Felix! I never thought you'd ask! Of course I'd love to go with you!"
They exchanged a long, passionate kiss. After pulling away, he told her, "Thanks, Iz. We'll talk more about it later. I'll see you at the lighthouse at sunset, alright?"
"Definitely."
They exchanged another kiss, and Felix left the telegraph office. Then Cecily came in, and Felix and Hetty went to the White Sands. As soon as they were out of view, Cecily asked, "What did Felix ask you?"
"He asked me to go to the New Year's Eve party with him. And, before you ask, I told him yes!"
Cecily was so excited for her friend. They hugged, and Cecily went to ask her boss for the afternoon off. He granted her request. Not only that; he gave her New Year's Eve and New Year's Day off as well. He told her he would ask Amanda, one of his other employees, to fill in for her. Cecily was extremely happy; she now had two and a half days off to do what she wanted.
She and Izzy went to her desk to get ready for work. For an hour it seemed like nothing was happening, but at about eight-thirty, Cecily received a telegram from the War Office saying that one of the ships taking soldiers to Europe sank a couple hundred miles off the coast of Newfoundland. The good news was that Morgan wasn't on it; the bad news was that Edward Ray, her old friend Clemmie's brother, was on it and was killed. Cecily was devastated. "Clemmie's going to be horrified," she whispered.
"Where does she live?" Izzy wondered.
"A few miles from the lighthouse. Unfortunately, I have no means of getting there. I didn't drive the sleigh."
"That's right! Maybe you could telephone your mother and ask her to give us a ride."
"Izzy! That's a great idea."
Cecily ran downstairs to use the phone to call her mother. Janet arrived in ten minutes to take them to Clemmie's house, which was half an hour away by car, or about forty-five minutes to an hour by horseback (riding as if one was in a horse race). When they arrived at Clemmie's and gave her the bad news, she was hysterical. Cecily comforted her old friend as best as she could before she had to leave. Even as Cecily left, Clemmie hugged herself tightly, in tears. She loved her brother dearly, even though they didn't get along well during the years.
Cecily didn't say much on the way back to town. Janet and Izzy hoped their trip to Carmody would ease her troubled mind. That, and it would get her mind off the war and all the death. Cecily had seen and heard enough...and she wasn't even fighting!
Janet dropped off Cecily and Izzy before returning home. The young women re-entered the telegraph office, where they remained until Janet returned with Felicity. Then they went to Carmody for the majority of the afternoon.
* * * * *
"No, no, no, Simon! I will not have red streamers clashing with my rose wallpaper!"
Yes, Hetty King and Simon Tremayne were arguing again. This time, it was about the decorations for the New Year's Eve party. Felix was eating lunch in the dining room while they were fighting. He obviously couldn't take it anymore, so he went into the lobby, where they were, to attempt to break it up.
"Hetty King, in case you forgot, this is my hotel, not yours," Simon told her in an angry voice.
"Well, in case you forgot, I'm your partner, so I also have a say, and I say no red streamers." She said the last three words with enthusiasm, pointing her finger up in true Hetty-esque fashion.
"Oh, Aunt Hetty. Shut up!" Felix exclaimed.
"Don't you tell me what to do, Felix King!" she retorted.
"I just did, Aunt Hetty. You and Mr. Tremayne are acting like school children! Would you like to know what my idea is?"
"No."
"Tell me, Felix," Simon said with a hint of curiosity.
"I think you should have no streamers at all in the lobby, but have red, white, and blue streamers in the dining area. Maybe there should be a banner in the entryway, reading 'Happy 1915.'"
"Felix, you're a genius! It just might work!" Simon was now very excited.
"Oh, Simon, you're not going to listen to my twenty-year-old nephew who has no sense about decorating, are you?" Hetty wanted to know.
"Shut up!" the two men exclaimed simultaneously. Then they went to the dining room to finalize the details. Hetty went up to her office, wondering why Simon wouldn't listen to her. She realized her sister Olivia was right; she was still as inflexible and narrow-minded as she was before. Hetty just didn't want to admit it to herself.
* * * * *
Janet, Felicity, Cecily, and Izzy returned to King Farm at three-thirty that afternoon. All of them were very happy and excited, especially Cecily, after finding out about Edward Ray. It did do her good to get away for the afternoon.
Izzy and the other young women went up to their room with their new dresses to show them to each other. All of them were extremely elegant in their own rite and looked exquisite on their respective owners.
Cecily's dress was a soft, heather blue color. There were white sequins on it, accentuating the neckline (which was somewhat low), the cuffs of the sleeves (which stopped at the elbow), and at the bottom of the dress. It was also form-fitting at the top, so it would draw some attention to her figure. She didn't mind, though; she ended up with her mother's figure, and if her father didn't mind that, he shouldn't complain about Cecily having a somewhat full figure.
"That's a great dress, Cecily," Izzy told her. "You should come to my house tomorrow afternoon and I'll fix your hair. You too, Felicity."
"Thanks. I believe I will. Now, let me show you my dress."
Felicity's dress was much simpler than Cecily's, but it was still somewhat fashionable. The dress was a basic black color, made of silk, and off-the-shoulders. In Felicity's mind, since it was so basic, it could be worn over and over again, and nobody would complain. Plus, nobody would notice her slightly swelling stomach.
Cecily and Izzy were shocked. "Felicity! I'm surprised at you!" Cecily remarked. "I was sure you would choose something more elaborate. After all, you always wanted to stand out."
"Maybe I decided to keep it simple this year. I can wear this dress for years. With the war on, they'll need all the fabric they can get."
"Can we not talk about the war, please?!"
"I'm sorry, Cecily. Izzy, show us your dress."
Izzy unwrapped her dress out of the paper, unfolded it, and left both Felicity and Cecily mesmerized. Her dress was a deep purple, short-sleeved wonder with black sequins adorning the low neckline and going down her chest starting beneath the bust line and ending at her natural waist. There were more black sequins near the bottom, attached to a section of black mesh, which was added to the dress for a dramatic effect.
"Oh my God, Izzy!" exclaimed Felicity. "Felix is going to drop dead! That dress is so...so..."
"Dramatic? Thank you," Izzy replied. "As for you, Felicity Pike, I have to say black is an extremely mysterious, dark color for a New Year's Eve party. Didn't you find anything else while you were in Carmody?"
"Not really."
"I have an idea. Do you still have your wedding dress?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"We're going to make you a new dress. What do you think, Cecily?"
"Good idea, Iz. How about a black top, then a white skirt," she suggested.
"Yeah!" Izzy looked at the clock on the wall. It was ten minutes to four. "We better go to the lighthouse now. Don't want to keep the men waiting, do we?"
"No. Let's go."
The three young women went downstairs, put their hats and coats on, and began to walk to the lighthouse. They had a long night ahead of them, as well as a long day tomorrow.
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