Part 2 of "In The Woods When First We Met"

210. Called to Action

"Well, I'm glad you came, anyway," she told him, walking with him to the door.

"Uh...Miss Cuthbert. I don't mean to pry, but...I was wondering if you might tell me what's wrong with her. I know you said it isn't contagious. But being close on to a week now, I'm worried..."

Marilla did not know what to say. Eventually she decided to be straightforward:

"Honestly, Gilbert, there is nothing at all wrong with her! She just won't get out of bed!" she exclaimed in frustration.

She took a calming breath and said, "I've had the doctor from Carmody to see her, and he can't find anything wrong! We've tried to coax her back into the world, we've tried being gentle and we've tried to be hard on her, telling her she must get up, but nothing at all is having any impact. ...I had hoped that if she saw you, she might perk up a little- or perhaps there's something she'd tell you that she isn't telling us! We just don't know what to do with her!"

Gilbert did not know what to say, but he could at least provide some useful information: "Dr. Carter should be back from his trip this evening."

"Should he?" Marilla asked. "I thought he wouldn't be back until Sunday night."

"No. I know because he told me before he left that it would be Saturday evening and he was going to stop in to see my father."

"Well, that's encouraging. It's only one day sooner, but even one day seems like an eternity when we can't manage to get her out of her bed."

"He said he'd come to my house as soon as he got in...can I give him the message for you, when he gets there? I'm sure he'd come right over, and then you wouldn't have to drive over to ask him yourself."

Marilla felt relief. "Yes...yes, that would be helpful. Thank you, Gilbert. Hopefully Dr. Carter will have some answers. There has to be something wrong with her that the other doctor just isn't seeing."

---

Gilbert was right: Dr. Carter returned to Avonlea that very evening, a bit earlier than he'd expected- not quite dinner time, yet- and came to Green Gables as soon as he was finished at the Blythe farm.

Matthew and Marilla hoped Dr. Carter wouldn't dismiss Anne as quickly as the other doctor had. There had to be something wrong with Anne that a doctor could do something about. Matthew and Marilla felt desperation at the thought of Anne beginning another week of school in bed at home, and Marilla was clinging to the hope that Anne's dark mood could perhaps be attributed to some sort of physical illness, one that could be treated with medicine and get her quickly well.

Marilla brought Dr. Carter up to the little gable room and told Anne, "Look, Dr. Carter came to see you."

Anne glared at Marilla. Then she sighed, giving up, and looked at Dr. Carter.

Dr. Carter pulled Anne's desk chair over to her bed so he could sit down beside her. "Hello, Anne."

"Hello," was Anne's greeting, said in a dull voice that Marilla wanted to scold her for.

"Miss Cuthbert says you're convinced you're ill. What seems to be the trouble?"

"They already had a doctor come look at me," Anne said flatly.

Marilla explained quickly, "We would have gone to you first, of course, only you were away."

"I quite understand," Dr. Carter told her. Turning back to Anne, he asked, "And what did the other doctor think?"

Anne didn't say anything.

"Are you in any pain?" he went on when she didn't answer.

Anne didn't know what to say. Finally she nodded.