4.Gold in Avonlea

Ruby, Anne, Diana and Rose sat in a hut made out of sticks and different materials. It looked grubby but it was cosy.

The girls would come here and write stories. 

Ruby and Rose had become friends since Gilbert left.

They sat in the hut with Anne nose buried in a book as usual.

Rose was writing in her book that she made herself.

Diana and Ruby were deep in a conversation.

"So just write another Bert story" Diana suggested with Ruby asked for ideas.

"Another Bert story?" Ruby tilted her head in confusion.

"You always write a version of the same thing" Diana pointed out to her.

"No, I don't!" Ruby fought back.

"About a dashing hero named Albert, Herbert, Rupert, Pilpert"

"Pilpert?! That's ridiculous. I would never write a story about a boy named Pilpert" Ruby yelled. She thought it was ridiculous.

Anne looked up at the two quarrelling over a silly thing. She chuckled and went back to reading resting her chin in her hand.

The commotion made Rose look up from her book.

"It's not like we can't tell..." Rose listened carefully to the conversation.

"Well..." Ruby reasoned.

"all of your [?] these guys stories are about Gilbert" 

"you always murder everyone, you can't figure out what to do with your characters," They both said over each other making it impossible to figure out what they were saying.

Rose chuckled at the two.

"No, they're not! How else am I supposed to deal with the fact that he's been gone for eight months and three days and he may never come back?!" Ruby sniffled.

"Ruby, I'm just as worried as you are.. I wrote to him yesterday and I'm sure he'll write back soon.." Rose told her friend.

"Anne, please take your nose out of that book and help me here" Diana demanded.

"How about... a tragical tale of a sad and handsome scientist who one day stumbles upon a secret that could save the world?" Anne requested.

Rose smiled at the redhead.

"Oh, Anne! However, do you think of such amazing things all the time?" Diana smiled widely.

"I draw from life, Diana. I draw from life" Anne said making them erupt in a fit of giggles.

Then Diana remembered her Aunt Josaphine had sent her a letter.

"Oh! I almost forgot! I've had a letter from Aunt Josephine! She's very keen to read some of our stories! Let's only send her our very best" Diana said excitedly making her way over to a small chest opening it.

She retrieved an envelope and her storybook where she wrote down all her ideas.

"Well, then, we should send her all of Anne's," Ruby said, looking down at her shoes.

"Let's send her one each. To be fair" Anne asked.

"Come! Anne" Rose motioned her over.

Anne smiled.

She had made a close bond with the girls.

Close enough to call them 'kindred sprits'.

~

Back at the Barry's house, there was a problem.

"Honestly, William, you're making me dizzy" Mrs Barry also known as Elizabeth said to her husband.

"I've never seen you like this. Won't you tell me what's the matter?" She asked him worrying something might be wrong.

"As you can see I'm trying to think," William said frustrated. He held a stack of paper in his hand looking at them intensely.

"Well, I'd be very happy to help you" She took a seat beside him putting a hand on his shoulder softly.

"I've got two perfectly good ears right here, ready to go... Darling, what's on your mind? I'd offer you a penny for your thoughts, but... I haven't any money. William?" She tried to persuade her husband to speak up.

"I just want to do something that matters for once" He replied brushing her hand off his shoulder harshly.

~

After they packed up their stories to send to Aunt Josephine's in an envelope Anne invited Rose, Diana and Ruby to come along to green gables.

Diana declined because she had piano practice and Ruby said her mother would be concerned if she stayed out late.

Rose was the only one who had nothing to do.

She and Anne made their way to the wooden house.

~

They soon reached the wooden white gate and passed it making their way in.

They walked through the dirt path leading up to the door.

Anne opened the door and entered as Rose was greeting Jerry who was sitting on the steps.

"Hello, Jerry How have you been?" She asked the boy with a kind smile on her face.

"Allo Rose. I'm doing great" he said with a smile.

Rose entered the house and saw the kitchen table was full of baked good and pastries.

She hung her coat and hat. Then she headed to find Anne.

Anne came down the stairs.

"Anne! Anne! Take some of this... abundance to Rachel. Not those" Marilla yelled from the kitchen packing the pastries in a basket.

Marilla opened the door and stood on the porch with her hands on her hips.

"Where is Mr Cuthbert? The fields?" She asked Jerry.

"Um... In the barn, I think. Want me to take it?"  Jerry said with his thick French accent.

"No, no, I'll go. I could use the exercise" She wiped her hands on her apron smoothing her dress.

Before she went she picked up a basket and set it down beside Jerry.

"That's for your family" She pointed to the basket. 

Jerry looked at her.

"Merci!" He smiled widely and thanked her.

~

Rose and Anne walk together to Rachel Lynde's house.

She was known as the gossiper of the town. She knew everything that happens.

They held baskets with one hand and the other was intertwined with each other.

As they reached the house Anne knocked on the door.

"Hello, Mrs Lynde!" She greeted and Rose just smiled at the lady.

"Hello, Anne, Rose. What have we here?" Mrs Lynde asked.

"An overabundance of scones? Mr Dunlop's been teaching me to bake. Both of our borders are nice. Very nice" Anne handed both the baskets to her.

"I suppose we should be going" 

"Is something the matter? Is something weighing on you, dear? Come, come, it's not healthful to hold things in. Bad for the heart. I don't charge for my advice. Even though it's worth a fortune" Mrs Lynde saw something on Anne's face that Rose couldn't even see.

Mrs Lynde took a seat at the bench outside dragging Rose to sit down on one side.

She dragged Anne by the other arm forcing her to sit.

"It's a secret. I..." Anne said her voice barely above a whisper.

"Ooh!" Mrs Lynde said excitedly.

"Go on, dear. It's safe with me" Rose and Mrs Lynde listened to every word Anne said carefully not to miss any detail.

~

"All right, all right! He is trying to answer!" Rachel Lynde tried to calm down the big room filled with people.

"What if there's no gold?" One man yelled while standing up.

"Give the man a chance!" Rachel yelled at him.

Nate stood at the front of the crowd looking as nervous as ever.

"Now then, one at a time. Everybody, please sit. This community will be polite and respectful of what this man is trying to tell us" Rachel calmed them down.

Thomas Lynde. Rachel's husband raised his hand.

"Sir? Yes, you, sir. Thank you" Nate pointed towards him.

"My name is Thomas Lynde and my wife and I want to know where you sent the gold sample," He asked.

"Yes, we do" Rachel agreed.

"I sent the sample to an independent company in New York for testing and confirmation. As I said... I didn't want my employer to know" Nate answered but it didn't seem convincing.

"Where's the proof?" He asked not satisfied with his answer.

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" The town minister stood up.

"How do we know what's real and what is fool's gold?" Rachel asked.

"I'm glad you asked. I have here a certificate I received in the mail from New York. This Soils Report certifies that there is indeed gold in Avonlea. I mentioned I had taken this action earlier to William Barry" Nate looked pale and uncomfortable.

"Nathaniel told me in the strictest confidence. He was in a moral quandary and it all came out" William backed him up.

"Oh, yes, Mr Andrews" Rachel said.

"And just how do we proceed?" William interrogated.

"Each landowner would send in a sample of their soil to New York for testing. Now, I warn you, it's expensive. It's... $150 per test" Nate responded slowly.

"Money! I knew there was a catch!" Thomas Lynde explained.

"It's an investment, fair enough. But an investment in the future" replied slowly again.

"It's close to half what most folks make in a year" Mathew Cuthbert spoke up.

"The reward for mining this land- your land- is incalculable" Nate responded.

"$150 is a substantial amount of money. Perhaps I could offer some assistance for those in need?" William requested.

"If it seems like an overwhelming proposition, you could consolidate everyone's payment and send it in altogether, as a community. I'd be happy to do that for you" Nate said.

"Look... I don't have a horse in this race. I'm not trying to push this, I'm really not. I'm not from here and I don't mean to poke my nose in your business. This is your decision. Individually. I'm just... I'm trying to offer you an opportunity. It just seemed like the right thing to do" 

"Put your money where your mouth is!" Mr Dunlop roared out at him.

"I beg your pardon?" Nate excused himself.

"You heard me plain! Now, I'm not from here either, but I'll say out loud, here and now, I love this town. I love Avonlea and I intend to set down roots. I want to be here, gold or no. What about you, Nathaniel?" Mr Dunlop yelled again.

"I-I-I.." That was all Nate managed to stutter out.

Nate began to get his hat and coat. He put them on rushing to the door.

"You just gonna walk away? Stick with that company you work for? A company without morals that would steal the profit from the mouths of good people..." Mr Dunlop cut him off.

"It's my job. It's all I have" he resorted.

"So quit!" Dunlop exclaimed.

"What?!"

"Make your fortune here. Bet on Avonlea!" He yelled at the man.

"Yeah!" People started to stand up and agree with him.

"Why not be in charge of this-this mining operation? You seem to know the business" Mr Dunlop spoke again.

"You've proven that we can count on you, Nathaniel. You are a moral man. I would feel much better about this endeavour if you undertook to oversee it" William spoke up.

"What say you? Will you do it?" Thomas asked him.

" If there is a vast fortune here, what have you got to lose?" Rachel spoke with her husband.

" I'm not a betting man," He said with a frown. But that quickly changed.

"But I'll bet on Avonlea, I'll quit my job!" He said as the town hall filled with cheers and laughter.

~

{When the conference}

Anne, Ruby, Rose and Diana peered at the conference.

"There really is gold in Avonlea..." Anne said not believing the information she had heard.

"Father is quite preoccupied at the prospect" Diana spoke quietly.

"Do you really think we'll all be rich like you, Diana?!"Ruby asked in disbelief.

They kept on listening to the conversations.

"Rose! You have to write to Gilbert! You have to let him know about the gold!" Anne told her.

"Gilbert?" Ruby said at the mention of Gilbert's name.

"But you don't even know where he is!" Diana whisper-shouted.

"I think I have a way I can find out," Anne said.

"Anne!" Diana shouted.

"I'm sure I can send another one. I sent one earlier this week" Rose said calmly.

"You did!?" Ruby asked her with hope in her eyes.

"And I'm sure I can mention you in my next?" She said with a kind smile.

"Oh, thank you so much, Rose!" Ruby excited said as she put an arm around her. squeezing her tightly.

~

Word count : {2048}

Hello, my little roses! How you doing? I hope you're doing amazing. I worked really hard on this chapter. And I'm very sorry if I described something wrong! I can't really look at the scenes so I've been working with a trans-script. Anyways I hope you enjoy today's chapter. Have a wonderful day/night! 

Xoxo

-Rose