at me and I thought I would sink through the floor with mortification. She is such a perfect housekeeper and fancy what she must have thought of us. Marilla turned red as fire but she never said a word⁠—then. She just carried that sauce and pudding out and brought in some strawberry preserves. She even offered me some, but I couldn’t swallow a mouthful. It was like heaping coals of fire on my head. After Mrs. Chester Ross went away Marilla gave me a dreadful scolding. Why, Diana, what is the matter?”

Diana had stood up very unsteadily; then she sat down again, putting her hands to her head.

“I’m⁠—I’m awful sick,” she said, a little thickly. “I⁠—I⁠—must go right home.”

“Oh, you mustn’t dream of going home without your tea,” cried Anne in distress. “I’ll get it right off⁠—I’ll go and put the tea down this very minute.”

“I must go home,” repeated Diana, stupidly but determinedly.