Disclaimer: I am NOT Lucy Maud Montgomery. I am also not any of the characters in this story-however much I wish they were real they aren’t.

Chapter One:

The Dance At The Light

Rilla ran into the twin’s bedroom, panting. Pushing a wayward lock of hair out of her eyes, she said to Diana,

“Do you have a pin I could borrow?” breathlessly. Diana glanced at her twin sister, Anne, before tossing a bobby pin to her kid sister. When Rilla departed, Di fell to the floor, laughing hysterically. Nan, used to such outbursts from her sister, waited until Diana had clamed down a little, before saying,

“Di, Cordy and Jack are coming to the dance tonight. They’re going on their way back from Charlottetown!” Diana’s breath caught in her throat. Feeling light-headed, she began to dress for the dance at the light.

***

As Di walked along the Glen Saint Mary streets, her auburn hair gleamed in the moonshine. Forgetting all her worries of over-seas news, she almost skipped along the red road. Her high waisted, pale green dress swished in the breeze, and the dainty posy of ferns and violets pinned to her bosom bounced joyfully. Reaching the harbour, Di carefully picked up her skirts and stepped into a little boat. Nan followed suite, but sat next to Jerry rather than staying with her sister. This dampened Di’s spirits a little, but she comforted herself with the thought she wouldn’t be the odd one out much longer. Because Nan and Jerry were always together and Faith spent much of her time in Jem’s company, Di tended to associate with Una at social occasions. Tonight, however, she was in another boat, and Di’s thoughts where her only company. During the short boat ride, she observed Nan’s attire. Her sister looked beautiful in almost anything, but tonight she looked especially fetching in an elegant purple silk dress, accented with white and purple flowers. The boat smashing against the rocks startled Diana, and she hurried out the boat, having swapped her sturdy, sensible brown boots for dainty silver slippers, a gift from Aunt Leslie last Christmas. Over in the distance, Di thought she could see him. She checked the time they would meet back at the boat, and hurried over to him. Relief washed over her like a wave. He was alone, and searching for someone, hopefully her. Lightly tapping him on his shoulder, he turned to Di and said,

“Di Blythe! Did you recognise me?” in a low, happy voice.

“Yes, of course! How could I not recognise my best Avonlea chum?” she joked.

“Well, Jack Wright surely isn’t your ‘best Avonlea Chum’ is he?” Jack laughed. Rolling her eyes, Diana took his arm, and they began to dance.

“ Di,” murmured Jack, as they took a break from dancing “do you know what’s happening overseas?” Diana nodded, before whispering,

“But please don’t let it spoil our evening!” Jack agreed, quickly saying,

“Is that Rilla dancing with Ken Ford over there? Surely she isn’t old enough to come to a dance?” in a shocked tone.

“Yes, it is my baby sister, and no, she isn’t really old enough to come, but Walter begged Mother to let her come-Rilla adores Walter, you see- and because of Walter’s typhoid earlier, she agreed,” Di explained, walking over to get some refreshments.

Strolling down to the beach, Di turned to Jack and said,

“ I have a huge blister on the back of my foot. Could we just sit down here, near the boats?”

“Of course, milady,” laughed Jack, spreading his coat over the damp, eroding rocks. Di’s heart skipped a beat. She sat down next to Jack, her head resting on his shoulder, and they chatted away.

“Is Walter feeling better yet?” asked Jack, as darkness shrouded the harbour. Worry lines creased Di’s forehead, as she tried to answer the question.

“ Sort of, “ she answered finally. “He’s coming to Redmond with us, but I fear he isn’t completely better. But Dad says he should, so Walter is going to take an Arts course, like me and Nan. Faith is taking a course in Philosophy, as well as Arts, and I’m taking History, and Nan is also doing Philosophy. Gosh, did that make any sense?” Di tried to laugh, but it came out sounding like a choke. Jack bent closer to her, saying,

“ Di, if you’re worried about Walter tell Gilbert. You know him best of everyone, and-” Jack stopped abruptly. Someone nearby was calling his name. From behind a rock, Ella Pye walked out, fluttering her eyelashes.

“Jack!” she simpered, “How can you possibly be with her?She’s a little country bumpkin, and five years your junior! Come with me instead,” she pleaded grabbing Jacks arm. Without any apparent struggle, Jack got up. Ella turned to Diana, saying;

“We all know he’s too good for someone like you. Now, go off and play with your brother like a good girl.” Diana rose from her perch, saying,

“I don’t need to, Miss Pye. My family can afford to let my brother borrow a boat to row us out here, and it’s almost time I went. We don’t need to rely on charity to let us stay.” Diana turned and left, walking the longer way towards the lighthouse to avoid meeting with Ella and Jack. As she walked in the back door, Jack Elliot appeared at the main entrance. Everyone was still, silent.

"England declared war on Germany today," said Jack Elliott slowly. "The news came by wire just as I left town."

Diana grabbed her coat, before running down to the harbour. She jumped into the boat just leaving. Jerry, Nan, Miss Oliver and Walter were quietly discussing the war. Meanwhile, Diana was welling in her own sad thoughts. Jack Wright had dumped her for Ella Pye, England had declared war on Germany and there was a huge, painful blister evolving on her toe. The beautiful night was lost on Diana. The bone-white moon, empathising with the British Empire’s sad fate by wearing a melancholy face, the dark, mysterious trees swaying in the wind, the birds screeching a sad song. Not one thing did she notice, other than the sad time ahead.

Changing for bed that night, Nan tried to understand why her twin was so silent, so sombre, but to no avail. The only answer Di gave was, ‘stupid war’ and an occasional snort when Nan asked if a boy had upset her. Eventually, Nan gave up trying to figure out what was wrong, and sobbed herself to sleep.

Early the next morning, Diana woke. Even earlier, Nan had risen, and was stood by the window, staring far out to the sea. Di walked over to her twin and hugged her.

“He wants to go!” Nan said in a half-whisper, half-shout. Di comforted her, forgetting her own troubles to help her dearest sister.

After breakfast, Anne answered a knock on the door. Jack Wright was stood there.

“I’ve come to talk to Di. May I, Aunt Anne?” he asked.

“Of course, Jack. Come through, Diana is just in the kitchen.”

“What on earth are you doing here?”

A/N: Ella Pye is related to Josie, BTW! Please review!!! I have loads of ideas for this story-thank goodness for doll play- but reviews will help me write it down better.