She had never met any of Roy 's family ; she realized the significance of his statement ; and it had , somehow , an irrevocableness about it that chilled her . `` I shall be glad to see them , '' she said flatly ; and then wondered if she really would be glad . She ought to be , of course . But would it not be something of an ordeal ? Gossip had filtered to Anne regarding the light in which the Gardners viewed the `` infatuation '' of son and brother . Roy must have brought pressure to bear in the matter of this call . Anne knew she would be weighed in the balance . From the fact that they had consented to call she understood that , willingly or unwillingly , they regarded her as a possible member of their clan . `` I shall just be myself . I shall not TRY to make a good impression , '' thought Anne loftily . But she was wondering what dress she would better wear Saturday afternoon , and if the new style of high hair-dressing would suit her better than the old ; and the walking party was rather spoiled for her . By night she had decided that she would wear her brown chiffon on Saturday , but would do her hair low . Friday afternoon none of the girls had classes at Redmond . Stella took the opportunity to write a paper for the Philomathic Society , and was sitting at the table in the corner of the living-room with an untidy litter of notes and manuscript on the floor around her . Stella always vowed she never could write anything unless she threw each sheet down as she completed it . Anne , in her flannel blouse and serge skirt , with her hair rather blown from her windy walk home , was sitting squarely in the middle of the floor , teasing the Sarah-cat with a wishbone . Joseph and Rusty were both curled up in her lap . A warm plummy odor filled the whole house , for Priscilla was cooking in the kitchen . Presently she came in , enshrouded in a huge work-apron , with a smudge of flour on her nose , to show Aunt Jamesina the chocolate cake she had just iced . At this auspicious moment the knocker sounded .
Nobody paid any attention to it save Phil , who sprang up and opened it , expecting a boy XXXXX the hat she had bought that morning .
At By around as if than that to unless with