She had no prophetic inkling of what was coming . Probably Jane was engaged , too ; rumor averred that Ruby Gillis was engaged to the Spencervale schoolteacher , about whom all the girls were said to be quite wild . `` I 'll soon be the only fancy-free maiden of our old quartet , '' thought Anne , drowsily . Aloud she said , `` Of course . '' `` Anne , '' said Jane , still more solemnly , `` what do you think of my brother Billy ? '' Anne gasped over this unexpected question , and floundered helplessly in her thoughts . Goodness , what DID she think of Billy Andrews ? She had never thought ANYTHING about him -- round-faced , stupid , perpetually smiling , good-natured Billy Andrews . Did ANYBODY ever think about Billy Andrews ? `` I -- I do n't understand , Jane , '' she stammered . `` What do you mean -- exactly ? '' `` Do you like Billy ? '' asked Jane bluntly . `` Why -- why -- yes , I like him , of course , '' gasped Anne , wondering if she were telling the literal truth . Certainly she did not DISlike Billy . But could the indifferent tolerance with which she regarded him , when he happened to be in her range of vision , be considered positive enough for liking ? WHAT was Jane trying to elucidate ? `` Would you like him for a husband ? '' asked Jane calmly . `` A husband ! ''
Anne had been sitting up XXXXX bed , the better to wrestle with the problem of her exact opinion of Billy Andrews .
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