Heidi at Along the Brandywine is hosting an Inklings link-up for April! Check out her post for the rules to link up.
The subject for April is a scene with a cake in book or film. Pretty much immediately on seeing the prompt, that eventful scene from Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery in which the Gardners unexpectedly call at Patty’s Place came to mind…even though I haven’t read the book in years. Just goes to show you what a memorable scene it is, I suppose! It is a little long, but I have pared it down substantially, focusing on the cake aspect:
Friday afternoon none of the girls had classes at Redmond. Stella took the opportunity to write a paper for the Philomathic Society… Anne…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. … On the doorstep stood Mrs. Gardner and her daughters.
Anne scrambled to her feet somehow, emptying two indignant cats out of her lap as she did so, and mechanically shifting her wishbone from her right hand to her left. Priscilla, who would have had to cross the room to reach the kitchen door, lost her head, wildly plunged the chocolate cake under a cushion on the inglenook sofa, and dashed upstairs. Stella began feverishly gathering up her manuscript. Only Aunt Jamesina and Phil remained normal. Thanks to them, everybody was soon sitting at ease, even Anne. Priscilla came down, apronless and smudgeless, Stella reduced her corner to decency, and Phil saved the situation by a stream of ready small talk.
[the visit continues; Mrs. Gardner is scandalized by Rusty and Joseph]
“You have two delightful old china dogs there. May I look at them closely?” said Aline, crossing the room towards the fireplace and thereby becoming the unconscious cause of the other accident. Picking up Magog, she sat down on the cushion under which was secreted Priscilla’s chocolate cake. Priscilla and Anne exchanged agonized glances but could do nothing. The stately Aline continued to sit on the cushion and discuss china dogs until the time of departure.
…Altogether, Anne sighed with relief when the ordeal was over.
“‘Of all sad words of tongue or pen
The saddest are it might have been,’”
quoted Priscilla tragically, lifting the cushion. “This cake is now what you might call a flat failure. And the cushion is likewise ruined. Never tell me that Friday isn’t unlucky.”
~
Have you read Anne of the Island? Have you ever had a disastrous accident with a cake?
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Nothing like a little Anne-ness to brighten one’s day! I love this book. Thanks for the laugh 😀 Cakes can be tricky things . . . I’ve had some that didn’t quite turn out, and I’ve certainly had some disastrous icing fiascoes.
What a fun link-up . . . I may have to whip up my own contribution!
Which Anne book is your favorite? I love the cozy vibes in this one…Patty’s Place sounds like a lovely place to live! Cakes are indeed tricky things. Baked things in general just seem to have minds of their own sometimes…and stubborn, contrary minds at that 😛
Isn’t it? I’d love to see what you contribute!
Don’t make me choose!! Heh. I don’t know. I adore this one and House of Dreams. And Rilla of Ingleside is stunning. But in the end, the first one may trump all 😉
I know, it’s a cruel question to ask, isn’t it? 😉 The original and House of Dreams are favorites of mine as well! (Rilla was a very emotionally traumatic experience for me…a Certain Person had always been my favorite of Anne’s children, y’see, and I was very dense about picking up hints about a Certain Development…which made it quite a shock when it happened :P)
Aw, that’s neat we have the same favorites 🙂 (Oh, no! That would be traumatic! I always liked the Certain Person, too, but I’m afraid I had quite a few spoilers before I read it . . .)
Well, maybe in this case it was just as well to have spoilers, heh…hopefully it made your reading experience a bit less heartbreaking!
Ohh goodness, now you’ve gone and reminded me of how much I’ve missed Anne….
And I cannot thank you enough for it (;
What is it about warm, plummy aromas wafting from the insides of darling little kitchens on Spofford Avenue that makes a girl long for the good old days?? One never gets plummy chocolate cakes these days. *Sniffles sadly* Ahhh, such is the life of a 21st century girl….. *Brightens suddenly* But there is something to be said for living vicariously, anyway!
Disasters with cakes…. Ohhh yes😆 Apparently one ought to read recipes quite thoroughly before stirring up batters, because the order of things seems to matter quite a lot in certain cakes…. Lesson learned😜
Well, in that case I shan’t apologize for it (;
Yes, there’s nothing for it but inventing that time machine already…or attempting to master making good plummy chocolate cakes ourselves. Not sure which is easier ;P
Heh, perhaps I shouldn’t inquire too closely about the back-story of this lesson xP
Haha, this is a memorable scene! And I think that might be the most beautiful book cover for Anne of the Island that I’ve ever seen! I love it!
Isn’t it gorgeous? (It’s not mine, sadly…if memory serves, the copy I read had a slightly goofy photo of a girl who was definitely NOT Anne on the cover :P)
A cozy and lovely scene! I’d completely forgotten about it, so thanks for reminding me how sweet this whole series is 🙂
Do you have a favourite Anne book?
You are most welcome! Favorite Anne book…hm. Probably either Anne of Green Gables itself or Anne’s House of Dreams. I love the simultaneously domestic yet romantic and wistful vibes of that one. <3
How about you? (:
I like to read this book every year and I’m almost to this part in my current progression. I would’ve lost my cool at a time like this! Great choice of scene!
What a fun tradition! Do you read all the Anne books each year, or just this one? I know, although it certainly makes for a fun scene to read, I’m sure it would have been quite awkward to experience…
LOVE that you highlighted this scene!! Ok, whole bunch of random facts:
1 — Anne of the Island is one of my top favorites.
2 — Priscilla quoting, “of all sad words of tongue or pen…” always makes me giggle a ridiculous amount.
3 — And reading through the above comments, I think we may be kindred spirits as I had a very similar experience with Rilla. That book (re what happens to a Certain Someone) scarred me for life. It’s still so vivid… I’m serious when I say that I’ve never been able to read it since, and it’s been years.
4 — Speaking of comments, I also loved your thoughts about Goldberry on Astrya’s blog… Lots to delve into and think on! ☺️💜
Thank you for the lovely comment! Anne of the Island is such a cozy, sweet one – and this scene in particular is great 🙂
Oh, it definitely sounds like we are kindred spirits! I’m not sure that any other fictional death affected me as much as that one. I actually couldn’t finish the book the first time I tried to read it because I was so traumatized – I eventually did manage to push through and read the whole thing, but I have also never read it since.
Thanks so much! I think making a home should be a beautiful, profound thing, and I love it when I feel that someone accentuates that beauty (which I think is the case of your blog, by the way, and I love it <3)