So dim that it was not clearly a thought at all, Anne was grateful for this suggestion. She heard the door to whatever place she was in close softly and footsteps recede.
When she woke she was in her own little room, the stars were shining and Belle was standing beside the bed. Anne tried to return the cheerful smile, but the effort did not get further than a slight motion of her lips.
"You poor little kid. Here, drink this." Belle held a glass to Anne's lips and supported her while she obeyed. "And then we'll talk. I wouldn't disturb you, but I have to get back on my case and we'll just settle one or two things first. No, I'm not going to talk about it. I don't want to know anything. But you're going away."
Anne gazed at her without interest.
"If you try to stick round here listening to moms' buzzing you'll have brain fever. But they'll buzz themselves out in a week and—" she was going to add, "be glad of it," but caught herself in time and said—"see the thing straight. Now, the only thing I want to know is whether you have any place you'd like to go. Several old patients have places here and there, inaccessible ranches and things, and I could fix up something. They're always inviting me but I'm not keen on solitude as you know." She chattered along, watching Anne with soft, loving eyes. The authority of her tone comforted Anne and she felt a little cheered.
"Of course, I'm not suggesting a high-class resort but somewhere you have never been, that's quiet."
Anne drew a deep sigh. Some new place where it was still!
"There are two places I can arrange for quickly and you can have your choice. One's down in Monterey County, on the coast, a ranch that hangs on a mountain side rising right out of the sea. It——"
Anne sat up. "No. No. Belle, not the sea." She looked past Belle, through the fog of the Bluff to the bar where the sea moaned its everlasting complaint. "I can't stand the sea, always moving and crying—never, never still. Oh," Anne shivered and Belle laid a large, cool hand on the hot little one gripping the comforter.
"All right, sisterkin. I get you. The sea is rather a fussy old party. Exit the sea."