The Better Feeling of My Heart

***The Better Feeling of My Heart*** is the tenth episode of the third season of *Anne.* It premiered on Netflix on January 3, 2020.

## Synopsis

Anne steps into the next chapter of her life.

## Plot

The episode opens with Gilbert breaking up with Winifred because of Anne. Winifred is humiliated, especially since she believes that Gilbert dumped her because of his feelings for Anne, that (he believes) is unrequited. Winifred gets Gilbert to promise not to tell anyone what has happened until she leaves for Europe in two week’s time.

When Gilbert returns to Avonlea, he is at Miss Stacey’s awaiting the results of their Queen’s college exams. It turns out everyone passed and got in (even Diana). Gilbert speaks to Miss Stacey in private to seek her assistance in getting into the University of Toronto since the Sorbonne is a no go.

While everyone is happy getting into Queen’s, two people are decidedly not: Diana’s parents. The two are livid at Diana and her mother thinks she failed her daughter. Mr. Barry states that Diana only had one job which is to nab a husband and pretty much tells her she must go to finishing school.

Meanwhile, Anne, Marilla, Matthew and Jerry are out in the fields harvesting their corn crops. Matthew is all distant and cold towards Anne by making plans for having Jerry move into the house, as if replacing her. He sells one of the cows since they won't need as much milk. In reality, this is Matthew trying to deal with losing Anne and later the two do reconcile.

Before the Avonlea students part ways, Gilbert pays Green Gables a visit to find Anne and profess his love, but she is not at home. Instead, Gilbert writes a heartfelt note with her fountain pen to say that he loves her and is not engaged to Winnie anymore. However, when Anne comes home and sees the note, she assumes that it was Gilbert rubbing it in her face that he is engaged to Winifred and immediately rips the letter into pieces, throwing them out the window and angrily stating that he couldn't even face her himself. Soon Anne thinks that it might have been a confession of love after all and goes to gather the pieces. Unfortunately, the pieces she gathers seemingly confirms her original assumption and she goes to tell Diana so. Diana is lying on her bed in tears and tells Anne she "can't fly" as her parents forbade her from going to Queens college. Anne comforts her.

Marilla and Anne try on Anne's corset and dress for Queens at Green Gables. Marilla says she's sorry that Anne is leaving for college without Diana, but assures her that her future is still bright and ahead of her. She tries to cheer her up, but Anne is can't be happy: Diana is in the depths of despair to which Anne is worried about her, Gilbert is marrying the girl of his dreams and that isn't Anne. She starts to complain about Matthew being so cold to her but Marilla interrupts, saying not to worry about Matthew and that he will be fine. Anne says she knows that for sure, as he's already busy making plans for when Anne leaves. Before they try on the dress, Anne bursts into tears saying she doesn't want to leave Green Gables and wants to stay, do her chores and be a family again, the way things used to be. Marilla comforts her.

Gilbert and Bash are out tending to their farm for harvest the next day when Bash runs off, Elijah is back. He beg forgiveness for his behavior after his mother’s death and wants to be in Delphine’s life, but Bash is not on board with that. Elijah asks to at least visit his mother's grave before he leaves, to which Bash allows his stepson to stay the night, provided he never sees Elijah's face again by morning.

Marilla goes to speak with Diana's mother, understanding why she is angry and also expressing her fear of the change that might come. However she tells Ms. Barry that the more she held Anne back, the less she was included and that by denying her every mature need and want, she risked losing her daughter altogether.

Anne has a small heart-to heart with Ms. Stacey. She asks Anne if she is excited for Queens. Anne replies that she should be, but wonders if she will never be happy again. Ms Stacey informs Anne that it's completely unreasonable and unrealistic to be happy all the time, saying that one can't know joy without knowing sorrow. It's all a balance and that's the beauty of it. Anne says she will remember that and gives her the address of her boarding house in Charlottetown for Ms Stacey to write to her. Ms Stacey tells Anne she is sad to see her go, but is happy that she knows her and they embrace in a hug.

Elsewhere, Marilla has been writing to the first person to take Anne in, Ms. Thomas, and is disappointed that she did not have any further information on Anne’s parents. She tells Matthew later that night in his room. She scolds Matthew for how he was insensitive to Anne earlier, which his justification of making "practical decisions". She tells Matthew that Anne thinks he doesn't care and advises him to explain himself. However, at those words, Matthew breaks down in tears to which Marilla comforts him. She tells him that she knows he wants to every good thing in the world for Anne and that he's struggling with the realisation of living without her while she's away, but says that Anne does not know that. She is hurt and confused by Matthew and wanted him to miss her. Matthew says that he doesn't want her to worry about them both and wants her to step into the shoes of her own life, but breaks down before he can continue further. Marilla urges him to go speak honestly with Anne before it's too late and he loses her twice.

The next day, Gilbert, Bash, Bash's mother and Delly are picking apples for harvest season. Elijah walks up to them, not having left since they last spoke. Bash looks to Gilbert and his mother before allowing Elijah to come help.

Meanwhile, Anne says her last goodbyes to her room and packs her last-minute things in her trunk before heading for college. Matthew appears and, still avoiding confessing to Anne his true feelings, says he just came for her trunk. Anne leaves quickly.

Anne, Ruby, Tilly, Jane and Josie arrive at their boarding house, meet the owner Mrs. Blackmore and are all excited to begin this new chapter. Anne has her own room and lays down her heart locket on the bed that was supposed to be Diana’s. The other girls burst in and start talking about Mrs. Blackmore and the house rules: "Curfew at 9:00, lights out promptly at 10:00. Suitors may only be seen in the parlour on Saturdays, between 2:00 and 4:00". While the other girls are squealing and giggling at this, Anne is sad as she remembers what happened with Gilbert.

Gilbert recieves a letter from Ms. Stacey saying he got in to the University of Toronto (U of T), to which he is overjoyed. At the same time, a new letter for Anne arrives from Scotland.

Bash and his mother watch Elijah at Mary's grave. Bash's mother tells him that she knows they've butted heads about their hard hearts and how to raise children, but wonders if there is always more to know, putting her hand on his shoulder and looking back at Elijah. Bash goes over to him and brings him inside, saying that if he is going to stay and help, he needs to get to know his sister Delly and help raise her with love like Mary did for him. He holds Delly and smiles, feeling joy and overwhelmed by the experience.

After debating back and forth, Marilla and Matthew journey to Charlottetown and Aunt Jo’s so the three of them can open up the letter together and so, good news or bad, Anne can have her loved ones around her. Rollings greets them at the door and invites them inside while Cole tells Anne they're here. Aunt Jo meets Marilla and Matthew warmly, saying it's been ages since she last saw Matthew. Anne comes down the staris and hugs Marilla, but only kisses Matthew on the cheek, to Marilla's notice.

When Anne opens up the letter, it contains nothing of significance. Anne says she is okay with the news but Cole knows better and comforts her later.

Matthew and Marrila go to their room and admire the view, asking Anne if there is anything she forgot to bring from home (to which Anne jokingly says Belle and the other animals). Matthew gives Anne the money he received from Pride the cow for a travel fund to Green Gables to visit when its convenient. He also finally admits his true feelings to Anne, saying he didn't show her his feelings and hold her back from going. But that in doing so, he unknowingly hurt her feelings because he didn't want her to go. He says he's sorry, that he'll miss her everyday and that he loves her. They embrace as Anne cries and smiles.

Matthew and Marilla say goodbye to Anne, who decides she will take a walk around Charlottetown before college starts in the morning. Not to be dissuaded. Marilla realizes that are only a ferry ride away to meet the first person to take in Anne, Mrs. Thomas. When Matthew and Marilla meet her, they end up finding items that belonged to Anne’s parents, in particular a book on flowers that had an inscription to her mom from her dad.

While walking around Charlottetown, Anne meets Winifred. Winifred is upset at seeing Anne after what happened with Gilbert, but soon realizes that Anne has no clue that Gilbert and her broke up. We don’t see it on screen but we assume that Winifred told her as we see Anne rush through the streets of Charlottetown to go home.

On the train presumably to Charlottetown, Gilbert sees Mr. Barry and Diana. Mr. Barry congratulates on his engagement but Gilbert tells him that he is not. Diana is happy to hear this news and confronts Gilbert for toying with Anne’s feelings. Diana berates Gilbert for always being in love with Anne the moment she hit the slate over this head and that his feelings were very obvious during the dance rehearsals. Diana gets angrier at Gilbert for taking Winifred to the carnival and then asking Anne how he felt about her and only giving her 30 seconds to announce her feelings and decide her future. Diana then mentions Gilbert ignoring Anne’s letter where she professed her love. Gilbert has no clue what Diana is talking about. We never see this, but it's highly likely Diana told him about Anne's letter and how she loves him. This leads him to desperately run through the streets of Charlottetown to the boarding house, hoping to meet Anne there. Anne is at the door to the boarding house with her trunk when she sees Gilbert, (presumably also heading to Gilbert in Toronto to confess her love).

It is there Anne and Gilbert finally get together and share a beautiful kiss. Anne has to pinch herself to make sure this isn’t a dream or other figment of her imagination. Anne then kisses Gilbert to confirm that she has feelings for him too. The two promise to write to each other while he is at the U of T. Mr. Barry arrives with Diana to take her to the boarding house, of which after Marilla told Ms. Barry that the more they restrict, the more they won't be included, and tells Gilbert he can take his carriage back to the train station. Before Gilbert leaves, he kisses Anne one more time.

Marilla and Matthew return and show Anne the book they found. Anne is touched at the inscription but is further moved when she finds a painting of her mom by her dad that shows that she too was a red head.

Later that night, Anne writes her first letter to Gilbert to say that she looks like her mom.

## Cast

### Main Cast

* Amybeth McNulty as Anne Shirley Cuthbert
* Geraldine James as Marilla Cuthbert
* R.H. Thomson as Matthew Cuthbert
* Dalila Bela as Diana Barry
* Corrine Koslo as Rachel Lynde
* Aymeric Jett Montaz as Jerry Baynard
* Dalmar Abuzeid as Sebastian Lacroix