~After Marilla dies Gilbert tries to save Green Gables for Anne who is recovering from scarlet fever back in Halifax. Based on scenes I saw on one of the Anne of Green Gables DVDs.~
◦Disclaimer~ I don't own Anne of Green Gables or the characters, I only own one DVD and numerous copies of the book series, it all belongs to the estate of L.M. Montgomery and Kevin Sullivan…
Authoress' Note~ I have loved this series since I was a child, I hope I do it justice.
They had just buried Marilla in a plot next to Matthew. Gilbert, Diana, Fred, and Rachel Lynde were standing in for Anne who was recovering from scarlet fever in Halifax. Gilbert now regretted making her stay there, no one had expected Marilla not to recover from her fall, but there just wasn't enough time to get Anne to Avonlea before burial.
"Gilbert when will you be going back to Halifax?" Asked Diana quietly when they were on their way back to Green Gables.
"As soon as Marilla's affairs are in order, I wish I could stay longer but I have to get back to Anne and work."
"We understand Gil." Said Fred.
"How is Anne was it a bad case?" Asked Diana feeling bad she hadn't asked before but with everything that happened there just wasn't time.
"It was mild, nothing compared to when I had it. But she is recovering well she would have come back with me but I just didn't feel she was up to the trip."
"Well what's important is she is getting well." Said Diana.
The evening was spent receiving guests and promising to pass on people's well wishes to Anne. Avonlea's one and only lawyer approached Gilbert and Rachel after all the guests had gone home.
"Dr. Blythe, Mrs. Lynde we need to set up a time to meet and discuss Ms. Cuthbert's affairs. I assume you Dr. Blythe will be handling Miss Shirley's interests."
"I will, Anne is my fiancée, and in her absence I will look after things."
"Very well." Said Mr. Edwards the lawyer. "When will you be available to meet?"
"How about tomorrow, it will give Mrs. Lynde time to rest; it's been a long day for us all." Said Gilbert.
"Very well, I will be back tomorrow say around 2?" Asked Mr. Edwards.
"Rachel is that alright with you?" Asked Gilbert.
"Yes, of course, I'll send the children out doors."
"2 o'clock then, good evening Dr. Blythe, Mrs. Lynde."
During the time Gilbert and Rachel were speaking with the lawyer Diana and her mother were fixing up the kitchen while Fred, Mr. Barry, and Mr. Blythe were tending to the farm. Gilbert was going out to join the men as soon as Rachel was settled in.
"Do you ladies need anything?"
"No thank you Gilbert." Said Mrs. Barry.
"Well then I'll be joining the men outside."
Gilbert made his way to the barn, and started tending to the cows.
"Did you set the appointment with the lawyer?" Asked Mr. Blythe.
"We set it for 2 o'clock tomorrow."
"And have you decided when you'll be leaving yet?" Asked Fred.
"As soon as everything is settled, I have a feeling Anne isn't going to stay put much longer, if I'm not there to see to it she does." All of the men laughed knowing Gilbert had his hands full with Anne on a good day let alone when she was sick.
"Just like her mother that one, you've got your hands full Gil." Said Mr. Blythe.
"Her mother?" Asked Gilbert.
"Marilla."
"That's the first time I've ever heard someone refer to Marilla as Anne's mother."
"Well she was, she raised Anne since she was 11, protected her, took care of her, and encouraged her. That's what a mother does." Said Mr. Blythe.
"I agree. Marilla loved Anne with all her heart." Said Mr. Barry.
The men finished up with the chores and then headed to their respective homes, while Gilbert shared Davy's room with him; Davy's room was one Matthew's room. Rachel had offered to fix up Anne's room for him, but Gilbert declined stating that it would feel odd to stay in there without Anne's permission. Rachel just laughed and told him 'suit yourself'.
Around 2 p.m. the next day the lawyer came calling to Green Gables, Rachel sent Davy and Dora over to Diana and Fred's while she and Gilbert met with Mr. Edwards.
"Dr. Blythe."
"Mr. Edwards."
"Come in."
"Thank you."
"Let me go see what is keeping Mrs. Lynde."
"Of course."
Gilbert found Rachel in the kitchen setting out the tea.
"Rachel, Mr. Edwards is here."
"Goodness he's on time today isn't he let's hope this goes smoothly now."
"I agree." Said Gilbert.
Rachel and Gilbert joined Mr. Edwards in the dining room.
"I had an appointment with Ms. Cuthbert next week to draw up her will."
"What does that mean?" Asked Rachel.
"Ms. Cuthbert left no will." Said Mr. Edwards.
"There has to be something." Said Gilbert.
"I have nothing on record."
"Rachel, did Marilla say anything to you about her intentions?"
"She just said she had the appointment, I would assume she would have left everything to Anne."
"Did Matthew leave a will, Anne and I weren't really on good terms at the time he died."
"Matthew's will was written before Anne arrived and he never revised according to Marilla, she believed he thought there would be time, but his will left it all to Marilla." Said Rachel.
"So what will happen to Green Gables?" Asked Gilbert.
"It will go to the next of kin."
"Which should rightfully be Anne." Said Gilbert.
"I agree, but without some proper proof I cannot leave things as we want, I have to follow the law Dr. Blythe."
"Of course. Rachel do you know where Marilla would have put any important papers?"
"No she never told me."
"I'm going to call the hospital in Halifax maybe Anne knows."
"Dr. Blythe I have another appointment I will call on you folks tomorrow and see if there is any progress."
"Thank you, for coming out here." Said Rachel.
"You're welcome good day."
After Mr. Edwards left Green Gables Gilbert got on the phone to call Halifax.
"Emily, its Gilbert Blythe can you connect me to Halifax."
"Of course." Came Emily's response.
"Halifax switchboard."
"Halifax Hospital please." Said Gilbert.
"Halifax Hospital please hold while I connect you." Said the operator.
"Thank you."
"Halifax Hospital?"
"Hello, this is Dr. Blythe I need to speak to Miss Shirley."
"Of course Dr. Blythe." Gilbert waited a few moments while one of the staff presumably went to retrieve Anne.
"Gil, is everything okay?"
"There are some complications."
"What kind of complications?" Asked Anne worriedly.
"Well it turns out Marilla didn't file a will with the lawyer Mr. Edwards, he said she had an appointment set for next week. Do you know where Marilla or Matthew kept the important papers?"
"There's a box, last I saw of it Marilla had it in the kitchen, she was going over the accounts."
"Okay, we'll look around for it. Now how are you feeling?"
"I'm feeling fine I told you I could make the trip, I should be there."
"Anne stay at the hospital, I will figure everything out here."
"Fine."
"I love you. I'll talk to you soon." Said Gilbert.
"I love you too."
Gilbert hung up the phone, and went in search of the box Anne told him about.
"What did Anne say?" Asked Rachel.
"She said Marilla had a box where she kept the accounts."
"I've never seen a box around." Said Rachel.
"It's got to be around here somewhere it hasn't been that long since Anne last visited." Said Gilbert.
"Hello, I've brought the children back." Said Diana coming in the front door.
"Diana, you're just in time we need your help." Said Rachel.
"With what?"
"We're looking for Marilla's accounting box, now we doubt it's down here, but could you take a look in Anne's room, I'll have a look down here." Said Gilbert.
"I'll have a look in Marilla's room." Said Rachel.
Rachel searched Marilla's room and felt guilty about doing it she hadn't been in the room since Marilla passed, but it was important that they find the box, Rachel looked high and low before turning her attention to Marilla's closet and there on the top shelf was a beautiful wooden box, Rachel knew instantly that was the box that they were looking for.
"Gilbert?"
"Rachel is everything okay?" Asked Diana who had been in Anne's room.
"Oh yes, Diana but will you find Gilbert for me I believe I found the box we're looking for. It's on the top shelf of Marilla's closet."
"Sure." Diana headed downstairs to find him.
"Gil?"
"What?"
"Rachel thinks she found the box it's too high for her to reach though."
"Great, let's hope it is."
Gilbert made his way up to the second floor of Green Gables and found Rachel looking at the closet.
"Oh Gilbert, it's that box there."
"I've got it." Gil reached up and got the box down on the top of the box there a was a monogrammed M imprinted on the top.
"Where ever did she find such a beautiful box?" Asked Rachel.
"Someone must have made it for her, Matthew perhaps?" Asked Diana.
"Matthew Cuthbert was a lot of things but craftsman he wasn't, no maybe Anne gave it to her?" Asked Rachel.
"No I don't remember her finding anything like this on our trips." Said Gil.
The mystery of how the box came to be would have to wait for later, they had more pressing matters to attend to. Gil carefully opened the box and was greeted with a few ledgers and a small stack of papers on the inside.
"Hopefully these hold the answers to things." Said Diana.
Gil closed the lid and headed down to the kitchen with the box. It took the better part of an hour to go through all the papers in the box but he finally found a letter address to Anne in the bottom of the box in Marilla's aged scroll, you could tell that it had been written recently just based on the style Marilla chose to use, due to her failing eyesight she had taken to printing her words rather than the refined cursive she used when Anne had first come to Green Gables.
My Darling Anne,
It has only been a few days since we last spoke and I do hope you are doing well, I know Gilbert is taking care of you through this illness and I hope to see you home as soon as you are able to travel again. I regret having to tell you in a letter but I hope I will be able to tell you in person that my health is not what it once was, as you know my eyesight is getting poorer, and I fear that I may not have much longer on Earth. I hope to make a meeting with the lawyer to discuss my final affairs soon, as we learned with Matthew's passing things needed to be changed.
However if I am not able to make that appointment I want you to rest assured that you will be taken care of, that is why I have left this letter. It is my final intention to leave you and upon your marriage to Gilbert Green Gables and my meager savings to with as you wish.
You have made me and Matthew so proud, with your successes at school and with your writings, I know you my girl are independent and do not need a man to take care of you, but remember to take care of each other, and even when he makes you want to break a slate over his head Gilbert loves you more than life.
I love you my Anne-Girl,
Love,
Marilla
Gilbert finished reading the letter outloud, and realized this is what they needed to save Green Gables for them.
"Well I think that shall do, what do you think Gil?" Asked Diana.
"I think it should I hope, you can tell that it was written recently just based on Marilla's handwriting, and if we need further proof that Marilla did write this Anne has her letters saved."
"Would you move back?" Asked Rachel.
"Well I don't know Anne and I both have contracts in Halifax but I think maybe after those expire, we'll talk about it. Rachel I'm sure Anne won't make want to make any changes to the arrangements you had with Marilla."
"That is not my worry now Gilbert, I just want Green Gables to stay in the family where it should be."
"I agree." Said Diana.
Just then Mr. Blythe walked in the kitchen door to if Rachel needed him to do anything before he went to work with the other men who had volunteered their services.
"I haven't seen that box in ages." Said Mr. Blythe.
"You've seen it before?" Asked Gilbert.
"Seen it, Boy I made that for Marilla just before we broke things off. I'm surprised she's kept it that long."
"Well that solves that mystery." Said Diana.
"What mystery?" Asked Mr. Blythe.
"We were trying to figure out where Marilla kept her important papers and Anne mentioned a box when I spoke with her earlier, Rachel found it in Marilla's closet." Explained Gilbert.
"I'm glad to see she didn't burn it. Did she leave any information as to her final wishes?" Asked Mr. Blythe.
"She left a letter for Anne stating that Green Gables was to be ours after the wedding. I just hope that the lawyer will let us keep it so I can give it to Anne."
"I should hope so since it's a letter to her daughter." Said Mr. Blythe.
"Maybe they can transcribe it into court records or something that way you can keep the papers." Said Diana.
"Wait a minute, what is this?" Asked Mr. Blythe pulling out an envelope.
"I don't know." Said Gilbert as his father opened it.
"Blessed be she made a carbon copy." Said Rachel.
"This will defiantly help."
The group settled down for the night and the next day Gilbert brought the box to Mr. Edward's office.
"Dr. Blythe I wasn't expecting you today."
"Yes well I have an important matter to discuss we found Marilla's keepsake box, it is also where she kept her household records. In it we found a letter and a carbon copy of it addressed to my fiancée, based on Marilla's wording it was written as early as a week before her death. In it she mentions Anne being sick and her appointment with you; she also states what is to happen to Green Gables. It's to go to Anne and I."
"Well I don't suppose you brought the letter with you?"
"I did, here is the carbon. I intend to keep the original for Anne."
"Of course, I will file this with the courthouse in Carmody as soon as I can and have the papers drawn up immediately."
"So it's settled then Green Gables will stay with Anne?" Asked Gilbert.
"Pending finalization it will."
"Wonderful. Thank you for your help."
"No thank you Dr. Blythe for not accepting that Ms. Cuthbert wouldn't have provided for your fiancée."
A few weeks later Anne was finally able to come home to Green Gables to pay her respects to Marilla and to see to the final hearing in Marilla's estate. She and Gil had also starting making the plans for their wedding with thrilled Rachel and Diana to no end and they only wished that Marilla and Matthew could be there to see it. After much discussion Anne decided that she would walk down the aisle alone as the only men she could see were her biological father and Matthew taking that honor, although Mr. Barry and Mr. Blythe had both offered.
The wedding went off without a hitch and the couple settled into Green Gables, Rachel had settled into new home with the children just down the road stating that the newlyweds needed their space. Gil and Anne protested but Rachel wouldn't hear of it and moved out of Green Gables while they were on their wedding tour.
It wasn't long before the sounds of Blythe children were running around Green Gables and on particularly windy days Anne swore she could hear Marilla laughing at the scrapes Anne's children found themselves in, and clearly stating 'They do beat all, Anne'.