Not even Josie Pye could deny that Anne was positively glowing. Could the prospect of teaching really be creating such happiness in a girl? She wondered.
It perhaps was with Anne Shirley. She thought of all her former classmates Anne was destined to the old maidenhood, and seemed happy to be placed there, after all, the profession of teaching for women at very least was the chosen career for all the old maids who couldn't get a husband.
What was strange was, despite Anne Shirley's pale wide eyed look, Josie knew of not one, not two but three perfectly good proposals of marriage!
Alright so the first wasn't in her own tastes, but Billy Andrews had the name behind him! And the name was something important, especially in her own opinion to a nameless orphan.
The second was Gilbert Blythe. Gilbert! A Blythe! If you wanted a good name and a good nature, find a Blythe! Every girl fluttered round Gilbert, they gasped at his handsomeness, marvelled at his brains (That is of course if they could keep up) he was physically talk dark and handsome and the strongest of all the Avonlea boys. Queen's had found more men who were closer to Gilbert's physic and his mental abilities but still he was the smartest boy at school. He'd stood out at college, at least to begin with, his football abilities landed him captain of the football team, his mental abilities landed him class president and the cooper prize! Every girl fawned over him, every girl but Anne.
And then, she had heard she had only got herself a millionaire as a beau at college, as if Gilbert Blythe was not enough! The boy was meant to be all the things Anne had dreamed of as a girl, Tall, dark, melancholic, rich, could build her marble hall and diamond starbursts, and yet she had still refused him!
Any one of these men would do her, never mind a penniless orphan girl such as Anne.
It wasn't unusual for Anne to go disappearing off into the woods by herself. Even at parties she had her moments of social interaction with others before she would retreat into the woods, no one knew where she went. Josie sighed heavily telling Charlie
"There's Anne again, going off by herself." Josie complained.
Charlie looked for a moment before he turned back to Josie "I'm sure its none of our business Josie," Charlie told her "Anne always was independent."
Josie looked at him and fluttered her eyelashes at him "Not your kind of girl huh Charlie?"
Charlie's lips smiled for a moment before he said "No, not exactly, although did I mention Nicole is a qualified teacher, she has the ability to be independent."
"Well we're all that." Josie said with a huff, "Even Ruby was a teacher, its not amongst my greatest achievements."
Charlie looked annoyed at Josie for a moment "Its not kind to speak of the dead like that Josie," in his annoyance he spoke "Who knows what Ruby would have achieved had she been still alive..." he continued.
"Don't worry too much about what Josie says." A voice came from behind which was Diana's. "You always did talk before you thought Josie." She said softly.
"I didn't mean it like that." Josie almost spat "Ruby was my best friend."
"Then do yourself a favour and don't belittle her achievements." Charlie said his nose upturning.
Josie huffed looking around for a moment. "Hey, where did Gilbert go?"
"You found me." Anne smiled as he approached the opening.
"Always." He said with a grin so wide holding his arms out his hands pulling her to him they kissing as soon as their lips were close enough. "I couldn't wait another moment to be with you." He whispered as they pulled back for breath.
"Me neither." She smiled as he dipped his head again they gave each other quick and gentle kisses. "Did anyone see you?" she asked him pulling back in his arms, staying in them.
"I don't think so." He admitted taking her by the hand he led her deeper into the woods "if they did it would be nothing unusual." He admitted. "I'd follow you in olden days."
"But after everything which has happened..." Anne started.
"Hearsay and unconfirmed 'knowledge'." Gilbert told her." None of them actually knows what happened, other then the people we love." He said, "and they just think that we've gone back to the way we were." He grinned.
"Have we?" she asked him. "I can't remember doing this." She said holding his hand a little tighter.
"Alright, back to where I wanted us to be." He said with a smile to her.
"Back to where we should have been you mean." She replied.
"No." He said to her turning to face her and hold her in his arms. "You weren't there yet, I should have been more patient."
"How long were you meant to wait?" Anne asked him
He shrugged before he admitted "the wait wouldn't have hurt as much as Roy."
"No!" Anne protested, "No, Roy, would..." she trailed before she blushed slightly "I don't know if Roy would ever have happened." She said quietly.
He looked at her confused "come now, your romantic ideal stands in front of you, asking to court you..." Gilbert started.
"But I wasn't looking." Anne blushed and remained silent for a moment before she said quietly "When you were around, when we were friends, I wasn't looking for anything or anyone to fill any emptiness because I didn't feel empty when I had you." She said softly. "Then you were gone and there was this huge void in my life, and I was filling it with books and with studying and with Phil and anything I could clasp my hands on anything physical to help..." she grasped him tighter "...and Roy appeared he was there and complimentary and my 'so called' ideal. He could have made me very happy and rich." She said with a heavy sigh.
"Then why?" he asked her stepping forward his forefinger bringing her chin up to look at him. "why did you say no to Roy?"
"It meant nothing." She said, "Not, not to him, I believe it when he said he loved me, but to me, it meant nothing because he did not fill the 'Gilbert' void which appeared in my life the moment you walked out of Patty's Place's garden that night." She chuckled for a moment before she said "He couldn't measure up to you love." She whispered.
He smiled and blushed slightly looking up for a moment before he whispered "I'm flattered." He said with a grin to her. "I can't believe I'm lucky enough for a second chance." He said. "and that I somehow out trumped Royal Gardner." He said with a chuckle as she giggled with him.
"I love you." She told him. "You know that don't you?" she asked him.
He looked down at her beaming with his smile "I do." He said with another kiss to her. "About that sweetheart..." he said taking her by her hand again and leading her further into the trees. "... I was hoping to discuss something with you."
"Oh?" Anne asked.
"Well its traditional for the future groom to ask the future bride's father for her hand in marriage." He started.
"Yes..." Anne enquired.
"With that option not being available, I was wondering if there was a suitable alternative, obviously normally it would be the closest male relative."
"You can't mean Davy?!" Anne asked gasped, which made Gilbert laugh.
"No, no not Davy, I was actually meaning, well it would have been Matthew." He said with a smile to her as she sighed in relief. "In his absence I was wondering if perhaps I should ask Marilla." He suggested as she stopped again and looked at him with wide eyes "If you think its appropriate." He added.
"Gilbert," she said in awe "that is so thoughtful!" she exclaimed. "And very appropriate."
He smiled and looked into her eyes "so you approve?" he asked her.
"I do." She said to him quietly as they started moving again.
"I was wanting to ask her blessing before the party." He admitted.
She nodded thoughtfully "it would mean sharing our secret."
"I know." He said. "But honestly, I've been feeling a little guilty about not asking." He told her.
"Well you're an honourable man." Anne said with a smile.
"Ah here we are!" Gilbert exclaimed happily.
Anne looked around in confusion for a moment before she exclaimed "Our Tree!" she said Gilbert chuckling at her reaction. "Oh haven't you grown!" she exclaimed to the tree. "Oh those beautiful apples, there's not another apple quite like it." She smiled fondly "except, maybe your strawberry apples." She blushed lightly.
"Delights you keep on denying yourself." He said with a grin swinging himself up on the branches to find some ripe apples.
"Oh Gil, no one will find us back here." She said sitting on the moss nearby.
"Part of the attraction." He called down.
She chuckled slightly relaxing back on her spot.
"Ah ah!" He exclaimed. "I knew I'd find some up here." He said as she heard plucking from the tree.
"You know I never told anyone about this tree, I never told anyone about us really, not the real us." She sighed as she saw him start to climb down "Oh they think they know so well of our story, they don't know the days we spent together."
"I suppose." He said practically jumping down from the tree, "none of us ever truly know each others love stories, we might know each other, very well but there's something about love which is very private."
"And should be." She admitted, "yes Gil, I suppose that's part of the attraction too." She said as he sat beside her handing her one of the apples he plucked. "anyone could tell you how Roy wooed me, in the exact way a girl would want to be." She admitted, "Your method was more..." she trailed thinking of the right word for a moment "unconventional." She settled on.
He chuckled before he ended "but far more effective."
She laughed "Yes I should say so!" she agreed. "Is it too much to wish him every happiness?" Anne asked him looking at him seriously for a moment.
He face studied hers for a moment, his features soften, "No, I don't believe it is, I believe it is very sweet." He agreed. "I have no doubt we'll hear of Mr Gardner's happiness when it happens." He said with a smile putting his arm around her. "I'm just glad it wasn't with you." He said taking a bite from his apple.
Her head snuggled into the crook of his arm her smile soft "Me too."