Authors note: This one take a little bit of a different format really though I don't think it too much away from Gilbert. He is the topic of conversation throughout and his letter is included. Just this letter before the first semester is up! Feel free to review!

Knock Knock Knock

The last week of term at school had finally arrived, now Mid-week Anne was in her office finally able to get on with the progress reports when a knock came to her door.

"Come in" she called not looking up.

Jen Pringle entered the room with a box in hand. "Miss Shirley I hope you don't mind, but there was a delivery at the door and no one was present, the man said he had tried to ring but there was no answer so I took the delivery, it's are addressed to you Miss Shirley."

"Oh thank you Jen, I was trying to get these reports filled in and I was ignoring all distractions. Thank you it was very kind to take care of it." She stood up and walked over "I wonder what it is, I wasn't expecting anything. Shall we see?" She asked Jen.

She exciting nodded. She opened the box to find some Lily of the Valleys. She gasped at the sight. "Where on earth did he find these this time of year?" Anne said awe struck. Jen looked confused.

"How can you know who they are from you've not opened the card yet?" The girl asked.

"Oh there's only one person who would send me these." She held them up to her nose smelling them, she handed Jen the box and placed the flowers in water "Open the card if it's bothering you." Anne said to her.

Jen was just filled with curiosity opened the card and read it out loud.

"Congratulations Carrots I knew you could do it. Love Gil." She read. She noticed a letter too. "Here Miss Shirley this is a letter I think. Who's Gil?" she asked walking over to the desk handing her teacher the letter and admiring the flowers and handing her teacher the card.

"My fiancé." She told her.

"Oh!" Jen exclaimed in excitement "A fiancé! Why Miss Shirley you sly fox you never breathed a word about a fiancé!"

"Not exactly an appropriate topic to speak to my pupils about." Anne smirked.

"Is he handsome?" The girl asked.

"Judge for yourself." She said handing her the picture of them on her desk. Diana had sent a picture of them to her once she had come to Kingsport. The picture taken was at their engagement party. Gilberts face beaming with pride hugged in from the back with his chin resting on her shoulder. Anne's head slighted towards him still looking at the camera the picture was of complete comfort.

"Miss Shirley!" she exclaimed. "Why he is handsome!"

"Yes, that seems to be the consensus" she said smiling.

"Don't you think he's handsome?" she asked.

"Of course I do! I'm not blind." She said laughing. "Even if I wer,e he's handsome on the inside as well…" she paused "As you can see, sending me flowers… so thoughtful…"

"Why did he call you carrots?" She asked "Isn't that the highest insult you can give to a red-haired person?"

"You should have told him that when he was 13, he called me carrots in our old school room I broke a slate over his head and didn't speak to him for four years."

"You didn't!" the girl cried. "Oh Miss Shirley how could you not speak to him?"

"Oh I was so vexed…quite easily… Although there were a few times, he would do something sweet and I wanted to swallow my pride and let him be my friend, but you see he was handsome and a big tease and all the girls liked him… I was determined he would never find his way into my good books. He calls me it now just to tease me." She smiled gently "just like him."

"Did he love you all along?" she asked.

"We loved each other all along; I was just too stubborn to admit it. He got sick last summer with Typhoid fever, I thought he was going to die… it was only then…" she sighed at the memory "Oh my Gil!" she said in a whisper. "He should hate me, all the things I put him through, but he's not the type to hold a grudge he never has been. He forgives so freely and handed his heart to me to stamp on again if I wanted."

"Oh but you didn't! My Miss Shirley what a romance!"

Anne laughed. "You don't know the half of it!" she snapped out of her daze. "Here I'll write you a note to explain why you are late to your class. You best get back" she said.

"Yes, then you can read your letter… oh tell me you shall straight away, I bet its romantic…"

Anne laughed. "Go back to your lesson Jen." She said as firmly as she could handing her the note.

"Yes Miss Shirley" the girl said smiling walking away and closing the door behind her.

Right back to work. Anne thought to herself. Although an unopened letter from Gilbert lay before her… There would be no harm in taking one peak surely? She smiled and picked up the letter opening it.

12th December

Dearest Queen Anne!

Words cannot describe how proud I am of you! I knew you would find a way and as I predicted before Christmas! I knew all along you would not come back having failed! Who would have thought a Pringle would help you along the way, Ahoy Captain Myrom Pringle! Thank heavens for the cannibals! (Now there is a sentence I never thought I should write)! I wish I would write my laugh for you would hear the joy it contains!

I have to agree with Duncan Bryce "Red Haired women could always do what they like with me" though I also agree with Wilfred it's THIS red haired women who may do whatever she WANTS to do with ME, for she enchants everyone around her, I am so glad you are MY betrothed! I have a feeling someone else would have taken my place had I not proposed to you in the summer!

Elizabeth… or Betty (whoever she is today) sounds so much like you. Lots of different people inside of her. It's cute she has a name for each one of them. Though I think it might have been more difficult to name each side of you with a different variant of your name. Annie, Anna (heavens forbid) Ann, none of them sound like you and hardly cover the different emotions you must go through on a daily bases, though somehow Anne covers them all. You are simply YOU my love, which in reality is quite complex. Perhaps all your moods are described simply as "Anne" so people can deal with your complexities?

Oh Anne, lets never with our children ever hide our love for them. Children need love, I completely agree (and something I see frequently). Though you are right in that her grandmother does love her. I think older generations just have a different way of doing things, they get so stuck on what propriety demands they forget to feel… something I have noticed as well is it seems to be those who are better off with worldly possessions that are more likely to fall into this trap. Like they believe the feeling of love can be bought. The fact they think it can be is actually testament in itself that they do feel it but brings no comfort to those who actually still need to feel it.

Recommend is one 'c' as you can see. I always try and remember it as "You only need to see a play once to recommend it But it takes them twice to mend if it goes wrong." (the play being on the see being the one c in recommend and the mend reminding me to have a double m in it to repair it… okay it might not be any good but it is how I remember it) why are you asking me anyway? You're the one with the beautiful dictionary! Look it up next time!

I don't expect another letter from you now, in less than 7 days you will be in my arms and we shall be together for almost a month! I cannot wait!

Now I know you're wondering where I got lilies of the valley from this time of year. I'm afraid a man must have some secrets… know that not even the seasons could stop me from sharing my love for you.

Just two more exams to go Anne. My advance surgery and modern medicine. What do you suppose they shall be on Anne?

I should be back in Avonlea on Saturday evening the train. So we shall see each other on Sunday at church (please sit with me my love), mother has invited you to dinner after church has finished then we can spend the afternoon with each other. How does that sound?

Sorry this is so short, I can tell you all my news once I see you I just wanted to congratulate you really and since I couldn't physically be there I thought these would do.

Your devoted,

Gil

Anne folded the letter and smiled. Her devoted. Her happiness was sublime whenever she thought of him and very soon it wouldn't just be a thought anymore