Typhoid & Gossip Ch 42: Gilbert - The Talk, an anne of green gables series fanfic

Author's Note:

My lead on chapters is still not caught up (I actually wrote this chapter an hour before posting it). So I apologize for this chapter isn't even really edited. But I wanted to stick to the posting schedule (to keep me on schedule). As I write I am also slowly going through older chapters making minor edits in my master manuscript which will be updated in one go when I am again far ahead with chapters. The major plot points won't change but little details will change to clean up historic inaccuracies I've caught, grammar issues, and little plot holes as I find them, and wording changes to make the story flow better and the tension stronger.

Astrakelly - Thanks for the encouragement about the break and I love Dora too in that chapter. :) The last chapter and this one I admit are write quickly little editing and posting so I know they're not at the same level previous chapters have been due to less time to edit. I have though caught up with my work deadlines so I will be getting ahead again this week I hope and able to edit chapters as latter chapters develop which makes the story telling stronger. I hope you continue to enjoy.

— Gilbert —

Monday, July 11th, 8:00am

Apple Bough, Avonlea, PEI

I'd slept most of the afternoon before, only rising to join Aunt Mary Maria and my parents for Sunday supper. Mother had made sandwiches and I'd kept quiet feigning exhaustion to keep off their questions about me and Anne. Though Mother's asking me why we couldn't at least wait to come home and marry so they'd be able to witness I'd been forced to speak. "I was scared of loosing Anne." Was all I could say. "She finally said yes…"

They'd also commented about Anne moving back to Green Gables to which my face likely as red as Anne's hair I'd mumbled about being too much temptation, and reminded them about Dr. Spenser's rules for the month of my recovery. To which Aunt Mary Maria scowled and my parents laughed so heartily. I even suggested I might want to go a little longer, scared to risk Anne's health and any child if we were… well expecting.

Truth be told I was up half the night with worry how I'd provide for my family. I sat at my desk, using an old composition book to run numbers on how we'd make the year. We wouldn't be able to afford to come home for any holidays or some time. No new clothes, shoes, and any items for the baby would have to be gifted from friends and family. Perhaps Anne could help Mrs. Carol out with some of the borders laundry or other chores to help offset our food? And so hearing the clock chime in the parlor below three in the morning I closed the composition book. We'd make it, but would have no life to speak of for the first few years. Even any extra funds we'd save, we'd have to set aside for emergencies. Even the funds I had left in the bank, I didn't have enough for Anne's tickets back to Kingsport, we'd have to borrow or perhaps she'd have them? Well, finally exhaustion overtaking me I collapsed back into bed. The sooner to sleep and the sooner to answers from Anne.

I dressed with care and after a breakfast where Mother kept trying to encourage me to eat more, I walked over to Green Gables. I might have taken the buggy but that would have meant the long way around. Instead passing Orchard Slope I slipped across the Dryad's Bubble, thinking briefly of Little Anne and her dreams of Avonlea with a tug at my heart. Climbed the slope on the other side, to find Green Gables in a bustle and bags were packed and gathered and three cheerful girls laughed with Dora and Davy joining in as Marilla and Mrs. Lynde were busy in the kitchen.

"Gil!" Anne cried as I came towards them. "We've quite a plan, the girls are taking a later train that we might all picnic one last time. We'll take the twins too for I've promised, and Marilla truly needs some quiet. Marilla and Mrs. Lynde have shooed us out of the kitchen preparing a hamper for us all. Oh it'll be so lovely. I'd told the girls of that place on the shore you'd brought me to, and thought it would be quite the jaunt. It won't be too far from there to Bright River, though a bit of a detour. We'll have to take the wagon of course as the buggy won't fit us all…"

My heart dropped slightly. What of Anne's promise of all the details of what had happened at the hotel. Details that were not appropriate for the ears of the twins or her friends! Avonlea knew far too much of our private lives. I stepped closer. "Anne… that's our spot, not to share. And what of our conversation?"

She blushed red, whispering into my ear. "Davy and Dora came home yesterday with signs of a fight. Gil… I'm afraid the gossip might have. We need to talk to them without worrying Marilla and Rachel. I promise we'll talk about, you know. We will have time. But they need some joy in their lives, and a picnic. Dora requested it and I couldn't say no. She's so quiet and never demands as Davy does that when she did, I couldn't say no."

"Fine, but another place." I sighed. "What of the White Way of Delight? A picnic there among the cherry trees?"

Her eyes lit up, and with a squeeze to my hand bounded off to suggest the change of plans to the others before we were all loaded up in the wagon. Anne sat beside me, the girls sitting in the row behind us on the removable bench, and toes hanging off the edge Davy and Dora rode on the back edge. We passed several who greeted us, a mixture of distain and smiles, while Anne was busy talking with the girls. Comparing news of Phil, and other friends from Redmond, bringing me into the conversation often.

The picnic was wonderful. Sitting next to Anne, able to publicly hold her hand as we chatted with her dear friends and the twins. Though after a bit when Davy talked Dora into exploring a brook near by to look for fish. I'd never seen the two so content to keep each other company, Anne's friends truly began their integration.

"Are you really expecting?"

Anne blushed and bit her lip at Stella's question. "Perhaps."

Pris laughed. "Of the four of us I would have thought Phil to elope not you Queen Anne! And expecting already? A honeymoon babe because I know you couldn't have had before the wedding…"

I'd been drinking some water when it burst out. "Certainly not. And it's too soon to tell for certain."

"We've had no privacy." Anne moaned. "But even Mrs. Lynde things it's likely we are and she's had twelve children, two whom died at a young age and she should know all the symptoms I would say. She'd lectured me a good hour last night when you two were telling Davy and Dora stories. And according to her she's never wrong."

"So your wedding day is the same as Phils?" Pris spoke slyly.

Anne glanced towards me. "Yes. Not that we planned it of course. Gilbert had run into me in Kingsport and next thing we knew we were rushing off to find a minster, whom we never saw before and never will again. But a sweet jolly soul dressed in brown who married us. I'd realized I'd said no to Roy for he wasn't Gilbert, and didn't dare confess it to another, but then when Gilbert confessed that Christine was engaged to another…" She sighed leaning into my shoulder smiling at her friends. "It was my idea, though don't you dare tell Marilla for she'll never let me forget it, or Rachel, that we elope, not even waiting to come home."

"She really suggested the elopement?" Stella asked me.

"Yes." I smiled at Anne, forcing my own fears to stay hidden. Fears of being discovered. "I wasn't feeling well, and we were scared…"

"And it wasn't until the next day," Anne continued, "that we discovered the typhoid."

Thankfully there were not more questions for Davy and Dora were collected and we headed onto the train station to drop off the girls for their train back to Charlottetown, and we headed back with the twins riding behind us.

"Anne, I've got a question I want to know, but I can't have Marilla or Mrs. Lynde hearing for they'll tan my behind and I won't have a birthday if I ask any questions about you and Gilbert. But the gossip's been mighty bad, and I don't want to worry them."

"Of course Davy! It'll just be between the four of us, right Gil, Dora?" Anne smiled back at them while I nodded and I assumed Dora nodded.

"What's a light skirt? Frank Bell attacked Dora yesterday and said both you and Dora were light skirts. I rescued her, don't worry, and we both gave him a good beating. I'm rather proud of Dora with how well she fights. Gilbert you'll have to help me with Dora's beaus. And Marilla's and Mrs. Lyndes if they ever get any of course."

My heart had skipped. What were people saying, I stopped the horses quickly turning back to Davy. "Whose saying Anne and Dora are light skirts." I did my best to keep my anger out of my voice.

He shrugged his face white. "Frank Bell, but don't know who else. What's a light skirt? That mean a girl letting a fella kiss her? Frank Bell tried to kiss Dora when I found them. She's too young for beaus."

"I'll talk to Mr. Bell myself." I growled. "Dora and Anne are not light skirts."

"But what's a…"

"You don't want to know." He growled. "But it's a loose woman with questionable morals. Not Anne or Dora." I felt my chest tighten knowing that both my and Anne's morals were questionable with us passing ourselves as married when we weren't yet. That we'd preempted our marriage vows…

And so, with Anne insisting on more from the twins of what rumors had been flying around and me insisting on Davy going fishing with me in a few days so he could tell me more of what had been happening. We finally returned to Green Gables.

And there, though I was exhausted I grabbed Anne and as Mrs. Lynde greeted us I insisted on taking Anne for a ramble. So forcing each step through exhaustion we walked arm in arm to our hidden apple tree, speaking nothing both of us knowing the conversation that was coming.

And so we sank down onto the roots of the tree, my back against the tree, and I pulled Anne into my side, her head on my shoulder and she began to recount the journey home. The last thing I remembered was her telling me of my grief, of little Anne, comforting me in her undermost garments when the memory of little Anne came back with fresh tears of grief.

And as she had then, she pulled me down, rocking me my head in her arms, nuzzled between her bosom, as fresh tears soaked her white shirt waist. And she whispered how she'd held me as that that night, and perhaps like it it lulled me to sleep, rocking in her arms.

I woke to it growing late. She was shaking me, "Gil? We best head back we'll be expected back for supper…" I heard her stomach growl, as I stretched. Forcing myself to not fall for temptation to kiss her.

"Our wedding night?"

"When we woke from that night. I dreamed you were King Solomon come to my oasis. I clung to you Gil." She blushed as she stood up not looking me in the face.

"We were both caught up. Oh Gil, perhaps it's best I not go into detail. You're right about the bed I realize, too much temptation. Even thinking of it. Of how you took my maidenhood. It was quite painful for a few days and left a bruise."

I slipped her arm into mine. "I'll spend a lifetime making it up. But we really must, we need a plan. We're telling folks we eloped when we checked into that hotel. But Anne we didn't. We need to be married… We'll never be able to tell the truth about our wedding…"

She laid her head on my shoulder as we walked through the woods. "It's just a license. We made our vows Gil. But where can we go? I saw that the gossip had even reached Summerside when I went through my mail last night. They'd already revoked the offer of my principalship… On our way home to Kingsport perhaps?"

"And what will be the excuse for why you're staying out of my bed?" I asked.

She blushed. "We'll go back early. Though I'll miss this place until we're back for Christmas."

"We can't afford to come back for Christmas." I turned her to face me. "Anne, I don't know how much you have saved. And what you might be able to make before the birth gets close, but with supporting both of us and setting aside funds for the babe. I don't know if we'll be able to afford to come home, or even when we will…"

Her eyes went wide. "But Gil… we have to come home."

"Unless you have funds for our tickets. I'll be doing good to keep food on our table. We won't even have funds for new garments. We'll have to work extra just to afford what clothes you'll need for when you get bigger." I growled. "We really shouldn't have."

"No we shouldn't have." She had tears falling down her cheeks. "But we sinned. Made a mistake. Then we will marry on the Island. I'm not going back to Kingsport earlier then I have to if it'll be a year before we can afford to come home. If we won't return until we're coming home with our child. But will we be able to then?"

I sighed. "I'll be working next summer no doubt at the clinic. But perhaps I'll have enough funds to send you and our child home for a visit."

"Then we'll marry on the Island." She sighed. "And you Gilbert Blythe will help us find a way to discretely marry. If you expect us to go so long without the Island, then find a place for us to get that license, tie up the loose ends and have a wedding trip."