Author's Note:
Please if you read Chapter 61 before this chapter was posted, reread as I expanded it.
Astrakelly - Yes, finally updating again, and Gil and Anne are together :)
TLWtlw - Thanks for the fact on the real name for Diana & Fred's home and where to find it! Lone Willow Farm, in Anne of Ingleside!
A Talking Cat - Your catches on some grammar mistakes encouraged me to expand and rewrite the chapter even better. Thanks. Yes Gilbert woke up, back to normal self thanks to Dora. And I do like this Dora.
— Anne —
Wednesday, August 4th, 3:30pm
Green Gables, Avonlea, PEI
We were a merry party of wedding planning by tea time. Marilla and Rachel had returned, bringing Abby and her sister with them. Diana had taken to working on one of my dresses, an all over white lace dress I'd made for being a bridesmaid for Diana's wedding a year before.
"We'll work in more lace, and add a veil. Mine," Diana hummed. "You will be lovely, though sunrise? Anne that's ghastly early!"
Gilbert came in And Diana shrieked. "Gilbert! You talk some sense into Anne. Sunrise, and don't you dare take a step in closer. We're working on Anne's wedding dress and you must not see it until the wedding."
"He's already seen it." I rolled my eyes as I stepped closer to him, "What is it?"
"The Reverend. Refused. I've written to Reverend Allen, don't know if he'll be able to come by sunrise. He'll have to take the morning train."
I gulped. Another reminder of the gossip I could half forget. "We'll manage."
Manage was what it continued to be. Neither of us were able to attend Jane's wedding on Friday being the social outcasts. And many on the streets turned their backs on us though others glared. "They'll just need a new gossipy story." Diana rolled her eyes as we'd rode to Carmody with a shopping list for the wedding on Thursday. "Just you wait."
"It'll never. Maybe I should have gone west, or talked Gilbert into going with me."
"Don't you dare Anne Shirley soon to be Anne Blythe! I'm not missing your wedding."
I forced a smile and kept my head high. "If Reverend Allen can't come or won't."
"He will." She declared.
Thankfully we received affirmative that Reverend & Mrs. Allen would be coming on the afternoon train on Monday, with both laughing at Gilbert's dream of marrying me at sunrise. So the wedding was pushed out, and we'd need to leave for Kingsport from the wedding breakfast.
Some friends came and helped. Mrs. Harrison was nearly always at Green Gables, and Mr. Harrison and Mr. Blythe were busy directing Davy and his friends for setting up benches in the orchard for our guests. Even despite the gossip and scandal, Aunt Mary Maria insisted she was coming. Perhaps one guest we could have done without.
Sunday came and with our heads held high, Gilbert walked to Green Gables to escort me to church. I felt much as I had the first sunday I'd gone when I'd arrived. The poor skinny orphan girl all talked about. My hat full of flowers, and perhaps to strengthen my soul I'd picked a few, only a few this time to slip into my hair under the brim of my hat. Gilbert lead me and we sat in the Blythe pew as many glared at us. I just held his hand tight, never letting go throughout the whole service. Even when we stood to sing hymns, our hands remained clasped as we jointly held the hymnal.
We had more whispers about us that morning than friends.
Which forgetting returning with any of our families or friends, soon as we were able to I pulled Gilbert out, into the woods. We walked to our Apple Tree and sat there, eating a few early apples for lunch as we sat at it's roots, talking of everything but the gossip. We even napped, exhaustion from the fear of what we were to face in Kingsport.
"Oh lets forget it all." I whispered, as we righted our things before walking back. "Marry properly and go west. Somewhere where the gossip won't follow us. Or your idea, back to Glen St. Mary. At least it's the Island. I…"
"Anne, we've got to face it. We're righting our mistakes. Together."
"Together."
And so after a lovely supper with friends and family that Sunday night and hearing tales of Jane's wedding, and the extravagance of jewels her Groom placed on her. I kissed him goodnight, for Diana insisted I would not see him until Tuesday at sunrise.