Chapter 11 - A Kindness Returned
"See, everything turned out just fine," Gilbert said, as he and Anne strolled along the laneway.
"Yes, all due to you Gilbert," Anne conceded, a compliment in her voice over his efforts to find Lizzy and Henry a new home. A leaf-laden branch hung down in her path and Anne's cheeks pinkened as Gilbert paused to hold it back for her so she could pass. He was always so thoughtful, she reflected, as she ducked past him. He was always thinking of others, even something as simple as holding a branch out of her way as he walked her home. Not to mention what he had done for Lizzy and Henry, and for Mr. and Mrs. Hunt.
"But it was your idea, Anne," Gilbert returned the compliment, his long stride bringing him abreast of Anne again. "You're the one who instigated it all," he said, remembering how Anne had spoken up in the Barry parlour on behalf of the children.
Anne smiled. "Ah, so I'm the idea person on this team and you do the leg work. Is that how it works, Gilbert?" Anne asked teasingly as they walked on side-by-side.
Gilbert raised a thoughtful brow. "Are we a team, Anne?" he asked slowly, savouring the word with a sudden seriousness in his voice as he stared at the path ahead.
Anne inhaled sharply at the question, flustered over the unintended implication of her remark. "Oh look! The wild roses are in bloom!" she exclaimed, looking over towards a large bush bearing a mass of pink buds, a deft move intended to change the subject.
Her manoeuvre not lost on him, Gilbert followed Anne's gaze and replied quietly, "Yes, the roses are in bloom."
Continuing on their way, the pair grew quiet, each lost in their own thoughts, until Anne noted that they were coming up to the spot. 'The Spot' being the rather impersonal unromantic name Anne had given the place where Gilbert had proposed to her, several months back now. She always felt a little awkward when they passed by the spot, like they were today. But it was hard to avoid it, since Gilbert had proposed alongside the path that was part of the main thoroughfare between Green Gables and pretty much everywhere else. Anne unconsciously sped up a little, hurrying past the exact location of the rather uncomfortable exchange, leaving Gilbert to play a bit of catch-up from his place a few strides behind.
Once clear of the spot and the uneasy memory, Anne peered over at Gilbert out of the corner of her eye. "You're working in Mr. Barry's fields tomorrow, aren't you Gilbert?"
"Yes I am," Gilbert replied, a bit surprised by the question, thinking that his employment pursuits for the summer didn't make for the most interesting topic of discussion. He'd been working at his father's farm, but also the neighbourhood farms as well, trying to earn money for his tuition in the fall. Only now he was going to have to put in some extra hours above even what he'd been working before, if he hoped to make up the time he'd lost travelling to Charlottetown and back.
"So...so, you bring your lunch with you, do you Gilbert?" Anne asked with deceptive casualness. "When you work, I mean," she clarified, embarrassed at her own question, but determined none-the-less to ask it.
Puzzled now by the strange questions, wondering just what Anne was getting at, Gilbert replied, "Yes, I bring my lunch."
"But if you're working in Mr. Barry's potato field then there isn't a stream nearby," Anne observed.
"No, no stream," Gilbert replied, completely baffled now.
"So...there's no place to keep your lunch bottles cool," Anne observed lightly, referring to the age-old practice of storing beverage bottles in a cool stream in the hours before lunch, a practise often used by workmen and schoolchildren.
Gilbert stopped and turned towards Anne. Just what did she mean by all these questions? "No, there's no place to keep anything cool," Gilbert said.
Anne had stopped too. She'd had to, because she couldn't keep walking when Gilbert had stopped. Reluctantly, she turned towards him and met his enquiring gaze before quickly dropping her lashes. For some reason this whole thing made her extremely self-conscious but she was determined to see it through.
"Well Gilbert," she began the explanation, her downward gaze fixated on the tip of his boot. "Well, I just thought...maybe...if you wanted, I could bring you down a lunch from Green Gables. It's not far, you know, from Mr. Barry's field and I don't mind. I'm usually just writing in the morning and I like to take a break at noon anyway...," Anne trailed off with the suggestion. Goodness, she hoped that didn't sound inappropriate or forward. She just wanted to show Gilbert some kindness, some way to thank him for all he'd done of late. Besides, friends helped each other out and it had recently occurred to Anne she'd never helped Gilbert much with anything before.
Anne waited but her suggestion was met only with a length of silence. She looked up, distress in her eyes. "Or, or if you'd rather I didn't...," she hastily amended, her face flustered now over what she was sure was a refusal of her offer. She was mortified now, mortified to have said anything. Why hadn't she just kept her silly idea to herself?
Gilbert forced himself out of his surprised stupor. "Yes...I mean, no, I...," Gilbert quickly strove to reply, confusing the words of acceptance. Anne wanted to bring him lunch? He was ecstatic at the prospect, it was only his surprise at the offer that had elicited his initial silent response. "That would be swell Anne," he went on. "It's hard to bring anything with me and I'd be happy to take you up on your offer."
Anne exhaled in relief. "Well, good then," she smiled, bravely meeting Gilbert's eyes now that the awkward question had been asked and answered in the affirmative. Gilbert smiled back and for a moment they held each other's gaze, simply held it, with no awkwardness or unease. "I'd better go Gilbert," Anne said. "Marilla will be waiting for me. I'll see you tomorrow, around noon?"
"Tomorrow Anne," Gilbert smiled, and watched as Anne turned and lightly drew up her skirts as she sprinted off towards Green Gables. Gilbert watched her until she had disappeared from view and then he too turned towards home. If anyone had come upon him then they would have been surprised to see the smile on his face. They would have been even more surprised if he'd offered an explanation. For the only one he could have given was that the smile on his face only mirrored the one in his heart.
Author's Note: if you're following along and enjoying the story please leave me a few comments. Thanks (much more romance to come!)