Chapter 5
Gilbert Blythe had heard all about how Marilla Cuthbert, in an act that had boggled the minds of Avonlea, adopted three orphans. The Cuthberts were known to keep to themselves, so adopting one orphan as Rachel Lynde had claimed they intend was astounding enough when that news made the rounds. When it was learned that the Cuthberts had adopted not one boy, but actually two boys and a girl no one had believed it until they appeared in church, three fiery red heads, one of them bedecked with flowers unescorted since Marilla was home with a headache and everyone knew Matthew was to shy to put in an appearance at church. Especially since he knew everyone wished to get a good look at the Cuthbert's gaggle of orphans. Gilbert missed this spectacle along with a few others, having spent the summer, just like previous summers since returning from out west, and the first two weeks of school this term with his cousins in New Brunswick. He was most curious about the eldest, seeing as how they were close in age and some of his chums had mentioned him being good fun.
Unfortunately it took only one look at Anne Shirley for Gilbert to forget that three orphans had been adopted. After seeing her enter the school yard he had been determined she should like to meet him. The blonde braid of Ruby Gillis seemed a likely way to impress Anne with the adoration the Avonlea school girls viewed him with. After pinning Ruby's braid to her hair at the start of the day and receiving the expected response from Ruby and not the expected response of his wink to Anne from her, he spent the next hour or so, staring at Anne with poorly concealed interest. Interest one Henry Mack noted. Henry might have kept an eye on Gilbert, determined him to be an alright fellow and someday had a word with him about his admiration of his little sister.
Had things of worked out differently, Gilbert may have made Anne's acquaintance when the scholars disperesed to eat. Such surely had been in his plans. He would impress Anne with his baseball abilities or other skills during the lunch hour and she would shyly notice him and look at him with those dreamy eyes. From there they would be introduced. Unfortunately Anne had other plans and didn't even glance Gilbert's direction when they were dismissed for the dinner hour and headed immediately out with Diana. Gilbert with a start realized he hadn't gotten any of his work done that morning and a quick survey of the school yard showed Anne had already disappeared. He decided if he couldn't meet the elusive Anne during lunch he would use the time effectively to quickly finish his assignments while he ate that he had neglected in favor of Anne.
Upon the return of the other students, Gilbert once again found himself staring at Anne. As it was Gilbert was not content to merely stare at Anne any longer though. Oh no, he wanted her attention. His carefully laid plans to meet her via an introduction from one of the other Avonlea scholars had not come to fruitation, so more direct action would be necessary. So he reached out grabbed her braid and tugged, whispering, "Carrots, Carrots!"
Gilbert succeed in his goal in a way he never could have imagined, he certainly had Anne's attention. But unlike other girls he had teased, Anne didn't blush and smile at him. She brought her slate down on his head with a passionate exclamation of, "You mean, hateful boy! How dare you!"
Depsite the completely unexpected reaction, Gilbert stared at her with complete and utter amazement. He didn't even have it in him to be upset, he was to swapped by other feelings. Later he would always joke that was the moment he fell in love with her. In that moment he didn't identify it as love, but he knew he definitely wanted to know her better. She was so much more alive and vibrant than the other girls. Gilbert had the uncomfortable thought of, Marry me? But to his relief those words were not the ones that came out of his mouth, or at least not with any audibility. His mouth definitely opened but no speech poured fourth as he looked at Anne with admiration. It wasn't until he realized that all eyes were on them and that Mr. Philip was speaking, did he find himself capable of speech.
…
Gilbert was unable to tear his gaze away from Anne as she stood on the platform at the front of the class. She was absolutely magnificent and he was thoroughly smitten. He had been smitten from the moment he laid eyes on her. His abject gaze of sparkling excitement to have finally met someone like her shown a bit to clearly to any that paid close attention and Henry was one that paid close attention. He had held Tommy back from flying to Anne during the commotion, but seeing Gilbert looking at Anne like she was the best present he had ever received had Henry deciding he would need to avenge Anne and remind this island boy that Anne wasn't some object to be teased and toyed with. Having spent so long in the orphanage it was hard for Henry to realize that Gilbert wasn't thinking Anne, with her extreme reactions, was new entertaining prey to maliciously torture like some of the other orphans had viewed her.
Gilbert made his way quickly to the school porch eager to offer his first ever apology for teasing and get to know the fascinating creature that was Anne. Unfortunately in his Anne induced haze, he hadn't given any thought to the other red haired orphans. While Gilbert met the love of his life when she crashed her slate into his head, Gilbert met his best friend when his fist crashed into him. Gilbert without thinking reflexively hit back knocking the wiry boy to the ground. Henry made to get up so Gilbert hit him again. After a fourth hit Gilbert growled, "Stay down, will ya!" wanting his victory acknowledged.
Before Henry could agree to concede the fight or not, a small whirling delvirish launched itself at Gilbert shrieking and trying to bite him. Gilbert freed himself quickly from the scrawny red haired boy, pushing him away in self defense, were he landed on his backside. Then standing there, Gilbert blinked as he took in the angry faces of three red heads. Anne was kneeling next to Henry who was starting to rise with her assistance, when she let out a dismayed cry of, "Tommy!" Before surging to her feet, eyes flashing at Gilbert, when Henry quickly grabbed her ankle to stop her from attacking Gilbert.
Gilbert gulped all of a sudden remembering that Anne had adopted brothers, ones evidently determined to ban together and protect each other. He was torn between scowling at the boy on the ground or smiling charmingly at Anne. Smiling at Anne won out and he said, "I'm awful sorry I made-"
But Anne ignored him and assiting her elder brother to his feet while Diana quietly helped Tommy. Henry's arm slung over Anne's shoulder to support him and Tommy held tightly by Diana to keep him from running at Gilbert, they began to leave the school yard.
"Say, let me help," Gilbert said taking a step towards Anne and Henry.
"Help?" Anne said scornfully. "You've done more than enough." She then proceeded onward with Henry who tossed a smirk over his shoulder at the gaping Gilbert.
Gilbert watched them go with admiration and a bit of guilt. Most fellows would have stayed down after the first punch, but Henry hadn't. Gilbert hadn't realized he was attacking him for teasing Anne. He had been so focused on Anne he hadn't thought, just reacted. He could even admit that he had showed off a bit hoping that when Anne did come out she would see how strong he was and had won a fight when he was unjustly attacked. Instead she believed he teased her to be mean and then beat her brother up. Her brother that like her was an orphan. To top it all off she had seen him push her youngest brother, also an orphan, to the ground. Admittedly it had been self defense, but he suspected Anne didn't see it like that.
"Way to go Gil," Fred Wright said clapping him on the back. "I'm sure you made quite an impression on all of them. I better go help Anne and Diana see them home. Henry was perfectly in his rights to hit you, you made fun of his sister before even meeting her. Thought she was pretty did, ya?"
"Shove off Fred," Gilbert said crossly.
"If it makes you feel better, Mrs. Lynde insulted her red hair as well and Anne forgave her," Fred said chuckling before starting after Anne, Henry, Tommy and Diana.
The prettiest girl to show up in Avonlea and I made a real mess of it, Gilbert thought. Then realizing he hadn't actually managed to apologize, groaned.
