Chapter 35
As Henry headed toward where he planned on meeting Gilbert he couldn't help but chuckle at the memory of Gilbert pradeing around this very lawn the other week complete with bonnet and apron. He was unsurprised that Gilbert had managed to mesh so well into college life. Gilbert had always been the type to belong. He lead the freshman to an unheard of win over the Sophmores in the Arts Rush, made captian of the freshman football team and most recently had been recruited by the lambs.
Coming into view of where Gilbert waited to meet him he was unsurprised to see a pretty coed chatting Gilbert up. The female population had certainly noticed Gilbert in the same way the school girls of Avonlea had. About 20 feet away, Henry drew to a complete stop his face going gray as Gilbert embraced her in a kiss, or at least that is what it appeared to Henry.
For once he didn't even think of punching Gilbert, he felt entirely to ill to do so. All he could think of was finding Anne and keeping Gilbert away from her. He had never objected to the physical closeness between the two and all he could think was that he had set Anne, his own sweet sister, up to get her heart broken. Dully, he thought to himself, that maybe it was a good thing Anne saw Gilbert as only a chum, had she of opened up her eyes and accepted his proposal or semi proposal and then when they got to college Gilbert had discovered after meeting so many other females that he didn't want Anne as much as he had thought he did, well that would be worse. Now all Henry had to do was stop allowing Gilbert unfettered acess to his sister's tender heart. If Anne never realized she was in love with Gilbert she would be better off.
After escaping from the girl that had kissed him, unasked for and unwelcomed, Gilbert saw Henry heading away from their designated meeting spot. He tried to hail him, but Henry kept moving. Finally catching up to him, he grabbed his shoulder and when Henry stopped and faced him, Gilbert was taken back by the gray cast to Henry's features.
"What's wrong, mate?" Gilbert asked in concern.
"Doesn't concern you," Henry answered him hollowly.
"Look what ever it is, I want to help," Gilbert said and then struck by inspiration said, "Let's get Anne," thinking that she would know what to do.
Taking a deep breath Henry said, "Look Gil, you're my best mate, you know that, but I think you need to stay away from my sister."
"What?" Gilbert exclaimed not understanding.
"Look, I know you used to think that you, that Anne, that, but I can see that as all changed," Henry said gesturing back toward where they had been going to meet. "And I don't hold it against you, you likely stuck by Anne longer than most blokes would have with no encourage-"
Understanding dawning, Gilbert exclaimed, "You think that-? Whatever you saw back there, I can assure you it wasn't what you think it was! Anne is still, she's always been," then his voice quieting he said, "She's always been all I ever wanted. I didn't kiss that girl. She threw herself at me. I wasn't interested, not even for half a second. I've thrown myself into being busy at college so that I don't do what I really want to do, which is spend every free moment with Anne and beg her to listen to how much I love her. I promised myself I wouldn't push her, wouldn't rush her, but if I spend to much time with her I know I won't be able to help myself. I love her, but any fool can see she doesn't want any sort of romantic suitor yet. I want so much more than to just be her friend, but right now that's all I can have. That doesn't mean I'm going to turn elsewhere for affection. I couldn't do that to Anne, even of it isn't like that yet, I want it to be someday. Anything else, anyone else, would be some poor imitation of what I feel for Anne."
"I shouldn't have- Look I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions. It just seemed so understandable. Anne hasn't exactly been encouraging and let's face it you could wink and crook your finger at any girl and have them-"
"Not the one that I want," Gilbert interrupted him. "The only one that matters to me would bite my head off if I ever made the mistake of thinking I could wink and crook my finger at her."
Henry burst out laughing at this, knowing how his sister was likely to react to such a thing and said, "She'd be furious."
"It would be a sight to see," Gilbert couldn't help but say and imagine just how he would like to go about apologizing and soothing Anne's temper in such a situation, but knew better than to share that aspect of his thoughts with Henry.
...
An unlooked for boon of Gilbert's invovlement in so many areas of college life, meant that he had a busy social schedule. He always made sure to escort Anne, as part of a larger social group that included Henry, whoever he invited, Stella and her escort when it wasn't Henry, Phil and one of her many beauxs. Anne seemed to assume that Gilbert considered her a safe date of sorts since he was more focused on his studies then finding someone to court, just like she was uninterested in courting yet and therefore he didn't have to fear raising her expectations. It never occurred to Anne that he had already found that someone, her, and he was unofficially courting her. That he was hoping she would show some sign of regarding him as more than just a chum.
