Hello Anne-girls, and sorry for the delays between updates. End of school year and birthdays and Christmas, oh my! Thank you for your patience!
Anne and Gilbert inch ever closer, as we also inch ever closer to the completion of this story.
With love
MrsVonTrapp x
Chapter Fourteen
It's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then'
Gilbert would never again take for granted the pleasures of a morning constitutional, even if his tame circuit of the hospital ward hardly counted as either strenuous or scenic. It was rather sensational, however; to observe the mechanics, the inner workings, of the hospital as both patient and through the ever curious and increasingly knowledgeable eyes of the medical student in waiting.
He observed the ebb and flow of patients and staff; began to know all the doctors by sight and as many as possible by name if not also specialization; and naturally charmed the most important members of faculty, the nurses. Well, except for Matron Burgess, that is, though he was working on her.
As he rounded the corner and began down the long corridor to his room, prior to rounds and eventually to his visitors, he noticed the sight of said Matron upbraiding a stranger near his doorway. Turning to see him, the man checked a notecard in his hand before waving to gain his attention – and possibly his assistance.
"Mr Blythe?" he broke away from Matron, walking towards him.
"Yes?" Gilbert answered warily.
"Mr Blythe!" Matron interjected, already exasperated and on her way to becoming incensed. "This man is attempting to thwart patient privacy and hospital protocols by writing some sordid expose and hoping to rope your good self into proceedings! I will very happily show him the door!"
"Expose?" Gilbert questioned, even more warily.
"Yes indeed, Mr Blythe, an expose of the shockingly inadequate fire safety measures of any number of guest houses in the greater Kingsport area and perhaps throughout Nova Scotia, not least of which the shoddy establishment you yourself escaped from," the man explained, barely drawing breath and offering his ink-stained hand for good measure. "Mr Benjamin Buckley, reporter for the Kingsport Chronicle, at your service."
Gilbert shook hands slowly, glancing at Matron who was fuming silently.
"Matron Burgess, do you have any objection to my speaking with Mr Buckley, other than a commendable attention to privacy protocols and patient care?"
Startled, Matron could not sift the request from the flattery in time, and with a nod and a generous smile to her, he gestured to his room, the reporter making haste to accompany him.
Gilbert deemed himself appropriately enough attired for a newspaper interview, having donned a crimson robe * and having graduated to pyjamas over the hospital gown he had begun his stay in, seating them in the two chairs by the bed.
"Thank you for seeing me, Mr Blythe," the man, about his age and twice as eager, gushed as he took up notepad and pen. "I've been trying to get past your Matron for the last day. You are quite the hero of the hour!"
"I don't know about that," Gilbert demurred, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. "There were many brave people that night."
"But none other who rescued the young Burke family and then the cousin to one of the famed Gardners, I assure you, with him dangling from a bedsheet, and the only thing between himself and the ground below being your own two hands!"
"Mr Gardner was very brave, I must emphasize. He was the one to begin with the bedsheets, and he assisted in every rescue, till unfortunately it was almost too late for his own. He showed tremendous courage and selflessness. I hope that will be noted."
"Indeed, Mr Blythe," Mr Butler nodded assent, scribbling some notes. "And your own modesty and humble attitude is commendable."
Gilbert let out a slow breath and then quirked a smile that became increasingly fond. "And Miss Shirley… it must be highlighted that Miss Shirley was incredibly calm and self possessed, and extraordinarily brave. She helped see to the young Burke lad and before that had alerted the good gentleman with the ladder on the ground, so we at least had a plan in place," Gilbert added, lost suddenly to this remembered vision of her.
Mr Buckley perked up considerably at this. "Ah, yes! That would be Miss Anne Shirley, your own fiancée? What an extraordinary angle that is!"
Gilbert was brought back from his own musings, and sharply.
"My fiancée? Where did you hear that, Mr Buckley?"
"Ah, I have a confession, Mr Blythe. I have been able to talk briefly with the very obliging Nurse… uh… Charming? No, excuse me, I'll just consult – "
"Chalmers. Nurse Chalmers…" Gilbert corrected, his mind whirring.
"Yes, indeed. It seems she has had much to do with assisting Miss Shirley until you regained consciousness, and intriguingly she said she also has a past connection with your good self…"
Gilbert's dark brows drew together. "Do you think, Mr Buckley, we might concentrate on the actual fire?"
"Yes." Mr Buckley cleared his throat. "Of course."
As Gilbert detailed the ever-disturbing events of that night, emphasizing the safety measures that had been sadly lacking, a part of his mind was actively trying to sift through this intriguing new information. Fiancee? Had Anne led the nurse, and possibly others, to believe they were engaged? And why? It wasn't something that his parents had mentioned, so they either had not heard this or else had dismissed it as careless gossip. But Isabelle Chalmers at the same time was not the type to be repeating mere gossip she didn't sincerely believe to be true…
Towards the end of his recount, who should join them but a beaming Nurse Chalmers herself, ushering in his parents, Anne, and Jem and Dorothy Gardner.
There was then a flurry of reintroductions and explanations, Gilbert reunited with a grinning Jem, who greeted him heartily, and able to finally thank Dorothy for her fine service and support of Anne, extending his thanks to Roy for his generous provision of expenses including the hotel. At the sight of a few Gardners and mention of a notable other, Benjamin Buckley began writing furiously, a too-delighted smile of conjecture crossing his face, and in the milieu was able to duck out to signal to his colleague, a younger man barely older than Jem who brandished a not-so-portable camera on a bulky stand, and Gilbert, Jem and Anne were corralled into posing for a photograph, the photographer then encouraged by Buckley to gain further photographs not only with Gilbert and his proud and relieved parents, but additionally with his delightful fiancée.
"Fiancee?" Clementine Blythe piped for the second time in as many days.
Anne, posed at that point next to Gilbert, looked up to him, horrified.
"We… we are not engaged!" she corrected haltingly, blushing furiously.
"I'm sorry!" Nurse Chalmers interrupted, gaze seeking Anne. "Was it meant to be a secret?"
"A secret engagement?" John Blythe's eyes gleamed at the thought.
"I knew there was something between yourselves!" Jem Gardner mused enthusiastically. "I could see it clear as day back at the guest house!"
"No… no secret…" Anne stammered. "There seems to have been – ah – a miscommunication of sorts," she continued miserably, flicking a glance back to the nurse and shaking her head gently. "Mr Blythe and I are not engaged and never have been! I need to answer that point unequivocally!"
"But Miss Shirley!" Nurse Chalmers seemed genuinely confused. "You sat at Mr Blythe's bedside right here and said I Ma – "
"What is the meaning of this?" Matron Burgess had returned, fearsome to think her trust in Mr Blythe to conduct a brief, calm and absolutely solitary interview was obviously grievously misplaced.
"Just leaving, Matron!" Benjamin Buckley knew his cue. "Thanking one and all for your time, and thank you most of all Mr Blythe, and best wishes to you!" He grabbed the sleeve of his young photographer and they hustled themselves out.
"Excuse me!" Anne bleated, red-faced and misty-eyed, hastening to leave herself, and Jem and Dorothy took one look at Matron and followed her obligingly.
"Nurse Chalmers!" Matron huffed. "Are your mathematical skills sufficient to understand the number two as in two visitors to this room at any one time, or do I need to have your former schoolmaster Mr Blythe here give you additional instruction?"
"Yes, Matron," the young nurse murmured. "I mean, no, Matron!"
"Bedpans," was the next stern directive, and poor Nurse Chalmers, with an apologetic look to all remaining, scurried out.
The next instant, with an unnatural calm newly restored, Dr Johnston entered the room on his morning rounds.
"Hello Mr and Mrs Blythe," he greeted cheerfully. "Good morning, Matron. And good morning, Mr Blythe. You are looking extraordinarily well. How are you feeling today?"
Gilbert swallowed, still busily processing the last few minutes… reliving the nurse's confusion… Anne's almost tearful denial… Jem's confident assertion…
"I'm… not sure…" he breathed, finally needing to sit down again on the bed.
Gilbert would be discharged on the morrow, with his doctor confident in his continued recovery, but still requiring he present himself to Outpatients daily for a further three days, in order to assess leg wound and shoulder, and to be mindful of headaches and overexerting himself.
His parents had left briefly during his examination, vowing to find Anne to share the happy news. Despite thoughts of her he tried to focus on his immediate concerns.
"Will I be fit to travel after that time?" Gilbert found himself longing to get back to the calm and the quiet of Avonlea.
"I can't see why not," Dr Johnston gave a careful smile. "I hope your recent medical emergency hasn't chased you away from medicine, Gilbert!"
"Not at all, Doctor," Gilbert smiled broadly in return. "Only I know that I want to be back to full strength before I begin to tackle it all."
"Yes, indeed. First Year is certainly no walk in the park. And there's the Cooper Prize element to boot, which will take up more time than you may reckon on." He paused, contemplating, and then leaned in closer, conspiratorially, "though the rooms aren't half bad."
Student rooms?!
Gilbert's eyes widened in sudden understanding.
"Dr Johnston…" he repeated, casting his mind back over names and dates of previous Cooper recipients; a list he had seen briefly at one point, as well as on a grand silver plaque back at Redmond. "Dr… William… Johnston…?"
"Well done, Mr Blythe! There have been a few names between you and I since then, let me tell you."
"Class of…" Gilbert squeezed his eyes tight, searching for the memory, and attempted his best guess. "1876?"
"1875," Dr Johnston corrected. "An eye-wateringly long twelve years ago. My friend had the audacity to take out the Cooper only two years later, and generally it's been awarded every three years or so… My thanks to you for finally breaking through after five years, because Dave Chapman, the recipient before yourself, was getting unbearable!"
Gilbert reached out to shake doctor and comrade's hand, grinning broadly.
"It was my honour, then, to do so, Sir. Is it worth all the stuffed shirts and endless receptions?"
Dr Johnston matched his smile.
"Bragging rights for life! Just watch the faulty faucet in the washroom of your quarters!"
"Duly noted."
Dr William Johnston was perhaps still smiling as he left to continue his rounds, though careful to make certain Matron didn't see.
"This sofa really is embarrassingly threadbare…" Dorothy frowned, seated upon one such example with Anne beside her in the main waiting area off reception, whilst Jem had gone in search of a newspaper. "The medical equipment is first rate here – the Board has seen to that – but really, the other facilities leave a lot to be desired!"
"Terrible…" Anne murmured, absently.
"I've a good mind to furnish a list to bring to the Board, next time they convene," Dorothy continued her diatribe. "If they think our family will break our necks to fundraise and help fund the hospital, the least they can do is spend the donations wisely."
"You should at that…" Anne commented distractedly.
"You know, Miss Anne, I just might! I don't know that half of the Board members even set foot in the place – they just like their names displayed when they hobnob at the fundraising events. But poor Mr Blythe's ordeal has been quite the eye opener for me… I won't let Matron near a list of improvements, obviously, as she'd probably consider it treasonous and toss it out the window, but I think the nice doctor who attends your Gilbert seems like he would be interested enough." Dorothy paused, considering. "I wonder if he's married? His wife must never see him, if so."
"Dorothy, darling, he's not my Gilbert," Anne offered mournfully, only half listening. "And we are not getting married! I'm sorry that you and Jem have been under that impression, but it's really not true." Anne felt her cheeks warming again in mortification, dwelling miserably on the scene with the newspaper reporter she had run out of – right in front of Gilbert and his parents.
"I was talking about Dr Johnston," Dorothy corrected, before quirking a knowing smile. "But thank you for clearing that up, Anne darling."
"Oh, Dorothy – I'm sorry! I don't think I'm myself, today!" Anne leapt to pace before her, wanting nothing more in the moment but to run back home to Avonlea.
"Anne, you're just wrung out, and no wonder! Look, here come the Blythes! Have a seat and calm yourself, do!"
Anne sat herself again with difficulty, to hear from his parents the wonderful news that Gilbert would be discharged tomorrow, which was shared with them and again repeated to Jem when he returned. Anne was ecstatic for Gilbert, naturally, but also not unhappy for herself; it would be a relief to see a tree again; to take a walk in the sun; to feel that she could breathe, without feeling the eyes of the entire hospital were upon her.
"Dr Johnston was just in with Gil when we left, but he should be finished his examination by now. Would you like to sit with him for a time, Anne?" John Blythe asked kindly, noting the pale girl's color was still high after her announcement before the room earlier.
"Thank you, Mr Blythe, but I… I might go telegram Marilla the good news," Anne seized upon her opportunity for escape. "I know she'll be anxious. Please pass on to Gilbert how delighted I am for him!"
"Of course, Anne…" John smiled, though his expression was still perturbed. Clemmie might be happy to take Anne's earlier denial of an engagement on face value, but the prospect had been mentioned twice now, and it made him wonder. They had vowed as parents not to interfere with Gilbert's life the first time something like this had been rumoured, but seeing how downhearted he had been during those two years made John mindful, with Gilbert just recovering, not to repeat the same mistake.
With Anne to depart, Dorothy and Jem felt uncomfortable taking away time Gilbert could spend with his parents, so each went their separate ways once Anne convinced them she would be perfectly fine sending a telegram on her own; Jem to clandestinely visit with the young lady he had first come to Kingsport for, and Dorothy, fired by her new idea, begged pencil and paper from the front desk in order to make her own rounds of the hospital.
Gilbert, eagerly anticipating the return of Anne and the Gardners, tried his level best to be just as happy with his other visitors.
Anne was never so grateful in her life to have the simple errand of her telegram, drawing out the process as long as possible and taking a circuitous, wandering route back to the hospital that first took her towards the train station to stand before the still-smoking ruin of the guest house.
It was a sobering sight, and her horrified eyes took in the upper floor, virtually disappeared, and a partially collapsed roof that had been the scene of one of her worst moments, watching Gilbert fall with it, and helpless to do anything.
It also made her ashamed to think she might deliberately burn anything, from now on, let alone his letter; unable to destroy his beautiful sentiments, despite the pain they currently brought her, she had instead hidden the letter deep within the small bag that had come with the Blythes from Marilla. What to do with it beyond that, she had no idea.
Truly lost, now, at least metaphorically, she trudged forlornly back to the hospital. If Gilbert was well enough to be discharged tomorrow, then he would be well enough to be released into the care of his parents, and there would be no reason for her to stay in Kingsport when he had the Blythes waiting to make the passage back to the Island with him. He would continue to strengthen and recover, till such time as he would begin his medical degree back here at Redmond. His life was neatly mapped out for the next three years, whilst hers was in a shambles. She only had Summerside as any means to support herself and assist all at Green Gables; that offer, after all this time of silence and delay, was surely on shaky ground. And yet the prospect of a principalship, once so promising, now felt suffocating. She would be heading towards a future she realized she no longer wanted, if she ever had at all.
And what she did want… or whom… was sitting on the bed when she eventually returned, looking ridiculously debonair for a hospital patient, wrapped in a plush crimson night robe, cinched at the waist in an astonishingly flattering fashion, * and that contrasted too favourably with his dark curls and flashing hazel eyes. Those eyes lit on her as she entered with a questioning intensity, the frown line between his brows deepening throughout her brief visit, even as he attempted to encourage her smile with his own.
Dorothy and Jem returned, the former managing to corner her favoured doctor, brandishing a draft copy of a long and exacting list of improvements she had noted needing immediate attention throughout the hospital, with an emphasis on neglected visitor and staff comfort that had him raising his eyebrows, silently impressed.
Jem's fair face was flushed as he all but bounded through the door, avoiding Dorothy's curiosity over his whereabouts by talking excitedly and at length with Gilbert and Anne regarding his upcoming BA. The Blythes had ducked out for a spot of tea and returned just as visiting hours were finishing, and all gave fulsome farewells to Gilbert and one another, for once looking to the future and not lamenting the most recent, unpredictable past.
Gilbert felt he had hardly drawn breath today, noting the sharp twinge felt in his ribs and his shoulder after all his exertions. He gave a chagrined smile to himself, knowing that he still had a road to travel, regarding his recovery… and certainly, it would seem, with Anne.
He'd not managed a single word to her in private today, after their emotional exchange yesterday, and that pained him most of all. He had wanted to get a read on her, in order to know how they should proceed with all this seesawing back-and-forth, and was as confused as ever.
As he quietly ate his supper, there appeared at his door a familiar smiling visage, though in this instance looking rather sheepish.
"Nurse Chalmers!"
"Hello, Mr Blythe. I hope I am not interrupting your supper?"
"Not at all! I missed your cheerful presence today."
"Oh, well," Isabelle Chalmers gave a droll, schoolhouse-worthy eyeroll, "Matron kept me rather busy and far removed from you today."
"I'm sorry for that. I hope you haven't had a hard time on our account?"
"Nothing I can't handle," she gave a knowing grin, and was rewarded by his delighted chuckle.
"Ah, that's the Isabelle I remember!"
"We are so happy in your recovery, Mr Blythe, but I am still a little sad that you are leaving us."
"Remember I will be here to be bossed around come my medical degree in September."
"Oh, yes! We do so love to tease the new medical students! Though I could never boss you around, Mr Blythe!"
"I might hold you to that!" he smirked.
Nurse Chalmers smiled in response and then sighed, looking troubled.
"Mr Blythe, about today, and the mix up with an engagement to Miss Shirley…"
"Please don't worry yourself over that! Misunderstandings are more common than you might think when it comes to myself and Miss Shirley, believe me."
Isabelle Chalmers didn't lose her frown at his reassurance, and if anything it deepened.
"Well, that's just the thing, Mr Blythe… and I hope I don't talk out of turn… but it didn't seem to be a misunderstanding…"
"Isabelle, I'm afraid Miss Shirley's right. There is no engagement between us." Technically, he sighed to himself.
"But you care for her – and I know she cares for you! You should have seen her here, before you came out of sedation! Beside herself she was – and there was that one evening when it was just her, and there were these horrible anguished howls coming from here in your room, and I ran down the hallway quite panicked you know, to see her sobbing by your bed with her letter and she kept crying I marry you over and over…"
"Pardon?"
"Oh, Mr Blythe, she was quite hysterical! I didn't know what to do – I had to go fetch Dr Johnston!"
Gilbert looked to his former student, incredulous. "She had a letter?" he questioned, head reeling. "She said 'I marry you'?"
"Three or four times, Mr Blythe!" Nurse Chalmers affirmed. "So I believe you can understand my confusion! I thought you were both already engaged, and that she was trying to reaffirm her promise to you in desperation, not knowing if you'd ever even wake up!"
Gilbert, still paler than usual from his ordeal and his injuries, grew white to the lips, as he didn't know he had when first proposing to Anne over two years ago. He pushed away his tray with shaking hands, trying to compose himself, and Nurse Chalmers gathered his supper to deposit in a safer place, turning back to him with clear worry etched upon her pretty features.
"Oh, and now I've upset you and made things even worse!" she lamented.
"No…" he swallowed hard. "No you haven't, at all." He paused, breathing deeply. "Infact, you've helped me puzzle out a few things. You've helped me, more than you know."
She answered him with a hopeful smile, taking her leave after checking his chart, lest Matron Burgess be still on the warpath.
"Sleep well, Mr Blythe! I'll make sure I see you before you leave in the morning!"
"Thank you, Nurse Chalmers," he gulped some water to help calm himself, watching his unlikely messenger depart.
Messenger.
Iris.
"I marry you! I marry you! I marry you!" she had sobbed to him in his morphine-induced dream, just at the point in time when consciousness was stirring in him…
Had it actually been part of his dream at all?
He climbed out of bed, pacing the room in his pyjamas, large slippers thwacking the polished floor keeping time as he walked. He passed agitated hands through his curls, clutching them in his agony.
The letter had survived.
He paused, hands moving to rest on slim hips, breathing raggedly.
Anne had read the letter.
She had read it. Not just conjecture – but confirmation.
She had read his proposal.
He had to sit down now, before he fell down, too busy processing the ramifications of this revelation.
She had read the letter. She had read his proposal.
And to his sleeping, unconscious self, she had said…
Yes.
Chapter Notes
This week's title is from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Ch 10 'The Lobster Quadrille'.
*Gilbert's crimson robe is my nod to the story by mavors4986, one of my very favourite people, entitled Haunt Me on the New Year, which is audacious and wonderful, and refers to the seminal Chapter 22 when her Gilbert is clad in such a garment, and from which I lovingly quote. We hope you can get back to this fantastic story one day, darlingest x
And some correspondence…
Bright Promise: Hello and thanks as ever for your comment! Yes, as you can see by this chapter, the letter and the reading of it is finally found out, as it were. I really didn't want to stretch out that unresolved issue too much longer – now the challenge for Gilbert will be how he responds to this information! I am looking forward to the response to how it all plays out.
Astrakelly: You said it perfectly – 5 steps forward and 10 back with these two – but I wonder when that has ever not been the case?! That aspect of things permeated this chapter too – but I promise great leaps forward from now on!
Guest of Nov 24th: Thank you so much for your lovely words and I am delighted things read well for you with a rereading of the whole thing, especially the Greek mythology! That is invaluable for me to hear, as I have been writing this as I go, sometimes with longer gaps between posts than I would like, and I hope to keep up the rhythm and tone established where I can! I hope you enjoyed this chapter x
Guest of Nov 28th: Thank you so much and thanks for reading and commenting!
Guest of Dec 4th (Ch 8): Thank you for your reaction to the chapter to do with the fire. Like you I think Gilbert is a natural leader and that was something I really wanted to emphasize with this scenario – thanks very much for noting that! It was important for me that Gilbert had some chances to shine x And the inclusion of Jem was a last-minute switch up and I'm so glad I did!