Chapter 4

It was ten minutes to eight when Professor Hallett strode into the administration building and pulled up short at the couple waiting in the chairs before his office. They were talking together quietly, and he scowled. His official robes were in his office- he'd planned on being behind his desk, his more casual Sunday attire well hidden by the time the shameless pair arrived- he hadn't banked on them being early.

"Miss Shirley, Mr Blythe," he said, with a bite in his voice. He then strode into his office and shut the door behind him, leaving the pair outside for the moment.

"Well," Gilbert said brightly. "So he didn't mellow overnight then."

His future wife snorted. "You didn't really expect him to, did you?"

"You mellowed."

He jumped as her open hand connected with his leg, and he grinned. "I hoped," he said with a shrug. "Milk of human kindness and all that." He had no chance to say anything else before the door opened, and the black-gowned professor stared at them with cold eyes until the pair rose silently to walk into his office.

Anne sat down on the hard chair that was indicated, seeing with amusement that his own desk sat on a dais, placing visitors beneath him. Gilbert settled in his with a definite wink, and then looked back at Professor Hallett courteously.

"So," the older man said, his eyes shrewd. "I trust you have had time to consider the error of your ways."

Gilbert's fist clenched on his lap, however, he showed no outward sign of distress. "We apologise for the impulsiveness of our actions, sir. However, I can assure you that you are mistaken if you assume our relationship is improper."

The gentleman gave an incredulous laugh. "After what I saw, your explanation assumes that I am either naive, or you greatly overestimate your powers of persuasion. I see no evidence otherwise."

"Sir, Professor Daniels told you that we were engaged," Anne said carefully. "Is it so out of character to show concern for my future husband after an accident?"

The professor seemed to have been waiting for this. "A small incident, Miss Shirley- what sort of clinging female comes running at a mere scratch?"

"Professor, I have a fellow's boot-print across my shoulder," Gilbert said pleasantly, willing Anne to remain silent at the attack. "Not to mention that the medic on the field showed gross negligence, according to the head of the Kingsport hospital."

"You exaggerate-" he scoffed.

Gilbert turned to Anne, his eyes glittering. "Do forgive me, darling-" She had no time to react when Gilbert pulled his tie free and proceeded to stand and unbutton his waistcoat and shirt with quick fingers.

"Are you forgetting where you are, Blythe?" Professor Hallett spluttered, incensed.

Gilbert's voice matched his own. "Your fairness no doubt demands that you see the evidence, sir." He saw the man's eyes widen, and Anne flinched at the sight of the black and blue scrapes on his bare shoulder. "Apparently I was lucky," Gilbert said grimly. "If his boot had landed half a foot to the right, we wouldn't be having this conversation now. I've torn a ligament. They are also concerned that I have a green-stick fracture on my collarbone, however, you will be happy to note that pending reasonable rest, I should be able to resume playing next season."

"Blythe, for Pete's sake, dress yourself," Professor Hallett growled, and Gilbert began to button himself unhurriedly. "You wore no shirt and were on the floor with a female-"

Anne could see Gilbert struggling with his tie, and leant over to help him. "Because my fiance overbalanced, sir. You have already noted that he had a concussion after the game, and you can see that he was injured on his left side."

Gilbert thanked her with a twinkle in his eye, seeing the nonplussed look on the older man's face at their apparent intimacy.

"And why was no one aware of your engagement?"

Anne fielded this one, her green eyes flaming. "Because it was no one's business, sir."

"I cannot have students declaring that they are engaged every time an indiscretion is discovered!"

There was a knock at the door, and Anne's eyes showed her shock as Professor Daniels opened the door and strode in. "Hallett; I assumed you would wait for your witnesses," he commented, coming to sit in a chair that Anne had not noticed.

"There is no need," Professor Hallett growled. "I know what I saw-"

Gilbert exhaled, trying to remain polite. "With all due respect, sir, we told you yesterday that what you saw was nothing more than an ill-timed accident."

The angry professor got to his feet then, towering down from his desk. "Frankly, Mr Blythe, you are lucky you even got a meeting today. And I am reliably informed that there is no such engagement." The last was venomously spat at the other teacher in the room, who merely looked at the couple in silence. Anne understood- he had done his part, it was up to them, now.

"Professor Hallett, what would make you say that our engagement isn't real? The personal lives of your students would not be common knowledge to the staff," she commented.

"You have met my daughter, have you not?" he asked crisply, and Anne froze. "Your class is a small one- there is no way that such a thing would be kept quiet. She would be aware of any understanding between two such prominent students."

Anne cleared her throat, the picture of calm. "Miss Hallett is an intelligent and worthy academic competitor- however, there is a reason she did not know about this. We didn't tell anyone."

Hallett sneered. "You expect me to believe that an engagement is real that mysteriously came out just after the two of you were compromised?"

A matching red flush appeared on both Anne and Gilbert's faces, and she drew in a shaking breath, knowing how important it was that she not lose her temper. "Sir, it is nothing but the truth. Gilbert proposed to me, and I accepted. We were planning on telling our families when we returned home at Christmas."

He gave a laugh of disbelief. "Do not insult my intelligence, Miss Shirley. I am told that the two of you spend very little time together at college- I would question whether you have any relationship at all. I think it a ruse to cover up your impulsive and licentious behaviour."

At this, Anne sat up, her eyes dangerously green. "Sir, you will find that no one at Redmond knows Mr Blythe better than I do, and the reverse is also true. We grew up not a mile from each other."

"I am aware of your hometown," he said, in a clipped manner. "I make no uninformed decisions. On my daughter's suggestion, I paid Mr Charles Sloane a visit last evening. He knows of no such arrangement either."

Gilbert laughed, scornfully. "Sir, Charlie is-" he caught Anne's warning look, and hastily amended his words. "-ill-informed. He is not in our confidence."

Anne turned to the two men, her eyes sharp. "Professor Hallett, what is it you wish to hear? That Gilbert and I know each other's families, perhaps even how the other takes their tea? We do. That we were taught in a single classroom together as children and spent years studying and working together to earn our way to Redmond? We did. Our relationship may not have been disclosed to the public, but it is the cumulation of years of camaraderie, respect and affection."

Gilbert kept his eyes steadfastly on his hands, attempting to hide his emotion as he listened to Anne defend who they were. He could almost laugh- at no point had she said anything untrue: how fortunate then that he had formalized things with a proposal not an hour ago!

Professor Hallett took his seat then, his expression shrewd. "You are nothing if not persuasive, Miss Shirley. But after what I witnessed yesterday, I am afraid that I cannot have you on my campus in your present standing."

He smiled, seeing the way the young pair froze, and directed his glance toward the other professor, who had a curiously blank look on his face. "You are aware of the agreement you both signed on your first day at Redmond. Your behaviour is to be above reproach at all times. You have broken that agreement. No, the only way I would consider either of you continuing is that you hasten the wedding." He spread his hands out, in a mock display of concern. "Of course, I would not insist, if you weren't engaged. I would simply expel you both. I have the moral wellbeing of hundreds of students under my personal care-" here Professor Daniels snorted- "and I would not have them led astray by a pair who cannot control themselves." He observed the stillness of the couple and raised his eyebrows. "No? Getting married now was not a part of your plans? Then perhaps it would be advisable to leave Redmond."

That he was attempting to call their bluff was obvious, and Anne studied him carefully. The girls, Professor Daniels had all been right- he would never bend.

"We understand your position, professor," she said calmly, and the teacher simply blinked at them.

"You agree that you were immoral."

Gilbert took her hand in his, seeing Anne's hackles instantly rise. "We agree that to you, the incident looked bad, yes."

"It would look bad to anyone with common decency," Hallett snapped. "How would you see it?"

Gilbert's look was unknowingly stern. "Firstly that I was injured, and not properly checked," he said bluntly. "That was negligent, and I assume that you will look into how that happened. My fiancee did not come anywhere near the tents until the game had been over for an hour- you can understand her concern when I did not reappear. I admit that the shock of discovering the scope of my injury led me to check it without thought to Anne's presence- and the rest, as we told you, was an ill-timed accident."

"You should have had more common sense, both of you," Professor Daniels growled then, and Gilbert turned back to him in shock. "Getting married will be the least of what you have to deal with, isn't that right, Hallett?" The other professor looked puzzled by his unexpected ally, and he nodded vigorously. "You'll have to keep up with your subjects- your grades can't slide, and you will be expected to keep up with any extra-curricular activities as well." Gilbert blinked, then. He had expected he would be asked to resign from everything- and suddenly he understood what Daniels was doing. "Your scholarship requirements will not change, and you will be expected to not slacken off with regards to your future plans. Is that clear?"

Gilbert swallowed, looking to Anne to see if she had noticed. "I- I just want to make sure that I understand you, sir. The price you demand for us remaining in our capacity, without any repercussions against scholarships or our ranking is that Anne and I marry immediately. Do I understand that correctly?" This was carefully worded, and he could see the Professor Hallett frown, no doubt wondering if he had just precluded himself from punishing them in other ways.

"I never specified-"

Daniels stepped in, then. "Correct, Mr Blythe. So I assume you will rectify this immediately. The choice is yours, of course- but in view of the relationship you claim to have, and the circumstance we came across yesterday, this seems like the most prudent option."

Hallett glared at the other man, feeling distinctly unsatisfied by the morning's outcome. "The two of you had better be grateful that we were understanding. And Miss, Shirley, Mr Blythe; I will be watching you closely myself- any deviation, even the slightest toe out of line from either of you, and it won't matter who is speaking for you. You have one week to satisfy my requirements."

At a nod from Professor Daniels, Anne and Gilbert stood up, and the two left his office silently. Hallett turned to him, fury etched on his face.

"They got off far too easily."

Daniels sighed. "They didn't. You didn't have to demand this of them."

A scoff was all he was met with, and Hallett stood up and picked up his bag. "You saw what I saw," he said coldly. "They won't go through with it. And they couldn't make it work if they did."

Professor Daniels shoved his hands in his pockets and smiled. "Take this from someone who has been here far longer than you have, Hallett. Never underestimate an Islander."

Professor Daniels caught up to them in the atrium, puffing with exertion. "Should I assume the two of you have reached a decision?"

Gilbert clasped Anne's hand in his protectively. "Yes. We're staying."

"And you understand-"

"That we marry immediately. Yes."

Professor Daniels looked curiously at Anne then, and he turned to Gilbert. "Mr Blythe, would you mind giving me a moment to speak with your fiancee?"

Gilbert's eyes flew to Anne, however, she only nodded, her face set. Not liking the situation, he gritted his teeth, telling Anne that he would wait in the courtyard for her. Anne turned to Professor Daniels, her eyes fiery.

"Sir, you do realise that I will end up discussing whatever you have to say to me with Gilbert, don't you?"

Daniels was calm. "What I have to say concerns him- although it is you who needs to hear it, Miss Shirley."

Anne's hands clenched, not liking the direction that this was going. "My fiancee is a party to all of my concerns, sir."

He seemed to be sizing her up, then. "Even though there was no actual engagement, to begin with?"

"No, that was your embellishment," she said calmly, not allowing herself to be baited. "And yet we have decided to marry, for the sake of our schooling."

"It's that which I want to speak to you about, Miss Shirley." the older man stated stiffly. "What he is trying to attempt is difficult enough- I need you to keep him focused for the next year. And that means your domestic concerns cannot be allowed to distract him- he cannot become enslaved to home and hearth- to you- if he is going to succeed. I am sure you want his success as well, seeing that it will one day become your own."

Anne's lips had thinned, and she looked at the man, her eyes glittering dangerously. "Professor, I am very aware of everything you have done for us- and I appreciate your efforts to ensure that Gilbert will have his opportunity, despite the fact that you do not seem to show the same concern for my education." She let this sink in, and her chin rose. "If it is Gilbert's wish to attain the Cooper prize, I will do everything in my power to make that happen. However, it will be his choice. And I will not have you using him to satisfy college politics."

Professor Daniels was taken aback, and his eyebrows rose mockingly. "But you make it sound as if you actually care for him, Miss Shirley."

Anne's voice was crisp, and the older gentleman had to confess being impressed by her manner. "I do. We were not untruthful. He is my best friend in the world- and I am his. I assure you, for no other reason would we leap into this together. However, from this point onward, our affairs will be our own to manage, with no reference to you, or the school. The faculty has done all it can by insisting that we marry- from now on it is up to us to decide our futures. I hope that will be understood."

Professor Daniels looked at her curiously, an odd smile on his face. Winston had told him that she was no pushover- Blythe would have his hands full with his young wife. "It's a curious thing, Miss Shirley, knowing that you have the power to make or break a man. I do hope you give careful thought to what is best for Mr Blythe."

Anne stepped away from him, the authority of a queen in her grey eyes. "I wouldn't be here today if I hadn't. However I promise you, I will only ever listen to Gilbert about that."

And with that parting shot, she was gone.

Gilbert sat on the wooden bench behind the chilly fountain, his eyes on the doors to the office. Uneasily, he sorted through the possible reasons Professor Daniels could want to speak to Anne alone. As he watched for her red head to appear, a wave of fury hit him. If it wasn't enough to force them to marry for the sake of their education, were they determined to separate them too? To make sure all demands were met? Why would they speak to her about it, and not him?

Some minutes later, he watched her walk out of the building, and came to his feet to meet her. She was breathing heavily, and he took her hand in his, his look wary. "Anne? What did he say?"

Anne's jaw clenched, and she shook her head. "Later; I'll tell you later. If I talk about now, I'll end up storming back in there to scream at him. And I don't want to give him the satisfaction."

He chuckled slightly, and sat back down on the bench, sensing that she needed some space. As he watched her, Anne pulled one of her gloves off, trailing her bare fingers through the water in the stone basin between them. Her eyes were distant, and as Gilbert watched her his heart fell, suddenly feeling foolish for the dizzy thoughts of how happy they could be together. She couldn't be there yet- not now. He sighed, knowing he would need to be patient. Eventually, Anne moved to sit on the other end of the bench.

"So," Gilbert said slowly. "One week."

Anne dried her hand on her skirt slowly, donning her brown gloves again. "One week."

There was silence then, and in it, he tugged on her hand until she turned to him. He searched her eyes then, reading the worry and lack of sleep that mirrored his own. "We don't have to do this," he said softly, and she looked up at him in shock. "I know what we said, but I won't hold you to anything. I- I care about you too much to not give you a chance to say no before we make this irreversible."

Anne's intelligent grey eyes met his. "Are you backing out of your proposal, Gilbert?"

Gilbert grinned reluctantly. "No, I'm not. In fact, I'm hoping like mad that you'll slap me for suggesting that you might back out of your acceptance."

Anne chuckled. "Good guess." She did indeed aim a swat at his good shoulder and then exhaled. "Gil, our professors- the girls- they knew what they were talking about. This really is the only way."

He nodded, suddenly grinning. "Did you notice that Daniels made sure that he couldn't take our scholarships away?"

She laughed wryly. "Yes- and I think Professor Hallett noticed that too. I don't for a minute think that this is over yet."

"Of course not- we still have to get married. Err- exactly how do we do that?" he asked awkwardly.

"We need someone to marry us," Anne mused. "I assume that is the most important part."

"Although somewhere to live would be good too."

Anne's cheeks reddened. "I forgot about that bit," she whispered, her look uncertain. "We had a terrible time trying to find a house last year."

Gilbert took her hand in his firmly, his eyes on the distant park. "You were looking for a house for four people, don't forget. We only need an apartment."

"With two bedrooms?"

Her hesitant question reminded him that they still had so far to go- and his heart sank. "If we can find one."

Anne swallowed, pulling away from him to tuck her skirts in. "I know- I know that wouldn't be a permanent arrangement."

Gilbert sighed. Something told him that evading the situation was useless now- and perhaps it would help to lay it all on the table. "We're going to be living together, and we will be expected to maintain the appearance of a normal marriage- but I can give you privacy even if we do have to share a room- and you can give me mine. Having said that, what happens behind bedroom doors is our business alone. We owe no one any apologies for what we choose to do. Agreed?"

Anne nodded, her throat closed over.

"Like we said last night, we're staying for the sake of our schooling. So we can't- nothing like that can happen for a long time yet. And only ever with both of us agreeing." Gilbert's face was as red as her own, and he struggled to make himself clear. "Dad always said that it's not love unless it's wanted by both husband and wife."

A faint, strangled sound came from Anne then, one that he assumed meant assent. He watched in fascination then as she shook herself, and her chin came up resolutely. "So if we did need to share a room," -here Gilbert gulped- "then I would assume that sharing a bed is certainly not ideal."

"No," he said with some relief, despite the warring parts of himself protesting. "Not now. And- I did think that we could board somewhere- however most boarding houses are not made for couples, so we would have almost no space."

Anne seemed to have gained a second wind by now and it was the friend she had once created the AVIS with, that she turned to. "So we need an apartment or a very small house."

Gilbert hedged. "Personally I would vote for the house- although I think it unlikely that we will find one in the winter. We might need to take anything available."

Anne nodded, before sighing. "Good heavens. I- I can't think clearly right now."

Gilbert struggled to repress a yawn. "Neither can I. I didn't sleep last night- and I assume you didn't, either."

Anne got to her feet, unable to keep from echoing his tiredness. "I need to be getting back to the girls, Gil- they must be wild with curiosity by now- and Aunt Jimsie should be home from her trip. Perhaps we should talk when we have had a chance to rest."

Gilbert nodded. "I'll walk you home- and I'll come by tonight."

The sun was climbing in the sky as they began walking up the slope to Patty's Place, and Anne surreptitiously studied Gilbert in the morning light. When they arrived at the archway, the faded autumn roses hanging low over the gate, Anne turned to him, curiously hesitant. "Did you mean what you said?"

Gilbert rolled his eyes. "Anne, I'm not nearly as changeable as you seem to think I am. What did I or did I not mean?"

Anne looked up at the man she would be marrying in just seven days. He was her dearest friend- a good man- handsome, hardworking to a fault, and fair. It just wasn't what she had hoped- it wasn't the way she thought romance would play out in her life. She cleared her throat nervously.

"Will we try to become more than we are together now?"

Gilbert stepped closer to her, his brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"We're friends- best friends- but we aren't romantic, or-"

As she faltered, Gilbert took her hands in his, somehow sensing that she wasn't ready for the declaration that he had yet to make. His eyes caressed her lovingly before he drew her close and pressed a kiss to her cheek, cool in the morning breeze.

"I'm settling for nothing less than the fullest life with you, Anne," he whispered. "We can be anything we want to be; I promise."

She pulled away from him with a little smile. "Well- we know that we want to be BA's. The rest we can figure out as we go, I suppose."

Gilbert chuckled and stepped away. "Get some sleep- and I'll see you tonight."

It was nearing four-o-clock in the afternoon when a rejuvenated Gilbert walked up the pathway to the house. Six solid hours of sleep had done wonders for his mental faculties, and he looked forward now to talking with Anne about his ideas. He grimaced as he shifted his arm, wishing that on the cold day that he had thought to wear the sling the doctor had insisted on under his heavy coat. He paused with his hand on the knocker, with the sudden realisation that he wouldn't be doing this for much longer- because her home would be with him. Some instinct stayed his hand as unexpected doubts assailed him. In twenty-four hours, their lives had changed irrevocably- twenty-four hours ago, he could only ever dream of being engaged to her.

He'd not even been sure of her then. He'd contented himself with calling on her weekly, making time to study in the library when she did- he'd worked hard to be the friend that she needed him to be- and now he would be marrying her! Working and cooking and eating and living together: years before he could have ever hoped for such a thing. In some ways, it was every wish he had ever had. She would be with him- he would be her escort to every event, he would get to know her in a way no one else ever would. He was thrilled about that. The other side of the situation stopped the euphoria from overwhelming him- there were things he'd hardly had time to consider. While he was convinced that they were doing the right thing, other thoughts began to torment him- he had no home, no career, no prospects. What would Marilla and his parents say? Would they blame him? And how could he convince Anne's guardian that he could care for her when he had allowed this situation to spiral out of control in the first place?

As he stood frozen on the veranda, Gilbert's hazel eyes widened in panic. How on earth had they expected this to work? Gilbert pulled back from the door as if he had been burnt, and silently walked down the steps and around the house. He sat down and leant his brown head back against a large pine tree, breathing jerkily. He had to be responsible, now- she'd be his wife, under his protection, she'd have to sleep in the same room- after all, he wasn't under any illusions about the kind of place they could afford together- oh God, how would he deal with mornings with her-

There was a rustling in the grass then, and he looked up to see Anne herself approaching him, a concerned look on her face. His own twitched into something resembling a smile, and he tried to breathe slowly as she tucked her skirts in to sit beside him. He distractedly noticed that she had come outside with no coat, and realised that he had unknowingly shed his own on sitting down. He pulled it from behind him now to throw it over her shoulders, before leaning back and closing his eyes.

Anne looked at his exhausted face with a slight smile. "Was there a reason you came to our front door and made an abrupt exit before speaking to your betrothed?"

Gilbert managed a barked laugh. "I- I'm sorry Anne. I panicked. I just needed a moment." Anne made to rise, and he grabbed her wrist. "No, don't go- stay with me."

Anne looked at him, her grey eyes wide. Gilbert had always been the steadier of the two, so often the one who kept her grounded- and now she needed to know how to help him. She frowned then, seeing his hand on the ground beside her. She flushed slightly. His touch had always affected her more than she liked- on the rare occasions he had reached for her, she had at once felt warm, and as if she wanted to run from him screaming. It was an odd mixture, she reflected absently. Would it do the same for him? She tucked a loose red curl behind one ear and held her breath as she slipped her hand onto his, almost afraid to see what he would do- if he would flinch as she had.

To her surprise, only seconds after she reached for him his shoulders lost some of the tension they had carried. When she turned to him he had a faint smile on his face, and he turned his palm up to hold her hand tightly.

"Thank you." He looked at her then, with a deep sigh. "Did you have a good afternoon?"

She smiled. "I slept the morning away- and then I sat down and had a heart-to-heart with Aunt Jimsie in her room."

Gilbert tensed slightly, and Anne shook her head, a loving look on her face. "She thinks we were both very foolish- but then she started talking about everything we would need to do to rescue the situation- including how to actually get married. She is quite confident that all will be well- if we don't do anything silly in the next eighteen months."

Gilbert lapsed into silence. He turned to Anne then, his eyes wistful. "You're going to be a Blythe, Anne."

"I have heard that there are worse things to be," Anne said lightly. She swallowed, and his eyes darkened at something unknown in her expression. "As much as Matthew and Marilla loved me, I'm not a Cuthbert by name; and I never got to know who the Shirley's were."

Gilbert raised his hand to push back a stray curl, his mouth quirked. "I know that the Shirley's were teachers. And they had you when they were just nineteen. They must have been exceptional- and very much in love," he said softly.

Anne smiled. "I know that you Blythes love to tease- you love your apples and are islanders by birth- and your noble hearts are legendary. I could see your ancestors being gallant knights, once upon a time. No, I think the Blythe name will wear very well."

She suddenly shivered then, and Gilbert noticed that the evening was drawing in. As they got to their feet, he took her hand in his with a smile. The panic of the previous minutes had subsided with her presence, and he bent to kiss Anne's hand in a surprisingly courtly manner.

"I accept your compliments, Miss Shirley. What now, fair maiden?"

She chuckled, willing her cheeks to not heat. "Now, we eat dinner- and I hope you are hungry, Aunt Jimsie has prepared quite a feast. After that-" she hesitated, and a rejuvenated Gilbert filled in the blanks.

"We'd better see about getting married."