Hello everyone! Now, as you can no doubt see, the story's not over yet. (kudos to those who picked that up from my author's notes!) The story itself spans from November 1885 to November 1887- although the last 14 months span only the last third (quarter?) of the story. As you can see, pacing will move slightly quicker now. I'm glad so many of you are excited to see where I'm taking this pair- I have a plan for them! I've said in other stories that I'm sticking close to canon and not done it- I can cheerfully tell you now that I have no intention in sticking to it this time around. Thank you for your encouraging words, and the way you read this- I appreciate you all so much.

Love, Cate.

Chapter 29

Anne and Gilbert were welcomed back to Green Gables by Marilla, Mrs Lynde, Dora and an ecstatic Davy, who of course believed that the pair had been imported for his own amusement. Anne chuckled, watching Gilbert attempt to calm him down, reminding him that they were there for a week, and was then distracted by Mrs Lynde fussing over their well-being. Marilla had once observed that Rachel had raised ten children- and in the absence of the ten young Lyndes, she continued to mother anyone who came across her path, assuming it was her right to do so.

Anne assured her that they were doing very well indeed, suggesting that perhaps Gilbert was feeling rather faint from his long journey- all of which to save him from Davy's attempt to pick a time to go fishing while still standing on the doorstep. At this broad hint, Marilla ushered them all inside to sit down for tea, and Davy was eventually silenced with a larger than normal slice of plum cake. Gilbert sat beside Anne, his chair tucked close to her own, every now and then turning to meet her sparkling gaze as the conversation flowed around them. He listened to stories of her time away, and almost shook his head in the wonder of being with her again. They were together, and she loved him- and always had. How had he ever been so lucky as to win her heart?

"Gil?"

"Mmm?"

"Marilla was asking how your accommodations were in Halifax," Anne said quietly, her eyes twinkling.

He turned to the answer the older woman sheepishly and tried to keep abreast of the conversation- at least until Anne turned to him, suggesting that that afternoon they might visit some of their old haunts. At this point, he gave up entirely, unable to remove the dreamy smile on his face. In the corner of his vision he saw Rachel and Marilla exchanging an amused look at their expense, however, he couldn't find it in himself to care- and when Anne rose to take his hand, only the twins were oblivious to the fact that the two of them wished to be alone.

The way to their apple tree was as lovely as it had been three years earlier, however, the couple who now walked it could not have been more different. Around every bend of the path was a new place to draw aside, her hand in his brown curls, and his breath hot against her lips and her skin, unable to stop touching her now that he had the freedom to do so. The throaty chuckle she gave as he pulled her closer, and the echoing shiver of delight he felt in her slim body- it all intoxicated him, and he could only wonder how they would be able to concentrate when they were once more at work in the city.

Some hours later, the two of them lay under the shade of the apple tree, tracing pictures in the clouds, and saying for the fourth time that they really should be heading back soon. Their many letters, the conversations begun and not finished were left to one side, perhaps instinctively- there would be time for that later. For now, they could only be a deep, abiding joy.

In the cosy parlour that night, Anne sat with her hand in Gilbert's as Marilla and Mrs Lynde caught the couple up on all of the Avonlea news. Moody and Charlie were set to return to Kingsport on the same day Anne and Gilbert were and rumour had it that Charlie had been writing to a young lady over the holidays. Mrs Lynde announced that it must be fact- as when she confronted Mrs Sloane about it, she had neither confirmed nor denied a thing. When pressed, Gilbert admitted that he knew the girl in question, however, he would only say that she was a pleasant young woman who had just completed her sophomore year and that no doubt Charlie would confirm it when there was something to confirm. Privately, Anne resolved to ask Charlie to bring her to the Mushroom for tea when they returned to Kingsport- after he had championed them so doggedly after their own impulsive wedding, they had resolved that they would do no less for him in his time of need.

It was late when the family went upstairs to bed, and another question was answered when Davy announced that he had been moved into Matthew's old bedroom and that Dora had, in turn, moved into his. Marilla was quick to reassure the young couple that it had needed doing anyhow, with young Dora needing her space, however she had wanted to keep Anne's bedroom for the young couple to have a place to come home to in their holidays. Mrs Lynde had suggested the change, apparently- and it might be suspected that she hadn't wanted to see Anne staying at the Blythes more often than she did at Green Gables. Davy was particularly well pleased with the change- although it was supposed that his proximity to the kitchen was the main reason for his joy.

Anne and Gilbert lingered for a little while afterwards, talking quietly as the house began to settle. There was a new consciousness between the two of them then, and when the clock struck ten Anne rose from her seat to hold out her hand to Gilbert, a pretty colour on her cheeks. Gilbert smiled as he stood up, and pulled her close to kiss her sweetly.

"Never again," he murmured, and his wife smiled.

"Never again."

A little later, Gilbert came into Anne's bedroom in his pyjamas, a quizzical smile on his face as he watched her brushing her long hair out before the mirror, and saw that she was in her frilly white nightgown already. He gave a contented sigh as he watched her for a moment, before placing his clothes down on the chair beside the bed.

"So," he said lightly. "It's our first night back together- we know that we love each other- and I'm sleeping with you in the bedroom I used to picture you in when we were younger. Surrounded by your family. Interesting."

"You pictured me in here then?" Anne asked, her eyes enormous.

He grinned, climbing onto the big bed. "I was a teenage boy, Anne- of course, I did. Not that I can claim to be much better as an adult," he said thoughtfully. "It's lucky that your bedroom is now mine. Did you never imagine me in my room?"

Anne had been ready to climb into bed herself, and Gilbert shot up in bed when she stumbled at his words, landing on the mattress with a squeak. She began to laugh, her cheeks flushed in the light of the lamp as she tried to right herself.

"Steady on, Anne-girl, I can't have you swooning onto the floor-"

She pushed herself up with a little scowl, pausing to swat his shoulder as she slipped between the sheets, suddenly feeling shy. "I really did marry the boy who pulled my hair, didn't I?"

"Can I take that as a yes?"

"Perhaps, on occasion," was all she would reply, before turning to look at the man beside her, her grey eyes gentle in the lamplight. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For coming home- for surprising me like this. It was wonderful."

Gilbert smiled, clasping her hand in his own. "How did you plan to tell me in Kingsport? You said you had one."

She laughed softly, squeezing his fingers. "I did. As soon as we got home to our dark little house- we would go inside, and lock the door behind us- and I would have told you right away." He leant in to kiss her nose and sighed in contentment. "Of course, I did have a plan B," Anne added meditatively. "In that one, I was simply going to climb into your bed and wait to see what happened."

To this, Gilbert could only laugh incredulously. "Without explaining anything?"

She shrugged, her look angelic. "You're easily the most intelligent man that I've ever known. I'm sure you would have figured it out sooner or later."

Gilbert grinned at her. "You know, you might have gotten more than you bargained for."

Anne touched his cheek, shaking her red head. "I wanted you. If I had that, what more could I have asked for? And at least this way, we have our week, before we go home together."

Gilbert drew in a hesitant breath. "Well, actually, I was at home two days ago." He didn't move as Anne struggled upright, turning to look at him in shock.

"You were at home? In Kingsport? Why didn't you tell me that you were going there?"

He moved up to sit against the headboard, pulling her into his side. "Because I wanted to surprise you, love. The Mushroom was fine as it was for last year- but I wanted to do better for us this time around. I took all my luggage back, and while I was there, I- I painted it." Anne could only gape at him in the lamplight, and he bent to kiss her forehead. "In Halifax, I ended up helping to paint the newspaper office after hours- the fellow they hired couldn't do it, and I volunteered it in the evenings for a week. There were a few tins of paint left over, and I offered to buy them from the editor- he told me that if I wanted them, I could have them. So I went home on Tuesday and spent two days painting the house in a white colour- eggshell, to be exact."

Anne blinked at him in shock. "And- and how does it look?"

He smiled at her. "You won't recognise the place, Anne. It looks like a proper cottage on the inside, now. Our bedroom has changed the most."

Anne snuggled against his side, loving the comfort of being together again. "Couldn't it have waited until I was there to help you?"

He shrugged, smiling at the way she moved into him. "We have to start college on Monday- I thought it best to have it done before we went back. Mrs Whitley is quite impressed by it- she's airing the place out for us this week." He paused then, twisting a long braid through his fingers, his brow lowering. "Anne, the- the last night we spent there- the things we said-"

"Gil, don't-" Anne pleaded. "It's over now."

He shook his head, determined. "I wanted a fresh start for us this time, Anne. I don't want things to be the way they were."

Anne turned to kneel next to him on the bed, her hands cupping his face. "It won't be, Gil. We aren't the same," she whispered. "I'm glad that you did it- but it was only ever a house. You and I are what makes the Mushroom a home."

Gilbert touched his forehead to hers, smiling. "I couldn't stand to wait for you there, sweetheart. As soon as I knew there was a chance, I was booking my ticket back to the island. I missed you every moment- I- I didn't feel whole without you. Your letters were wonderful, but they weren't any substitute for the real you."

Anne's look was tender as she moved to kiss him, his strong arms coming up to wrap around her waist. He pulled away far too soon though, and she touched his cheek in concern at the look in his hazel eyes.

"What is it?" she asked softly.

Gilbert sighed, his brow contracting. "Being with you- here, like this- you don't know what it means to me, Anne-girl."

She couldn't help smiling at his comment. "Gil, you did understand what I told you today, didn't you? That I love you? Of course, I know what it means."

He chuckled, lifting his hand to stroke the long red braid that hung over one shoulder. "Yes, I understood that- and I love you too. You must know that I'm happier than I've ever been in my life because of it. But you know that this between us- physically- could get complicated, really fast," he said quietly, pausing to brush a curl back from her forehead.

Anne's eyes were yearning, and she finally nodded. "I know."

"And we're here, like this- and I'm not ungrateful for what we have, but it's hard to not want more of you- to not want-"

She stopped his faltering words by nestling into his side again, smiling as Gilbert automatically wrapped an arm around her. "Do you think you are alone in that, Gil?"

"Sweetheart, I've had years to get to this point of desperation," he said wryly. "You've had three months. You can't blame me for thinking that you might need time to catch up."

Even in the dim light, he could see the twinkle in her eyes. "And yet I am a grown woman who is desperately in love with her husband." She exhaled, her fingers playing with the sleeve of his pyjamas. "I told you months ago that there was a pulling that terrified me between us- I suppose I am only just now starting to understand what that really was."

There was a silence, and she felt the sigh lift his chest under her cheek. "I thought- after I read your letter- that you might have been afraid of it- of intimacy- in relation to me."

Anne lay thinking for a time, not realising at first that her silence would sound like a confirmation to Gilbert. "I- I suppose- that is, no- not exactly."

"Again, not the resounding reassurance I was after."

Anne moved in his arms so that she could look down at him, slightly exasperated. "Gil, sometimes you need to hear me out before you decide if something is good or bad."

He chuckled, then. "I'm sorry. Continue."

"There was so much that drew me to you back then," she mused, her eyes distant. "You are a kindred spirit- you make me laugh, and feel safe- and yet, I also used to feel something that I didn't quite understand, and it scared me- something I suppose I might now call desire." Gilbert's hand moved up and down her back, as he listened to her carefully. "I sometimes felt as if I wanted to respond to you, somehow, but then I would fight the notion at the same time- no doubt causing me to appear to blow hot and cold at once," she mumbled.

Gilbert rolled over to rest his head on his hand, smiling at the fact that they could talk like this again, now she was with him once more. "That seems about right."

"I couldn't make it all make sense, Gil," Anne said, in some exhaustion. "If I was still so unsure about my heart, it didn't seem right to respond to you in- other- ways. When we first got married we had to live such a dual life before everyone else, trying to convince them that we were legitimately together- and it was so comforting to have you hold my hand, or put your arm around me, and I found that I loved it when you kissed me," she said candidly, making him laugh. "But even still, that seemed like too much, too fast-"

Gilbert sighed, cupping her cheek in one hand. "I know. You just weren't ready, then."

"No. And we've done everything in such a topsy-turvy way," Anne added slowly. "And yet somehow, that worked for us."

Gilbert leant in to kiss her, his hazel eyes warm. "It worked because we made it work, sweetheart. You know that. I knew our stubbornness would be good for something."

Anne gazed at him, a small smile on her face. "Then intimacy is just a new hurdle to jump over, isn't it?" she said softly. "When the time is right. I trust you. I just don't know how far I trust myself. My impulses got us married, remember."

Gilbert began to laugh. "Well, I still say that I trust you more than I trust me, so that makes two of us." Anne couldn't suppress a yawn then, and Gilbert pulled back to blow out the lamp. He drew the covers up around them with a smile, drawing her down to the waiting pillows. "We've got all the time we need, now, sweetheart. Maybe we should get some sleep."

Anne sleepily mumbled an assent, and Gilbert's grin was enormous as he held her hand in his, allowing his body to begin to relax as hers did. Anne's breathing was soon soft and even beside him, and for a just a moment he listened to the sound, feeling whole for the first time in months. The room was still, and he breathed in the scent of the breeze that ruffled the green curtains, and in utter contentment, he drifted off to sleep.

Diana Wright opened her front door two afternoons later with an unearthly shriek that brought her husband running, only to be answered by a similar cry from Anne, who threw her arms around her beloved friend in excitement, before grabbing both of her hands, bouncing up and down on the doorstep as if they were little girls again.

Gilbert and Fred stood back on the veranda, watching the scene before them in amusement.

"Gil, why do our wives scream when they get together?"

Gilbert chuckled at the sound of pride in Fred's words, every bit as delighted to be able to call Anne his own. He folded his arms as he watched Anne fondly. "It's women in general, I think- well, women who like each other, anyhow." Their conversation continued at a normal volume, unlike the two women, who were still excitedly talking over each other in the doorway.

"Good trip?"

"Long. It's good to be back."

Meanwhile, Diana had taken Anne's hand to drag her inside the house, and Fred followed with Gilbert at a more relaxed pace, pausing to show him around the house and yard, while the girls began to talk conspiratorially.

"I cannot believe that he's here," Diana said excitedly. "You said he would be waiting for you in Kingsport!"

"He was supposed to be- not that I'm sorry for that." Anne smiled as Diana bustled around her kitchen. "It was the most wonderful surprise- I honestly don't know how I survived without him for three months."

Diana leant across to grasp Anne's hand knowingly. "It's real now, isn't it, darling?"

Anne laughed, her cheeks flushing. "I- it always was. I love him so, Di. I was just too foolish to see it before."

"Have you told him yet?"

She nodded, her grey eyes dreamy. "We went for a walk on the morning I arrived- and he was so happy, Di- I could only wish that I had known it years ago."

Diana sighed, resting her elbows on the bench. "It's wonderfully romantic, Anne. Especially after how miserable you both were before the wedding- I'm sorry that was the last thing that happened before you had to leave each other."

"No, no- it was- fine." Anne turned away lightly at Diana's words, not wanting her to see her suddenly flushed face. Her friend, however, had a sixth-sense about these things by now, and rounded the counter, her eyes twinkling. "Anne Blythe, did something interesting happen at my wedding?"

Anne opened her mouth to protest, however, the flush that seemed to cover her entire body gave her away, making Diana clap with glee. "Come on, darling, tell Di what happened…" she wheedled. At Anne's stubborn silence, she folded her arms merrily. "You were dancing awfully close, as I recall- and I didn't see either of you dance with anyone else that night."

Anne brushed a curl back from her forehead, trying to shrug nonchalantly. "Well, you know how strict it is at our formal dances- we were taking advantage of not having to change partners."

"And my mother said that the two of you left soon after we did."

"I- er- yes," Anne admitted, her face scarlet.

"So what happened that night?" Diana asked smugly, before pausing, her eyes suddenly enormous. "Anne, the two of you didn't- did you?"

Anne began to laugh, her hand brushing her neck shyly. "No, we didn't, Di. That was your wedding night, not ours. We- just went for a walk to the pond in the moonlight, and we kissed-"

"I'll just bet you did-"

"A lot- and we- we- just-" Anne came to a stop, and Diana caught the blissful look on her face, smiling.

"You don't need to tell me any more, Anne, if the two of you had a wonderful night, then that's all I need to know. I'm so happy for you."

Anne turned to her with twinkling eyes, her voice low enough so that the boys couldn't hear them. "So, then why did you feel you needed to tell me everything about the two of you, Di? Especially while I missing Gilbert so horribly."

"You did destroy that letter, didn't you?"

"Torn into little pieces and sunk in my swamp, Diana," Anne said, much amused. "There may be a cow down there who can piece it together, however that would be all. Why were you so candid, dearest?"

Diana laughed, moving back to the stove to take up the kettle. "It was our talk before the wedding, Anne. When I realised that the way the older ladies speak about intimacy just isn't accurate, I thought you might like to hear a different version."

Anne chuckled. "Well, you certainly gave it to me."

"And?"

"I look forward to when the time is right for us," Anne said simply, leaving Diana's mouth open in shock.

"And do you know when that might be?"

Anne shook her red head, a slightly wistful smile on her face. "We don't. Maybe not for a long time. Gilbert deserves the chance to go to medical school- I want him to have his dreams."

"And what about yours?"

Anne gave Diana a curious look. "Mine- are changing, I think," she said slowly. "I'm not sure what the future will hold- I'm not sure what I can do. But I think- I want to help people who grew up- like me."

Diana's face lit up in understanding. "That would be wonderful, Anne. And you could do that from Kingsport?"

Anne smiled. "I don't know. I haven't a thing figured out- I haven't even talked about it with Gilbert yet. Besides, we still have nine months left until we finish college."

"Nine months," Diana said innocently. "Interesting. I wonder what you could do in that time."

Anne rolled her eyes, chuckling. "That is not the plan, Diana, no matter what happens after we finish. I am not showing up to our graduation 'great with child'. That has to wait- and we have plenty of time on our side. After all, had we arrived at this point by normal means, we would have had a very long engagement ahead of us- at least four and a half years." The look of horror on Diana's face was comical, and Anne laughed. "As it is, Gilbert and I are together now, Di- and I couldn't be happier about that."

The tray was, at last, ready, and Diana heard the men standing on the veranda, talking as they looked out over the farmyard. She smiled, knowing that Fred would be in soon, and ushered Anne toward their tidy parlour.

"I know that there will be times when it won't seem this way, however it's rather like playing house right now- only with an actual house," the new housekeeper said, with a happy sigh. "I keep forgetting that Mother isn't standing behind me waiting to tell me what I'm doing incorrectly. You've no idea how freeing that is; even though she says plenty when she comes for dinner with Father and Minnie May. And Fred is so understanding when things go wrong- and he's so grateful for everything I do here. I think the last year here alone did that for him."

Anne chuckled, snuggled into the corner of the sofa. "He's waited for you for three years, Di- of course, he's grateful to have you here at last."

"And it's just as well, really. Any longer and one of us was going to do something exceptionally silly," she said, a twinkle in her dark eyes. "I can't tell you how many times we almost did something that might have hurried the wedding along a little."

Anne gave Diana an impudent look. "Is that perhaps an illusion to us, Diana?"

Her friend laughed, handing Anne a lilac teacup. "Not at all. Although you have no idea how I envied you and Gilbert being away, Anne- here under the watchful eye of all Avonlea, it was exceptionally hard to avoid people's censure. I had Mrs Andrews go to my mother at the two-year mark- all because Fred put his hand on my waist at the church picnic. It's lucky they had no idea what happened after the picnic," Diana said thoughtfully, making Anne laugh.

"Redmond is almost as bad, Di- only it's professors interfering, not village matrons- not to mention the other students. It was quite difficult to navigate, at times."

Diana sighed. "I know. Anne, was it really worth you and Gilbert staying there?"

Anne could hear Gilbert and Fred approaching, and smiled at her friend. "Every bit of it. We are finishing this together- and we'll simply have to see where that takes us."

The days at Green Gables passed in a happy whirlwind of activity. Anne saw Davy and Gilbert off fishing on the fine mornings, smiling at the look of glee on the twelve-year-old's face as he capered after Gilbert. Marilla told them that 'Gilbert said' was fast replacing 'Milty said'- marking a noticeable improvement in his conversation, she commented dryly.

Anne spent those mornings in the garden with Dora and Marilla, enjoying the sunshine and the time with family. Her presence had been most fortuitous, that week- on Monday morning, Marilla had handed a hysterical Dora over to Anne, saying only that her monthly visitor had arrived, as she disappeared herself to take care of the washing. Anne managed to calm poor Dora down, tucking her up on the sofa and talking to her sensibly about what was happening to her body. She hid a little smile at the uncharacteristically dramatic display from the girl, well remembering the way Marilla had handled a similar situation with her; insisting brusquely that it was all perfectly normal, and she had better just be getting on with it.

Several days later, and with everything in hand, for the time being, Marilla watched the two girls with some amusement. Dora weeded her little square meticulously, while Anne fluttered from patch to patch, exclaiming over the richness of the soil, and the beauty of the late summer plants. There were now vases in the house filled with the lacy branches of red Valerian, and even Mrs Lynde could be heard to comment that it was nice to have the house brightened up a little. The house came alive whenever Anne was home, Marilla thought with a pang- although her letters home kept them as close as they could be.

It was nearing noon when they looked up at the sound of Davy and Gilbert coming up through the woods, and Marilla smiled to see Anne's face light up at Gilbert's laugh in the distance. Having a man around the house was quite a change, she thought dryly- and she couldn't help but chuckle at the way Anne flew to meet him now, irrespective of the soil on her hands, and the fish dangling from Gilbert's line. He caught her around the waist and kissed her red head, and she smiled to see Davy rolling his eyes in disgust at their obvious affection for one another. She could never see it herself without wondering at the circumstances that had led the couple to this point, and couldn't seem to make herself feel sorry about it now, either- something Amelia herself had commented on with some guilt over tea one morning. The young pair were supposed to be together- and Marilla couldn't find it in her heart to wish for different timing.

The Blythes were frequent visitors at Green Gables that week, something that was reciprocated when Anne and Gilbert moved to the other house- both families had limited time with their loved ones, and it was decided that the best method was to share the young couple's time before they left for Kingsport again. For Anne and Gilbert it seemed like a week-long celebration- however most afternoons were kept sacred for their own ramblings.

There were hours spent lying beside Dryad's Bubble in the shade, dozing in the peace and quiet, and almost daily walks along the shore, discussing plans for the new year, and continuing to catch the other up on the weeks they had missed together. On the last afternoon at Green Gables their outing was spoiled by a sudden rain shower- however, a blissful hour spent in the warm, shadowy barn together more than made up for the walk that they had missed.

It was on Friday afternoon that Anne and Gilbert made the long walk to Hester Grey's garden, both agreeing at it was the perfect place to farewell the summer.

The garden bore testimony to the changing season, and Anne looked around in delight at the old pathways. The roses were still in bloom- so successfully that she wondered if some kind hand had pruned them. The red flowers glowed against the stone walk, and Anne looked out over the hazy valley, surrounded by the call of the sea- and through the birches, the brook that burbled and bubbled in the shallows. It was to this place that Gilbert led her now, the cool of the birch trees a welcome respite from the heat. She watched him look around in evident satisfaction, as he loosened his tie, before flopping onto the warm bank, a hefty sigh leaving his lips.

Anne sat down beside him, her look indulgent. "Why the sigh, dearest?"

He smiled, loving the endearment that flowed from her so easily. "I'm exhaling quite happily, I'll have you know. Come here."

Anne chuckled, pillowing her head on the sturdy arm he stretched out on the grass. He tucked her in beside him, his eyes closing in bliss.

"Oh, just imagine a whole summer like this, Gil."

He smiled, looking up into the trees, where a pair of sparrows were chattering excitedly. "Next summer. We'll do it then."

There was silence between them for a time, and Anne wasn't surprised to look over to see that Gilbert had dozed off on the warm grass beside her. She smiled, tempted to join him- however this would be their last summer afternoon at home- and the day was too glorious to waste.

She moved from his side after pressing a kiss to his brown cheek, and set about quietly removing her shoes and stockings, her grey-green eyes studying the ripples in the brook in wonder. There was a glorious time to be had wading in the shallows, and Anne did so, storing away countless pictures of beauty to sustain herself with over the winter- and always in the background was the image of Gilbert, resting on the banks of the little creek, his hat drawn over closed eyes. There were little dips in the creek where minnows played, and coloured stones glistening in the sunlight. She murmured lines of poetry as she gathered wildflowers by the water, the blue of asters, the creeping buttercup that trailed along the water's edge; it was everything her heart had been longing for over the long winter- and yet Anne found herself smiling now at the hint of autumn in the wind. It was almost time to go home.

As Anne stepped out of the water, she turned with keen eyes to the distant hills, memorizing the vista before her. They would work hard- and they would always return.

She walked up to where Gilbert was now stirring, his smile quizzical at her bare, wet feet and the pretty skirt that had grown damp as she played in the water.

"Has my wood nymph become a water sprite now?" he teased as he sat up, pulling her down onto his lap.

Anne chuckled, blushing as brown hands moved to wipe the water off the slender feet poking out from the voluminous petticoats she wore.

"Perhaps. I've made a decision, Gil."

"We're moving back to the island to start farming."

Anne laughed then, her hands cupping his face. "If I want to waste one of the finest minds of our generation, perhaps." She felt his arms tighten around her, and smiled. "No, I've come to another epoch in my life. I've realised that they can't ever be allowed to get to us again, Gil."

He blinked at her in some confusion. "I'm sure you're right- but what are you talking about?"

Anne rested her warm cheek against his, nestling into his arms. "I don't regret a thing, Gil. Our marriage was the best decision that we could have made last year- and as a result, I am far happier than I deserve to be," she said candidly. She watched Gilbert for a moment, knowing that he saw her for who she was- and that he loved her. "I think that I allowed our circumstances to change who I was, for a time. I let people's opinions hurt me- hurt us- and I refuse to do it again."

Gilbert's eyes caressed her delicate face, his fingers moving to stroke her soft cheek. "It didn't really change you, love."

Anne shook her head, a gentle look on her face. "No, it did- for a time. I don't think I even saw it until this summer- although now I realise that Phil was trying to tell me all along. But you and I survived it all. The gossip, the insinuations, the scandal- and we are going back to college together, for our final year, just as we always should have been."

Gilbert kissed her firmly then, his grin smug. "Anne-girl, we're going home tomorrow. I can't tell you how glad I am to be saying that, finally."

"To our Mushroom. I've missed it, Gil."

He chuckled. "You know, in some ways, I feel as if I'm taking you home for the very first time."

Anne's smile was luminous, and she pressed her lips to his fervently, her heart beating madly as Gilbert turned to lay her down gently on the soft grass, his lips and body moving to cover hers in the afternoon light.

So long ago, she had told Matthew that it was impossible for her to be perfectly happy with red hair. Now, entwined in Gilbert's arms, she couldn't suppress the bubble of laughter in her throat, as she recalled with satisfaction how very wrong her younger-self had been.