The characters are created by LM Montgomery, and are her property... the original characters & storyline are unique to this story are copyright 2021, by Nell Lime.
Author's Note:
Oz Diva - how funny, what a unique alt ending you thought of for Aunt Mary Maria! Yes, Aunt Mary Maria is rather demanding… Oh yes she'll be back!
TLWtwl - Yes… Aunt Mary Maria is here. And yes things can get worse. I mean we have over 40 chapters left planned…
— Davy —
Monday, June 21st, 6:45pm
Station, Bright River, PEI
I'd been hopping up and down waiting for Anne to arrive. The train was late and I'd been standing under the eave of the station house, though the station master had suggested I wait inside. Nah, I wanted to get the first glimpse of Anne coming home! And there she was, but not only Anne! Sitting in the seat next to her and even through the heavy rain I could make out Gilbert Blythe! My new brother! Well for once I didn't mind gossip. For it had to be true if Anne finally brought Gilbert home. He'd bunk with me that night of course. Or I could bunk at his place. And we could go fishing in the morning. What a birthday gift Anne got me!
I rushed towards them, and as Anne and Gilbert maneuvered the steps, a second thing became clear. Gilbert Blythe looked like he'd been dragged home by a cat. A really evil cat like the one Mr Harrison keeps in his barn for mice. I don't dare go near it. I'd rushed towards them. Soon Anne and I had the bags and the two of us helped a nearly unconscious Gilbert to the station house. The Station Master helped us to settle Gilbert while I went for the buggy. The storm showed no sign of letting up, and the sooner we got Gilbert to the Doctor the better. The nearest Doc was in Newbridge I knew and Dr. Blair was also on our way home.
The buggy was designed for two, but we'd ridden before three squeezed across. Oh never with Mrs. Lynde she's too wide, but Marilla with me and Dora have. Now two of you have to nearly sit on each other, but it can be managed.
So I brought it round, glad the cover and rain curtains were up to protect us from the driving rain somewhat. I stashed the bags under the seat, and then the three of us maneuvered Gilbert into the buggy. I climbed in and took the reins, and Anne squeezed in between us. Was rather tight. I guess being only half grown Dora especially doesn't take up as much room as Anne. I focused on the driving as Anne adjusted them. They were a tangle sitting there to squeeze them both in. Quite the tangle.
We had no luck with the Newbridge Doctor. Or Dr. Blair. I'd jumped out at both homes only to learn that the Newbridge Doctor was delivering twins and Dr. Blair was attending a surgery in Charlottetown for one of his patients. "Sorry Anne…" I'd panted after giving the news Dr. Blair's housekeeper had given me.
She'd shaken her head, having readjusted each stop to try to squeeze us in better and now sitting on his lap, holding him up. "Apple Bough then. We'll get him settled in and go for Dr. Spenser…"
I wondered if the Blythes had heard the news yet? I mean Mrs. Bell, Frank's mother and Mrs. Harmon Andrews as Mr. Harrison likes to say are old gossipy biddies, and we passed Mrs. Bell as we left the station and you should have seen her face. Course with Mrs. Harmon Andrews announcing her news at the sewing circle that spread fast. One glance at Anne and even I didn't dare ask her about my new brother. Or what they were saying about her expecting. Just what was she expecting? Maybe it wasn't a baby like Diana Wright. I wanted to know. But a fella would have to be just plain blind to not recognize that now wasn't the time to ask. I mean Gilbert looked like he was at death's door. And reminding Anne I'd take care of her when she became a widow for Gilbert. Best not to remind her. And pray he'd make it through. So I'd been silent mostly as we drove back to Avonlea, not passing many willing to brave the storm.
We arrived nearly two hours after they'd arrived at the station pulling up the drive to the Blythe home, Apple Bough. Named of course for their prized apples. It was still pouring rain, but I could see the lights on, bright especially in the kitchen. The drive goes around a bend as you come up, such that you see the back and side of the house before the front. I rather prefer Green Gables for it's simple front approach, even if the house is as far from the road as possible. That's because some of the prized apple trees come right near the house, and the road goes around them.
I guess once the property was a larger farm with George Fletcher's farm next door. The farm I heard had been one of the first bought by Mrs. George Fletcher and Mrs. John Blythe's father. Then with only daughters and no sons he'd split the property for his girls' husbands. I saw a face pop in the window, and as we drove round to the front, and as we drove around we saw Mr. John Blythe waiting for us on the front porch. Not that he knew unless he heard the news that afternoon whom I was bringing him. Course when I tried to tell Marilla it she'd told me to ignore the gossip or I'd be as bad as Rachel Lynde. Let folks tell their own news.
I pulled up close to the porch and jumped down, "Mr. Blythe, Gilbert's awfully sick."
"Gilbert?" He rushed down and with me. We carried him in as a distracted Anne followed. I rushed back for the bags and returned to see them carrying Gilbert into the spare room off the sitting room. We rushed him in, shooing cats away and Mrs. Blythe rushed to join us, gasping at the sight of Anne and Gilbert, for Anne now had her arm around one side of him while Mr. Blythe maneuvered Gilbert with the other to a chair in the room, such that is wet things wouldn't soak the bed. They began to remove his wet outer clothes then down to his trousers and shirt, we'd settled him into the bed, and Anne sent us all to work.
"He thinks it's Typhoid. There were several cases at the clinic and he has many of the symptoms. He... He wanted to be home. He'll need to be changed. Does he have any night clothes here?" She swayed slightly then. And I rushed towards her grabbing Anne by the waist. "We have to be extra careful with cleaning him. It's spread by excrement. I... He had an accident this afternoon on the ferry..." She righted her self. "Thanks Davy, I'm fine. We'll just need to see to Gilbert..."
"Anne..." Mr. Blythe spoke calmly. "Mightily glad you made certain Gilbert got home, but Gilbert won't be happy if we don't take care of you too. You're soaked and barely able to stand up. Abby can help you upstairs to change into something dry... Davy and I can change Gilbert. I'll just fetch his bag."
"He's already soiled all his other clothes. Something clean he left here." Anne spoke blankly as Mrs. Blythe lead her from the room. "He cant' hold much down or in."
"Anne..." Gilbert spoke reaching for her.
She'd paused then, stepping out of Mrs. Blythe's arm, and reached into his inner pocket, pulled out something and slipped it under the pillow where his hand followed, and he was soon in a deep sleep, hand under the pillow, as Anne followed slowly Mrs. Blythe out of the room.
Mr. Blythe raised his eyebrows at me. "Guess we best get him out of his wet things. And into something dry. Quite the shock when you arrived with them. We'd barely seen our boy for two years. And he comes home with Anne... There's a story no doubt. And so ill. Thank providence Anne got him home."
"Anne didn't say, but Mrs. Harmon Andrews, I was over at the Bell's for Frank Bell's birthday, and well, the sewing circle was also meeting. Mrs. Harmon Andrews came waiving a letter from her daughter, guess her husband runs a hotel. Said Gilbert checked them in and they eloped, and they're expecting something." I shrugged. "Said Gilbert told her daughter all about it when he checked them in."
"Well," Mr. Blythe shook his head. "If they've news... We'll just wait for them to share their news. Right now let's just get him cleaned."
We removed the rest of Gilbert's clothes, dried him off. He didn't wear drawers, instead like a baby had a diaper on him. One that needed to be changed by the smell of it. I let Mr. Blythe deal with that while I rushed up to fetch the night shirt Mr. Blythe asked for. I think it was the sight of the diaper that made me realize just how sick Gilbert must be. For what grown man would agree to wear such a thing?
"Best clean him." Mrs. Blythe told me handing me a bucket with soap and alcohol to sanitize the man. "Anne is insisting."
So I returned and after Mr. Blythe finished cleaning his behind we washed Gilbert. I paused though when I saw what looked like a bite mark on his chest. I mean. I got one years ago from Dora when I'd been extra mean. Even I'll admit it now I deserved it. "Mr. Blythe? Why'd someone bite Gilbert on the chest?"
He'd mumbled something about explaining it later and we'd turned him over. He had several scratches on his back and nail prints on his behind, red and nasty. Mr. Blythe soon as he saw them then sent me right up to fetch Mrs. Blythe. Must have been rabies I thought and not Typhoid. Scratches. Likely he was mauled from the look of it. "Think he got attacked by a wild animal Mr. Blythe? Think it's Rabies?"
"No... I'll explain later, best not mention it though... probably time for you to head for Dr. Spenser, let them know at Green Gables, but not the marks please… And about their news... that's their news. When they're ready they'll share. Right now lets just focus on getting Gilbert well."
"I'll just put it on my list of questions for later, maybe he went skinny dipping in briars?" I said over my shoulder as I hurried out. I'd add it later to Gilbert's list, first stop was Green Gables.
"Davy Keith where's Anne?" Marilla asked as I pulled up. I jumped down quickly. "Anne arrived with Gilbert. Guess Mrs. Harmon Andrews was right. He's mighty ill. Anne thinks Typhoid, but I don't know... I'm to fetch the Doctor. We stopped trying to find two doctors on the way to Apple Bough. Anne's there now. She's exhausted, but then she should stay there to help nurse him. She's his wife after all. Really quite swell of her to get me such an excellent brother."
"Wife?" Marilla stared blankly at me as Mrs Lynde elbowed past her.
"Anne confirmed that outrageous gossip Mrs Harmon Andrews announced at the sewing circle?"
"Well, now." I shrugged. "She was nearly asleep on her feet by the time we got them inside. But it had to be true if she brought him home."
"If they're not it'll be a scandal her staying there, oh folks will understand one night, and I never would have thought them that foolish as to elope when they could have just come home and done it properly. Lansakes, boy, you said you were fetching him the Doctor." Mrs. Lynde poked at my shoulder.
"You tell the Blythes we'll be over mid morning for Anne, and you Davy are to return home when you've fetched the Doctor. We'll see how we can help the Blythes out. But if I hear you spreading rumors without the facts from Anne and Gilbert themselves, there won't be a birthday for you young man and no plum jam for a month either!"
