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:
Kushinka - Yes LOL on Davy and poor Gilbert. There's far more interaction this chapter so enjoy.
BJMccoy - Oh Yes awkward conversations coming up over the next several chapters because you know it won't happen all at once.
YodaChick - He will talk to Anne… see below.
Kalewis82 - Glad you found this story and are enjoying it, and hope you continue to enjoy it's progress.
Faith-hope-and-glory - Yes Gilbert has gotten interesting again and no more dream sequences. I did some research into LM Montgomery's life before writing this, in part of where she would have stood if she was in the character's shoes. The young man whom she based Peter on (forget his real name) she always considered her one true love, and clung to his memory through an abusive and strained marriage years later. Her stories were her escape as they are ours.
— Anne —
Saturday, July 2nd, 4:00am
Apple Bough, Avonlea, PEI
I arose as early as possible to relieve Aunt Mary Maria and convince her to go to bed. The mattress in the sewing room was hard and lumpy and I'd not slept well. I'd felt nausea upon rising and nearly rushed to the chamber pot, thankfully I'd taken control of myself. For the dream I'd had. I'd dreamed that after all this, that Gilbert had rejected me.
I came down to see dried tears on Gilbert's cheek, and Aunt Mary Maria snoring in the chair beside him, her sewing forgotten on her lap. I quietly roused her, suggested she take her bed for a few hours and that I would sit with Gilbert. I lead her upstairs, tucked her into Gilbert's bed, and she patted my arm saying "This bed is dangerous. One should only use metal for beds, wood is far too often a host for bugs in the bed. You best preserve your looks, You look quite ill. You should take cod liver oil. You're too scrawny by half."
With a nod, holding back a slight laugh, I slipped back downstairs, and in the dim hours between night and sunrise, I did not sit in the chair beside his bed, instead I curled up next to him taking his hand in mine. I knew I shouldn't, but we'd been found in worse positions.
He'd woken when I'd done that. "Anne?" He tried to sit up and I rose, helping him. Knowing I'd face Aunt Mary Maria I'd already dressed before relieving her of her station, but I'd picked a dress he'd commented on before. "Anne… I... it's hard to remember what was dreams, nightmares, or realities." He rubbed my ringed finger. "How'd I propose?"
He didn't exactly, and I was about to admit to finding the ring and making it up to keep my promise when the memory of that vow, him sitting on the chamber pot, me kneeling before him, we'd just discovered the rose spots signaling the Typhoid. Him cupping my face, trying to tell me he loved me. It wasn't a proposal, I hadn't let him.
"We just discovered the typhoid..." I sighed. "I... It wasn't really a proposal. You didn't actually ask me to marry you, it wasn't what a proposal should be at all. But you'd begged me to be the last face you'd see when you die, and the thought of another... I hadn't then meant to wear the ring, but I'd found it looking for spare change as we were running out of funds to care of you and get you home. You had tried to turn it into a proposal, but I'd been so scared and panicked and well, when I found the ring. Roy had proposed, it was perfect except he didn't fit into my house of dreams. I couldn't imagine another there, if you were to die... So I slipped it on, we're not really engaged I guess..."
I buried my head into his shoulder.
"Anne, I'll propose properly soon." he spoke, wrapping his free arm around me. "Tell me about how we met again and got home… I'm not certain what are dreams and what are memories…"
I would not look at him. I felt bile rise at the memory. Then it'd become too much. If he knew what really happened. I rushed up, and grabbed the used chamber pot, not caring though the smell made my nausea worse, and heaved into it, mostly bile.
"Anne…" He tried to get up, though collapsed from the excretion and the noise must have brought the Blythes running towards us. One look at me, my face no doubt green, Mrs. Blythe had whisked me off, while Mr. Blythe took care of the chamber pot. And I'd heard briefly Mr. Blythe calming a worried Gilbert.
She checked me over, "No fever. Any other signs?"
"No…" I shook my head. It was just the thought of confessing to Gilbert what had happened in the hotel room. And I could not confess it to his mother! "Just the stress finally catching up. I was so scared…"
"We all were. And I think it's high time you called me Abby." She sobbed with me, then brushing the tears back on both our faces, she smiled. "I'll get you and Gilbert trays and tell him to make sure you eat. I've seen how little you've been eating."
I nodded. I found myself sitting on the chair next to his bed, a tray for us on my lap, and one on his as we ate, and his parents ate with Aunt Mary Maria in the next room. "Anne…" Gilbert whispered, such that our voices wouldn't carry to the other room. "Are you ok? You haven't a fever?"
"Just nerves." I try to brush it off. Don't worry your mother made certain. The worry and stress of everything is all."
"Anne." He gulped leaning closer. "What happened, the days I don't remember."
With a deep breath I began my story. "You ran into me on the train, literally. I don't know before that what happened. You knocked me over just as we were both leaving Kingsport. I… I hadn't seen you since graduation and was leaving Phil's wedding and nearly missed my connection and you must have decided last minute to go home and barely got onto the train at all. You knocked us both over and then lost your stomach. You were burning up too. How no one realized before then I don't know that you were sick. I helped you up and we settled into seats and we talked. You told me there was no truth to the rumors of you and Christine being engaged, and I told you how I turned down Roy. You then made it perfectly clear that you saw me as the future Mrs. Gilbert Blythe." I poked at my food. "It was a long way home, and on the way we discovered it was Typhoid when you saw the rose spots. That was when you tried to propose."
"So we didn't see each other before we got on the train?" He asked. "I'm trying to see if I remember anything. Did I sleep beside you with a carpet bag between us, my ring on your finger?"
I wouldn't look him in the eye. Instead I set aside the tray, glanced towards the door and slipped onto the edge of the bed leaning towards his ear. I felt my throat tighten, my hand shaking. What I had to confess! How even to begin. "There was an accident on the train tracks. We had to get off and walk past to the next station where another train was waiting, only we didn't make it in time as you got sick again."
"Anne?"
"We were stranded in a small town for two nights, Gil. I'd left earlier then planned. Oh I fear what would have happened to you if you'd not run into me." I pulled back slightly. "Gil… we didn't have enough funds for more then one room. And you were so sick. I didn't dare leave you alone. If anyone knew, its best they assume we ran into each other on Monday, and not correct them."
He flushed. "I won't lie. But you're right it would look bad if anyone knew. I can't believe you would do such a dishonest thing…"
I glared at him. "You checked us in. It was your idea, not mine. I was just trying to keep you alive. And keep up with your ramblings. You mostly slept the whole time and had barely any energy. Still I would appreciate it if none know we left early. I wrote to the girls to ask them to keep quiet about it, not to lie, but not mention I changed my plans and left early."
He nodded slowly. "There wasn't anything else?"
I forced myself to not think of the first morning. I'd blush horribly if I did. I glanced towards the door where I saw Aunt Mary Maria entering, leaned closer. "Later."
That afternoon Dr. Spenser returned, congratulated Gilbert on his recovery and that he expected the fever to be gone in a few days. And that within a week he should be back to joining us about the house.
"You've news I hear…" Aunt Mary Maria looked at us pointedly.
I bit my lip, but Gilbert spoke first. "We should celebrate my recovery, before Anne and I share our news. I'd like to eat more than broth that day."
She huffed. "One shouldn't leave the sick bed until they can eat solid foods."
"We'll celebrate when you're able to join us for supper Gilbert." Mr. Blythe smiled at us. "And toast to your news."
"I wish Diana and Fred could come…" I went back to him, grasping his hand. "But their babe should be coming any day now…"
Mr. Blythe just smiled at us. "We'll make it a merry party don't worry Anne. We're all glad Gilbert's back with us."
Aunt Mary Maria yawned. "John, I really think that…"
Mr. Blythe cut her off. "Mary Maria, you're sleeping the whole night. We're grateful for your help, but you've your own life. We'll see to watching Gilbert tonight. No doubt he won't need constant watching anymore."
"No." Dr. Spenser shook his head. "Just someone close by if he stirs and need help he can call for them."
"I'll sleep downstairs. Truthfully the couch is more comfortable then the sewing room bed." I volunteered.
"There, Mary Maria. I trust those two." Mr. Blythe spoke before she could interrupt. "We don't have to worry about any sparking tonight. Dr. Spenser made it clear it's too dangerous. We'll get the couch setup for Anne."
Gilbert and I weren't given a moment alone until night fell and everyone prepared for bed. There were rather pointed comments from the Blythes about Aunt Mary Maria surely wanting her own home and bed, but she'd announced that she'd not dare endanger her housekeeper and would stay the full month until Gilbert was cleared. She did though with one glance towards myself and Gilbert, announce to the Blythes that she'd ordered a new bed for the sewing room, and that it would arrive the next Monday and she'd paid Davy to pick up the shipment from Charlottetown. Then she'd announced to us that we'd need to clear out the sewing room and return things after the bed was put together. A single brass iron bed that she claimed to be most hygienic. She would sleep there, as her health was already in such danger. Then with a humph she stomped in her heels up the stairs and dared anyone to challenge her high handedness.
Only Mrs. Blythe dared to comment. "I guess we could move that old mattress from the sewing room into the kitchen attic. And I'd rather hoped Mary Maria might be encouraged to leave sooner. But somehow I doubt we'll ever get her to use the spare room now that it was used as a sick room…"
Night though fell eventually, and with the house quiet I slipped into the sick room, the fire that had been going since our arrival had finally been put out, and feeling Gilbert's forehead his own internal fire had damped much though he was still warm. What had Dr. Spenser said his temperature was that day? 101. That was it. He'd try some soft solid foods the next day.
"Anne?" He woke, as I brought with me the quilt as the room was cool, not cold, but the sea breeze had cooled things off considerably, I climbed onto the bed, sitting beside him wrapped in the blanket. "What happened at the hotel?"
"You checked us in as Mr & Mrs Gilbert Blythe." I covered his mouth with my hands quickly as he gasped in shock.
He finally managed to swipe my hands away. "Anne! I wouldn't, that's a falsehood."
"You did. I should have corrected, but I was too scared, and you were so sick. You slept almost the whole time. I got into some scrapes. Fell into the hip bath soaking my clothes, one time you woke as I was washing my hair. Found your ring in your wallet looking for loose change to try to send a telegram warning your parents. I wasn't able to do so. Wanted to try it on and then it wouldn't come off. You sort of proposed. Well, more asked me to promise to get you home and be with you until the end, which I vowed would not be until we're old and gray." I twisted the ring, noticing that I'd lost a little weight since we'd arrived with all my worry. I slipped it off and handed it to him. "You should probably put it where it belongs until… I really did presume and made up the engagement. I know…"
He took my hand, lying there smiling up at me, and slipped it back onto my finger. "Right where it belongs Anne-girl. But I'll have to ask you to wait a long time, Anne," said Gilbert sadly. "It will be three years before I'll finish my medical course. And even then there will be no diamond sunbursts and marble halls." *
I laughed softly. "I don't want sunbursts and marble halls. I just want YOU. You see I'm quite as shameless as Phil about it. Sunbursts and marble halls may be all very well, but there is more `scope for imagination' without them. And as for the waiting, that doesn't matter. We'll just be happy, waiting and working for each other - and dreaming. Oh, dreams will be very sweet now." I whispered, stroking his face. "Goodnight."
With that I returned to my bed on the couch. I knew I needed to tell him about that first night in the hotel. But I had three years, didn't I?
—*—*—*—*—*—
Author's Note: * is direct lines quoted from Anne of the Island. We all know where in the book. :D
