Probably not historically accurate with the trials etc so apologies for that. I am so glad people have left reviews and I enjoyed reading them! I do know that this a rather unusual take on a fanfic but I read a similar one to this and loved it and wanted to have a go at writing it (though that was based on the Netflix show while this is based on the books). Also, Parnassus Pen, I imagine that it would be a few days but no more than 3 to regain consciousness from blood loss but I'm not a medical expert so that would just be a guess so apologies if I am wrong. Anyway, onto the end of the story!
Chapter 3
Jem was staying with Leslie and Diana at Leslie's farm while Anne and Gilbert headed down the court. No one made any comments about how pale Anne was or how tight Gilbert was gripping Anne's hand.
They were met by a stern looking constable who led them in. "You will need to testify," he said emotionlessly, looking at Anne. "However, if you recognise him it should be a very open and shut case."
The constable then turned to Gilbert. "We will need you to state her injuries so you will be required to go under oath as well. Remember, do not lie. Otherwise it will be you in the cells, not him."
They nodded silently, Anne focusing on her breathing, refusing to admit to being scared at seeing him again. She was fine, it was like in one of those fairy tales she read as a child she thought, trying to comfort herself. The heroine always triumphed.
But even her imagination couldn't remove the fear when entering the court room. The constable seated her and Gilbert before sitting on her other side. She tensed up upon the door opening to see two constables walk in, a man between them. Him. The hate and scarf were gone, revealing the worn face but it was him. The same shuffling walk, slightly hunched back. However it was Gilbert's gasp that worried her.
"What?" Anne whispered softly.
"It's my fault," Gilbert whispered, a sick feeling rising in him. He had caused this, it was his fault he almost lost his wife.
Anne stared at Gilbert in confusion. Had he gone mad? "What on earth makes you say that darling?
"I know him." Gilbert felt like he was about to be sick. "His wife had bronchitis. I couldn't save her." He bowed his head. Anne squeezed his hand, knowing how much it weighed on him whenever a patient died in his care, though few and far between.
There was a bang as the judge entered and sat down. Looking at them imperiously he called Anne to the stand.
Anne was shaking slightly as she swore to tell nothing but the truth, uncomfortable with all the attention on her. One constable with the man stood to his feet.
"Mrs Blythe, do you recognise this man?"
Anne nodded her head, twisting her skirt in her hands. "I do. He asked me for directions a few days ago while I was heading home, around the outside of Four Winds."
"Did he say where he was going?"
"He wanted to know where Charlottetown was." The longer she was up here the more her confidence grew. She wouldn't let anyone else get hurt like she had.
The constable seemed to write something down which alarmed her but Anne wrestled her feelings under control. She would not lose this.
"So how did he end up attacking you?"
The constable was impassive and his tone irritated Anne. He sounded exactly like all those men that believed all women did was cry wolf. Scowling, she snapped "He wanted me to show him and wasn't pleased when I just pointed him in the direction. He demanded I show him and when I refused, saying I had to go home to my husband he got upset and grabbed me. I screamed and he gagged me with his scarf and," she took a breath, knowing it would hurt Gilbert to hear this more than the rest. "he started to move down to my skirts."
She didn't need to say anymore for everyone to know what she meant. Anne couldn't look at Gilbert, not brave enough to see his face. Instead she stared down the constable as she spoke. "I assume you can understand what his intention was as I did. I tried to move away and he tried to hold me down and then I saw someone. I tried to scream for help and he stabbed me before fleeing."
The constable nodded before releasing her from the stand, instead letting Gilbert up to the stand. Anne wasn't looking forward to the conversation after this about not telling him the full truth. She doubted he'd like her answer of 'you didn't ask'.
"Mr Blythe, you seemed to recognise this man when he entered. Explain."
"His wife was a patient of mine." From what she could tell while still avoiding his gaze, his tone was even. Completely professional. Something she had never liked as it made him so emotionless, which she was unused to in her lively husband. Similar to how he loved her temper rather than wishing for a more submissive wife like Hero from one of their favourite Shakespeare plays Much Ado about Nothing, always stating he preferred Beatrice's temper and wit.
"His wife developed Bronchitis and by the time I was called to look at her it was too late." By the waver in his voice Anne's heart constricted, knowing how much it hurt him whenever he couldn't save a patient. He had confided in her that he felt so guilty because he couldn't imagine if he had lost his father when he was ill, that the doctor couldn't save him. Anne could also remember this exact case as he had felt so awful for the man, confessing to her later that it gave him nightmares of losing her to an illness discovered to late as he was too busy to see it, following the old proverb 'doctors wives die young'. She wished she could shoulder his guilt for him, after all he had done to help the world he didn't deserve more pain. "She died under my care, all I could do was make sure she could go as peacefully as possible."
Gilbert was then dismissed from the stand and the man himself went onto the stand. Relief filled Anne as Gilbert grabbed her hand when he sat down. He couldn't be too upset with her then for… omitting some things about that day.
"Did you know this was Dr Blythe's wife?"
The man snorted, scowling at the couple. "Of course I know who that bloody witch is," he snapped, his speech no longer falsely broken. Anger was now radiating from her guilt stricken husband and she squeezed his hand gently, trying to convey it wasn't worth getting angry over.
"You seem quite upset with Mrs Blythe. Has she done anything to you?"
The man turned, now staring solely at Gilbert. "Th – that man, he killed my wife. Why should his wife get to skip around the countryside but not mine, why is his worth more than mine! He lost my wife, he deserves to feel the pain and lose his! That little w***e should've died when I stabbed her!"
Shocked murmurs rippled around at the clear confession, especially upset with the ferocious vitriol at the beloved doctor and his wife. Anne however was just thankful at how clear cut it was from then on, soon being released from the court house. Her relief soon deserted her as Gilbert said the dreaded words – 'we need to talk'. Locked in a carriage with him for the next hour to get back home, she had no way of avoiding this conversation. "Talk about what?"
His raised eyebrow made her sag back. Her last hope gone. "You didn't mention he tried to rape you."
Anne's heart hurt at the strangled tone but irritation rose to the surface. "How could I?" she burst out, her famous temper at last making an appearance and sadly at the one person she loved the most. "Oh yes, I just got stabbed darling husband so thanks for patching me up, oh, and he tried to rape me too. Like that would make you feel any better?! No harm in keeping it quiet until court where I had to say it! I just wish you hadn't been there to hear it and blame yourself more than you already do when. this. isn't. your. fault."
"Anne-girl," he whispered softly, clutching her hand. "I'm always going to worry about you, you're my family. And I know you don't want me to blame myself but with this mess, can you really be mad at me for thinking that way?" He raked a hand through his hair, upset. "The reason I lost her is because she was busy and thought it was just due to exhaustion, and her husband worked all the time so didn't notice the changes till too late and I'm terrified that one day I'll be out helping someone and the same thing will happen to you and I won't be able to get to you in time. You're my everything Anne, you have to understand. I would never to something to jeopardise you, ever."
Anne's heart softened, her temper melting away at the intensity of love in his tone. She didn't say anything however as that often never went very well, first with her fantasies and use of big words and then her inability to say what she meant, instead choosing to convey her feelings with a gentle kiss. By the time they arrived back at the house of dreams, with Jem throwing his arms out and cooing as she picked him up, finally Anne felt as if she could relax. They were now safe.
