Chapter 32

Early on Sunday morning, on Diana's instructions (and also, she suspected, at Gilbert's insistence) Anne sat in bed with a bountiful breakfast tray and was told to rest for the day ahead. The children ran in and out of the room, and even little Fred perched on the end of her bed discussing a contraption he was building to catch mice in the barn. Anne listened seriously, and the conversation was only interrupted by Jack attempting to fall off the blanket box, aided by small Anne Cordelia. Diana came in soon to take Anne's tray, hustling her children out to dress for the service that morning. She pulled the covers and sat on the side of the bed looking out at a glorious Avonlea spring morning. How right Gilbert was- they needed to come home.

When the Blythes arrived at church that morning, Gilbert looked around for the Wright wagon, disappointed to see that Anne had not yet arrived. To his astonishment, many people came forward with handshakes and hugs to greet Avonlea's long-absent son. Charlie and his family greeted him pompously, and yet with a sentiment that almost approached warmth. Moody's father grasped his hand, telling Gilbert about his son's parish in the south, and countless other neighbours he had known as a child crowded around Gilbert to hear his story. Sonia Blythe hung onto his arm with obvious pride, and more than one Avonlea matron looked appraisingly at their daughters, wondering if they would catch the eye of the prodigal who had finally returned. A doctor, and so distinguished looking! Well, John Blythe had always been a handsome man….

As Gilbert stood with his mother in a lull near the garden beds, he frowned slightly. "I'm surprised no one has asked about Anne," he said to her quietly. Sonia shrugged innocently.

"Oh, Diana and I felt it best to let the news come out naturally- I'm sure it will spread quickly enough when they see you both together."

"No doubt."

A step sounded behind the pair, and Gilbert turned to see the last person he wished to- the sweetly smiling face of Josie Pye. "What is this, twice in one year, Gilbert? You might want to be careful- people will think you are neglecting your patients."

"Josie," Gilbert said, sounding slightly bored. "I don't leave my patients unless they are appropriately cared for. It is touching that you feel for them though." His mother shot him a pointed look then, and Gilbert rolled his eyes as he tried to recall his manners. "And how is your household?"

Tilting her head in what she assumed was an appealing way, Josie preened. "Well, as a married woman, I am extremely busy, of course. I run the women's sewing circle, and my husband depends on me entirely for his business."

Sonia interrupted what was sure to be a less than enthusiastic reply from her son, and touched Gilbert's arm. "Darling, Diana Wright has just arrived, I really should speak with her before the service. Do excuse me, Josie, won't you." She moved away, eying the red-headed woman Fred was assisting down from the wagon with a mischievous smile.

Gilbert forced himself not to look around, mentally calculating the time it would take her to find him. In the meantime, he turned back to Josie with a piercing look.

"I don't suppose you would remember the last conversation you and I had, Mrs-" he paused, consideringly. "You'll have to forgive me, Josie, I didn't catch your husband's name last time."

Josie's smile grew brittle. "It's Bourke, Gilbert. From a very old and respected family. I suppose the lack of interest you show in your hometown makes you careless of the people you grew up with. It isn't at all good form."

Gilbert's eyebrows rose. "It's interesting that you would choose to lecture me on manners, Mrs Bourke. I wanted to talk to you about that very thing."

Josie's blue eyes grew icy. "I don't think you are any judge of mine, Mr Blythe."

"That would be Doctor Blythe, Josie," a clear voice said kindly, bringing a grin to the said physician's face.

As Anne stepped alongside Gilbert, Josie's scornful eyes raked over her form, coming to rest on Anne's innocent walking stick.

"We've known each other since we were children, Anne, I hardly think we need stand upon ceremony now," Josie said acidly. "Well, isn't Avonlea fortunate, to have both of you back home at the same time? One might almost say it was unthinkable."

"It is surprising, isn't it?" Gilbert said brightly. "One might almost say that it was planned."

The two of them turned at Josie's cruel laugh then. "Oh, Anne- don't tell me that you came home because you knew that Gilbert was coming. I find it hard to accept that even you would be that pathetic."

At this, Gilbert's smile faded. "Josie, is this what you've been doing, all these years?"

Josie frowned. "I beg your pardon?"

"Is this how you've been speaking to Anne whenever she came home?" he said angrily. "What about when she was hurt? Had you no consideration even then?"

Anne's eyes were big, and she placed her hand gently on his arm, seeing the fury on his face. "Gil," she whispered, her eyes on the throng of people moving into the church.

Josie glared at Anne. "Why should I have? You've made everything about you since you moved to this town. I hardly think a slight accident earns you the right to be the centre of attention again."

At this, Anne sighed in exasperation. "That's the problem between us, right there, Josie," she stated. "I wasn't competing with you. I was never trying to take anything from you. You decided that I was a threat all on your own."

"Not to mention that you lied to both of us," Gilbert stated. His hand reached for Anne's and Josie jumped in shock. "You were careless of other people's feelings, Josie- you were thoughtless and often cruel. But even I never thought you would go that far to ruin someone's happiness. You should have respected Anne for her own sake- or been polite for your own- however since that clearly is too much for you, you will watch how you speak to my future wife."

Josie's face had gone an odd shade of green. "You- you can't mean-"

Anne spoke quietly. "We both moved to the same town, Josie. Independently. And Gilbert and I began to compare notes- and discovered that some of our misunderstandings stemmed from you." Anne's look was tired, and she found herself being brutally honest with the girl who had once had the power to torment her. "Oh, only a part of it was you- you needn't be so arrogant as to claim all of the responsibility. It reflects poorly on you that we should have known better than to believe a former classmate, Josie. It's even more terrible to think that there is no reason now to believe that you've changed." Most of the congregation had passed through the doors, leaving the three schoolmates beside the steps of the church.

Josie was speechless in indignation, her eyes on the possessive way that Gilbert held Anne's hand.

"I assume my mother will know where you live," Gilbert said apropos of nothing.

Josie recoiled at the odd statement, nodding in her befuddlement.

Gilbert gave Josie the smile he had reserved for his worst pranks through school- the smile that had brought terror to teachers and students alike. "Oh, not for a wedding invitation, I assure you. You seem quite invested in our happiness- I don't see why you shouldn't partake of it." At this, even Anne looked at Gilbert in some alarm. He carried on blithely. "You'll receive a wedding announcement from us. Birth announcements, birthday announcements- anniversary announcements- oh, anniversaries of any kind. Anytime we have something to celebrate, we'll write all about it to you. In fact, just keep an eye out for any mail coming from Glen St Mary. It's sure to be from us." He smiled at his bride-to-be, for just a moment lost in the starry grey of her eyes. "Well, we shouldn't keep you, Josie. I hope you have a pleasant day. We plan to." And before she could turn from them in disgust, he bent down to press a sweet kiss on Anne's surprised lips, taking the time to savour it. He heard Josie give a cry of outrage as she stormed up the stairs away from them, leaving Anne and Gilbert alone outside the old church as the opening hymn began.

"Gilbert Blythe!" Anne murmured, her cheeks now scarlet. "You know you shouldn't do that in front of others, let alone someone we have no concern for."

He tucked her hand in the crook of his arm, and together they walked up the stone steps. "I believe that it falls under the category of 'cruel and unusual punishment', darling," he said thoughtfully, and then gave her a roguish grin. "Andrew's teaching. And besides, who here is foolish enough to believe her?"

Anne couldn't help laughing, and together they walked through the doors of the church.

Several rows behind the Blythe pew, a ruffled Josie stood beside her husband breathing heavily, much too busy examining his fingernails to notice. She breathed deeply. She wouldn't allow the shameless pair to upset her. Anne Shirley was still crippled, and an orphan- if Gilbert could still be duped at his age by that, then it was no more than he deserved.

At that moment, Josie turned at the sound of a cane on the wooden floor. She scowled as Gilbert proudly escorted Anne up the Avonlea church aisle to the Blythe pew, and over the sound of the rusted pipe organ, Josie heard the buzz of whispers erupt around her. Why, it was practically a public announcement!

Diana Wright smiled triumphantly.

Mrs Harmon Andrews shook her head in unflattering surprise.

Mr and Mrs Harrison whispered in excitement, the minister smiled benevolently and Gilbert's parents looked at each other with obvious satisfaction. Josie choked in indignation at the way he took her hand and the utterly shocking look of adoration on Anne Shirley's freckled face. They had no business looking at each other like that after all these years. None whatsoever.

After a noisy and ebullient luncheon that day, attended by the young Wright family, the Barrys and Gilbert's parents, Anne and Gilbert waved Diana's family from the Blythe homestead. Minnie May had already arranged for her future husband's parents to come to Avonlea for the evening, and Diana had originally assumed that Anne would accompany them- until laughingly, she realised that Anne now had her own future husband's family to stay with. Diana realised with a pang that when Anne came to Avonlea in the future, it would now be Gilbert's family home to which she rightfully belonged. Still, with a little smile she kissed Anne goodbye, telling Gilbert cheekily that she expected him to bring Anne home at an appropriate hour.

Gilbert looked across at Anne now with a smile. The two of them had been shooed from the kitchen by his parents sometime earlier, and were now sitting outside on the back veranda as they had of old. Of course, he hadn't been able to put his arm around her then- her side would not have been pressed to his, her fingers tracing unconscious spirals on his leg. He sighed in contentment, looking out on the apple orchard. One day they would visit with their family- perhaps their children would race up and down the rows of old trees as he once had. Little girls with red curls and all the fire of their mother- boys who somehow combined the mischief of their parents in their lithe forms. Gilbert rubbed the back of his neck with a chuckle. He and Anne were a formidable team- and with children like themselves, that would most likely be necessary.

He turned back to Anne, studying her. She had remained close by his side all day- and while he felt that state to be highly satisfactory, he suspected that something else lay underneath. He closed his eyes after adjusting her against him with a smile. He had prepared for this. He was only waiting now for—

"Gilbert darling, your father and I are going for a walk- oh, for goodness sakes, Anne, the poor boy can't even keep his eyes open for an afternoon," Sonia said in exasperation.

Anne laughed, seeing the lazy smile cross Gilbert's face. "I can forgive him for that, Mrs Blythe. He had to work very hard last week."

Gilbert didn't open an eyelid. "Two babies, a burnt hand, a broken femur, nettle rash, nappy rash and teething; oh- and someone threw a surprise party for a man with a newly diagnosed heart condition."

John Blythe chuckled around the pipe in his mouth. "Sounds like your hands are full."

"They certainly are."

Of course, neither of his parents could see the hand that gently squeezed Anne's slim waist at that moment, and they conveniently ignored the blush on her pale cheeks. When the older couple left the gate towards the Haunted Wood, Anne rounded on Gilbert with a twinkle in her eye.

"I knew it wasn't gone, you know." He raised one brown eyebrow at her, and she pulled his hand out from behind her. "I never believed that you had left your teasing days behind you."

Gilbert grinned, pulling her close to kiss her. "How can I help it? You're here."

Anne chuckled at the way he nuzzled into her warm skin. "You can't blame me for your wicked ways, Doctor Blythe."

"Oh, I love it when you call me that," he mumbled, making her laugh again. He kissed both cheeks firmly and pulled away from her with a smile. "I wondered if you would come inside with me, sweetheart."

Anne looked at him in surprise but rose from the chair when he held his hand out to her. They chatted about inconsequential matters as he led her inside the house, and Gilbert walked her through the cozy living room to a door on the right, and it was then that he felt her stiffen beside him. He turned to her, and the two of them stood together in the light that the drapes allowed inside. She didn't speak, however, it was clear that she was uncomfortable.

Gilbert drew her close to him, his hazel eyes holding her own. "Anne-girl, I know this may seem unorthodox-"

Anne summoned a teasing smile then, covering up her anxiety neatly. "Gilbert Blythe, I can think of several very good reasons why I should not accompany you up there- and I am sure your parents would not approve of such cheek."

"I cleared it with them," he said, shocking her entirely. He took her other hand in his warm ones. "We've walked through many hard things, Anne- and I know that you were terribly hurt here. I would like the chance to undo that, if I may."

She shook her head then, grey eyes falling before his. "You don't need to, Gil."

He tugged on her hands then, his look pleading. "Please, Anne. Come with me. Trust me."

After a moment, she nodded, her arms held stiffly by her sides. He tucked her arm through his and opened the door that led to the family bedrooms. Anne hesitated on the first step, although Gilbert couldn't tell whether it was the stairs or the memories that concerned her more. He began a gentle dialogue as he assisted her, wanting to ease her anxiety.

Anne swallowed hard, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other. As foolish as it seemed to be where she was, the last thing they needed right then was for her to fall. She was shaking by the time they reached the landing, and Gilbert pulled her into his arms to rest. He smiled into her anxious face. "Ready?"

She laughed shakily. "That depends on where you're taking me, doctor."

For just a moment, Gilbert was serious. "Sweetheart, I'm not keen on there being places that we are afraid to tread. If you will let me, I want to show you the place you were desperately wanted- needed all those years ago. I want you to come here and feel safe." His thumb brushed a tear that fell down her ivory cheek, and he kissed her softly. "Anne, I loved you then, and I love you now. I dreamed of you in my room. And as selfish as this may seem, I want it to be more for us than a place you were barred from by my words."

Anne gave a shaky laugh. All afternoon she had studiously avoided the sight of the door at the foot of the stairs, assuming that in time she would grow hardened to it. "Your parents really sanctioned this?"

Gilbert chuckled. "Oh, not without cautioning me to be a gentleman- but mother understood. She knew it mattered."

To his surprise then, Anne stepped away from him with just a nod. She walked a trifle unsteadily towards his bedroom, and Gilbert watched her, his own eyes moist. Had he ever needed to be as brave as she was?

Anne came to the threshold and looked in, her cheeks flushed. She felt Gilbert come up behind her, placing his hands on her waist. "Welcome to my bedroom," he said with a grin.

Anne looked around her in surprise. "It's a normal room."

Gilbert snorted with laughter. "What did you think it would be?"

She laughed, moving to sit down on the bed. Gilbert stayed by the door, unable to keep the delight from his face at seeing her there. "I don't know. It loomed in my imagination, I suppose. A cave in which you were hidden from me- or rather, where you hid from me."

Gilbert walked into the room, his hands stuffed into his pockets. "Well, you can see that it's neither a dungeon nor part of a haunted castle. Just a very, ordinary room."

He sat beside her, and Anne nestled her head on his shoulder. "Has it changed much since then?"

Gilbert looked around with a smile. "Well, bearing in mind that I've hardly been here in seven years, very little. Mother changed the curtains, apparently." He turned his head slightly, tipping her pointed chin upwards to kiss her with a cheeky grin. "Honestly, this is the best moment I've ever spent in my bedroom."

Anne chuckled and gave him an odd glance, her cheeks flushing. "I would have to say the same."

Gilbert's breath left him in a rush, and he reached to pull her close to him, kissing her sweet mouth with passion. He smiled at the way her hands reached for him longingly, her slender fingers winding through his brown curls, and her chest rising and falling with his own. A soft moan left him then, and he pulled her onto his lap, holding her against him and kissing her possessively. After a time a flushed Anne pulled away, her grey-green eyes on him in wonder.

"So this is what you and I are like in love," she said softly.

Gilbert caught his breath, raising one eyebrow as he held her close. "Yes?" he answered, confused.

Anne's cheeks flamed. "I didn't know it would be like this," she answered seriously, for a moment unable to look into the face so near her own. "We talk, we tease- we tease about things I never thought we would, in fact- and I- I didn't know that things between us would be so-" she looked up then and her voice faltered. "-so passionate."

Gilbert chuckled. "Anne-girl, you and I were either arguing ferociously or the very closest of friends. It doesn't surprise me at all."

Anne's wistful eyes were on the window, watching apple trees blowing in the breeze. She turned to him with a short sigh. "You don't think us too passionate for a betrothed couple?"

Gilbert's eyebrows flew up. "I don't think so, sweetheart. Is something troubling you?"

She gave a wry laugh. "That's just it, you see. It doesn't at all. I shouldn't be in here- I shouldn't be thinking about you the way I do until we are actually married," she said slowly, not seeing the triumphant gleam in his eyes at her comment. "And when we talk about later, about when we are married, I- I wonder how many people are the way that we are together."

Gilbert's arms tightened around her waist. He began to speak, choosing his words carefully. "I suppose- I've never felt like this before," he said frankly, his hazel eyes falling to her hands. He took them in his own, his fingers tracing the veins on her slender wrists. "I've never known what it is to love you and have you love me back- I've never felt so happy that it terrifies me." His eyes held hers earnestly then. "And it probably makes me unwise in the things I say- perhaps I've gone too far at times."

Anne's eyes flew open in alarm. "I didn't mean that, Gil." She gave a chuckle, her lashes falling onto pink cheeks then. "I think that I'm unwise sometimes," she ventured.

Gilbert sighed. "I wish I could have told you back then how I felt about you. That I loved you- that I desired you, Anne-girl. It was good that I didn't then. But now we are together, I don't want to keep that from you. You seemed so surprised that I felt that way about you- and yet you have to know that I felt it almost before I knew what it meant."

Anne stroked his cheek, a smile playing around her mouth. "This is what I mean- I never knew that it would be like this between us," she whispered. "It still surprises me, Gil. No matter what I imagined there being between us over the years, I never imagined it would feel this way. And it makes me wish that we didn't have so much time ahead of us until we marry." She chuckled, hiding her face against the collar of his shirt. "Nine years apart, and I can't wait three months."

Gilbert snorted. "Why do you think I talk to you the way I do? Neither can I. It's ungrateful to be this impatient." He pulled back to meet her eyes candidly. "I do tease, sweetheart- but I want you to know that I would never dishonour you by acting against your wishes- I would never want to betray the trust you have in me."

Anne silenced him with a long kiss. When she pulled away, her grey eyes were firm. "I know you by heart, Gilbert Blythe. I would never fear that you would. Even if I think I would like to-" Anne stopped herself only just in time, her eyes enormous. "Oh, Gil, this is exactly what I am talking about!" she muttered into his shirt. "I have absolutely no filters with you!"

He snatched her to him with a laugh. "I don't want you to have any with me." He kissed her cheek lightly. "Do you know how many people talk about married love with their spouse?" At this comment, Gilbert only narrowly prevented her from falling off his lap in shock. He smiled at her confusion. "In my work, I confront that all of the time. People won't discuss it, problems never get addressed, and I think too many people are never sure that they are wanted," he said gently. "I don't want that for us. So if you are alright to do so, I want us to keep talking the way we always have. And soon- so, so soon this will be our reality."

Anne smiled at him, her arms slipping around his neck. "Even if we are the most scandalous betrothed couple of all time?"

Gilbert grinned. "Now that's a challenge worth accepting." He pressed his forehead against hers. "And speaking of our betrothal, before we go downstairs I have something for you."

Anne looked at him in surprise. "Oh?"

He shifted her off his lap, holding her at the waist until she was standing steadily. Leading her to his desk, he pulled out the faded wooden chair for her and smiled as he got down on one knee before her. Out of the drawer beside her, he drew a small, golden ring.

Anne watched in awe as he turned her left hand over, and slid the band onto her finger, the emerald gleam of the stone glinting in the sunlight.

"It's green for your eyes," Gilbert said quietly. "I know you don't care for diamonds, and when I saw this I thought of you. When you walked back into my life, it seemed that I was always watching you- I was trying to get to know you all over again." He smiled then, a beautiful smile that made Anne reach for him. "I began to see that they turn this colour when you look at me. It's a privilege to be loved by you- it's a privilege to know that I will spend the rest of my life with you."

Anne leaned forward to kiss him, her arms slipping around his neck. She pulled away from him after a moment with a smile, pausing to look at the green ring now in place on her finger. "It's beautiful," she said softly, and chuckled with pink cheeks. "Now, as much as I adore doing this, I think that we really need to go downstairs, dearest."

Gilbert grinned at her. "I suppose so. Are you ready? Are our ghosts gone?"

Anne nodded. She looked around then, idly wondering where her walking stick was. Gilbert smiled at the movement. "It's downstairs. I didn't think you needed it when you had me."

Late in the afternoon, the two of them sat watching the sunlight move through the trees in the apple orchard. Gilbert's mother was busy preparing supper in the kitchen, and John Blythe could be heard in the barn talking to his animals. Under the oldest of the trees, Gilbert's head lay on Anne's lap, and her hand idly traced through his brown curls. "Thank you for bringing me home," she said softly. "I'm glad that we came. We couldn't have done this in a letter."

He caught her hand in his with a smile. "We'll be back at our real home tomorrow," he said thoughtfully. "And that's when the work will begin."

Anne smiled. "Plans for the finish of the school year."

"For Montreal."

"A house," she added, and Gilbert chuckled.

"A wedding, a honeymoon and juggling a busy practice through it all." He stretched his hand up to cup her cheek from where he lay. "So what is it like, Anne-girl?" he asked with a curious smile. "To be in love?"

She gave him a smile that was made of pure happiness, as she bent down to kiss him. "Like being able to fly, Gilbert."