"... but I know Diana well try and get me to wear something else, if I say you like it..."
Anne was pacing back and forth on the porch the day of the concert conflicted with her dilemma. Gilbert knew she was nervous about the evening which only made her jitter more about everything else. He found it adorable but knew the conflict in her was overwhelming she would never admit to being nervous about it, bit not even to him but he'd seen it so often before he knew the signs.
" you don't need my approval nor disapproval," he said to her as he sat on the chair watching her pace "just tell Diana what you want to wear, what makes you feel comfortable. You'll be the one up there on stage..." He told her
" and everyone will be watching which is why I should look my best, and Diana does have the eye for the pretty."
" then wear what Diana suggests if that is what you want to do." He stood up and held Anne round the shoulders keeping her still and turning her towards him " or better yet do me a favour..." He leaned into her and whispered gently " and don't wear anything at all." He peered round to look at the blush which was on Anne's face and kissed her gently on the cheek. "no?" he confirmed, raising his hand and gently stroking her face " mores the pity." He said taking her in arms.
" Gil you can't say things like that in public. What if somebody heard." She cautioned him
" we aren't in public there's just you and I." He said smiling.
" you know what I mean, what if Marilla overheard, or walked through the door." She whispered. " we've only just convinced them that it safe for us to court." Anne reminded him.
" would overhearing something like that force us into a quick engagement an a marriage because if that the case..." He started taking a deep breath as if to shout when Anne covered his mouth laughing
" don't you dare Gilbert Blythe!" She exclaimed. " they'll never let us go to Queens if we were married already, and we would have wasted the last couple of years of our education! Don't you want your teachers licence?"
He took her hand away from his mouth " I'm only teasing of course I do." He said. " if I had to you know I would settle, I'd give up every dream I have to be with you." He said quietly and seriously.
" but you won't, because our dreams are in fulfilling all of our ambitions yes?" Anne smiled.
" all of them, we'll be there to support each other, not stand in the others way. Deal?" he said holding out his hand for a shake.
She took his hand " deal, we're in this together, so remember you have to be careful of what you say."
" careful?" he said quietly " careful? Over the last two years we've became experts of careful. And anyway my comment had the desired effects."
" oh?" she asked.
" well first I made you blush." He grinned.
She blushed again at what he said " and second?" she asked him
" your not thinking about the concert or your jitters anymore." He stroked her cheek again "So maybe you can relax for a moment and realise what you are capable of and you have no need to fear, because I have your hand and you won't ever fail in my eyes."
" you have a way of calming me so Gilbert Blythe, how do you do it?" she asked now in his arms.
" we've been friends for what 4 years now, been together for almost 2 years of that, I like to think I know you...a little bit." He said with a smile.
" you know me a lot, better than anyone, you're my best friend." She hugged into him he wrapped his arms around her and secured her to him.
Marilla came out to the porch. Gilbert was still very shy of showing affection in front of Marilla pulled away in shyness. His eyes fell to the ground. His hand behind his neck as he looked away.
Anne smiled, he pretended to be overconfident but the real him under it all was very sweet and wouldn't want to upset anyone and she knew over affection would only bring to Marilla's demure the same disapproval of two years ago and Gilbert didn't want to risk loosing her now! He became aware of the time as he saw Diana coming over the horizon in the distance.
" looks like my cue to go" he said pointing to Diana in the distance. He turned to Anne " remember no matter what you wear..." he managed a flirty grin " have confidence in yourself, you will succeed." He took Anne's hand and kissed it. " I'll see you later."
Do you really think the organdy will be best?" queried Anne anxiously.
"I don't think it's as pretty as my blue-flowered muslin—and it certainly isn't so fashionable."
"But it suits you ever so much better," said Diana. "It's so soft and frilly and clinging. The muslin is stiff, and makes you look too dressed up. But the organdy seems as if it grew on you." Diana said, she added " plus I'm sure Gilbert will like you more in this."
Anne sighed and yielded not daring to think upon what Gilbert really thought! Diana would be outraged! Plus Diana was beginning to have a reputation for notable taste in dressing, and her advice on such subjects was much sought after.
"There's something so stylish about you, Anne," said Diana, with unenvious admiration. "You hold your head with such an air. I suppose it's your figure. I am just a dumpling. I've always been afraid of it, and now I know it is so. Well, I suppose I shall just have to resign myself to it."
"But you have such dimples," said Anne, smiling affectionately into the pretty, vivacious face so near her own. "Lovely dimples, like little dents in cream. I have given up all hope of dimples. My dimple-dream will never come true; but so many of my dreams have that I mustn't complain. Am I all ready now?"
"All ready," assured Diana, as Marilla appeared in the doorway, a gaunt figure with grayer hair than of yore and no fewer angles, but with a much softer face. "Come right in and look at our elocutionist, Marilla. Doesn't she look lovely?"
Marilla emitted a sound between a sniff and a grunt.
"She looks neat and proper. I like that way of fixing her hair. But I expect she'll ruin that dress driving over there in the dust and dew with it, and it looks most too thin for these damp nights. Organdy's the most unserviceable stuff in the world anyhow, and I told Matthew so when he got it. But there is no use in saying anything to Matthew nowadays. Time was when he would take my advice, but now he just buys things for Anne regardless, and the clerks at Carmody know they can palm anything off on him. Just let them tell him a thing is pretty and fashionable, and Matthew plunks his money down for it. Mind you keep your skirt clear of the wheel, Anne, and put your warm jacket on Gilbert is waiting downstairs."
Anne's heart did a leap as Marilla left the room.
"oh Anne! Gilbert! Gilbert Blythe! Oh I always thought you two belonged together. I'm so glad it's happened!" she sighed. " not such a big secret anymore." She said with a knowing smile.
" and we're glad." Anne sighed. " all that sneaking around was really starting to take its toil." Anne admitted. " still we can't portray ourselves too seriously..." She trailed.
" it must be serious by now it's been almost 2 years." Diana said in asking terms.
Anne knew she had agreed to no more secrets but telling someone else about saying 'I love you' seemed wrong somehow it was intimate and she loved it was between he and she. " we better get downstairs." She said to Diana.
Diana went ahead, Anne heard Gilbert and her talk as she went down the stairs evidently he was waiting at the bottom of the stairs for her.
" Diana," he greeted " you look pretty tonight." He said with a grin.
" well thank you Gilbert." She smiled back. " wait until you see Anne."
He looked up the stair case to see Anne come round the corner. Short of fulfilling his fleeting flirty fancies (mores the pity) he found the young lady in front of him most alluring. He had always thought it, but the thought now was becoming more and more frequent that she Anne Shirley was the most beautiful soul in existence.
" Anne!" He whispered. He cleared his throat. " you caved to Diana's choice then." He grinned. " I glad she caved to one of us." He said with a wink to Anne which made her giggle. Diana looked confused for a moment before she parted to the kitchen. " you look..." he laughed at a memory " very aesthetically pleasing." They both laughed.
"aesthetically pleasing?" Anne said remembering the memory but questioning him saying it.
"I did say very." He said as they laughed. He went serious again. " beautiful, you look very beautiful." He said kissing her cheek. " this is for you." He said holding out a small corsage of flowers for her.
" Gil!" she exclaimed " it's beautiful!"
" just like you." He smiled finishing putting it on her taking her arm and putting it in his.
Gilbert couldn't believe how lucky he was. Here he was with a beautiful girl on his arm who was extremely intelligent and was in love with him! Simple, him. And she thought him handsome! He'd been told it time and time again and he'd always given off the air of knowing it, but it meant nothing unless it came from Anne. Gilbert was up front driving with Anne sitting beside him following the buggie which carried Diana and Jane
"I wish I could spend more time with you tonight Gil, I won't even get to sit with you." She sighed.
" that's alright" he said "I got to bring you which is the important thing." He said squeezing her into him to reassure her. " hey Anne." He said gazing on her for a minute.
"hmmm?" she asked catching his eye.
" love you." He whispered so no one else heard. Wrapping his arm around her.
He turned his attention to the road as the buggies and wagons became thicker in traffic.
She kept her eyes on him. " love you too." She whispered back.
The moment she arrived she was dragged away she looked back to Gilbert pitifully who combined a shrug a smile and wink as she walked away. He happily took Diana's arm and agreed to sit with her group.
The next time Gilbert saw Anne he could see she had became victim to stage fright, to Anne everything was so strange, so brilliant, so bewildering—the rows of ladies in evening dress, the critical faces, the whole atmosphere of wealth and culture about her. Very different this from the plain benches at the Debating Club, filled with the homely, sympathetic faces of friends and neighbors. These people, she thought, would be merciless critics. Perhaps, like the white-lace girl, they anticipated amusement from her "rustic" efforts. She felt hopelessly, helplessly ashamed and miserable. Her knees trembled, her heart fluttered, a horrible faintness came over her; not a word could she utter, and the next moment she would have fled from the platform despite the humiliation which, she felt, must ever after be her portion if she did so.
Then in the midst she found a rather handsome face leaning forward in his chair, with a smile on his face— he was smiling of the effect produced by Anne's slender white form and spiritual face against a background of palms in particular his eyes she noticed egging her in. She could almost feel his heart beating as she looked at him, he looked at her in such a way. Suddenly, courage and determination tingling over her like an electric shock. Her fright and nervousness vanished; and she began her recitation, her clear, sweet voice reaching to the farthest corner of the room without a tremor or a break. Self-possession was fully restored to her, and in the reaction from that horrible moment of powerlessness she recited as she had never done before. When she finished there were bursts of honest applause. Anne, stepping back to her seat, blushing with shyness and delight, found her hand vigorously clasped and shaken by the stout lady in pink silk.
"My dear, you did splendidly," she puffed. "I've been crying like a baby, actually I have. There, they're encoring you—they're bound to have you back!"
Smiling, blushing, limpid eyed, Anne tripped back and gave a quaint, funny little selection that captivated her audience still further. The rest of the evening was quite a little triumph for her.
When the concert was over, the stout, pink lady—who was the wife of an American millionaire—took her under her wing, and introduced her to everybody; and everybody was very nice to her. The professional elocutionist, Mrs. Evans, came and chatted with her, telling her that she had a charming voice and "interpreted" her selections beautifully. Even the white-lace girl paid her a languid little compliment. They had supper in the big, beautifully decorated dining room; Gilbert, Diana and Jane were invited to partake of this, also, since they had come with Anne, she finally found herself in Gilbert's arms.
" Oh Gilbert! I've felt completely lost without you!" she half laughed as they embraced.
" you're quite the Belle of the ball!" He exclaimed. " you did beautifully my love, and everyone is saying it."
" I'm sorry I've been neglecting you." She said.
" that's alright, it's what I get for bringing the fairest and most eloquent lady on Prince Edward island." He said " anyway I get to take you home." He boasted. " and do a few other things too!" He exclaimed quietly. She looked to him and gave a nervous laugh which had only reflected the feeling she had since she stood on that stage!
" Oh and who is this?" the pink lady asked seeing Anne was on Gilbert's arm.
" this is Gilbert Blythe, Gilbert is my..." She paused, she could say it, she could actually say it out loud to another person " we're courting."
He looked to her his own heart racing. Yes, yes they were! he was courting Anne Shirley!
" my my, accomplished and a handsome beau." She smiled. " what do you make of her, aren't you going to stop her from this kind of behaviour in the future?" she asked knowing the world view on women on the stage.
" why would I stop her?" he asked. " she performed marvellously, and since its part of her which was up there performing, it would hypocritical of me to try and stop her from doing anything she puts her mind to, especially since that is who I... admire so much. Now if she chose to stop that would be different but let's not force any decisions on her yet, there's still plenty of scope to grow is there not?" he asked with all his charm.
" my quite the forward thinker!" she exclaimed. " don't let him go!" she told Anne.
They had dropped off Diana and Jane which had left them alone in the buggy riding up lovers lane. He paused the buggy and reached over for her wrapping her in his arms he kissed her deeply.
" YOU are stunning." He whispered. When he came up for air. " and we're courting! We're courting!" He exclaimed.
" you are wonderful." She smiled " I'm so lucky, 15 and found my Prince!" she replied.
He kissed her again then smiled. " well this is very improper of me, it's after dark and I'm sitting in a parked buggy kissing a girl!"
" it's a bit late to stop kissing me now." Anne mused. "it's very almost 2 years."
" lucky me!" He exclaimed starting the buggy again.
" no lucky me!" Anne smiled. He out his arm back around her and she snuggled in putting her hand on his knee. "oh be gone with propriety!" she smiled into him. " we've never done as we are told by proprietary we aren't about to start are we?" she smiled.
"I hope not." He grinned. They arrived at green gables and parted little knowing Marilla or Matthew would soon appear. The buggy came to a stop he jumped down and offered his hand to her, she took it and he lead her to the porch. He saw Marilla at the kitchen window and whispered to Anne. " this seriously reduces the way by which I can say goodbye." He flirted.
Anne laughed. " then how will you?" she asked. He took her by the hand and kissed it gently before he quickly dropped it as the door opened.
" good evening miss Cuthbert." Gilbert said. " it's a shame you missed tonight everyone was praising Anne's performance, I must add my own to it, her performance was splendid!"
" yes so I've heard from Matthew." She said with a half grin.
" well I should get going." He smiled. " thank you for allowing us to go together tonight miss Cuthbert, it was a real honour to take Anne." He smiled.
" you're welcome." Marilla said to him.
" goodnight Anne." He said looking at her before he walked away.
" night Gil." She turned and watched him go. He turned and looked at her as he went. He wished he could wink but miss Cuthbert was still standing guard.