Author's Note:

Thank you for the suggestion for both the Shrimp and here we'll meet his mother, Lady Thompson. Sir John Thompson was prime minister during Anne's early years at Green Gables per the timeline I'm using. He was a hard working man who worked himself to death, dying while in London to meet with Queen Victoria after being invited to join her Privy council in 1894. Per my research she was described by historians as high spirited young woman in her youth whom resembled Catherine Linton in Emily Brontë's Withering Heights. Everything I could find makes me think that if Mrs. Harrison and Mrs. Lynde knew a lot about her they'd never name a dog for her. She was free spirited, Catholic, but there would have been a prestige around Sir John Thompson for having been the first prime minister to die in office while in England. So unless her name is changed due to a better selection :D… Meet Lady Thompson and her pup The Shrimp.

Per my research I am estimating that Anne, the girls at Patty's Place and Gilbert would likely be budgeting about $600 a year each towards their school expenses. Tuition, books, clothing, room and board, pocket money, and travel funds for getting to and from college. I would assume that the rent from the farm at Green Gables would cover the upkeep at Green Gables, the care of the twins, and food for everyone at Green Gables. Anne & Gilbert though would be using their own funds to cover for their costs while at college. So that gives you an idea of how $1000 would spread out for their expenses.

WARNING:… I've tried to keep it vague, but things get a little steamy & we have a flashback of some spousal abuse Anne witnessed before Green Gables. You should though expect that with the set up from the last chapter. Sorry though, Gilbert doesn't rip any bodices. Also we've got boys being boys at the meeting of the Lambs.

Story Plan Update: This has been a wonderful journey with you, and thank you for reading. When I finished the first part I started to outline a long second act for Spring 1900 - Summer 1901, planning a very long saga for a novel spanning four years. Let me tell you such a slow pace is hard to write! Between not wishing to write a drawn out love triangle with Roy (Sorry I find him annoying) and just what's coming up with my life that I don't see myself having time to write another 100k words for the years Fall 1901 - Spring 1903 nor the interest. So reviewing the plot I've found a way to resolve the plot quicker, and and it's now going to be 25 chapters. So 115k-120k vs 200k+. So I will be going back to posting Fridays & Mondays with the goal of publishing it all before Christmas. Happy Thanksgiving & Merry Christmas.

Chapter 18: The Shrimp

As for the Shrimp, Gilbert had called him that a year ago when Nan had brought the miserable, scrawny kitten home from the village where some boys had been torturing it, and the name clung, though it was very inappropriate now. - Anne of Ingleside, Chapter III

Anne woke both freezing cold and deliciously warm. The wind had died down, and the faintest gray light outlined the trunk that made one of the walls of their cocoon. There was frost on her lips, and a dusting of snow in the small gap between their bedding and the roof Gilbert had built for them the night before. She was indecently pressed into Gilbert, her face held against a bare shoulder, hands sprayed over firm muscles. That was the first thing she registered. She flushed feeling the frost melting as she realized the rest.

She'd hoped that the respectably of her girlhood nightgown would provide some barrier from the married future she feared. The seams had burst in several places though and risen indecently high, leaving her indecently exposed to her husband whose hands had found bare skin, while the most prominent evidence of his urges was like a rifle ready and loaded for the kill.

This was her future, she realized. She could feel Gilbert beginning to stir, the evidence of his desire for their future life more and more evident in every movement of him. She didn't know if she wanted to melt into him or flee. She felt like a spring was being wound inside her gut, good or bad she could not tell, she almost gasped as one hand moved just so and it was like lightning striking. They could not go back to being just the good chums. Her breath hitched for a second, and her heart began to race as he moaned softly, likely still asleep. Not that she dared check.

Memories from before Green Gables came crashing in around her then. Mrs. Hammond walking stiffly from the kitchen to serve supper after seeing to her husband's urges as pink liquid dripped onto her bare feet. She'd bark at Anne to make sure the floor in the kitchen was cleaned up after supper. The newest babies crying for their supper, barely a month old just as Mr. Hammond would demand for his, his words beginning to slur from drink.

She felt bile rise up. Would he take his pleasure from her now? She'd heard whispers that there were ways to prevent babies in the asylum. Not that she'd paid attention. But she'd heard the eldest girls whisper as they prepared to leave and enter service. What those were she didn't know.

"Anne." He'd suddenly frozen. He'd quickly disentangled them, allowing for both space and cold air to come between them. Her breathing began to slow down. "I'm sorry… I was dreaming. I promised it wouldn't change that way until I'm Dr. Blythe and I meant it. I'll just check on how we survived the storm, I really am trying to just be Chum Gilbert, well Chum Gilbert who's also your husband. I gave my word we wouldn't, not until I'm Dr. Blythe and I'll keep to it, no matter how much we're tempted. The damage to the roof… I guess we should talk."

"No!" Anne did her best to not allow the bile to rise. "I'd rather forget about it. The sooner we're dressed, and found our way back into the rest of the house the better. Please, Gilbert… You promised nothing would change and even talking… it would change so much. Let's pretend that none of the awkward things, the times we've had to share a bed, just now, or when I walked in on you… let's' start afresh and forget it all."

He'd nodded slowly. "Chums."

They'd dressed, and in the morning light with the sun beginning to break open through the clouds they surveyed the damage. Two rafters were broken and a good section of the roof would need to be re shingled after they'd cleaned up the damage to the attic. An ax unseen in the dark was found in a back corner, and with Anne standing back she'd watched Gilbert smash open the door. She'd gone back to retrieve Marilla's diary, some how miraculously dry before following him through the hole made in the door.

He'd insisted on serving her the still warm though over cooked stew. She'd spread out the journal, thankfully mostly dry and was reading aloud to him.

"Mother mentioned the family heirloom today when Grandfather came by. I was assisting her to prepare the tea when she'd mentioned it again. "That heirloom will be the death of us all. For all that your uncle claims it should have been his as the first born. But then with his past, as any good Christian would, the heirloom was put where it belongs. It'd always been passed down eldest son to son ever since Queen Elizabeth gave it to Marcus Cuthbert for a service over two hundred years ago."

"A gift from Queen Elizabeth?" Gilbert asked as he sat down beside her at the kitchen table. "I wonder what it is. You think it's still here?"

She'd flushed before turning away. She couldn't look him in the face.

It was then she'd heard a wagon approaching the yard. "They're back!" She cried, jumping up and away from him. She'd rushed to grab her coat and boots, not bothering with anything else. She'd rushed to hug each even Mr. Harrison who'd helped Dora and Mrs. Lynde down from his sleigh. "Looks like you've some damage. I'll be over later Gilbert to help you start what repairs we can. We'll get word out and I'm sure within a day or two we'll have that roof repaired."

"We thank you." Gilbert said shaking Mr. Harrison's hand. "Was a fright, but I think it's repairable, I'll survey the rest of the trees near the house before the next storm though. Won't risk us having another tree falling on the house or barn again in a storm."

"Anne, you wouldn't believe it but last night Mr. Harrison's dog Lady Thompson had her puppies. He'd not planned to breed her, and said they're all mutts. I'm to go over and help and soon as they're weaned he's promised me one. They'd all looked different. Mr. Harrison said likely all the dogs of Avonlea got to her. Why, I want to know."

"It's all quite indecent. Lady Thompson I would have thought a respectable dog would have a respectable litter. The litter though is quite small and quite motley." Mrs. Lynde huffed. "Mrs. Harrison and I agreed that Mr. Harrison has quite the bad luck of picking such heathen animals. The parrot and now this dog whose of questionable morals."

—

Gilbert did his best to remove all traces of love making, romance, or desire from his interacting with his betrothed wife over the remaining weeks. He'd thought hard on it and determined that clearly his wife held a fear of them getting ahead of themselves. As the man, he'd realized, it was his responsibility to protect her even if from his own ardor. Truly it was his own greatest fear that he'd fail her and get her pregnant before he'd achieved his dream of being a doctor and had the means to properly take care of his family. He'd joked and done his best to cheer her over Christmas, New Years, and through the first few weeks of January. Only when Davy was asleep did he allow himself at times to dwell on the memory of their cocoon and how it felt to hold her as husband should his wife. He had much to look forward to but in the mean time they had hard work and years of study ahead of them. That she'd ensured they were never alone again during that winter, he did not fault her. He didn't trust himself alone with his wife. Not if he intended to ensure they'd wait for him to be Dr. Blythe to start their nursery.

His father, and several of the neighbor men came on Christmas even to help repair the roof with supplies Mr. Harrison brought in from Carmody. They'd split new shingles and by the days end the roof was repaired and they were all served a hearty meal by Mrs. Lynde and Anne. They'd wiped most of the savings from the Green Gables coffers, and they'd have to pray that there'd be no surprise expenses until the next quarterly rent payment came for the farm.

He'd gone Christmas morning with Davy to bring over Christmas gifts through the snow to the neighbors and upon greeting Mr. Harrison he'd been shown into the kitchen by an excited Davy to admire the new mama and her pups. The straggliest, muttiest, smallest of them all was the one Davy had declared his. He'd been the one after all to deliver it last when they'd thought there was no more left to deliver. "She's a shrimp." Gilbert had laughed at her small size compared to the others. "Quite the Shrimp."

The name stuck. The Shrimp, Davy had gleefully informed Anne, would be weened near Anne's birthday and would take up residence at Green Gables and sleep at Davy's feet. There was little else of note, those winter holidays save a letter leaving Anne and Gilbert a $1000 from Miss Barry who'd passed. "One more kindred soul lost." Anne had spoken forlornly. Truly a blessing though to loosen their very tight finances. He could now sleep knowing they'd manage their bills for one more year

They'd spent the week before returning checking the newspaper for news of the ice ferry crossing. There was talk of its passage ending for the season. Yet Providence blessed them with one favor. They'd managed to take the last ferry to the mainland before the ice ferry was retired for the winter and the Island would hibernate with only the ice boats carrying mail and the bravest of passengers across until the thaw would begin in spring. Not only that as classes started all of Canada went into mourning for the death of Queen Victoria. Black arm bands with QV embroidered in white became the fashion among all the young people in Kingsport, with the fad spreading by mail even to Avonlea as Diana Barry had the pleasure to start after a letter from Anne stated it was all the fad.

—

It had been two months since Gilbert Blythe had kissed his wife. No, he'd thought again, nearly ten weeks now. Even longer since he'd kissed her properly, like a man should his wife. They'd both thrown themselves into their studies, and except for meals and the gatherings at Patty's Place Friday nights, and long rambles on Sunday afternoons he saw little of his wife.

It was mid February, and he was walking towards the library where Anne meant to study while he was attending the Lamb's meeting two blocks east from Redmond College over at the Exhibition Hall. A few of the other fellas both on the football team and the Lambs were just coming up the hall from the history classroom waving at him reminding him of a good joke. He'd leaned down to whisper it to Anne, enjoying her sparkling eyes as she bit her lips at his quip. "I'll come by to escort you after we're done Anne." He'd then attempted to kiss her only for her to slip to the side so that his lips only caught some stray hairs.

He refused to let his frustration show, instead bowing to his betrothed wife, as though he was in some shakespearian play, then joined the other fellas as they headed out of the college over the few blocks to the Exhibition Hall where the Lambs rented a meeting room monthly for their secret meetings.

The meeting was going much as many of the meetings did. Gilbert who was filling in as secretary ever since Peter Penhallow graduated a term early with his engineering degree. "We've got to leave a mark that the folks in Kingsport will never forget. Leave our mark." Spoke Ronald Stuart whom they all knew was trying to court and impress the Dean's daughter.

He'd been paying little attention he was afraid to the argument that broke out of what just a mark for the Lambs would look like. Instead he was thinking of his wife, who clearly did not want to be kissed.

"An exhibition fair might be good, but what would we do with the funds we'd raise from it?"

"Sponsor a dance?" Someone asked.

"Provide new clothes and school books to the local asylum." Gilbert suddenly found himself saying. "I'll do what ever it takes myself. What if we made some orphans dreams come true."

"Orphans?"

"Anne, my betrothed, lived in one for a few years. They always need funding." Gilbert spoke, realizing how little he actually knew about his wife's years there. That she'd been underfed was a given, and dressed in skimpy dresses. He'd have to ask her on their next walk about it more.

"We could have a kissing both." Peter Young suggested. "Hey Blythe, you think the ladies at Patty's Place would help? I know your fiancé wouldn't. I mean gosh we've all witnessed how frigid she is with you. I mean why you'd ask her to marry you. It'll be like having a cold fish in your bed when you bed the Frigid Queen."

"Don't call her that." Gilbert glared.

"Just stating the facts." Peter shrugged. "We all saw how she slapped you for just steeling a kiss last fall and it seems things still haven't improved if what I saw by the library was any indication."

"She just doesn't like public displays of affection." Gilbert growled, refusing to admit she didn't seem to like it either in private. "Now we're here to discuss the way to leave a mark for the Lambs, not my love life."

"Prove it." Peter smirked. "I bet you can't get your fiancé, the Frigid Queen to melt."

"Gentlemen this is the time to discuss how we'll leave our mark. Not Blythe's poor choice in a fiancé." Ronald Stuart motioned for all the men to sit down. "I propose we do a concert for the orphans. We truly must help a brother Lamb with his dismal love life. Clearly he doesn't know how to woo a woman properly."

Peter suddenly stepped up on top of the table, waiving at the other men. "Gentlemen, I'd like to make a wager, a Lamb's wager."

Gilbert groaned. A Lamb's wager. There were always three rules. Only Lambs were allowed to know about it, two you'd get tarred and feathered for revealing Lamb's secrets, and three, it was always something impossible, or nearly so, such that the pot for winning would grow. Oh and four, there was always consequences for failing.

"I wager that Blythe can't melt the Frigid Queen during our concert." Peter smirked. "We'll make him Master of the Ceremonies, but I wager Gilbert Blythe win's the pot if he can thoroughly ravish the Frigid Queen before the final number."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Why it'll just confirm she's the frigid queen, and he'll be known as the fool engaged to the frigid queen. And Gilbert will have to publicly confess that his betrothed is the Frigid Queen. I think in the halls of Redmond would be a fair punishment."

"How would we discern that he has?" Wilson Parker asked. "Even a normal girl, let alone the Frigid Queen wouldn't let her fiancé ravish her with an audience. My brother tried that once. Her father used a shot gun to force the wedding."

"Why," Peter grinned. "Blythe can prove it by a matching pair of love bites in them each below the neck, plus perhaps her stockings in his pocket."

"She could take them off and hand it to him." Wilson argued. "No, something more obvious."

"Swollen lips," Ronald Stuart stepped onto the table. "Gentlemen, we must be brothers in arms to help our brother out! Three men I want you to procure Blythe flowers that we will present on his behalf when the performance starts. We'll then confirm her still to be the Frigid Queen."

There were a few snickers.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen." Ronald motioned for them to quiet. "If by the end of the concert, and we'll make Gilbert Blythe master of ceremonies so there won't be much time to ravish her. We'll confirm before it starts she knows nothing of the bet or plans, but if she's been clearly ravished when she goes to join him on stage for the final recitation and stand with Gilbert as he announces the funds raised for the orphans. We'll all kill the rumors of the Frigid Queen and rename her the Blythe Queen."

"What proof will we have? What will we look for?" One man asked.

"You remember at the last dance." Peter grinned at Ronald. "When we saw you and Milly Edwards sneak back from the gardens. Mused hair, love bites below the neck with clothes disarrayed, swollen lips, a dazed look, oh and you had Milly's stockings in your back pocket. Course you never noticed that we took them when you were dancing…"

"Perfect example! Course in my case it's a frigid father not girl. Once I convince her father I've had quite the taste of what I've got to look forward too…" Ronald turned to Gilbert, "Up for the Lamb's Wager and to melt your frigid queen? I mean none of us want to think about you marrying a girl so frigid that she'd rather think of dead queen Victoria and lay as still as a log on your wedding night. Though in your case, she'd be thinking of some silly poem and be oblivious to the whole process until some old biddy told her she's expecting. I really pity your future Gilbert."

It was stupid, Anne would kill him, no that wasn't right. Anne would break something heavy on his head. But it would stop the rumors and the thought of thoroughly kissing Anne. Who cared about the pot. Though, "The total I'll be announcing with include the Wager Pot."

"She'll be thoroughly kissed such you can't doubt it. I'll put my own funds in the wager. $30."

He didn't have the extra funds many of the Lambs did to throw at wagers and he'd never once yet thrown a dollar at a wager. But this was personal. He'd forgo the new suit he'd meant to purchase that spring. Anne could keep mending it. It didn't look that bad.

"And if anyone can get a kiss from any lady from Patty's Place after the Concert in the lobby. I'll personally add $5." One of the fellas yelled.

Tasks were distributed for the concert, and with Ronald Stuart leading the men, they all joined in the solemn pledge of the Lambs that no word would ever leave that room especially to the ladies of Patty's Place of the bets placed on the ladies. Gilbert had protested only for the men to tease. "She's your fiancé! Your only worry is convincing her to do so during the concert vs in some dark corner elsewhere. Don't tell me you haven't snuck favors…"

He'd taken the vow. At least, he realized, he could tell her of the bet and their requirements when the concert started. Maybe he'd make enough head way with her that she'd go along with it. For the orphans.

—

It was the 24th of February, when the sky blue and clear for once Gilbert had suggested their track into the Park to the Gazebo near the point after church. She'd tried to convince one of the other girls to come with them. Yet they'd all deserted her to the cozy warmth of the fireplace at Patty's Place. So bundled up in a heavy scarf Mrs. Lynde had knitted her at Christmas, Anne let Gilbert lead her the back way towards the park through the orchard behind Patty's Place.

They'd been walking twenty minutes in silence when he spoke. "Anne. We really need to talk."

"True. Silence can only last so long. What do you think the pines are saying to each other as they shake the snow off?"

"Seriously Anne. About us."

"Gil…"

He cut her off. "I'm still getting ribbed by the fellas for you slapping me when I kissed you at the Harvest Dance last fall. We're betrothed! Anne not only that you're technically my wife. We had our Lambs meeting last week. Anne, they were making sport of us. Called you frigid and me a fool. I know we're waiting until our wedding feast to consummate the marriage and I gave you my word. But Anne, an engaged couple normally steel kisses. You've seen Fred and Diana. Don't tell me you don't remember that afternoon we walked over to Orchard Slope and we caught them righting their wardrobe quickly in the garden. The fellas made a bet. Made me swear as a Lamb to not tell anyone. Let's just say that if you prove them that you are as frigid as they think. Anne, you won't like the results."

"Gilbert Blythe." Anne turned to face him. How dare he! He'd given his word only to stomp all over it repeatedly since their marriage. "You gave your word. Clearly that doesn't mean much."

"What?" Gilbert glared at her. "Am I going to find you still frigid on our wedding night when we finally have our wedding feast? Are you going to do some nonsense such as just laying there and thinking of Queen Victoria. No, that's not like you, you'll be thinking of some story and ignoring your living breathing husband just like you are now. I gave up a lot Anne Blythe to marry you before we lost Marilla. I'm taking care of you, Green Gables, the twins. And the least you could do is kiss me and not flinch when I kiss you. You know show affection for your betrothed husband."

"Gilbert Blythe I don't think this is an appropriate conversation."

"What? You're not giving me much hope that you'd at least participate when we're joined physically as man and wife. Maybe the fellas were right and you''ll just be a frigid fish."

She slapped him. "Gilbert John Blythe! I'd always hoped men weren't the same but clearly you're one of the worse. To be so crass to talk of that, all you care about is your own pleasures. You're worse than Charlie and his regulations. Of which he should never speak of again in mixed company."

"Frigid Anne clearly." Gilbert growled. "I'm not thinking of my own pleasures in the marriage bed but wanting a responsive wife. One who participates in this marriage." He swore, and her eyes went wide. "You haven't once kissed me and you run when I try to kiss you. You know what that does to a fella's pride when both in public and private his wife, not just fiancé, but wife, would rather no doubt walk a ridgepole again then kiss him?"

"I…" She was lost for words. "I…"

"Maybe this whole marriage was a mistake. Maybe we should have just let Douglas Cuthbert take guardianship of Davy. Make him promise to raise Dora with Davy at Green Gables and promise to walk away. You could have stayed with Diana when ever you were home. I wonder if we'd not lost Marilla. Maybe I'd be growing bold enough this spring to ask you. You wouldn't have married me had you if it wasn't for saving Green Gables and the twins. You never would have."

"Gilbert." Her hand went up towards his chest, she felt frozen tears. Perhaps she was frigid. "I… No." She felt everything in her slump. "I don't love you that way and were we not forced I would have tried to make you see we were better just as friends. I've always had my ideal and it's not you. I never expected to find that ideal, instead grow old at Green Gables like Matthew and Marilla as Anne Shirley of Green Gables, a novelist and teacher."

His face hardened. "Guess there's no point in dwelling on what might have been. We made our vows before God. You may not love me that way. You may be repelled by me as your lover. You may be sick of the thought of us consummating our marriage. I've given up everything for you Anne Shirley Blythe. Even it seems the hope of a wife who loves me and actually desires my kisses. But when we're in public. Among the girls, at Redmond, on the streets, back home in Avonlea, even before the twins. I expect you to act as the besotted betrothal bride I deserve."

"Gilbert…" She laid her hand on his shoulder as he turned away. "I'll try."

He turned back towards her. "Try?"

She gulped before rising on her toes, feeling the snow crunch beneath her feet as the hand on his shoulder gripped him for balance. She kissed him quickly on the lips before pulling back. "To be the betrothal wife you deserve. We still have over five years though before our wedding night. Please, I don't even want to think about that."

"True." He sighed. "Why must I fight for everything in our relationship. For your forgiveness, our friendship, our marriage, and now love. Maybe I should just stop taking your nos for an answer. Maybe I should have thrown you over my shoulder an abducted you until you'd see reason and forgive me that day I rescued you from the pond." He grinned before grabbing her around the waist, swinging her over his shoulder, as he turned to walk back to Patty's Place.

"Put me down!" She growled only for it to turn into a laugh. "And you would have caused quite the scandal if you had done that when you'd rescued me, I was thirteen! I… I wish I had accepted your friendship that day though."

—

Anne's birthday was celebrated by the residents of Patty's Place the following weekend. That Anne kissed Gilbert's cheek in thanks for his present, a blank book for her writing, was smiled upon by the other ladies. A package had come from Avonlea with several letters from home. Davy wrote about his excitement of taking the Shrimp home and how the Shrimp loved his bed, though Mrs. Lynde insisted on a bed being made up for the Shrimp on the floor. Diana sent a doily she'd made for Anne's hope chest, and a lovely book mark for her studies with the profile of two lovers. Mrs. Lynde sent socks, for the winter was mighty cold and wrote two whole pages with lots of warning to Anne and the girls to keep warm. There was a drawing from Dora of Davy and the Shrimp, quite well drawn everyone agreed. Neat and methodical, though it lacked the creative flare that Davy's portrait of the Shrimp he sent included. That it was a dog he'd drawn was assumed. That the pictures was stamped with a paw print and a scratchy signature from the boy was clear. Mrs. Lynde though had written that it had to be some foreign dog that sired the pup for it looked like no dog in Avonlea.

Gilbert had broken the news of the concert the Lambs were putting on as they'd eating the cake Pris had made and their request for all the ladies of Patty's Place to assist. Perhaps it was him grinning at Anne. "They all bowed to my wisdom of asking you to help us ensure that all the funds we raise go to the orphans here in Kingsport. You'll help me Anne with that? I was thinking we'd get new shoes for the orphans, clothes…"

She'd rushed into his arms, her lips onto his for the briefest of seconds and her arms wrapped around his shoulders. "Yes." Only to realize what she'd done and to pull away quickly, refusing to look Gilbert in the eye the rest of the evening.

Maybe he had a chance to win the bet. And maybe, he signed. His love was enough for them.

Author's Note:

Dalhousie University which was renamed Redmond Collage by LM Montgomery is just a few blocks west of an Exhibition Hall per a 1890 map of Halifax I found. Also, I think you would find it interesting. Hickey was a term started about 1905. So I thought love bite more likely to be the term used. Now, will Gilbert convince Anne to do everything the fellas dared him to do during the concert? Or will it all go horribly wrong?

Honestly I was shocked when checking timelines to realize Anne was only 13 during the Lilly pond incident! I think because of the mini series I was thinking Anne as 15 at that point. Nope!