Anne bolted away from Gilbert in a blur of blue and red, leaving him bewildered and lost, as he always did whenever she caught him off guard. Before he could instigate a search for her, a loud, impatient cough caught his attention. He spun around to come face to face with Winifred, who looked ready to murder him.

"I'm sorry," he muttered and cringed at such a pathetic attempt at an apology.

With a snort that could hardly be considered "ladylike", Winifred released a burst of laughter. "No, you're not. You were far too eager to go comfort that girl and left me standing alone, looking like a prized idiot. Do you love her? Are you stringing me along like a puppet?"

Gilbert objected to this immediately. "I'd comfort anyone who was upset. If you had run off, I'd comfort you, too."

"You are a liar," she spat. "I see the way you look at her, and I see the way you look at me. You ought to look at me the way you look at her, but you've never done that." Her voice was filled with anger and hurt, her eyes shining, yet no tears were in sight. She stepped forward, her dress billowing around her, and Gilbert had never seen her look so intimidating, with her hair properly styled and immaculate outfit properly tailored.

"Are you in love with her? Tell me at once before we continue this ridiculous charade."

"Yes," he admitted, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders before guilt rained down on him for the heartbreak he must've caused this poor woman. To his surprise, Winifred smiled at him, a cold, frosty smile that sent a chill down his spine. "I love her, but we can still be friends. My relationship with Anne started that way."

His attempt to console her did not succeed. "Thank you for being honest. Oh, and just before I go, a parting gift." She slapped him, not hard but firm enough to get him to stumble backwards. Before he could mumble another apology, she stormed off.

"I can't believe she did that," Gilbert glanced up as Bash approached him, still nursing his cheek.

He put on a brave face and shrugged it off. "At least it wasn't a slate," he said with a chuckle. "Don't try to comfort me, Bash. I deserved that."

"No, you didn't", Bash replied, concern on his face. "You may have won first prize for biggest moke, but she should not have laid her hand on you."

Gilbert wrapped his arm around Bash's shoulder to reassure his brother. "Bash, I'm fine. No, I'm more than fine. I feel fantastic, as free as a bird, and now I can tell Anne how I feel. I think she feels the same."

Bash raised his eyebrows as Gilbert finally revealed this bit of information. "So it's Anne, huh? I win."

Gilbert was too full of adrenaline to roll his eyes at Bash's teasing, but then something held him back. "I could be wrong, though. Maybe she doesn't feel the same. Then what?"

"You won't know if you don't take a chance. The last time I saw her, she was heading into that fortune teller's tent. Why your girl believes in such things is beyond me…"

Gilbert's heart raced as he sped off in Anne's direction, his mind filled with hope and fear. He couldn't bear the thought of another misunderstanding, another missed opportunity. He had to find her, had to tell her how he felt. He couldn't help but feel a strange sense of gratitude towards Winifred.

He turned around and shouted his parting words to Bash.

"'You know, I think I'll send a thank-you letter to Winnie. That slap has knocked some much-needed sense into me! Why is it that every time I get hit, I get enlightened?'

Anne's anger surged as she confronted the fortune teller, her heart pounding with fury and heartbreak. 'You lied to me,' she snapped, her voice trembling with emotion. "You should not be telling fortunes for a living. How can you deceive me like this?"

The fortune teller smirked at her over her crystal ball, the dim tent light casting eerie shadows on her face. Anne had the urge to smash the ball over her head, but she resisted, not wanting to give the woman the satisfaction.

"It appears that you may be deceiving yourself and failing to recognise an apparent situation that others around you have already acknowledged," the fortune teller mused. "It is important to consider the perspectives of those around you to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the situation at hand."

"What are you talking about? Are you implying that I'm stupid or something? That I can't see what's in front of my freckled nose? I'll have you know I'm top of my class, and I share that title with the object of my affection, who I've recently found out is in love with another woman."

"Do not be too quick to make such assumptions, for he is currently en route to declare his unwavering affection to his one true love. True love will always win over common sense. It is conceivable that you, being a person of astute discernment, are familiar with this sentiment."

"She's right."

Anne whipped around and gasped to see Gilbert standing at the entrance of the tent.

"I have been observing both of you closely since your arrival. As a result, I was certain that he would make an appearance," giggled the fortune teller, though Anne could barely hear her over her pounding heartbeat.

Anne must've looked a fool as she stood there, her mouth opening and closing as Gilbert's face came closer and closer. She immediately got lost in his hazel eyes, and Ruby's words about them echoed through her head.

His eyes were so full of romance…

"I ended things with Winifred. Or she ended things with me, I should say, doing what I should have done." He cupped her cheek hesitantly, and Anne closed her eyes before opening them again, hoping this wasn't some fabulous dream. "I guess I'm not very good at hiding my feelings," he continued, and his fingers grazed the skin of her neck.

'Oh, just kiss her,' exclaimed the fortune teller behind them, reminding them they weren't alone. 'I can safely predict it will not be unwanted.'

Gilbert hesitated momentarily, his eyes searching Anne's face for any sign of displeasure and finding none. He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers, a gentle, tentative kiss that quickly deepened into something more passionate. He broke the kiss before Anne could respond, and she smiled at him.

"She's right. Not unwanted in the slightest," Anne whispered, her eyes wide open, allowing herself to believe this was real, no pinching required. She closed her eyes, and his lips touched hers in another chaste kiss, as if he, too, could not believe this was happening. He raised his hand to join the other in cupping her face and smiled into the kiss, no longer doubtful when he felt the soft texture of her skin underneath his thumbs. "I've wanted to do this for so long," he whispered, his lips brushing against hers. "What a fool I've been…"

"We're both fools," she reassured him.

A loud, irritating cough sounded from behind them. "Yes, you are—idiots in love is what I'd call it," croaked the fortune teller, though Anne ignored her as she leaned in for another soft kiss, Gilbert meeting her halfway. This time, he put everything into it, lifting her and twirling her around.

"Ahem."

Grumbling into the kiss, Gilbert put her back down to glare at the fortune teller, who couldn't let them have this moment of peace.

"For a generous fee, I can provide a comprehensive prediction on your inevitable matrimonial voyage. That includes an estimation of the number of offspring you are likely to have, plus other information and..."

Gilbert approached her, causing her to go silent, and he linked hands with his future wife.

"You've told us everything we need to know. As for the rest, some things are best left to the unknown." He reached into his pocket to give her a bit of money. "But here. This is for your gallant efforts at getting us together. We shall never forget it."

Anne nodded, squeezing Gilbert's hand in reply before stepping forward. "Yes, and I apologise for what I said. You are the best fortune teller I've ever come across—the only one I've ever come across. Keep doing what you're doing. I know how difficult it is for women to make a living, and you've done a service to us all."

Before she could leave the tent on Gilbert's arm, the fortune teller had one last thing to say, whispering it to Gilbert under her breath so Anne could not hear.

If you're looking for my advice, you don't have to worry about disrupting her place in line the next time you dance with her. Also, it's worth noting that she's not particularly fond of diamond rings. I trust that you possess a ring adorned with a green gemstone in your possession?"

Gilbert gaped at her amused face before being pulled out of the tent, and he swore he would be able to hear her cackles for years to come.