My thanks to originalmcfishie, it's been wonderful to bat ideas about. Talk about kindred spirits.


Eventually after all the fuss and noise it was just the two of them alone in the bedroom. Anne shuddered slightly, "You alright?" Roy asked her.

"Just a little nervous," she replied.

"Of course you are, but don't worry, I'll take care of you," he said kissing her on the lips as he removed her jacket. "I'll take care of you." In between kisses he removed each article of clothing pausing for a longer while as he unbuttoned her chemise. She could see his excitement under his trousers. Eventually when he had divested her of all her clothes, he asked her to turn around so he could better see her. She obliged, a little nervous to reveal herself so, even though he was her husband, even though it was all allowed now; it wasn't easy to simply switch off the rules that had dictated her whole life. Roy licked his lips and murmured, "mm, gorgeous."

It felt vulnerable being naked before him, shyly she asked, "aren't you going to get undressed too?"

"Of course I am, silly. Can't do much to you in my trousers can I?"

Anne laughed timidly and watched as he took off first his jacket then unhooked his suspenders, then let his trousers fall to the floor. Neatly folding them, he eventually turned back to where she'd been standing all that time unsure of what to do, how to stand, where to be.

Somehow Anne, who had always been so strong willed lost herself in the moment. No one had ever told her what to do on one's wedding night, how to behave, if she should let Roy take charge or do it herself. There had been giggles and asides as if she should know, and there had been an oh so embarrassing but euphemistically confusing lecture delivered by Mrs Lynde, she of the ten babies; but in truth Anne had no idea what to expect.

"Come," Roy said. "Lie down here." Tentatively Anne sat on the bed, feeling wildly out of her comfort zone. "Don't be frightened," he said. "I'm not going to hurt you. This is supposed to be fun, remember. It's what we all wait years for. This is the point of it all." Anne smiled and tried to relax, failing miserably she lay down next to him and waited for him to make the first move. She watched as he lay down next to her, turning on his side to better access her. His chest rather collapsed in on itself forming a sort of hairy cleavage. Anne tried not to laugh, and he got offended, "take it seriously Anne. This is a solemn moment."

"Sorry," she said trying to pull herself together, but the effect was ruined when she got tickly unable to contain herself when he touched her again. "Anne!" he said. "Stop it."

"I'm so," she gasped between giggles. "It's just so, so…" She took a deep breath in an attempt to recapture the solemn mood, but it was too late. Every time he tried, she collapsed into laughter. Another man may have found it hilarious, but Roy was too nervous himself to see the humour. He turned away from her in his exasperation and Anne realised she'd inadvertently gone too far. "I'm sorry, my love," she whispered to his back. "I couldn't help myself. Please, please try again. I'll be good, I promise. I know it's important."

Grumpily, for Roy desperately wanted his wedding night to be successful he turned over and reached out to her again. Holding herself ramrod straight, Anne refused to give into the tickles instead thinking of how silky the feeling of skin on skin was. Eventually she relaxed into the sensation and let him do the things men do to women when they're married. After an initial intake of breath and the unusual feeling of tightness she had little to do and lay looking up at the ceiling listening to clock, wondering how long he needed. He didn't move in time with the ticking, thankfully, although the discord was a trifle jarring. Afterwards, he collapsed on the bed beside her and fell almost immediately to sleep. Anne blinked beside him and wondered what all the fuss had been about.


"Don't mind me," Mrs Gardner had said when she unexpectedly arrived the next morning. "I just feel you two need a little help sorting out the household. I expect you haven't had much experience directing servants my dear. I discussed this with Roy the other day. I'll keep out of your way, no need to worry about me."

In fact, this was a lie; she interceded in every factor of their lives. Enquiring as to matters of the bedchamber and when the baby could be expected as well as discussions as to what they would eat, directing the servants and planning Anne's day.

Mrs Gardner was determined to introduce Anne to all her friends and their daughters. People Anne had little in common with but who constituted the bulk of Kingsport society. Between one thing and another Anne had little to no time to sit down to write letters home, let alone to let loose her love of writing for its own sake. Her days were ordered and mapped out by the minute. Her nights were busy keeping Roy happy.

After breakfast one morning when Roy had left for the day she asked Mrs Gardner what she should call her.

"Call me Mother I should think." Anne smiled. "Do you find it amusing, I must tell you…"

No, no, it's not that. It's just that actually you're the first person I've ever called Mother. My parents died before I could speak, and Marilla always had me call her just that. I tried to call her aunt, but she said she didn't believe in calling people a name that didn't belong to them, so Marilla it was."

Mrs Gardner raised her eyebrows thinking the old woman was even more eccentric than she'd supposed.

"Now I think we should introduce you to some more people, Anne. You need some friends of your own."

"Oh, but I have some wonderful ones already. There's Miss Maynard and Priscilla Grant and of course Mrs Diana Wright, she's my oldest friend from Avonlea. She and I are real kindred spirits."

Mrs Gardner sniffed, "yes, well while I'm sure they were fine for school, you do need some more suitable people around you now."

"And of course Mrs Blake, Philippa Gordon as was." She was upper class, surely Mother Gardner couldn't disapprove.

Mrs Gardner scoffed, "once upon a time maybe, but didn't she go and marry that clergyman, the one way below her station. Her mother is mortified, mortified I tell you. No, I don't think she'll do at all. What on earth did she marry him for?"

"They're in love," replied Anne, meekly.

"Love! Love won't pay the bills. Love won't house them, won't heat them."

Sometimes Anne felt like that little waif that fetched up at Green Gables all those years ago, the one who hoped that one day she'd get to the end of mistakes one could make and how wonderful that would be. Now here she was back in the same place with a woman more unloving and critical than Marilla had ever been. She sighed inwardly; she'd just have to try harder to bring her around.


It was its eyes that first drew Anne to it. Tiny, green, rheumed, just visible under a bush. She was already running late. Mother Gardner had summoned her to tea with her friends, the McIntoshes. "An upstanding family, Anne, their daughters will make suitable companions." Anne hoped suitable meant good fun, but she had her doubts. She had lost track of the time getting ready that morning. Mrs Gardner had left without her, so as not to be rude.

Anne had left only a few minutes later, scurrying along the road, pulling her shawl in close against the bitter wind. She was arrested by eyes glinting out from under a bush on the side of the road. "Oh, you poor ickle thing," she said kneeling down, her destination forgotten for the time being. Reaching in she found the tiny creature and pulling it out cradled it in her hands, shielding it from the chill. A cat, a tiny wee kitten. Looking around Anne could find no evidence of its family. "You'll catch your death out here," she said to it thinking what she could do next. "I can't in all conscience leave you out here. Why it would give me nightmares just thinking about it. You must come with me." Under her fingers she could feel the tiny scrap's beating heart. "Oh!" the realisation that she was going to be incredibly late hit her and she hoped Mother Gardner would commiserate. Stuffing the kitten into her pocket Anne prayed, surely, she'll understand, as she practically ran to the McIntoshes as fast as her legs would take her. Fetching up at their front door, she knocked as she tried to catch her breath.

A stern butler opened the door and looked her up and down censoriously. "I beg your pardon," Anne said. "I'm Anne, er that is to say, Mrs Gardner. I've been invited for tea." She smiled up at him hopefully.

The butler who had been told to expect her, looked down his nose at her and said unsmiling, "come this way."

Anne followed him into the house feeling very out of place in its grandeur. The Gardner's house was nothing on this. "Mrs Gardner," the butler announced as he flung open the parlour door. "I am so desperately sorry I'm late," Anne said as she walked in. "I found this," she pulled the kitten out from her pocket, "on the way and I simply had to." She stopped when she saw the looks of horror on the assemblage in front of her. "It's just so dear and sweet," she pressed on. "It's bitter out there and."

"I do apologise," Mrs Gardner said turning to her hostess. "I don't know what came over her. She's got a ways to go, you know. Come from the provinces." Mrs Gardner was too embarrassed to admit that Anne was of orphan stock, but her provincial upbringing was bad enough. "Anne!" she said turning back to her daughter in law, "what on earth?"

Anne looked at her perplexed, "but it was so cold. It was shivering when I picked it up. Poor little mite would surely have died, if I'd."

"If that was God's will then who are you to intervene?" Mrs Gardner interrupted. "Now put it outside while we take tea."

"But.

"Now."

"First of all, I'll have to wash my hands," replied Anne a touch petulantly. "I believe it has wet itself."

"Ugh," Mrs Gardner rolled her eyes as her hosts snickered quietly behind their hands.

Having managed to salvage the best of a terrible first impression, Mrs Gardner and Anne made their farewells later that afternoon. Standing on the path back to the street Anne cast her eyes around for the kitten but Mrs Gardner would have none of it. "Oh, no you don't. We're going straight home; I see I have my task set out for me. You're not ready to be out in polite society, yet and may not be for some time. Stray kittens." She shook her head and taking Anne's hand firmly in her own lead her to the waiting carriage.

If Anne had hoped that Roy at least would be on her side, she was to be sorely disappointed. "But you must see," he said when it was just the two of them in their bedroom. "It was totally unrealistic of you to take the cat."

"Kitten."

"Makes no never mind," he replied, "to the McIntoshes. They're an important family. What did you think of the girls?"

"What were their names again?"

Roy rolled his eyes, "didn't Mother introduce you?"

"She did," Anne said sorrowfully. "I'm sorry darling, I was a bit preoccupied, the kitty was wet."

Roy pursed his lips, "but it hadn't been rainin… oh."

Anne smiled, "yes, it had done what kitty's do in the circumstances, poor little darling thing."

Roy scowled, "I hope you've had a good wash since then."

"Yes, of course I did. I don't think you're worried about it at all, Roy. The poor little thing, I hope it's safe."

"It's just a cat."

Anne's eye's sparked into dangerous life, "just a cat! It's one of God's creatures, how can you be so callous?"

"It's not that, I just…" Roy tried to backtrack.

"No, I don't want to hear it, Roy. I thought you'd be on my side, I thought you'd understand."

"Anne." He put out one hand to placate her and maybe more besides.

"No. No, not tonight." Anne astounded herself; was she refusing him?

"Anne?"

"I just want to be left alone."

"Um," Roy blinked a few times, "I guess that's alright. I mean I."

They undressed in silence, but Anne could not bear it. She turned to him, "I think that was our first married quarrel. I am sorry, Roy darling. I."

Quick as a flash he turned to her and took her in his arms. She melted into him, loving that silky sensation of his skin on her skin. Her lips met his and they kissed for long moments, their disagreement forgotten as their lust took over.