'Did you see that shooting star tonight?
Were you dazzled by the same constellation?'
--
Avonlea needed all hands on deck to repair town hall so school was canceled for the next three weeks. Gilbert, who easily charmed his way out of working, took the opportunity to shadow Dr. Ward more often. More time with Dr. Ward meant more time in Charlottetown. Spending more time in Charlottetown meant meeting with Winifred more often. Gilbert would lying to himself if he claimed he didn't feel something for Winifred.
The Sunday before school would start again in mid-February, Winifred's parents insisted Gilbert come for dinner.
They welcomed him into a house even bigger than Josephine Barry's. Gilbert thought about how Anne would describe it as 'a vast structure full of the most wondrous artifacts money could buy, towering like a tree over the tiniest cricket.'
He shook his head: Stop thinking about Anne.
They sat in the parlor when Mr. Rose cleared his throat, "It's been a while, hasn't it Mr. Blythe?"
"It certainly has." Gilbert nodded respectfully, "Thank you for inviting me to dinner."
Mr. Rose chuckled, "It's the least we could do after you took in our Winnie for a whole night."
"Yes, father, I'm quite the horror to be around." Winifred sat next to Gilbert and placed her hand gently on his arm.
Why don't I feel anything?
Gilbert blinked and brought himself out of his thoughts, "She was a delight." He gave a dashing smile, "Mary, Sebastian, and I were happy to have her."
"Ah, yes," Mrs. Rose sat next to her husband, "the famous Bash and his lovely wife, Mary. Tell me, how is their new baby?"
"Delphine is exactly as any 2 months old baby should be: loud."
The Roses bursted into laughter and gave Gilbert a surge of confidence. Just because things looked bleak with Anne didn't mean he was out of options. He could still find some sort of happiness.
Right?
Winifred smiled pointedly, "You know, father, Gilbert assisted in Delly's birth."
Winifred's parents looked pleasantly surprised. Something flashed in Mr. Rose's eyes.
Approval.
Mr. Rose leaned forward, "Tell us, son, what are your intentions working with Dr. Ward? Winnie tells us you've been coming for months now."
"Well," Gilbert paused, convinced he was about to look like a fool, "I'm looking to pursue a degree in medicine."
Gilbert expected them to laugh again. How could a country boy expect to obtain such a high status in life with no money or social standing?
But instead, Mr. Rose looked pleased, "Medicine? A lucrative field indeed. Tell me, is that an education you can get at Queen's? Winnie never reviewed such an esteemed profession."
Winifred gasped jokingly, "I'm sorry we aren't all excited to poke people with needles."
They shared a short laugh before Gilbert continued, "I'm not aware of the Queen's program, but I've been searching elsewhere. The Sorbonne in Paris was recently profiled in the London Times, though that doesn't seem like an immediate option."
"Why not?" Mrs. Rose chimed in, looking genuinely concerned.
"My financial situation and test scores are still very uncertain, but I see it sometime in my future, whenever that may be."
Mr. Rose was deep in thought. He knew how smitten Winifred was with Gilbert and he found himself enjoying the boy more as time went on. He had hinted to his daughter of his accepting Gilbert for a while now in hopes she would communicate that, but he saw he would need to be more clear.
"Enough chatter for now." Mrs. Rose stood up, prompting everyone to follow, "Let's eat."
--
Anne was bored.
Ridiculous and irrelevant social gender rules prevented her from helping rebuild town hall, Diana's family took the break of school as an opportunity to visit Paris, Gilbert was working with Dr. Ward, Ruby wasn't too keen on seeing her at the moment, and Jerry and Bash were busy helping with the rebuild.
The only social interaction she had was visiting Mary and Delly with Marilla occasionally, but Marilla often told Anne she didn't want to overwhelm Mary with more people and she should 'use that imagination for good.'
So she spent most of her time bent over the notebook Gilbert gave her, drafting her piece to the Toronto Star. Something was always missing from it, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was. She wanted someone to brainstorm with, but her usual confidants were busy.
On that same Sunday, Anne was sitting on the front porch in Matthew's chair with Marilla beside her when Rachel Lynde busted into Green Gables.
"Marilla," she was breathing heavily, "I need to have a word with you."
Marilla gestured for Rachel to sit, "Rachel? Is everything all right?"
Rachel shook her head, "I've been holding onto this information for weeks now and I simply can't bear keep it to myself now. I know you won't say anything because, well, who would you tell?"
Marilla sighed. Rachel never spared the opportunity to remind her how secluded she was from the rest of Avonlea. She liked her space, but she didn't need Rachel to tack it on as a personality trait.
"Well, what is it?"
Rachel looked at Anne and Marilla and lowered her voice like she was trading the most confidential information, "I don't think town hall burning down was an accident."
"I knew it!" Anne jumped up.
Both women looked at Anne with raised eyebrows.
"Sorry." Anne muttered and sat back down.
"What do you mean it wasn't an accident?" Marilla asked, completely bewildered.
"We've been trying to figure out the source of the fire." Rachel looked at the Cuthberts for a reaction but wasn't satisfied with their blank faces, "We don't want to make the same mistake again, so it's important to know why, right?"
Anne and Marilla nodded, knowing that Rachel needed some sort of confirmation that they really cared about her gossip.
Rachel continued, "Some of the men helping went into the building to see if they could find it, but there was nothing there. Whatever proof was completely erased."
Marilla looked skeptical, so Rachel added, "Fires don't just start, Marilla."
Marilla furrowed her eyebrows, "How do you know whatever it was wasn't just burnt to a crisp."
Rachel sighed, "Anything that could self-combust wouldn't burn, Marilla."
She looked at Anne, hoping for some sort of confirmation, "Anne, you agree right?"
Anne was lost in her thoughts trying to piece information together, "Gilbert was one of the people who went into the fire, wasn't he?"
She remembered him exiting the building, choking on smoke. She suspected that night that something wasn't adding up and he agreed. If Gilbert agreed, Anne couldn't be too crazy.
Right?
Anne continued, "And he didn't find anything, he would have found something I know it."
There was a long moment of silence before Anne jumped up again, "Wait! I found cigars not too far from the building. Is that anything?"
Anne looked hopefully at Rachel, who pursed her lips,"Quite possible."
The three women became silent again, all deep in thought. Rachel was lamenting over the loss of her big event. Marilla was trying to rationalize how Rachel could potentially be right. Anne was wracking her brain.
Rachel broke the silence first, "I'm hoping this will get rebuilt quickly. The last thing I want is the committee men winning because they're trying to get rid of the dance."
"Whatever do you mean?" Marilla looked at her friend suspiciously.
"The committee thought I was too 'irrational' and 'emotional' to judge whether or not we should have the Winter Ball. I guess they got what they wanted."
Anne felt her blood begin boiling, "Just because you're in support of the dance doesn't mean you're irrational."
"Tell the committee that." Rachel said sharply.
Anne clenched her fists in an attempt to control her anger, "I'm so sick of people confusing passion with irrational attachment."
She stood up and began pacing, "I can have my beliefs without them being unfounded or blown out of proportion because I'm a woman. Why should I have to water myself down just to be 'acceptable'?"
"It's the way of things." Marilla said softly.
Marilla supported Anne, of course. But there were some things Marilla thought just needed to be accepted and she wanted to attempt to save Anne from the embarrassment of defying them. She was too old-fashioned for her own good.
Anne shook her head defiantly, "Those things need to change. Men have too much control over the judgement and realities of women. Your opinions matter just as much as theirs."
Marilla and Rachel stared at Anne blankly. They didn't not believe her, and this sort of reaction fit her well, but it was out of their scope for them to think these things. It's like they were learning from her.
A lightbulb went off for Anne, "That's it. That's what I need."
She finally found the missing piece of her article's puzzle.
Anne ran over to Rachel and kissed her on the cheek, "Thank you Mrs. Lynde."
"Anything to help my Cuthbert girls." She responded proudly.
Anne ran back into Green Gables excitedly and up to her room. She immediately sat down at her desk
"She's quite the thinker."
"She's surely something."
--
Early the next morning, Anne finally finished her report for the Toronto Star. She had stayed up all night perfecting it, but she was finally satisfied with the outcome.
She looked at it proudly for one last time before sealing it in an envelope and handing it to the mailman.
This was it. Her voice would be heard.