Anne looked at herself in the mirror nervously. She gave her body a onceover. She shook her head and changed into another dress, this time a light pink with red ribbon at the collar and waist. It was given to her by Cole, insisting that this shade would flatter her. It was imperative she looked beautiful (or however close to beautiful she could get) for this dinner.
"No, no, no!" she groaned. "I'm a redhead! Why would he even think that I could wear pink?" She slipped out of the dress and changed into a beautiful evening gown that she had bought with some writing contest prize money. Immediately, she knew it was the one. It was light sage green with an enchanting sheen on the fabric. The pattern was plain and ever so simple, but the silhouette was up to all the latest fashions. It included her beloved puffed sleeves that closed around the elbow and a ruched bodice. It accentuated the curves on her stick-straight body with its enchanting empire waist. The waistline had a gold adorned ribbon that literally and figuratively tied the outfit together.
She smiled in satisfaction, indulging a childish whimsy and twirling around once in her black boots. She giggled in delight at the way it surrounded her like she was a water lily on a bright green pad and the way her hair looked auburn and ever so dignified against the green background. She was a wood nymph in summer, traipsing around the sunflower fields and delighting restless wanderers into spending eternity with her.
"Hair, what to do with you?" she murmured, picking up her silver comb and running it through her thick hair. She decided to comb it and let it cascade down her shoulders, tucking a blossom from her dear Snow Queen behind her ear. She squealed again, bouncing on her toes in delight.
"Anne!" Marilla called from downstairs, her tone half amused. "Stop your preening and come down right now! Gilbert is here!" Was it that time already? Her eyes widened and she quickly blew out the candle in her room, descending the stairs slowly, being sure not to slip on the long dress. It was so much more convenient in the short dresses of her girlhood. She could run about and play in those.
Meanwhile, Gilbert was graciously greeting his hosts, shaking Matthew's hand and thanking Marilla for hosting the dinner.
"Marilla, this is Alexander Whitmore, my roommate at U of T."
"Pleased to meet you," he greeted the older lady sweetly. "You raised an excellent young lady."
"Oh, I like to believe so," she replied. Suddenly, they heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Gilbert swiveled and could've died happy right there at the angelic sight in front of him. Anne was descending the stairs smiling shyly, waving to him. He barely registered his hand waving back lamely, a mechanical response to the beauty in front of him.
"Keep your mouth closed, Blythe. You might catch flies," Bash jibed, nudging him playfully before gesturing to Anne. "You look mighty regal tonight, Queen Anne."
She laughed sweetly, bowing her head as if she was a coolly acknowledging queen. "You're quite kind, Sebastian."
"No, you're quite kind to put up with Gilbert's foolishness. We've been here two minutes, and he's scarcely said a word!"
Gilbert ignored him, still utterly starstruck. Even Marilla chuckled slightly at the boy, recollecting a moment from so many years ago.
Instead of Anne and Gilbert, for a moment she saw John in a dapper suit, extending his arm out to her about 40 years ago, escorting her to an event in Charlottetown, taken with her just as much as Gilbert was taken with Anne. Back then, she hadn't the foggiest why a boy would be smitten with her, but looking at his son, she thought that she had some semblance of how love worked. It didn't matter how much you thought you didn't deserve it; that person saw you for every mite of beauty in you and thought you perfect for everything, just as Marilla had done with John and vice versa. It had always been her life long regret that she didn't run to him back then, but now, looking at Anne and Gilbert, she thought it may have been for the best.
"Anne, you look... exquisite," he breathed, looking her up and down with shining hazel eyes and an open heart. Realizing that it was the chivalrous thing to do, he stumbled up to her to offer his arm to her.
"Thank you, Gilbert," she giggled awkwardly, taking his outstretched hand. "You don't look so bad yourself."
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"This food is delicious, Miss Cuthbert and Anne," Alex praised. "I haven't had a home cooked meal since I left for Toronto. It tastes just like Grandmother's Christmas feasts from when I was a boy."
"Thank you, Alexander," Marilla replied. "And please, call me Marilla. Everyone does."
"You're a little gentleman and no mistake!" Rachel exclaimed, cooing as if she were talking to Delphine and not a seventeen year old that towered a foot over her. "Reminds me of Thomas when we were children."
Her husband grinned bashfully, leaning in to plant a kiss on her cheek as she giggled like a schoolgirl. Anne watched with a smile. Years ago, she would've thought that knights that slayed villains were her romantic ideal, but looking at moments like these, she thought that she would be quite content to have the homely, peaceful, fulfilling love that Mrs. Lynde had with her husband. Not many couples of their time and age had any love at all to begin with, let alone the sweet flirtations and romantic gestures Mrs. Lynde was always giving and receiving.
"So, Anne and Gilbert," Rachel started, getting straight to the point. "Of course, I've heard about your courtship."
Anne's eyes grew wide and panicked and she braced herself for any scathing criticism. "Mrs. Lynde, I--"
"And I have to say, it's about time!" she declared. Anne opened her mouth and closed it again, even her not having a response to the proclamation.
"I... beg your pardon?" Gilbert puzzled, his eyebrows furrowing in bafflement.
"I said it's about time! You two have been circling around each other like those bees Gilbert adores for ages now! Why, I saw it coming since you returned from the steamer, Gilbert! I said to Thomas, mark my words, those two will be married someday. Didn't I, Thomas?" She sought confirmation from her husband who nodded placidly and said, "Yes, dear." Anne and Gilbert were both blushing and stealing bewildered looks from beside each other.
"I knew I wasn't going mad back then!" Sebastian cheered, grinning blithely at the couple. "Anyone with eyes could see it. You two were gone for each other, even back then. That's why I knew that tryst of yours with Miss Rose wouldn't last."
"I'm sure not everyone could see it. We weren't even remotely close to friends till Gilbert returned!"
"Sweet Anne, it's very obvious," Rachel sighed, shaking her head. "As much as some of the people in town don't like it, I was talking to Mrs. Pye and she saw this coming, though she unfortunately hoped that Gilbert would've stayed with that heiress. I simply didn't agree. I told her, 'Lucille, you would really stand in the way of true love? You know better than anyone how economic propositions shouldn't affect marriages, it befell your own daughter!' I didn't think it got through to her, even when that horrible Andrews boy tried to rob her honor so crassly. The Pyes have been nothing but trouble. I'm glad that young Josie got it through to her to be a nice girl!"
"Josie? Josie Pye?" Alexander asked with a frown.
"Rachel, that is not your tale to gab about!" Marilla chastised.
"Well, it's common knowledge by this point!" Rachel harrumphed.
"Excuse my language, but this Andrews character sounds like a cad," Alexander proclaimed, turning to Anne and Gilbert. "If he ever gives any more trouble to this town, telegram at once. My father's colleague works with the premier of PEI, so while the timing may have passed on his last offense, another one could have him sent to trial if you desire it."
"Why, aren't you the little gentleman?" Rachel gasped with a smile of devilish delight. "And a wealthy one to boot! Anne, you must snatch this one up for one of the other Avonlea girls before he's off the market! I'm sure the Barrys need someone for Diana."
"Oh, well," Alex said as he turned scarlet. "Diana is a lovely lady, but I don't think she'd be the woman I'd be snatched up by in Avonlea. I'm sure she'd say the same for me. I think we may actually be fourth cousins twice removed or something like that."
Eager to change the subject, Alex quickly mused, "I wonder... how long did Gilbert have feelings for Anne before they got together?"
"I too wonder," Mrs. Stacy agreed. Suddenly, all eyes were on the dark haired boy, waiting for a response. Even Anne was looking at him, smirking expectantly.
"If I'm being honest... the moment she came to Avonlea and smashed her slate over my head."
"I still can't believe it now, " Anne remarked. "I attacked him in a vicious display of brutality and furiousness and this-this boy smirks at me with his infuriating smile and looks at me as if I had just offered him half my favorite cake!"
"Sure worked out for him though," Sebastian ribbed.
"I mean, he's okay, I suppose," she quickly corrected with a teasing smile in her beau's direction. The table fell into comfortable silence for a few minutes as people dug in to the delicious feast.
"Marilla, Matthew," Gilbert started from next to Anne, swallowing a mouthful of food and dabbing his mouth with a napkin politely. "Moody came around telling me that a couple of them were going to the ruins today at 8:30 and they were wondering whether Anne, Alex, and I could come before I have to leave early tomorrow. What I'm asking is, would it be alright if I escorted Anne to this... gathering?" Anne's eyes lit up and looked at Marilla pleadingly.
Marilla nodded in pondering and gave him a dubious look. "And who's going?"
"Moody, Charlie, Diana, Ruby, Jane, Josie, and Tillie."
"Respectable crowd," she thought out loud. "Alright, I'll allow you to go. But I'm trusting you to be sensible."
Rachel's brow furrowed, and she cut in: "Are you sure, Marilla? You know young people these days. Doing non-Christian things right and left! Just the other day in Carmody, I saw a young college girl embracing a man and no ring on her finger either!" she exclaimed. Anne and Gilbert looked crestfallen, looking to Matthew or Marilla to defend them.
"I trust Anne and Gilbert. They are two very sensible children and quite frankly, Rachel, your views about courtship are old fashioned," Marilla rebuked, making Rachel look at her indignantly.
"Well!" she harrumphed, hand drawn to her heart in offense and dramatics. "Well, well, well! And what do you think of this matter, Matthew?" Matthew looked like a boy caught with his hand in the pastry basket. He couldn't run off to the barn right now.
"Well now, Anne's pretty responsible and Gilbert's a good sort of boy, so I suppose... it's alright."
"Thank you, Matthew, thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Anne whooped, and Marilla simply rolled her eyes.
"Sit down and finish your dinner or you'll be doing nothing but chores tonight, Anne."
Anne promptly silenced herself, but she couldn't help but meet her beau's eyes and smile.
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After changing into a more comfortable flowy organdy dress and unraveling the braids in her hair, Anne set out with Gilbert for the ruins, hands interlocked and swinging gaily as they walked. Alex was walking with them, serving as their "chaperone" at Rachel's insistence, but feeling a bit like a third wheel.
"I guess this would be a do over for the last time we were there," Gilbert chuckled, taking the opportunity to peck her on the cheek.
"I wonder every single night, Gilbert Blythe, what was going on in your mind? What possessed you to make love declarations -- very cryptically, may I add -- to an inebriated girl, knowing that both of your fates rested on her answer? Moreover, why would you assume that whatever I rambled -- I couldn't remember most of it in the morning -- was an immediate no?"
"You were set drunk?" he asked, slightly amused. "What would Mrs. Lynde say, Anne?"
"Oh, forget her," she scowled good-naturedly. "It's not going to become a habit, don't worry. Charlie Sloane had smuggled some of his father's homemade moonshine. It was rather unpleasant, actually. I don't know why I had so much of it. Now, answer my questions!"
"I don't honestly know why I did that. I guess I just wanted guidance and you've always been one of the smarter and encouraging people in my life, save for the first couple weeks. It's not exactly easy as pie choosing between your dream school and the one you love most, especially when you have no semblance of whether she loves you back."
"But you chose me," she pointed out. He slipped his hand around her shoulders, pulling her closer as she half-leaned against him. He pressed a kiss to her temple as they walked along.
"That I did, fairy queen."
"Oh, break it up," Alex scowled, pushing Gilbert into Anne good-naturedly.
"Okay then, we can talk about you, Alexander," Anne said, her innocent blue eyes revealing none of her intentions. "What did you mean at dinner when you said Diana wouldn't be the woman to snatch you up in Avonlea?"
Gilbert laughed. "Someone else caught your eye over here?"
"Well, I don't suppose that's any of your business," Alexander grumbled. "But if you must know, breakfast was quite an enjoyable affair for me, and I quite look forward to tonight."
Anne gasped gleefully, her mouth spreading into a grin. In classic Anne fashion, she rambled, "How extraordinary to think that Gilbert and I might have introduced you to your truest soulmate! Oh, pray tell me, who is it? It's not Diana, is it? Is it Jane? I trust it's not Ruby either, she's a taken woman. And Tillie has more than enough options. Oh please, tell us."
Alex stopped and smiled. "You're a smart woman, Anne. You'll figure it out."
He plucked a few flowers from the side of the woods and continued to stroll along, leaving Anne and Gilbert with a million questions.