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9. stitches

They reached the nearest farm, despite the torrential rain. There was a light on, and somebody was in the kitchen. A wave of hope rushed through Gilbert. They both slid off the horse and Diana tied Cole to the porch post. Gilbert scooped up Anne in his arms, thanking his time away working for the strength he had to carry her to the doors. Diana knocked urgently.

The farmer was mid-forties, with curly black hair and beard and a kind, weathered face. He opened the door and let them in, asking more questions than his mouth had time to formulate words. Gilbert rushed in, wet, muddy boots thudding on the hardwood floor and lay Anne on the kitchen table. Her body was limp and her arm fell over the edge of the table. At a glance she appeared to be sleeping.

"Please," Gilbert implored, his eyes wide and fearful. "Help her."

"My lord, what happened to the lass?" The farmer asked.

"There's a wound in her side, she's lost a lot of blood." Diana explained quickly. "I did my best to bandage it up. Please help us."

"My wife was a nurse in her time, she will know what to do." The farmer said.

A woman was awoken. She had a homely, smile-lined face with thick mousy hair tied in a plait. She wasted no time in tearing Anne's dress away from her waist to inspect the wound. Gilbert felt he should avert his eyes to preserve her modesty, but there was too much blood to even see any skin.

"We have to clean the wound and stitch her up." The woman said. "We'll need the fire hot and pans of water boiled. I need a sterilised needle and thread."

The farmer found pans and water and some clean linens. The woman told Diana where to find needles and threads. Gilbert felt useless.

"What can I do?" He asked, desperate to help.

"Fetch wood for the fire. It must be hot to boil the water." Said the woman quickly.

Gilbert rushed outside and gathered armfuls of wood from the shed. With the farmer's help, Gilbert brought a large heap indoors and filled the stove. After a roaring fire was built, Gilbert shut the stove door, watching the water cloud up steam as it heated through. Bowls were filled with hot water.

Gilbert passed bowls of hot water and was directed where to find clean linens. Diana sponged away the blood and dirt on Anne's wound and urged Gil to help. It was hard for Gilbert to focus on cleaning the deep cut in Anne's side when she was looking paler and paler by the second and her breathing became more laboured.

"There's not much time. She's slipping." The woman was saying as she sterilised the needle.

When Anne's wound was clean the woman took her needle to the deep cut. Even in unconsciousness, Anne whimpered in pain. It was awful to hear, almost unbearable. Diana stood by the table, hand firmly clasping Anne's the entire time. Gilbert watched as Anne was stitched back together, moaning in discomfort and sweating a fever.

"I need ice." The woman instructed, never breaking concentration.

"The girl must break the fever." Explained the farmer, as the woman stitched.

The farmer made packs of ice and Gilbert worked on keeping Anne's face cool by sponging her face with the cold packs. The night felt like it dragged on forever. The kind woman finally finished and knotted the thread. She applied a special thick healing cream and a fresh, clean bandage. She wound another, thicker bandage around Anne's waist and bound it up tightly.

"If she breaks the fever, she will make it." Said the woman.

She mixed up a tonic in a pan on the stove and Gilbert saw Diana praying for a miracle, eyes tightly closed and hands clasped. Gilbert was dabbing Anne's face with the ice pack pack, never ceasing for a moment. She was clammy to touch, making Gilbert's efforts feel slightly useless.

What would he do if she didn't make it? He didn't know if he could handle losing anybody else, not after his father.

"Pull through this, Anne." Gilbert whispered in the girl's ear, pushing her wet red hair out of her face. "You are strong, I know you can make it. Please. I need you."

Eventually, two hours after they arrived at the farm, Anne's fever broke. Diana had tears of relief in her eyes. Anne was drifting between sleep and an uneasy, murmuring wakefulness that was blind as though she were sleeping still. The kind woman tipped up Anne's chin and ensured that she drank every drop of the tonic.

The farmer carried Anne into their spare room upstairs, Gilbert tailing closely behind. The motherly lady found some dry clothes that apparently used to belong to her grown up daughter and helped Diana change Anne out of the wet, blood soaked tatters. Gilbert sat loyally outside the door like a guard dog.

Finally, Anne made it through the murmuring fever dreams and she fell into a deep sleep. Diana fell asleep too sat in the bedside chair after thanking the farm owners profusely for their kindness and help. They were named Mr and Mrs Tilderly and apparently were old friends of Rachel Lynde, who visits Marilla Cuthbert regularly. She spoke highly of the Cuthberts to the Tilderlys.

"I understand you're worn from the ordeal. Sleep here tonight." Said Mr Tilderly to Gilbert. "We'll talk everything over in the morning. I'm sure you'll be in no hurry to be home - whatever lead to the Cuthbert girl being injured was surely trouble you three wouldn't like to be tied to."

"Thank you." Gilbert said.

"I know a stab wound when I see one, boy." Said the farmer in a sterner voice. "Whatever happened, I'll be sure to lock and bolt the doors tonight. I need an explanation when you three are quite rested."

Gilbert hesitated. He didn't know the whole story - how could he explain? Whatever happened to Anne might get them all in trouble, just like the farmer said. But they owed the Tilderlys the truth after all their kindness.

Eventually, he nodded. "Of course. Goodnight Mr Tilderly."

Gilbert could not sleep, despite their offer of a make shift bed on the floor in the attic. He didn't want to leave Anne and Diana. The farmer's words had caught in his mind and it prevented him from relaxing.

"I know a stab wound when I see one..."

Had Anne been stabbed? Gilbert had been so caught up in the moment he'd never stopped to think about what type of injury it was. Whoever had done this must be still out there...

Gilbert was so tired he had gone through the exhaustion stage and moved to restlessness. He paced quietly for a while before routinely checking Anne's breathing and then finally he sat on the floor by her bed looking at her. She looked peaceful. He had not imagine finally looking at her after his year away for it to be in such terrible circumstance. He finally dozed off gazing at her as the sun rose above the horizon and danced it's rays softly on their faces.

A/N I wrote this over the course of the day and then my internet cut out and it deleted it so I had to write it all over again! So frustrating :( hope you enjoy it! A very emotional chapter don't you think 😂 two chapters in two days - I'm on a role! This is what happens when I'm snowed in