In the Woods When First We Met

55. Case

"You think you can tell me about what happened?" Gilbert asked after a moment.

Anne stared at him. Then she bit her lip. "Maybe later," was all she said.

Gilbert nodded slowly.

They just sat there a moment looking at each other.

Since Anne clearly wasn't going to facilitate this discussion, Gilbert spoke up, moving on to the next item on his agenda: "I've been thinking about reasons you should tell the Cuthberts what happened."

Anne groaned. "Gilbert-"

"There are reasons, Anne. I have reasons."

"And I am sure they are perfectly valid reasons, Gilbert, but-"

"I made a list."

"You made a list?" She already sounded angry; this wasn't starting out well.

"Two, actually. One of reasons you should tell them, and one of possible ways you could bring up the subject with them."

"I feel I've been conspired against," Anne commented dryly.

"I'm not conspiring against you," Gilbert said, "I'm trying to help you."

"You have a funny way of showing it. I don't want to tell them. And you were made well aware of that."

"I know, but- just hear me out, okay?"

Anne looked at him. He could tell by her expression that this was not going to be easy. When he'd told her, the other day, that she seemed like a determined girl, he'd had no idea. This was going to be an uphill battle.

"Give me a chance, all right? Fair and square. Let me argue my case."

Anne said coldly, "Are you planning a career as a lawyer?"

Gilbert said, "I guess that depends on whether or not I win my first case."

"Well if that's what you're going to base it on, you'd best find another vocation right now."

"That's all right," Gilbert said, "I don't want to be a lawyer anyway. It's a job with too much arguing. I plan to do all my arguing at home with my wife."

"Haha," Anne said, in a way that clearly told him she didn't find him funny.

He got out his two lists.

Anne stared at the papers, her cheeks hot, already preparing to be angry with him. "There's nothing identifying on those papers, I hope."

"No, I didn't write what happened, or your name," he said. "Or Billy's name, either."

Anne looked doubtful.

Gilbert held the paper out to her, saying, "I was careful to write in such a way that if anyone found them, they wouldn't be able to tell what they were about."

"Still..."

"Here- you want to look? You can see what I wrote. So you'll know there's nothing anyone could tell from them."

Anne did not take the papers he held out. She did not want to touch the papers, because they didn't currently happen to be by a fireplace she could throw them into.

As if reading her mind, Gilbert said, "No one will see them, anyway- when I get home, I'll put them in the fire. Or, no, actually, you should take them home. Then you can at least reconsider."

"I won't," Anne said.

"All right. Well, please, can we talk about them?"

Anne stared at him, looking a bit stony.

Gilbert smiled at her. "You've got to show me how badly I argue a case, all right? If I don't lose to you, I might decide to become a lawyer and be miserable my whole life. And you'll ruin marriage for me, too, because I'll argue cases so much at work that I'll come home with no fight left in me, and then who's my wife going to argue with?"

"...All right."