In the Woods When First We Met

171. Through the Evergreens

On the way back from a pleasant afternoon at the Blythe house- Anne happily holding a small stack of books on her lap as she sat in Mr. Blythe's buggy, and Gilbert feeling that all was right with the world because Anne was by his side- they drove back to Green Gables.

As Anne steadily chattered the whole way, Gilbert tuned in and out, sometimes listening to her, and sometimes not. He felt warm inside, as if spring had sprung, despite it still being a bit chilly outdoors. All his senses were heightened- melting icicles sounded loudly in his ears as they fell- plop, plop- from the evergreens he and Anne drove slowly through, and he felt the rough material of the reins in his hands and the slight pull from the horses as they moved ahead. The smell of Anne was most intoxicating- she still smelled like the cinnamon they'd sprinkled on their toast that morning- and the taste of sugar was on his tongue.

"Any news on the wedding front?" Anne asked suddenly, changing topics and startling him.

Gilbert came back to earth.

It took him a moment to come to reality.

"Yes. Ruby's deciding on a menu. She wants to serve lobster."

"Lobster?" Anne asked.

"She says it's romantic and she wants to do it all herself. I asked her if she knew how lobsters were cooked. She seemed a bit less keen on it after I told her."

Anne couldn't help smiling. "Poor Ruby. I wonder when she'll figure out there's no wedding."

"I don't know about that," Gilbert said. "I'm starting to think we'll have to get married just so Ruby doesn't feel she's wasted her time."

He smiled when Anne laughed.

"Well, to be honest, Anne, I haven't exactly discouraged her. She seems to have let me go, and I don't want her to go back to the days of being angry with you for 'stealing me' away from her. Things are all right between you two now, and I'd like to keep it that way."

Anne smiled at him.

"And she says her mother won't let her be friends with you unless there's been a proper wedding before a baby comes, so I figure why not let her think that for a while? Just so Ruby can be friends with you. She really does want to be your friend. I'd hate to do anything to make her mother prevent it."

Anne nodded. "And if there's no baby then it won't matter and Ruby will already be my friend."

"Right," Gilbert confirmed. "Ruby's been dying to visit you. What do you want me to tell her?"

Anne bit her lip. "She could come over. Maybe...maybe with you, though." Anne wanted Gilbert there in case Ruby started asking her awkward questions. Gilbert had proved to be good at running interference for her.

"I wish she could bring Diana with her," Anne sighed unhappily. "But I know Diana isn't allowed to come, or she would have by now. She'd never stay away like this if it weren't for her mother."

Gilbert nodded, feeling terrible for her. "She gave me a note for you, the other day. I would have left it with Miss Cuthbert yesterday but we got to talking about something else and I didn't remember I had it."

"Do you have it now? Or can we go back to your house and get it?" Anne could not wait another minute for communication with her bosom friend.

"It's here in my pocket," he told her, moving the reins into one hand so he could reach in to get the note.

Anne practically ripped it from his hands.

Her face fell after a moment.

"What is it?" he asked.