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43. obligations

Indecision about his obligations was a trouble which Gilbert had wrestled with for most of his life.

His obligation to confront Anne about the hair was strong but something was holding him back. Another obligation to tell the police and townsfolk where the grave was had taken hold of his conscience but he felt that it was better to leave Joseph's unmarked grave untouched in the woods and keep it's whereabouts unknown so it would be undisturbed by the many bitter Avonlea citizens who might seek it out.

Gilbert covered up the mound, disguising it with several overturned branches and nearby bracken so it would never be discovered. He thought it was best for everybody to put it all behind them, like he was trying to do. Before he did he needed closure on several things.

First of all Gilbert went back for loyal Sandy the horse, who he took back to the Tilderlys farm. The farmer couple were surprised to see Gilbert and full of gratitude at the return of their beloved horse. Sandy was treated to several dinners, a good wash and brush and Mr Tilderly vowed to redo the fences around his land and made his stables more secure. Their thanks to Gilbert for this kindness was great and they told him he was always welcome there, despite their past disagreements.

"We've heard all about poor Anne's troubles since you left... My heart is with you all, she's lucky to have such a brave friend as Diana and she's lucky to have you too." Mrs Tilderly had told Gilbert before he made his leave.

"Well we're lucky to have her." Gilbert nodded.

"Does she know how you feel about her, son?" The kind woman asked. "Lord knows, it's plain to see for all of us."

"Oh... I-- I think she does." Gilbert laughed slightly, scratching the back of his neck shyly. "It's hard to tell with Anne, she's a passionate individual alright."

"That's for sure. Well I wish you both all the best."

Next, Gilbert visited the infamous Guardinia Cottage. It had not yet been held by the police force, as the Bines family's records were not in full procedure yet. The cottage stood ominous and grey, empty like an abandoned old castle haunted by ghosts. Perhaps it was, Gilbert thought with a shiver. He stared up at it and it's foreboding dark windows for a long time before he mustered the courage to enter. The door was unlocked, the last person to inhabit it had left in a hurry - axe throw unceremoniously into a large cutting log in the yard on their way out.

Inside, there was an odd smell - cold and almost unlived in. Gilbert had a terrible feeling being there, seeing the bare furnishings and disused habitat of those detestable criminals. Gilbert couldn't go into Joseph's room, he couldn't face it. But he did enter the parlour, where he found a large chest. Inside it was a haul larger than Gilbert had ever seen - mainly bags of coins and some other valuables. Just several bags of this was enough to set Gilbert up for life. The temptation to take it all was strong, especially for somebody who had lived their entire life on the brink of poverty just scraping by. Eventually Gilbert closed the chest lid, taking with him only one bag. It was a year's earnings and he felt compensation for his trauma which he'd carry with him for life. Perhaps he'd go to college and use this money to carve a decent future out for himself.

Finally, the conflicted boy headed back to Green Gables, his heart feeling torn. Gilbert wished he had somebody to talk to about everything, to listen to his troubles... That used to be his father but then he got ill and passed away. Now Gilbert had nobody, well close to nobody...

Gilbert sat on the hill overlooking the beautiful farm for over an hour, hidden in the grasses and trapped in his quandary. He wasn't sure what to say or how to broach his worries with Anne, who he was confused about. He trusted Anne implicitly but why had he found one of her hairs at the grave? Had she been there? If so then when? Why was she there, what purpose did she fulfill in the woods? The burning questions were turned over and over in Gilbert's mind, to no end.