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‘I saw Anne Shirley-Cuthbert upon Gilbert Blythe’s lap in the field by Green Gables. They were so caught up in their scandalous kissing that they did not notice me pass’
Anne knew when she approached the school house and saw the boy's too had gathered around the Take Notice board that whatever had been pinned to it must have been an epic tale but this was far beyond her grasp. Several of the younger girls giggled on her approach whispering behind hands. Ruby and Tilly simply looked at her shocked. Charlie took it one step further and muttered ‘whore’ at her as she passed.
“I wonder how long it will be before Anne here find herself with bastard child.” One of the older boys announced loudly, drawing a laugh from the crowd.
Anne was simply to shooked. This was an outright lie, someone was trying to muddy her already dusty reputation. This would spread quickly. By days end all of Avonlea would know of Anne’s ruining. She tore the notice from the board and made her way slowly into the school house, words failing her as her peers muttered horrible things behind her.
There he was, the boy...no man that had apparently set about ruining her. Gilbert Blythe sat at his desk book in hand oblivious to the scandal that rocked them both. Anger spiked through her hotly. Of course he hadn’t bothered to check the board on his way into class, he didn’t care for such things. Here he sat nose so deeply in his texts that he had not even noticed the commotion outside, the commotion he was ingrained in the centre of.
“How can you just sit there.” Anne boomed causing poor Gilbert to jump at her sudden presence.
“Morning Anne,” He smiled, still unaware that the rug was about to be firmly yanked out from under him. “How can I help you this morning.”
“By setting that business straight.” Anne yelled, gesturing wildly to the gathering crowd before slamming her hands on Gilbert’s desk with a bang.
Gilbert swallowed, suddenly aware that he was currently at the wrong end of Anne Shirley- Cuthbert’s glare.
“And, what? Pray tell,” Gilbert swallowed again “business is that?”
Anne threw the crumpled notice down in front of Gilbert who rolled his eyes without reading it.
“I didn’t write this Anne, that’s not my ideal of romance.”
“I know you didn’t write it Blythe,” Anne spat his name “we are the subject. According to this post you’ve set about ruining me in a field for unsuspecting passers by to catch.”
“I beg your pardon.” Gilbert spluttered out.
“You hear me. Some anonymous person claims to have caught us in a scandal.”
Gilbert finally took the notice and and smoothed it out to read. Colour draining from his face.
“This isn’t true.” He said almost stupidly, which surprised Anne as she had never known Gilbert to be stuipid but it spoke to he utter shock she supposed.
“Oh really,” Said Anne “and here I though that it must have simply slipped my mind.”
Hooting and hollering filled the room around them as the classroom filled. Anne jumped back when she realised how it would look, the two of them stealing a quiet moment before class.
“Discussing moving up the wedding so you can claim your shame just arrived early.” Charlie spat.
A younger boy patted Gilbert’s back in congradulations.
“Anne, Gilbert. A word thank you?” Ms. Stacy called.
“Oooh!” chorused the class eager for the pair to be punished.
Anne looked around and caught Diana’s eye. She had been late this morning and not scene the notice confusion burned on her face.
“It’s simply not true Ms. Stacy. I was never alone with Gilbert in such a manner.” Anne spoke.
“Yeah right!” some one called loudly.
“It’s not like someone wouldn’t have gotten up her skirt sooner or later. Little Ophan Anne using her flower to capture some unsuspecting mook.” Josie Pye called callously. “Thought you were smarter then that Blythe.”
“Anne’s right Ms. Stacy,” Gilbert said ignoring Josie.
“Oh, please Ms. Stacy, we have all seen the way Gilbert eye’s Anne when he thinks no one is looking, I for one can’t believe they weren’t caught sooner. I caught them pressed up against the school house last week.” Josie sneered.
“I saw them exit the wood house with ties undone.” said a much younger girl.
Anne’s face dropped, and Gilbert’s brow shot up “What!” the both rebutted.
The story took on a life of its own when suddenly Moody recalled hearing uncouth noises coming from the Blythe’s shed when he had stopped by the farm to pick up some apples for his mother’s pies.
Anne took off at a run from the school house. Ms. Stacy shouting for calm as more people erupted with stories of capturing Gilbert and Anne in a lovers embrace. Tears streamed down Anne’s cheeks as she sprinted towards the safety of Green Gables. She didn’t hear the foot steps thump up the porch behind her, or take notice of the fact that she slammed the door in her persures face, or for that matter that he simply pulled it open and continued his chase.
Anne slammed into Marilla by the stove wrapping her arms around her waist i a tight hug, tears streaming down her face.
“Goodness me child what’s happened.” Marilla asked wrapping Anne into her.
“There has been a rumor spread untruly that I have taken Anne to bed Mrs. Cuthbert.” Gilbert answered from behind. Anne sobbed louder.Marilla looked rather pale. “Perhaps you should sit down and I could explain.” Gilbert gulped.
“It’s not true Marilla,” Anne sobbed “I am a wicked child, I know that but I would never do such a shameful thing.”
Marilla moved to the kitchen table and took a seat, she couldn’t bring her eye’s to either of the young people before her, children, they were children...how could such things have occured. Gilbert stepped forward bringing him to Anne’s side.
“NO!” Panicked Marilla. “No,” she said more calmly “don’t touch eachother.”
Gilbert looked mortified as he moved to the far side of the table and placed the notice in front of Marilla, she took it and read hand to her mouth.
“It’s simply not true Marilla,” Gilbert spoke keeping his head clear “but it has gotten out of hand. It appears everyone has a story of catching Anne and I in some scandal, like some sort of...of hysteria...it’s like a witch hunt.”
“I don’t understand, Charlie accused me of being with child. I don’t even know how one finds themselves in such as way and now the whole school, no, the whole of Avonlea believes me the whore.” Anne spat, Marilla gasped at Anne’s language.
“You must explain to me then, how it is that so many people have a tale of your descressions.” Marilla spat angrily “I can’t believe you Anne, there is a right way to do these things. Why you aren't even formally courting, how would we explain such a thing.”
“Oh, Marilla you must believe us that it isn’t true.”
“I most certainly do not.” Marilla cut through “What nonsense.” Gilbert looked extremely taken aback. “I will not discuss this any further. Anne to your room, at least there I’ll know what your upto. Gilbert I expect you need a word with Mathew to set thing right. We can hold the wedding in the Autumn.”
“Wedding?” Anne Spat.
“Marilla,” Gilbert spoke softly. “I would gladly take Anne’s hand to save her reputation but I can not let you believe that I would disrespect Anne so.” He wasn’t looking at either woman. “I don’t know who felt the need to spread such lies about our relationship but as it stands Anne has expressed no more interest in me then as friends and as I have not taken it upon myself to bed her out of wedlock I believe she should have a choice in the matter.”
Marilla stepped angrily forward finger wagging in Gilbert’s face when a sharp knock sounded at the door and Mrs. Rachel entered.
“I warned you Marilla, taking in an orphan girl like that, and now she’d with child, out of wedlock. The Blythe boy best be ready to step up to his actions…” Rachel trailed off as she took in the scene in the kitchen “well, well…” she tutted unapprovingly “if it isn’t the young lovers now.”
“We are not lovers!” Anne cried.
Rachel ignored her “Gotten herself into trouble, you try and try to instill whats right and wrong in them but I guess you can’t fight breeding.”
“Enough!” Gilbert finally cracked. “I don’t know who started this rumor but it couldn’t be further from the truth. I have not bedded Anne, I haven’t even kissed her. The others at the school house seem to be so caught up in the drama of it all they want to spread tales. Right now we need to focus on setting things right not marrying us off. If I marry it will be for love and love alone.”
“See now, the boy doen’t even want to stand up and take responsibility.” Rachel cut through.
“I beg your pardon Mrs Lyind, but I don't see how any of this is your business.” Gilbert snapped. Anne’s jaw dropped shocked, she had never seen Gilbert talk to an adult like that, manners out the window. “Now there is a simple way to solve the matter of Anne’s state. I will call upon Dr. Ward, he will be able to tell you for sure and certain if Anne were with child. As for my involvement in the matter you will just have to believe me to be innocent or not.”
“I don’t need Dr. Ward.” Anne spat.
“It’s simple, Dr. Ward can attest to the matter and once he is sure and certain he can tell the town and then your honor will be restored.” Gilbert said matter of factly “And,” He said, turning to Marilla and Rachel “It is a shameful thing that such measures are required because Anne is as respectable as any young woman should be.
#
Several days passed before Anne found it in herself to return to school. Dr. Ward had come and lifted her skirts and touched her belly and pronounced there to be no babe. Anne was still trying desperately to figure out what she a Gilbert could have done to find herself in such a state and yet no one would tell her.
Gilbert wasn’t helping the rumor mill by staying by her side through all this but at least the news that she wasn’t expecting spread fast enough. Only now the town was wondering if she was perhaps barron.
Enough time had been wasted and Anne decided she must return to school. Any chance of being a bride had been taken and now she had to focus on her studies so she could provide for herself as a spinster woman living alone all her days, tarnished to other men because she had been taken before. She had no idea what that meant or even truely why that mattered but she came to terms with it.
Anne enter the school house head held high. The Girls scattered as if impropriety were an infectious disease and if they got close they too would be ruined. An older boy was boulder and called out “Perhaps when Blythe is done with you I’ll take my turn.” Anne winced but moved to her seat. Diana took her hand.
“I believe you Anne” Diana smile “I know if it were true that my bosom friend would have told me from the start.”
Anne smiled at Diana taking little comfort that she had not lost her friend to this. Josie Pye sat holding Court amongst the girls in the class. Her brush with impropriety forgotten in the wake of this much more serious scandal , why at least Josie had been courting. She was practically engaged Anne on the other hand was just giving it away.
Gilbert’s entry into the classroom was meet with a hush. He swallowed and made his was to his desk.
“So what’s she like Blythe?” the boy who had crudely mentioned taking is turn earlier asked “Any good, or just an easy to get into bed.”
Anne looked down at her lap, fresh tears springing to her eye’s.
“I wouldn’t know,” Gilbert muttered threw grinding teeth “Anne is to respectable a young woman to ever let me into her bed even if I did come calling.”
“Oooh.” rang throught the class.
“Well that not what I heard.” Said Josie sticking her head in “I heard that the only reason she’s not pregnant is because you read somewhere in one of your text about herbs of prevention and she takes them so you can continue your shameful rutting. Why I heard from the Green Gables farm hand that he caught you two in the hay loft, how shameful.”
Anne’s face fell.
“Jerry would never tell such lies.” Diana protested.
“Jerry?” Josie smirked turning her nose up “Is that his name? Well he probably taught her all she knew before she moved on a bewitched Gilbert right from Ruby.” Ruby looked horrified to be brought into such a thing “Who knew that all you had to do to get Gilbert Blythes attentions was offer to be his whore.”
There was a collective gasp around the classroom at Josie’s words.
“Enough!” yelled Gilbert “Why is this of such importance to you. What do you gain from spreading lies about Anne and I.”
Josie just smirked
#
It went like this for months. More and more rumors were spread and for all of Anne’s ruin Gilbert’s reputation remained the same, if anything he received may a sly congratulations “on finding a way to taste the milk without buying the cow” as Mr. Andrews had put it with a wicked smile. Apparently Billy’s apple didn’t fall far from that rotten tree. For his part Gilbert and wrinkled has nose and made a hasty exit.
It seemed that Anne and Gilbert’s efforts to not be seen together only managed to fuel the ever burning fire of new gossip. Gilbert had learned the hard way that getting angry about it only made it worse when he had confronted Jerry about his part in all this.
“Hey! Jerry!” Gilbert called as the farm hand turned from his work to face an angry Gilbert.
“Gilbert. What’s wrong, is everything ok?” Jerry asked confused.
“No, it’s not ok.” Gilbert had growled pouncing on Jerry and pulling him forward by his coat so they were nose to nose.
“How could you say such things about Anne?”
“About Anne.” Jerry asked angrly “What did I say about Anne.”
“Josie Pye says that you told her that you caught us in the hay loft.”
“In the hay loft?” Jerry stammered confused.
“Yes, in the manor of man and wife.”
Jerry paled.
“I said no such things. I did not even know you and Miss Anne were courting and I have no idea who Josie Pye is.”
“Oh!” Gilbert said dropping Jerry’s coat.
That had just added to the rumors. “Gilbert Blythe beat that French kid for looking at Anne wrong.”, Maybe Anne couldn’t help herself the willful woman.”, “I heard that it was never Gilbert in the field with Anne it was that Jerry kid and Anne was so disgusted for stooping so low that she put the notice on the board so Gilbert would have to raise the child but then she lost it.”. Anne had yelled at him for hurting Jerry as well even though he’d barely roughed him up. She’d called him a brute (he secretly liked that, not because he wished to be a brute but because it sounded like a word out of one of her romance novels.).
Marilla for her part had come around and apologised to them both. Shock and propriety getting the better of her emotions and leading her to judge harshly. With the benefit of thought she had calmed down. It still didn’t hurt any less to hear the things the ladies in town thought of her parenting and Poor Anne.
Gilbert was starting to think that the best course of action was to marry Anne at least that way people would stop talking but really that would only lead to more gossip. If they decided to consummate the marriage - which of course would be Anne decision - and she fell pregnant they would speculate the child had been conceived so they rushed down the aisle. If they choose not to then they would talk about how she must be barron. If he didn’t marry her certainly no man in Avonlea would - but he wasn’t sure Anne even wanted to marry. Hadn’t she wanted to be the bride of adventure.
#
Entirely by coincidence Anne and Gilbert found themselves alone in the school house. Anne had come to speak to Ms. Stacy about something and Gilbert had come in for some extra lessons but Ms. Stacy had left a note on the board that she couldn’t make it this morning .
Anne looked at Gilbert and let out a sob. Propriety be damned she thought as she fell into his arms. He embraced her tightly letting her have her moment of tears.
“Oh, Gilbert it's horrible.” She sobbed “I’m an outcast. Diana’s mother is so concerned that my wicked ways will rub off on Diana that she has made arrangements for her to leave for finishing school in france early.” her shoulders shook as she held tight “I’ll never be given the option to marry, I won’t ever be able to have children of my own. I’ve been painted the whore and that’s all I’ll ever be.”
Gilbert forgot himself for a moment and placed a sweet kiss on her hair unfortunately for him his momentary lapse was discovered by JOsie Pye as she swaggered into the classroom.
“Oh,” she said eye’s bright “I never guessed I could be right.” Gilbert and Anne jumped apart at the intrusion. “I just knew that the only way to get the gossip off me after the horrible thing with Billy was for someone to be caught in a much worse way.”
There it was. Josie Pye had posted the notice to save herself the humiliation.
“I told little Beth that if she said she’d seen you with your ties loose exiting the wood room I’d sit with her at lunch.” Josie laughed “I have no idea why Moody went along with it all. I mean Charlie was jealous.”
“Why?” Anne asked meekly, it was so un Anne that Gilbert worried for a second she had fallen ill.
“Because it’s your fault the whole town was talking about me. You made such a fuss at Billy at the fair and everyone heard but before that it was just silly boys talking you made it known to everyone. Billy’s mother wanted to call off the engagement because she didn’t want her son involved with my loose morals. I knew if someone else was far more scandalised then I was my indiscretion would fade.”
“How could you Josie?” Gilbert asked “What Billy did to you was wrong and eventually the towns people would have seen that but what you did to Anne is irreversible.”
Josie shrugged. “At least it’s not me.”
“You are a horrible, spiteful girl Josie Pye and I hope you live to regret your decisions.” Anne spat. “I won't let this stand, I won't let this ruin me forever, I will find my way back into good standing and you will be left with the knowledge of what you’ve done to me.”
Josie just shrugged. “I don’t see how.”
#
Anne had left in a huff. Stomping her way into the trees to clear her head. She hadn’t notice Gilbert follow but when she spun and caught sight of him she was glad.
“I’m going to write to Cole. He once agreed that should we find no life mate we would be each others, I’m sure he will see my urgency and will agree. Its not like we will have to live as if we are married...I’ll...I’ll allow him his suitors and he will allow me to live a life of freedom. I’ll get away from all this.” Anne spewed out. “It will work. At the very least I’ll never have to return to Avonlea and the horrible things they say about me,” she flooped down on a nearby stump and looked at Gilbert expectantly.
“I suppose that would works.” he agreed tightly. “Or, you could marry me Anne and you could have your suitors and I will live my life as yours or we could be truly married, live as husband and wife.”
“Oh, Gilbert I could never do that to you. You said you wanted to marry for love. That doesn’t sound like love that sounds like obligation.”
“I could love you Anne, if you gave me a chance.” Gilbert replied.
“What does that even mean Gilbert. You could love me. You could force yourself to love me.”
“No, Anne it means...it means…” she looked at him expectantly “It means I care for you deeply, and at times I think I might love you but then you go and snap at me and I realise I’ll never be what you want. It means,” he took a fortifying breath “that went I look at you I get butterflies in my stomach, and I can’t stop thinking about you. It means that you hair is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen like a crown of flames on top your head your crowning glory of perfection. It means that every time you leave i feel lonely and every time you come back I feel whole. It means that if you run off and marry Cole I’ll be beside myself with jealousy and rage and I just might not be able to stop myself from being a bit of a brute. It means Anne,” he said taking her hands and holding her gaze “that I’m pretty sure I do love you if only you would let me.”
Anne’s eyes shone with tears, a laugh bubbled out of her. Joy. She had never expected or dreamed a boy...no man...would ever say something so romantical to her.
“I think, I could love you too Gilbert,” she whispered, “If only I weren’t so afraid.”
#
Gilbert Blythe asked Anne Shirley-Cuthburt to marry him and she wholeheartedly agreed.
The notice was pinned to the church notice board for the whole town to see in Gilberts half messy half neat scrawl. Oh it did little of the rumors of there impropriety before the wedding and Gilbert had been right about one thing. The rumors of Anne’s infertility swirled for months after the wedding. Until about 8 months after their union Anne had stepped out to fetch some flower her stomach unmistakably rounding. With the news of the newest Avonlea arrival on its way people forgot the past and instead focused on the pending arrival.
Anne was right. One day her reputation would be cleared and she would live a full and happy life. She never forgot how horrible it was to be cast out for her perceived wrongs but that didn’t matter. Especially when she knew it had bought her and Gilbert together truly. Especially when it bought her a healthy, beautiful baby boy. With brown curls and grey eyes. And half her, half Gilbert.