Anne of Ingleside - L. M. Montgomery [130]
‘I suppose that is why you forgot this was our anniversary?’ she taunted him.
Gilbert released her long enough to pounce on the little packet he had dropped on the table.
‘I didn’t forget it. Two weeks ago I sent to Toronto for this. And it didn’t come till tonight. I felt so small this morning when I hadn’t a thing to give you that I didn’t mention the day… thought you’d forgotten it too… hoped you had. When I went into the office there was my present, along with Parker’s letter. See how you like it.’
It was a little diamond pendant. Even in the moonlight it sparkled like a living thing.
‘Gilbert… and I…’
‘Try it on. I wish it had come this morning… then you’d have had something to wear to the dinner besides that old enamel heart. Though it did look rather nice snuggling in that pretty white hollow in your throat, darling. Why didn’t you leave on that green dress, Anne? I liked it… it reminded me of that dress with the rosebuds on it you used to wear at Redmond.’
(So he had noticed the dress! So he still remembered the old Redmond one he had admired so much!)
Anne felt like a released bird… she was flying again. Gilbert’s arms were around her… his eyes were looking into hers in the moonlight. ‘You do love me, Gilbert? I’m not just a habit with you? You haven’t said you loved me for so long.’
‘My dear, dear love! I didn’t think you needed words to know that. I couldn’t live without you. Always you give me strength. There’s a verse some where in the Bible that is meant for you… “She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.” ’
Life which had seemed so grey and foolish a few moments before was golden and rose and splendidly rainbowed again. The diamond pendant slipped to the floor, unheeded for the moment. It was beautiful… but there were so many things lovelier… confidence and peace and delightful work… laughter and kindliness… that old, safe feeling of a sure love. ‘Oh, if we could keep this moment for ever, Gilbert!’
‘We’re going to have some moments. It’s time we had a second honeymoon. Anne, there’s going to be a big medical congress in London next February. We’re going to it… and after it we’ll see a bit of the Old World. There’s a holiday coming to us. We’ll be nothing but lovers again… it will be just like being married over again. You haven’t been like yourself for a long time.’ (So he had noticed.) ‘You’re tired and overworked… you need a change.’ (You, too, dearest. I’ve been so horribly blind.) ‘I’m not going to have it cast up to me that doctors’ wives never get a pill. We’ll come back rested and fresh, with our sense of humour completely restored. Well, try your pendant on and let’s get to bed. I’m half dead for sleep… haven’t had a decent night’s sleep for weeks what with twins and worry over Mrs Garrow.’
‘What on earth were you and Christine talking about so long in the garden tonight?’ asked Anne, peacocking before the mirror with her diamonds.
Gilbert yawned.
‘Oh, I don’t know, Christine just gabbled on. But here is one fact she presented me with. A flea can jump two hundred times its own length. Did you know that, Anne?’
(They were talking of fleas when I was writhing with jealousy. What an idiot I’ve been!)
‘How on earth did you come to be talking of fleas?’
‘I can’t remember… perhaps it was Dobermann pinschers suggested it.’
‘Dobermann pinschers! What are Dobermann pinschers?’
‘A new kind of dog. Christine seems to be a dog connoisseur. I was so obsessed with Mrs Garrow that I didn’t pay much attention to what she was saying. Now and then I caught a word about complexes and repressions… that new psychology that’s coming up… and art… and gout and politics and frogs.’
‘Frogs!’
‘Some experiments a Winnipeg research man is making. Christine was never very entertaining, but she’s a worse bore than ever. And malicious! She never used to be malicious.’
‘What did she say that was so malicious?’ asked Anne innocently.
‘Didn’t you notice? Oh, I suppose you wouldn