Lunch was blissfully peaceful.

Anne sat beneath the drooping willow and ate her lunch quietly, left alone by Billy mostly due to Gilbert sat on the school steps not far away. The dark haired boy didn't glance at Anne the entire half hour of lunch, although the girls did through the window, waving and smiling at Anne before being discouraged by the intolerable Josie Pye.

Anne heard Josie through the open window telling them, "Don't associate with that criminal. My mother told me that there is a detective in town and he believes it was Anne who did all of the robberies and the Barry wagon incident too."

Ruby looked horrified. "Oh no, that couldn't be Anne." She was very gullible but had built up a lot of admiration for her fellow freckled friend.

"Ruby, don't you know I'd never lie?" Josie said haughtily. She leant in conspirationally. "Besides, there's evidence."

"So Anne really did it?" Tilly stared out at Anne through the window. Her rosy face showed disbelief. She also admired the brave and unconquerable girl.

"Don't believe such appalling nonsense." Diana stood up and huffed. "Josie Pye - you had better stop spreading these awful rumours. My father's business is none of yours and I'll thank you not to say such hurtful and damaging things about my friend."

"So is Anne innocent?" Ruby looked at Diana hopefully.

"Of course she is." Diana said firmly, before leaving the girls to their gossip and finding her exceedingly more mature friend Gilbert on the steps.

"Hello, Diana." He looked up and smiled slightly.

He was glad to see his trusted friend. Diana was the only one who knew and understood all of the complicated details of their ordeal, aside from Anne and Anne came with a lot of other complications which made it hard to talk to her. Diana had been very worried about Gilbert and relieved to see he was well enough to attend school, although she yearned for more in depth reassurance of his health. Gilbert was a valued friend of hers too.

"How are you? Anne told me that you'd been hurt." Diana said. "She was awful worried for you, Gil. I know she was."

"Truth is, I've been better. Bruised ribs and damaged vocal cords. I'll heal." Gilbert said gruffly. "Joseph's handy work - he follows through with a threat. He said he'd hurt Anne if I told anybody about what she'd said. If he follows through with that threat he'll be sorry."

"Joseph is an absolutely wretched boy and I can't wait to be rid of him. I'd quite feared we'd see him again at school but to my relief he's decided to avoid it." Diana sighed. "Oh Gilbert... Why do you think his actions and intentions are so vile?"

"I don't know, but I know somebody who might." Gilbert leant closer, speaking quietly. He winced at every word still. "There was a man on the steamer to New York who knew things about Joseph. Joseph was on my steamer, I just never saw him properly. The man - James Riley - he works on the docks."

"Oh Gilbert, if we spoke to Mr Riley then we might find the answers we need to get Joseph in real trouble with the detective." Diana was wide eyed. "I bet he'd know a lot of awful things about Joseph that would be incriminating."

"The things I heard weren't good."

"Oh, if Joseph was coming from New York all the way to Avonlea he must be running from something. I'm sure he was in a lot of trouble, perhaps going to prison when he escaped onto the steamer."

Diana felt excited at the chance of helping Anne. She hated to feel useless.

"That was our plan, before everything." Gilbert caught himself before he instinctively turned to gaze at the redhead who had his heart in turmoil.

"Don't tell me you two are fighting again." Diana groaned. "I thought you had grown up a bit and decided to be friends. Whatever use being friends will do..."

Gilbert frowned stubbornly, feeling defensive. "She doesn't want anything to do with me," He said. "She won't give me a chance."

"You really believe that?" Diana sighed deeply. "It's not that simple..."

"Gilbert, you know that Anne had a very rough childhood. She's not so used to friendships and other good relationships, more used to hardship and... bullying. She's not used to all this, despite being a completely brilliant best-friend she still finds it difficult. She didn't even know that I truly loved her when my mother forced our separation two years ago. We had been best-friends for months and she didn't know that I loved her. She didn't even believe me when I told her. I suppose she doubts it even now."

Gilbert sat, Diana's words sinking in slowly. He looked down at his pale fingers. He felt childish being so upset by Anne's behaviour. It wasn't her fault, she was feeling overwhelmed. Diana was right, she found it all hard and wasn't used to friendships and... other relationships. He had to give her time.

"Anyway, I'm sure you'll work it out." Diana consoled him brightly. "You simply have to, or I wont forgive you. I can't have my best friends fighting constantly when that's the exact opposite of what they want to do."

Gilbert looked up at the clear sky. There was sun but a chill lingered in the breeze. Gilbert thought that it was almost like life, the sun was the hope of saving Anne and the chill was the cruel breeze of harsh eventualities like Anne being taken away. He shivered and pulled his cap lower down over his curly hair.

"I'm glad you're well enough to come today, it's nice to see you properly. You're a welcome relent in the arguing and gossip I used to enjoy so much at school but now find myself tiring of." Diana said. "When are we going to visit the docks to see Mr Riley? I'm coming, naturally. I'm getting good at investigating."

...

School eventually finished, after a dreadfully long day which had stretched out forever. It seemed to last even longer after everyone came back from lunch to find somebody - Anne had a good idea it was Josie - had written in large, romantic cursive 'GILBERT AND ANNE' inside a heart on the blackboard. Gilbert had observed Anne's painfully embarrassed expression before he briskly walked up to the board and wiped the humiliating message away with his shirt sleeve.

As soon as the bell rang the cloakroom filled with students collecting their things before flooding through of the doors and out into the bright, sunny afternoon. There was a fresh breeze from the morning showers and flowers were peeking out from every nook and cranny of the soft ground. Anne would have delighted in such a perfect late afternoon if she hadn't been so intent on her mission.

Gilbert snatched his bag from his hook, shoved his cap back on his head and raced after Anne. She was walking fast, her hand clutching her side which he knew still pained her especially during extertion.

"Anne." He called hoarsely, panting. It hurt his ribs to run but he had to catch up with the girl. "Anne Shirley-Cuthbert! Slow down."

Anne stopped abruptly and whirled around to look at Gilbert. "What is it?" She said with irritation.

"Where are you going?" He asked the girl breathlessly.

"I urgently need to search the houses along Orchard Way and find the evidence which Joseph told me he'd left. Why do you ask?" Anne seemed impatient with Gilbert's presence, which made him falter.

"Oh, I just-- I wanted to tell you that I'm going down to the docks to find my old colleague from the steamer... He could have real information about Joseph. It would help you if people had an idea of the real him. It would hopefully prove your innocence."

"Good, glad to hear it." Anne's tone was distinctly curt but more polite.

It was awful to hear her being so blunt and uncomfortable with him, after the pair being so vulnerable with each other before that day. Gilbert tried not to let it bother him how they had reverted back to their status when he left for New York. Their progress seemed to have been wiped out like the message on the blackboard. Quickly and easily, leaving no trace. Like it was never there.

"Well, good luck." Gilbert said. He couldn't breathe with Anne barely looking at him, acting so indifferent. It ached. He didn't want their conversation to end. "Be careful, Anne."

Anne hesitated in her blunt manner. She had that dreadful, urgent rush that Gilbert was going and she wouldn't see him again. She wished she had the words when she most needed them to express how she felt. What even was it that she felt? She didn't believe there were any words invented which did justice to how she felt. None if it mattered when she knew Gilbert didn't reciprocate whatever it was she felt. Telling him there was nothing between them was the easiest way for Anne to live with the truth that Gilbert didn't feel anything for Anne. It didn't matter what people said, Anne could tell.

In the end, all she could manage was - "You too, Blythe." Her wide grey eyes watched as Gilbert's hopeful expression slid away. Anne turned, heart sinking slightly and she walked away down the path.

Gilbert gazed after her, his chest feeling like there was a knot tied in his ribs and it was being tugged and twisted as she moved further away from him. Gilbert knew things had changed between him and Anne, he felt things for her that he didn't understand but all he knew was that he wanted to see her all the time and when she wasn't around the world felt quiet and sad. He just wished she felt the same way.

"Gilbert!" Diana ran to catch up with the older boy, stopping to keep pace beside him as he walked down the road. "Wait for me, I'm coming with you."

"Hello, Diana." Gilbert said, trying to appear less affected by Anne's departure than he was.

"You don't look so good. Are you alright, Gil?"

"Of course," He smiled somewhat reassuringly and nodded. "Always."

...

Anne didn't know this but as she followed the path that lead to the Mantleyews house, somebody was trailing her not far behind.

Billy Andrews was on her tail and he didn't let her out of his sights the entire journey there. Anne walked with purpose, urgency and Billy kept pace yards behind hidden amongst the wooded path. Billy knew Anne was going to the houses Joseph had mentioned, he thought she was going to steal more valuable items from the families while they were out at the market that afternoon. He was determined to catch her red-handed at the end and take her to the detective. He'd probably get a medal or some type of prize for services for the town but all Billy wanted was for everybody to see that he was right about Anne all along.

She couldn't be trusted, she was a bad person and she belonged back in the orphanage.

The Mantleyews were a family of four, a couple in their forties with two grown up daughters who had recently moved out of town. Their family were middle class and lived comfortably but despite their money were kind and humble folk. Anne had always thought well of them. She felt unbearably awful sneaking into their house, yet not so awful as she imagined she'd feel if they thought she had stolen from them after finding the evidence that Joseph planted.

Anne scouted the outside of their house, ensuring nobody was home before securing an entry point - a living room window left ajar. Anne had to climb through the rose bush and her stockings caught on the thorns and scratched her legs. She was careful not to tread on any of the precious blossoms. Anne's love of nature was never wavering.

The journey through the window was easy, a simple motion of lifting the window with Anne's considerable strength from climbing and a hoist up through the pane was enough to get Anne's small frame into the tidy living room. It was bright, with family photos and paintings comforting the dull white walls and homemade crochet throws draped over the settee and chairs. Piles of books adorned the shelves and Anne gazed at all of the beautiful household items, her imagination running away with her.

She had a vision of herself living in a house as comfortable, beautiful and inspiringly loved as this, with big windows and a tended garden and big trees standing guard. Poplars, perhaps. Set atop weather-ruled scenery to add a dramatic and romantic air for everyday life. Anne pictured her grown-up dresses with puffed sleeves, her hopefully dark auburn hair blowing like a flame in the fierce wind and a beautiful Gable room with a writing desk for an outlet of her passionate imagination.

The part of the vision she had no control over was the figure who was ever present, the most comforting and the most beautiful and loved of all the valued settings in the house. It was a young man, tall, dark and familiar. She couldn't see his face but she knew him and felt glad he was there. Anne flushed at the thought of having somebody to share such a dream and future with. As if somebody as homely as her would find a husband.

With her life of certain solitary existence sobering her daydreams, Anne got on with the search. Every inch of the Mantleyews house was scoured by Anne and much to her confusion, there was not a single item which belonged or had strayed from her. She puzzled the situation, as she made her leave and slid the window closed.

Had the evidence already been recovered? What if there had been none? Maybe Joseph was lying. But what if he wasn't and she simply hadn't found it? Maybe she would be able to find some evidence in the other houses he had mentioned. Anne couldn't risk the evidence being found in the other houses so she made her way to the Burns house with doubt fretting her thoughts.

...

Gilbert and Diana made a short stop at Diana's house to borrow a horse. Diana hastily packed some supplies for their journey and told her parents that she was going to study with Ruby Gillis and would be home late. Her parents were not happy about this but were too busy to stop and argue. Diana met Gilbert outside her broken back gate and they rode the considerable distance to the docks.

They had to stop several times to rest and to water and feed the horse. Their rests were unusually silent for the two friends, both of them lost in thought. They were both worried about Anne. Diana was also worried about her upcoming party and all of the arrangements that were happening for it. Her father was still knees deep in the investigation but her mother was burying herself in the party plans.

When the pair finally reached the dock it was early evening and Diana's thoughts had turned back to her parents. They would be very worried about her, especially with all of the trouble going down in Avonlea. She prayed they would be too busy to worry for a few more hours at least. Gilbert and Diana slid off of her horse and they walked through the docks.

The docks were never quiet, boats and ships arriving at all times of day and night, birds and dogs roaming and heralding new arrivals, countless people of all kinds bustling the stools and ports and joining the busy market fray. The sun was hanging low in the sky like a red moon, the clouds twisting like smoke as a chill dropped in the air. Diana pulled her coat tighter around herself and Gil adjusted his scarf as they approached an inn.

Diana was nervous to go inside. She knew that her parents frowned upon drinking alcohol and that it was shameful for a young lady such as herself to enter a place where such undesirable folk dwelled. It could even be against the law, Diana wasn't sure. But Anne's life was in the gamble, so anything was on the table for Diana. Gilbert looked anxious too, but for different reasons. He hoped to find the answers they desperately needed. He hoped if they did it would make Anne happy and they could get out of the uncomfortable state they had fallen in.

"Ready?" He asked his dark-haired friend.

Diana took a deep breath. "Yes. You go first." She said.

...

Inside the inn Diana was surprised to find it rather more homely than she expected. It was dark and smoky, lit by gas lamps and full of people talking and drinking. It was still intimidating to Diana but people were laughing and chatting and everyone seemed to know somebody else. There was not a table or stool free and barely a few feet to move between others. It was warm and a scent of fish and spices, smoke and a heady, strong drink lingered in the air. Diana secretly felt proud of herself for being brave enough to enter the inn.

Gilbert's dark brown eyes narrowed as they searched the crowded drinking house, his brow furrowing.

"I heard he's here most evenings." He turned to Diana. He said lightly, "He's not what you're expecting, I'm willing to bet."

"And what am I expecting?"

Diana straightened up, trying to seem more confident in the scenario than she was. She heard that was a good path to feeling confident in a new social situation.

"Some ruffian, I just know it. A burly, hairy man a big beard and deep voice. Somebody conspicuous and world-worn." Gilbert teased. "Correct me if I'm wrong."

Gilbert flashed a slight half-smile with the same cheeky spirit that used to endow a lot of his actions at school. He had been a very mischievous child, Diana remembered. His angelic face always got him into and out of trouble. His siblings used to keep him out too before they passed. Diana had a faint memory of them but so much had changed since then, it was hard to picture how things were.

Diana hadn't seen that spirit in a long time. It had been a big part of Gilbert's character and it felt strange that he didn't joke as much anymore, although she supposed it made sense that he didn't have as much reason to smile and mess around what with everything that had happened to him and everyone he had lost.

"It isn't right to judge before you read past the cover, you know. I'd never have been friends with Anne if I didn't know that." Diana said primly. "Now where is this James Riley gentleman?"

Gilbert smiled at Diana. "Oh, Di. Gentleman is a definitely more accurate. What he was doing on that steamer I have no idea. He belonged there even less than I did, as he liked to remind me."

Diana was intrigued now.

"There he is," Gilbert's face lit with recognition. "At the bar."

Diana looked up, standing on tiptoes to see where the taller boy's gaze had landed. She followed Gilbert's eyes to a young man not much older than the pair of them, sitting at the bar talking to the waitress cheerily, a sunny smile on his face. He was nice to look at, with short dark-brown hair and a squared jaw. His clothes weren't smart but the way he wore them made them look like the kind of clothes a king would wear. A long navy blue coat and black worker's boots, a grey shirt and dark trousers, mussed up with dust and a trailing scarf from his neck. There was a badge on his chest which gleamed in the gas lamps as his chest heaved with laughter.

"That's James Riley?" Diana couldn't help but be surprised. "You're right, I didn't expect that."

Gilbert made his way through the crowd confidently, clearly having been in a similar setting before. Diana siezed hold of the tail of his coat, eager not to lose her friend in this place. She'd never been anywhere like it and the look these people were giving her did not make her feel entirely welcome and belonging. She had wished she hadn't worn her smart coat to school that day and opted for her more practical one, she would've fitted in better.

"Riley!" Gilbert greeted loudly, beaming at James when they reached the bar.

The man looked up, saw Gil and grinned. He stood up and threw Gilbert into a bear hug. He held the boy at arms length and looked at the younger boy, obviously pleased to see him. Diana watched the pair, feeling shy.

"Gilbert Blythe. You look rough as an old lady's behind!" James laughed, his voice singing an Irish brogue. "Life not been treating you well?"

Diana felt shocked at the man's words but it was oddly reassuring to hear somebody be so brutally honest and say such impolite things to somebody they clearly had a great deal of affection for. It was a relief sometimes, in Diana's life of prim and proper.

"I'll live." Gilbert said amicably. "I missed you, Jem."

"How are you my dear friend? I'm surprised to see you here." James said.

"I meant to come here weeks ago looking for a steady job but then -- things happened and well, I'm back at school." Gilbert said. "I want to be a doctor."

"Oh you've definitely got the sense and the brains for that." James nodded. He laughed, "Whether you've got the stomach for it is another matter."

The boys laughed heartily and sat down at the bar. Diana looked at James Riley, feeling awkward and shy. She was out of her element and out of her depth. She desperately searched for something to say but was thankfully relinquished from the task of introducing herself.

"Why, is this the infamous Anne of Avonlea who had you so homesick on the ship?" James grinned at Diana.

"Oh, no-- this is my friend Diana Barry." Gilbert said hastily. "And I wasn't homesick -- Anne didn't-- She's not exactly..."

James guffawed. "You're so far gone it's hilarious, my friend." He turned to Diana. "I'm so sorry for mistaking you, my dear. You see, from Gil's nonstop talk of her Anne was understood to be a marvellous beauty to match a marvellous intellect. Gilbert is very hung on this girl. Do you know her?"

"Yes, she's my best-friend." Diana said, smiling at the truth James spoke. It was nice that somebody else noticed what she saw.

"Well it's an absolute pleasure to meet you anyway. It's an easy mistake to mix you up with Anne. Gilbert clearly knows a great deal of smart and beautiful girls here. It's no wonder why he keeps his friends so private."

James Riley took Diana's hand and kissed the back of it. Diana flushed with embarrassment.

"It's an honour to make your acquaintance, I'm sure." She said out if habit. Then she smiled, "Anne is smart that's for sure, as smart as Gilbert. But neither are smart enough to say how they feel."

"She's good, I like her." James laughed, his eyes twinkling. "Do sit down, lass."

Diana obliged, sitting next to the slightly embarassed Gilbert. James smiled at them both happily. He seemed to be such an amenable fellow, Diana was no longer awkward or uncomfortable. James Riley made you feel that you belonged wherever you were and whoever you were.

"You know Bash has asked about you, Gil." James said. "Since he moved here he's found it hard. His lodgings have fallen through, I've heard he's staying at some laundry service. Maybe you'd like him at yours? I know you said your family were all gone and the pair of you had a good time together when we were working."

"I'll speak with him," Gilbert said earnestly. "I haven't had word from him since we got back, I have been so busy lately I guess I didn't have a chance to come and see him. The only reason we've come all this way tonight is because it's an emergency."

"What's your emergency? Can I help?" James asked, leaning in.

"You're the reason we came, actually." Gilbert said. "When we were on board the steamer I heard that you knew things about a certain boy who had snuck on the ship from New York. We need all of your information on Joseph Bines."

...

Anne had searched the Burns' house - who's back door had been left unlocked - which was smaller and messier, along with the large Cuttles family house, who's bay window had been placed on the latch.

The Burns family were a retired couple with several dogs. They had many valuable items saved from travelling, but there was no sign of the evidence Joseph spoke of. The Cuttles family had a large, four-bedroom house. They were a rich family with a son and daughter younger than Anne who were away at private school. They had a live-in house keeper who had gone out to the market with the couple.

Anne was beginning to panic by the time she finished searching the Cuttles house. Maybe she hadn't looked well enough? Should she go back and search the houses again to see if she'd missed something? She was sure she had scoured every inch of the houses...

Anne was exhausted from the travelling and had wished she'd brought her horse Belle. Her stitches were paining her and her heart was still troubled about Gilbert and her day at school.

Anne finally reached at the Frailles house when it was early evening. The house was the biggest yet, the family had two twin babies, a toddler and a five year old girl who had just started school. They had a nanny too ans Anne was afraid there would be maids or servants around but it appeared to be empty.

The parlour door was unlocked so she slipped inside. Anne thought it was strange that every house had been left open in some way. It was unusal, especially with so many rumours of thieves circulating Avonlea. Anne searched the upstairs rooms first to no avail and was just scouring the last room downstairs - the parlour - when she heard a light tap on the glazed glass windows of the back door.

Anne almost jumped out of her skin.

What had caused that sound? Was it an animal or a person? What if it was a member of staff or the family who had returned to the house? Anne prayed it was just a clumsy bird or a lost cat. She couldn't see out of the door windows and she'd pulled the curtains over all the others.

Anne felt her heart beating loudly in her ears. Her skin crawled in panic as she stood frozen, silently begging it to have just been an animal who would wander away.

But it came again.

Harder this time, deliberate and almost musical. It was definitely human, it was teasing and had an underlying message to it of I found you. Anne thought her heart was going to leap out of her throat. Where could she go? The parlour door was the way she had come, all other doors were locked. The windows were too high or locked. She was trapped. She had a horrible idea that whoever had knocked would chance the door and open it to see her standing there, still as a statue.

Anne crept forward, chest heaving as she twitched aside one of the long, magenta curtains which hung along the edge of a parlour window. Anne's trembling fingers pulled the thick fabric over her small body, back pressed on the wall and breath coming hot against her face as she stood concealed between the dresser and the window. On the other side of the dresser was the door.

The next tap came thrice, brisk and sharp like a knock to come in. Anne lifted her shaking hands to cover her mouth as she breathed heavily. She peered to her right and could see a slither of the garden out of the window. She couldn't see the person from there. Then Anne heard the parlour door handle twist and the hinges groaned slowly as the door was pushed wide open. Anne held her breath, her heartbeat thundering in her ears like horses riding, hooves rolling like heavy storms beneath them.

The parlour floorboards creaked as the person moved into the room. Their footfalls were heavy and she heard breathing just as heavy. She heard a click of something metallic sliding. Anne prayed they couldn't hear how loudly her heart was drumming. When she heard them speak, Anne thought her legs would have given out in shock.

"I know you're in here, dog."

It was Billy Andrews. He was here, in the Frailles parlour. He knew Anne was in here too, he had to. He must have seen her come in, been following her perhaps. He'd think she was coming in to steal, just like Joseph had set her up to appear Anne could have just died in that moment. She was furious with herself for being so impulsive and not reading into it further. Joseph had clearly produced this whole situation so Anne would be spotted and seem guilty.

But how did Billy know to look?

"Anne Shirley, come out now and I won't shoot." Billy said. "If you don't come out I will have to defend myself and I won't be blamed."

Anne stayed where she was. What else could she do? Billy had his gun.

"I know you broke in here and I know you broke into the other houses too, I saw you." Billy sounded giddy. "Time's up."

Time's up. So this was what they meant. Anne knew then that Joseph had told Billy something to make him follow her, or so he knew where to look. He had orchestrated this whole thing with the person he knew despised Anne and wouldn't be afraid of hurting her.

Anne heard Billy move through the room. If she waited until he moved further into the parlour maybe Anne could slip out from behind the curtain and sprint through the open door into the garden and disappear into the woods before he got hold of her. Anne knew Billy would use this situation to inact some form of revenge for his humiliation by her hand. She was afraid of his gun. Mr Hammond used to own a gun and it came out to back up threats in arguments many times.

Anne waited, face hot as the thick curtain pressed against her face and her warm breath heaved against her hand. Anne heard Billy step past the table and one of the chairs as his coat caught on the back and the chair legs grinded over the hard floor. Billy cursed and there was a scuffle as he untangled himself. Anne siezed her moment.

Anne pushed the curtain back and dashed around the dresser and out through the open door. The cold evening air hit her hot face, there was a shout and Anne lurched back as a large hand grabbed her collar tightly and yanked.

"Got you."