Chapter Text
Matthew stood by the fencepost of Green Gables with a paintbrush in hand, observing the sun approaching the treeline. It was high summer, but he was beginning to notice the days shortening by a fraction. He was certain that Marilla would ring the dinner bell any minute.
He straightened up his back and wiped a bead of sweat from his brow using a handkerchief Anne had embroidered as a parting gift to him. He traced the stitchwork with his thumb. A wan smile tugged at his lip.
Anne hadn’t taken to needlepoint right away, as it required sitting still for far too long for her taste, and in her words, “didn’t inspire much scope for the imagination.” But when she began designing her own patterns and tightened up her stitches, she discovered that it was a useful skill for making gifts to express her affection for those she loved. Matthew considered every day a blessing that he was counted among them.
Matthew neatly folded the handkerchief and tucked it back into his pocket. Anne had taken the train with Gilbert who was helping her move into Queens a week early so she could begin to fulfill the requirements of her scholarship program. Matthew trusted that the two would be safe as long as they stuck together and didn’t bicker too much.
He dipped his paintbrush into the paint can, determined to at least finish one more section of the fence before Marilla summoned him. Anne would usually help with annual summertime tasks and took great pride in her abilities as a master painter, but with her away, that left him and Jerry to complete the paint job. For his part, Jerry was making quick work of it, but Matthew on the other hand, was not as spritely as he had once been.
Glancing down at the long stretch of fence that had yet to be lathered with a new coat of paint, Matthew let out a sigh. It was a two-day or maybe three-day task anyway, he supposed. He recalled that when it was just him and Marilla at Green Gables, repainting the perimeter fence used to take them the better part of a week.
As he was finishing up the fencepost, Matthew spotted a man on horseback trotting up the drive toward the gate. It was none other than their neighbor and dear friend, Sebastian Lacroix.
Matthew moved to open the gate, but Sebastian came to a stop and dismounted outside the fence.
“Good evening, Matthew,” Sebastian greeted him as he led the horse closer to the fence.
Matthew tipped his cap. “Lovely evening, isn’t it, Bash? You’ve grown quite comfortable riding these days.”
Bash stroked the mane of his gray horse. “Old Blue here is really a friendly creature once you get to know her.”
Matthew grinned. “What brings you to Green Gables on this fine evening? I don’t believe Marilla is looking after Delphine today.”
“Oh, no, my mother is watching Delly right now,” Bash told Matthew. “These past two years, Gilbert has taught me everything he knew about running a farm, and I dare say I’m getting the hang of it. But this morning I discovered mounds of dirt around Mary’s—around my garden. It gives me quite a fright to think that something is burrowing ‘neath the dirt and destroying our turmeric. Without turmeric, I cannot make my world famous curry! Seeing as Gilbert’s gone, I thought it would be best to consult someone with more farming experience.”
“Well you’ve come to the right place,” Matthew said amiably. “It sounds like you have a gopher problem. How many dirt piles did you find?”
“I don’t know, two or three?”
Matthew’s expression turned grim.
Worry creased Bash’s brow. “That’s bad, isn’t it? What is one to do to solve a gopher problem?”
“You set a trap, of course,” Matthew replied. “I’ve never had an infestation of gophers myself, but I hear they can cause rotten trouble. This might be beyond my expertise.”
“Lord have mercy,” Bash let out.
“But when I told you that you came to the right place, I meant it. My farmhand is the trapper’s son. I reckon he can be of help.” Matthew spotted the boy in question painting down by the other side of the barn and called out to him. “Jerry! Come here!”
Jerry dropped his paintbrush into his pail and ran along the fenceline toward them. He wore a long apron to protect his clothing from being ruined by paint but still ended up with paint streaked across his cheek which came into view as he approached the two men.
Jerry looked down regretfully. “I’m sorry, Mr. Cuthbert. I was so busy painting, I didn’t see your guest coming and forgot to open the gate.”
“Not to worry, Jerry.” Matthew directed his attention toward Sebastian. “Our neighbor, Mr. Lacroix, was just telling me about a gopher infestation in his garden. We were wondering if you could help out with this situation.”
Jerry smiled graciously and extended his hand to Bash. “Je m’appelle Jerry Baynard. I would be happy to help. Gophers really aren’t too much trouble to get rid of. My father taught me how to trap all kinds of rodents.”
Bash clapped his hand to Jerry’s and shook his hand enthusiastically. “Pleasure meeting you! You could easily become my favorite person pretty soon!”
Matthew placed a hand on Jerry’s shoulder. “Jerry’s a good lad. He’ll help you right out. I would be happy to let you borrow him for the day tomorrow, Bash.”
“That’s very kind of you to offer,” Sebastian replied with a twinge of discomfort. “But I’d hate to impose.”
“It’s really no trouble,” Matthew said. “You don’t mind, do you, Jerry? We can resume our painting the following day.”
“I don’t mind,” Jerry told Matthew. “It’s no trouble, Mr. Lacroix. That’s what neighbors are for, no?”
“Well, alright then,” Bash said with a laugh.
Jerry brought his attention back to Matthew. “Mr. Cuthbert, if it’s alright with you, I ought to return to my parents’ house for the night. I have to retrieve the trap for Mr. Lacroix, and I’d like to pay my family a visit.”
Matthew was grateful to have Jerry around full time to help with the farm work, but he knew it was hard on the boy to see his family less frequently. “Yes, that’s fine. But be sure to return your pail to the barn, and see if Marilla needs any help before you go.”
“Thank you very much, sir!” Jerry flashed a smile in Sebastian’s direction. “See you tomorrow, Mr. Lacroix!” Jerry took off in the direction of the barn.
“Now that’s settled,” said Matthew with an air of finality.
“Thank you, Matthew, for all your help. I know it has been not even a week since Gilbert left, and I am fortunate to have my mother and Elijah around, but it doesn’t quite feel the same without him. For a while there, we only had each other.”
Matthew nodded. “It’s been real lonesome without Anne. But she is pursuing her dreams and doing what makes her happy, so I can’t begrudge her this. It’s the least she deserves after everything she’s been through.”
“You must be so proud of her. They’ll be back before we know it,” Bash said thoughtfully. “I’ll take my leave now. Good night, Matthew, and give Marilla my kind regards.”
Bash mounted Old Blue and rode back toward his and Gilbert’s farm, relieved to have more clarity on the mysterious mounds that were wreaking havoc upon Mary’s garden. Whenever he tended to the garden, he could almost feel her presence there with him. He knew she would have been dismayed by the threat of gophers tearing up all her hard work. He owed it to her and her memory to return their garden to its proper state.