After they part ways to attend college, Anne and Gilbert continue to express their love to one another through letters (such written in this book).
All seems perfect while writing and their love is strong, but once they graduate and find each other...
I love you, too. I am so deeply in love with you, Anne. My Anne. You are my soulmate, my kindred love. This statement could be the entirety of my letter, however, I want to share every moment of my life with you, so I simply must tell you everything that has occurred since I began university. My first week at Redmond was mild compared to what I'm wrapped up in now. Of course, I unpacked my baggage and met the acquaintance a few new classmates. Yet, the first few days of my schooling were plain. So is my room, plain. We do not get to decorate much, I'm currently too wrapped up in my studies to search for flowers to pin to my walls. Still, if I were to find flowers, I would not have any wish to hang them upon my walls. I would much rather mail them to you so you can have something to remember me by every time you see it.
Anne, wrapped inside this letter you will find a flat flower. I stepped outside to go for a walk before writing this letter in hopes to find inspiration in nature of how to express my love to you; scope for the imagination. I found a bush along the way which caught my eye. Most of the flowers on it were wilted and passed their time, and yet one flower stood tall, boldly, proudly alive among its meek peers. How could this gorgeous poppy not remind me of you? Of course, everything reminds me of you now; simply writing with a pen makes me think of you, my Anne. You fill every blank and crowded crevis of my mind, my love. Furthermore, this flower represents you. Not only does the orange tint of the petals remind of your firey red-orange hair, but the situation this flower found herself in. This makes one think of how you stand up strongly to defend your right to speak out, how boldly you set yourself apart from other girls from our past school by having the determination to fulfill your life goal of teaching while they become simple housewives, and how your story of upbringing differs extraordinarily from everyone else's.
I plucked this flower and pressed it between the pages of one of my medical textbooks for it to be preserved through the mail. Hang this up in the center of your wall so you see it constantly and think of me. However, it is only fair that you send me something of the same purpose. A drawing of sorts, a flower, anything that I can place on my nightstand so I won't feel so alone until we are reunited.
Speaking of which, I am so sincerely sorry to leave you upstairs with Diana and Ruby. The very instant I have time away from school for more than a weekend, I will come spend that time with you. I will not let go of you for a single second during that time. And do not doubt that I will not come running to the parlor in March. I would not dare miss your birthday.
I would love to hear from Miss Stacy! I hope her adventures are everlasting, of course. And Ruby, you say she had a crush on me? Wow, I could never tell. She was never overwhelmingly obvious with her starstruck love for me, not in a million years would I expect Ruby Gillis to like me!
I hope sarcasm can be read in the correct tone on paper.
Anne, my Anne, I can only hope that all has been well at school since the last letter I received from you. I miss you so much, my love. My heart physically aches every second I am not with you. Rest assured, I will come to visit you when Autumn comes, as I am expected to have a week or so off from university. The very moment the bell rings on that Friday, I will be rushing out the door so I can spend every waking moment of Autumn break with the love of my life, my kindred spirit. Oh, how I long to hold you caringly in my arms and never let go. I understand how marriage in our situation would be hard with us not being able to see each other. And so, I swear to you, the moment that we are no longer college students, I am going to take you to be my wife (if you accept the offer, of course.)
Anne, I want to be your husband.
The clock is ticking, four years until I have the honor and pleasure to ask you if I may take that role.
Sincerely and impatiently awaiting your response,
your love and kindred spirit,
Gilbert Blythe.
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