A Little Men Soap Opera
continued by Kaete
The second season ended quite sensationally when it was found that Fritz was alive. All of Plumfield rejoices at this except for Jo who doesn't know what to do. She is caught between Fritz, her husband; Laurie, who she can no longer consider her husband; and Nick, where ever he may be, perhaps her only true love.
A letter arrives from Nat and "Nan," really Jan, saying they are back from Europe and are in Boston. They can't wait to come home and finally meet Fritz. They also mention in their letter that they saw Nick the other day at the docks and when they spoke to him he acted quite strangely. That same day a letter arrives from Nick saying he is alive and well in New York after being rescued from an island near the Azores, and he can't wait to come back. After reading these letters most of Plumfield is confused. How can Nick be in two places at once?
Franz has recovered from his accident and vows never to drink again. He and Meg then plan to marry in May. Edward, feeling heart-broken and used, leaves Concord and heads to Boston. Amy falls ill with scarlet fever and it is then that she and Laurie find out that they truly love each other. They plan to remarry and have a double wedding with Meg and Franz.
Nick arrives home with Jan and Nat (who still doesn't know it is Jan not Nan). A few hours after they arrive, Dan arrives at Plumfield with Nick! While everyone downstairs is quite confused, upstairs the first Nick is telling Jo how last year he was attacked by his own twin brother, Matt. He got amnesia and left for Boston for work. He also explained that it was Matt, not him, who was Dan's father, because he had truthfully never met Amy. But he did recall his brother talking about some woman one night when he was drunk. Amy confirmed his story, saying the man she had Dan with had a scar across his face and had a deeper voice. Then Jo filled him in on everything that had happened since then. As they walk downstairs they see Matt standing there with Dan. Matt flees to a cottage in the woods where Nick follows him. As Nick approaches he sees a fire starting in the corner of the house as a result of a knocked-over lamp. He runs in to save his brother. They then engage in an argument. The fire gets worse and Nick runs out to a crowd that has gathered. Dan and Nat run in to save Matt but the smoke is to thick they must retreat.
Jan, then scared for her life after seeing what has happened to one twin masquerading as the other, confesses to Nat that she isn't Nan. Nat becomes enraged and, in his fury, hits Jan. Jan runs to the sheriff and has him arrested. When Nan learns of this she goes to the jail to see a very upset Nat. She begs for him to forgive her for everything she has ever done to hurt him and tells him she only wants to be with him. He refuses her, saying he can't love her and that he's afraid he'll hurt her like he did to Jan. Tommy, seeing his chance, goes after Nan.
Bess questions Laurie about the adoption papers. Laurie pretends he doesn't know what she is talking about and tells her to stop messing with his papers. But this doesn't stop Bess, and she continues her quest secretly. While Dan's hunting in the woods one day he falls upon a young lady being attacked. He shoots at the attacker and manages to scare the man away. Dan carries the girl to Plumfield where he then, with help from the others, drives her to town. Dr. Pierce examines her and decides she is lucky for now. But there is no way to know whether she will become pregnant or fall ill later on. Dan sits by her bedside everyday waiting for her to awake. When she does come-to they find her name to be Kate McCusker from Boston. She had been on the train to Maine, but, at the stop in Concord, she missed the train. As she was looking for a place to eat a man came and started to talk with her when she tried to walk away he gagged her and the rest she doesn't remember. As the sheriff questioned Dan and Kate, Dan remembered that the face of the attacker looked exactly like Matt Riley only with a long mustache and a huge scar on the left cheek.
As the days to Nat's trial become fewer Jan is found missing. This makes it harder for the trial to take place without her testimony. Nan finds a note later that day from Jan saying that she is dropping all charges and is heading west. All of Plumfield is glad to have Nat back except Nan, who still feels rejected and whom Tommy is comforting.
As Christmas draws near many of Plumfield's former students come back to spend the holidays. Kate gets word from her family saying that they are planning to move to Concord and that they'll arrive before Christmas. With this Kate gets worried and begins planning for her family's arrival. When asked why all the worrying all she would say is "never mind."
Bess continued her search, all the while wishing she really was adopted so that she could marry Dan. She came across a death certificate of Elizabeth Mary whom was born exactly a month before her, but had died after living only a week. Elizabeth's parents were Amy and Laurie! Bess ran to her father and mother demanding to know the truth. Who was Elizabeth Mary and was she, Bess, adopted? Laurie and Amy decided they might as well tell Bess the truth. They had a daughter, Elizabeth Mary who had died one week old. They decided they wanted to adopt a little girl when they found out Amy could have no more children; it would be bad to her health. When they found out about Bess they decided to adopt her right away. Bess' real parents died. Her father before she was born and her mother after giving birth to her.
Bess was overjoyed and ran to tell Dan the good news. But as she got there she found Dan and Kate in an embrace. Dan had just proposed. Bess, heartbroken, ran away. Dan and Kate planned to marry three days after Christmas so that they wouldn't have to wait forever. And by then Kate's family would be there. The McCusker's move to Concord bringing all their children with them including Kate's older brother and sister, Kyle and Charlotte, and her younger siblings: Abby and twins, Jane and Walter. Her older sister Alice moves there with her husband and son. The wedding goes as planned.
With the arrival of the McCusker's havoc is spread throughout Plumfield and Concord. Jane and Walter do their best to cause as many problems as possible. Jane falls for Tommy and despises the way he pays no attention to her only Nan. To break them apart she begins throwing herself at Nat and spreading nasty rumors about Nan. Her plan works and she gets Tommy, but not before Nat finds out what she is doing and tells Nan. But it doesn't matter now that Tommy has left Nan for Jane. Nat finally realizes his mistake of letting Nan go but Nan has become a bitter woman and refuses him turning instead to handsome, rich Walter McCusker.
Kyle McCusker finds Bess sobbing one day near the river. When asked what was wrong Bess poured out the whole story about her and Dan. Kyle, feeling sorry for her, begins a friendship with her.
Ever since Fritz returned Jo has noticed he hasn't been the same as he used to. She questions his real means for coming back, whether he really loves her, and if he really is Fritz. Nick also is making decisions. Should he stay or should he leave now that Fritz is here? Meg and Franz marry, as well as Amy and Laurie. Kate's shy sister Charlotte runs away to California.
Emil comes back with word that he has found gold out west. He has used most of his savings to buy a huge plot of land. No one out west knows what he has found and he wants some others to come with him. Tommy, Dan, and Walter decide to go with him. Nan finds it an opportune chance to start her own practice of medicine out there and follows. With Nan leaving, Nat feels there is nothing left for him at Plumfield and leaves to write for a paper in Boston.
Right before Dan leaves Kate tells him she is expecting and that he better be home by October. Dan decides he must hurry then and finish the house he was building for them before he leaves. In a hurry to help finish the house, Nick gets injured and breaks his arm. With that the group leaves out west.
Who knows what waits out west? Will they make it back alive? Will Nan and Nat ever realize their true feelings for each other? What will become of Bess and Kyle's friendship? Who is Fritz really? All this and more next season!
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