Pleasant shock registered on his handsome face.  "Jo March!" he exclaimed, able to place a name to the pretty face.  "I don't believe it.  How long has it been?  Eight, nine years?"

Jo smiled, equally pleased to see the visitor.  "Almost ten, I think.  But won't you come in?"  She stepped back, motioning for Nan to do the same as she held the door open a little wider.  

Austin bowed his head with polite appreciation.  "Thank you.  Is this your home?" he asked then, glancing about the foyer.  "It's a lovely house."

"It is, yes.  My great Aunt March left it to me after she died, and my husband Fritz and I opened a school for boys."

"And girls," Nan proudly declared.  

"Yes."  Jo smiled fondly at her tomboy. "And recently we've opened our doors to girls as well.  But tell me," she requested, interested to hear about him, "What brings you all the way to Concord?"

"I'm here to—"

"Mr. Bracken!" Amy's loud greeting to the newcomer temporarily disrupted the conversation.  "How very good to see you again.  I do hope you found your way all right?"  

"I did, thank you.  Your directions were very clear.  Much better than the ones I inquired about the other day in the general store."  He chuckled. 

"Good!  Good."  Amy smiled brightly, as was her usual way when greeting guests, and then, as if suddenly remembering her older sister, quickly directed all attention to Jo. "Oh, dear, forgive me.  This is my sister, Jo Bhaer.  She's a schoolteacher as well; as a matter of fact, she's headmistress of a school—Plumfield."

Jo blushed, though more embarrassed by her sister's aggravating attempt at playing perfect hostess than being reintroduced to an old friend.  "We've met," she informed her sister patiently.  "He and I—"

"You have?  Goodness!  Have you really?" Amy turned back to Austin, as if for clarification on the newest development.    

Austin nodded.  "We were fellow boarders during her stay in New York.  We often attended the same discussions."  

Jo couldn't help but laugh at the memories.  "Oh, yes, those discussions.  I'm quite sure I was not welcome there."

"I've a feeling is was more out of embarrassment than anything else."

"Embarrassment?"  

"The thought of being outwitted by a woman is almost more terrifying to a man than losing his right arm," Austin said with a chuckle.  "And I'm certain that group of gentleman was no exception."

Jo smiled again.  "Did you share their terror?" she teased.  

"I fear I am not at liberty to disclose such information."

"Men!"  She rolled her eyes heavenward.  "You're all alike."

Asia stepped into the hall then an amused on her lips as she announced that supper was on the table.  Cheers could be heard from the parlor as a small tangle of boys hurried into the dining room, anxious to be fed.  

Jo turned to Austin.  "Shall we?"
 

Meanwhile the youngest March fell behind the rest, catching Meg's arm with a delighted expression in her eyes. "Can you believe this?" she asked excitedly.  "And you insisted it was not to be!  I can only conclude otherwise from this latest turn of events."

"But Amy," Meg protested, "Jo and Nick—"

"Have not even begun courting yet!"

"But Amy—"

"This is not just a coincidence, Meg," she continued, oblivious to the tone of her older sister's voice.  "It's fate, dear; pure and simple.  Absolutely delicious fate!  You cannot deny it, they are perfect for each other."

Meg's smooth forehead furrowed.  "Well, I suppose they do have quite a few things in common . . . "  

"Exactly!"  Amy brightened, seeming to receive a new burst of enthusiasm from her reluctant cohort's tentative agreement.  "Just watch," she whispered, ducking her head close in a conspiratorial fashion.  "Before you know it, our dear sister Jo will be Mrs. Austin Bracken!"
 

Dinner progressed perfectly and Amy was thrilled.  Jo was getting along better with her catch than she had ever dared to hope her dark haired sister might.  A few more chances to be alone with each other and she was positively certain a proposal would quickly be in order.

Much to her disappointment, though, the children had just begun to join the conversation when Nick appeared, immediately diverting their attention.  Amy stifled a sigh.  Did men have no sense of timing?

"Nick!" Tommy grinned, "C'mon.  You can sit here."

"Thank ya, Tommy."  He nodded toward the boy.  "Sorry I'm late.  Got caught up gettin' a load of feed in town."   The caretaker flashed an apologetic smile, not entirely oblivious to the unfamiliar man at the table.

"It's all right, no harm done.  Thank you for taking care of it.  Nick," Jo smiled over at Austin, "This is Austin Bracken, a friend of mine from Boston.  Austin, this is Nick Riley, our caretaker."  

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Riley," Austin said, promptly rising from his seat to extend his hand.  

Nick extended his own, offering another nod of his tousled head in proper acknowledgement.   "Likewise," he answered, though it was hard to keep his blue eyed gaze from straying in Jo's direction.  She had such brilliant smile on her face . . .

Introductions then properly conducted, Jo turned her focus back to their unexpected guest, Nick's furtive glances going completely unnoticed.  "So you were saying about—"

"Tommy!" Bess shrieked, startled and distressed as a stream of milk suddenly crawled across the tablecloth and dripped onto her skirts.  

The younger boy blushed, dabbing a napkin frantically—and rather clumsily—along the path of the spill.  "Sorry, Mrs. Jo.  It just . . . slipped outta my hand."  Tommy gave a sheepish grin, grateful when the housekeeper stepped over the help him.  

"It's all right, Tommy.  You may be excused to get yourself a new plate."  Jo smiled, "Just . . . be careful."

"Yes Mrs. Jo."  With Asia caring after the milk, Tommy slid from his chair and hurried into the kitchen, anxious to resume the meal.  "I'll be right back."

When he had disappeared from the room, Jo glanced at Austin.  "Please excuse us.  It's a rare event that we make it through one meal without some sort of mishap."  

Austin grinned, not offended in the least.  "As is expected with children.  I'm quite enjoying it, in fact," he assured her, attempting to stifle a chuckle of gentle amusement.

Bess, who had been politely listening to their talk before the accident, looked up from her lap with a slight frown on her smooth features.  "May I please be excused, Aunt Jo?  I need to change."  It would simply not do to have a puddle of milk in her lap.

"Before it ruins your pretty dress?" Emil smirked.  

Brown eyes dark, Dan swiftly elbowed him in the ribs.

"Emil."  Jo graced her older student with a warning glance before turning back to her disturbed niece.  "Yes, Bess, you may be excused.  Just hurry back when you're done."

"Yes, Aunt Jo." 

Austin chuckled softly then, smiling as the blonde girl quickly departed from the dining room.  

Nick chose that moment to ask a question.  "So, Mr. Bracken—"

"Please, call me Austin."

"—Austin," Nick respected the man's wishes with a small nod, passing Rob the butter as he continued with his question, "What brings ya to Concord?"

"I'm applying for a teaching position at a nearby school, Peterskill Academy," he explained, amiable as always.  "One of their teachers is suffering in health, and they are searching for a replacement."

Emil eyed the man curiously. "You're interviewing at Peterskill?  Good luck.  Those boys are—" a nudge to the knee stopped him, "—are real athletic."  He flashed an angelic smile at Mrs. Jo.

"Athletic?"  His brows rose.  "I see.  Well, thank you for the heads up, Emil.  I will remember that."  Austin took a sip of his water, hiding a smile with the action.  He enjoyed this lively bunch of Plumfielders. 

"Will you live in town, Mr. Bracken?" Amy asked, taking a dainty bite of her food. 

"I believe so.  It's not a sure thing—I've not yet interviewed—but I will be glancing at houses in the area as well."

"How delightful.  The school will be blessed to have such an intelligent teacher."

Meg almost choked on a bite of mashed potatoes.  Good grief!  One might think her little sister was going after the man herself.  

"It's kind of you to say so, Mrs. Laurence," he said humbly.

"Meg, wasn't the old Peterson estate going up for sale?" Amy queried then, her attention on Meg in hope that no one had caught the other woman's choking fit.

Dabbing her mouth, Meg managed a polite smile.  "I believe so.  Carl Peterson was here making a few last minute arrangements with the funer—"

"It's a lovely place," Amy interrupted, going back to Austin.  "I'll have my husband check up on it for you."

Before he could reply to the offer, another interruption came about.  "I'm back," dark haired Tommy announced.  

"Welcome back, Tommy," Austin took the liberty of greeting the boy with yet another soft chuckle.

While he shuffled back into his seat beside Nick, Dan spoke up, somewhat anxious to appease his suspicions.  "Have you really been ta Colorado?  Seen the Rockies?" he asked, an undeniable spark of interest in his brows eyes.

"I have, yes."  Austin nodded.  "My Great Uncle and his family live in Colorado Springs and I spent a summer there with them after I graduated from college."

"It must be real fascinatin'—seein' Pike's Peak an' all," Dan continued, opening more than he usually did to people he was not well acquainted with.  "I'm gonna stop there on my way out West after I graduate from Plumfield."  A bit of a proud smile crossed his dark features.  

"That so?"  The teacher was genuinely interested.  "Well, it's worth it.  And Garden of the Gods—it's magnificent, right up there with the Grand Canyon.  It's a lovely piece of landscape."

Growing more intrigued by the moment, Nan asked, "Why's it called the Garden of the Gods?  Do they have any medical colleges in Colorado?" 

"It's named for—"

"Aunt Jo!  Nick!"  Bess's scream tore through the conversation once again.  "It's a mouse!" 

Dan rolled his eyes.  "Figures."

Nick jumped up from his chair.  "I'll git it," he offered, too thankful for the easy excuse to leave.   He had not been oblivious to the expressions on the children's faces—and Jo's as well.  They all seemed equally entranced with the man, all the way down to Rob. 

"Will you?  Thank you, Nick."  Jo looked relieved, and he was painfully aware of it.  

Meanwhile Amy blanched.  There was a mouse in her daughter's bedroom?  What next?  First a snake in her bed and now a mouse in her room!  Her china blue eyes snapped to Jo, although, for the moment, her concern was more with making a good impression on this handsome stranger.  

And her daughter had just opened up the most perfect way possible to eliminate distractions from the room . . . 

"I'll be right.  'Scuse me, Mr. Br—Austin."  

Austin looked at him, impressed by his congenial demeanor and willingness to be of assistance.  "Of course." 

With the third departure from the room, Jo just laughed.  "Welcome to Plumfield, Austin."