Humming to himself, Tommy cast another furtive glance around the kitchen to make certain no one was watching before sneaking another cookie from the cookie jar.  It was getting kind of close to dinner and Asia wouldn't be happy to discover he had been poking around, but a growing boy needed his nourishment!  It was just the natural way of life.

He was happily munching away, boyish guilt not yet set in, when a sudden yell and pound on the pantry door sent him scrambling under the kitchen table.  Geez almighty!  There was a monster in the closet!  

Eyes huge, he just sat for a moment, watching, waiting, wondering. 

"Somebody!"  

His theory was dashed with the familiar voice.  Gee, if he wasn't mistaken, that sounded kinda like Nick?  And their Nick, not even some monster imitation of Nick.  Come to think of it, too, it looked like somebody had jammed a chair up under the latch?

He frowned, scratching his head.  Gosh, why would somebody go and do that?

"Nick?"

"Get me out!" the voice roared.

Tommy jumped a little but approached the door, clumsily working to free the chair to free the captive inside.  When it came loose, he pushed it across to the table and opened the food closet, a bewildered look on his freckled features.  "Gee, Nick," he mused, "Were ya playin' hide 'n go seek or somethin'?"  Tommy poked his head in then, glancing around the cramped space.  "It's kinda dark in there, too.  Bet ya had a hard time—"

"Thank ya, Tommy," Nick interrupted him, then gently pushed past.  "I appreciate yer helpin' me, but now I gotta go take care o' somethin'.  'Scuse me."  And with that, he stomped from the kitchen, leaving a befuddled Tommy behind.
 

"You're all wet!"  Jo's forehead furrowed as she regarded Austin's wet form.  "Are you sure you won't come inside and dry off before you head back into town for your interview?"

"No."  Austin shook his head, looking rather regretful.  "I should get back, in case the weather gets any worse, but thank you."

"Well," she said, reluctant, "Just be careful going back.  There can be some awful potholes along the road—Marty lost a shoe in the mud a couple of weeks back."

He tipped his sopping hat, appreciative of her concern.  "Thank you for the warning.  I'll be sure to keep an eye out."

Jo smiled, pleased, her motherly worries appeased somewhat.  "Good.  We don't want to send you back home all bloodied and bruised—they'll likely never allow to you to come again."  She turned a bit solemn then, brushing a wet strand of hair from her cheek.  "Thank you for stopping by."  She smiled.  "It was good to talk with you again."

"And you."  His handsome features warmed with another smile of his own, and he bowed his head a last time, offering an impulsive wink.  "Take care of yourself, Josephine Bhear."

He was so kind, such a gentlemen; Jo warmed from the inside out.  "I will, thank you.  As long as you promise to do the same?"

"Agreed!"  Austin graced her with a last look before making a dash for his buggy, where a single gray horse was shifting uneasily amidst the downpour.  "Drop me a note sometime!" he called, grinning a bit as he gave a wave of his gloved.  

Jo nodded from the porch, her smile communicating what she did not speak. "Good bye," she said, though knowing he'd not be able to hear as she waved her hand in a similar gesture.  She waited until he disappeared around the bend in the road, then turned to head inside.  It would do her no good to go and catch a cold right now.  

"Oomph!" 

Nick stopped short, his hands moving instinctively to steady whoever or whatever he had collided with.  "Jo!"  Concern immediately clouded his features.  "Are ya alright?"

"Nick… yes, I'm fine.  Did I hurt you?"

"No," he grinned a little and shook his head.  "No, I'm fine, too."  But then he frowned, noticing the picnic basket near her feet.  "Ya went on the picnic without me?"

Jo regarded him with bewilderment, realization dawning as soon as she glanced down.  "Well, yes," she answered, somewhat hesitant despite the hint of defensiveness that rose in her voice.  "I didn't want it to go to waste, and you suddenly couldn't go, so I asked Austin to." 

"Austin!?"

She was slightly taken aback at the roar of his question.  "Yes, Austin."

"Why'd you go with him?" Nick asked, an injured looking crossing his rugged countenance.  He was hurt, even a little angered that she had not even bothered to come find him.  Wouldn't she have wondered when he didn't show up?  He had planned the durn thing after all.  

But no, she had invited Austin instead.  Maybe she had not really wanted to go with him in the first place?  Had she just been too polite to tell him no?  Doubts and inadequacy played their usual taunting rolls.

"He was here," Jo responded, "and just happened to have stopped by at the same time we were supposed to leave.  And then when you couldn't make it, well…"

"What d'ya mean, 'I couldn't make it'?"  Nick scowled.   She had not been as calm when he had failed to show up for his reading lesson!  What was the change all of the sudden?  

A frowned crossed Jo's features this time.  "You're the one that cancelled at the last minute, Nick, not me!" she felt compelled to remind him, aggravation slowly building.  "When Amy came in and sa—"

His brilliant blue eyes sparked.  "AMY?!  Yer sister Amy?  Dear, sweet, darlin', innocent little Amy?" he asked with dripping sarcasm.

"Yes, Amy."  Her shoulders stiffened.  "I know you two aren't always on the best of terms, but she's still part of my family and if you're going to—"

"D'ya know what she did?" Nick interrupted, for once not caring about all those proper manners and the like.  "She locked me in the pantry!"

Jo's eyes rounded.  "She what?"

"She tol' me there was a mouse, and I fell for it and went after it.  'Cept there was no mouse, and she locked me in the food closet instead.  An' if Tommy hadn't come along I'd still be in there!"

"Oh, Nick," she said with an unusual willingness to back down, her face softening with sincere apology.  "I'm so sorry.  I had no idea.  She said something had come up and you had to run into town, and I just assumed . . . " 

Nick looked at her, his gaze seeking hers with solemn questioning.  "Didja really think I'd just up an' leave suddenly like that?  Not even explain for myself?" he asked quietly, reaching to touch her cheek with a gentle thumb.  "Cuz I wouldn't, Jo."

"No."  She shook her head, her own voice equally quiet.  "I'm sorry for doubting you, for not being suspicious.  I just never thought—"

"Shh."  Nick smiled a little and pressed a light finger to her lips.  "Don't worry 'bout it now, it's done an' over with.  I just wish I coulda enjoyed that picnic with ya, but I guess there'll always be next time?"

Her lips twisted with a smile.  "Of course."

His expression darkened somewhat, and he growled, somewhat playfully.  "That is, of course, if I'm still a free man after havin' a little talk with yer sister!"
 

"Mr. Bracken!  Fancy meeting you here."  Amy smiled widely as she 'accidentally' ran across him in the general store later that afternoon.

"Mrs. Laurence," he acknowledged her with a polite smile, then bowed his head toward Meg, who was standing to the left.  "Mrs. Brooke."

"I hope you're picnic was not ruined with the unexpected rain?" she queried, hoping to broach the subject without making him too suspicious.  

"Oh, no."  Austin shook his head.  "It was quite nice.  Cut a little short," he said with a bit of a chuckle, "but it was most pleasant.  We had a nice time catching up."

Amy was pleased beyond words. "I'm so glad.  Jo's been so lonely these past months, what with Fritz being gone and having to care for the children all on her own." 

Meg's eyes rounded a little and she cast a furtive glance at her younger sister, daring to deliver a gentle nudge in her side.  What was she doing?  Honestly!

Austin's dark brows rose with curious amusement at the statement, although he chose to let it pass.  "I hope your afternoons have gone as well?" he asked then for the sake of conversation, glancing at both women.

Meg smiled, quickly withdrawing her elbow from Amy's ribs.  "Quite nice as well, thank you, Mr. Bracken."  Hoping to discourage further comment from Amy, she asked, "I hope you've been enjoying your stay in Concord?"

"Yes, very much.  It's a lovely little town.  I've only been here a few days, but I'll be sad to leave, even if for a short while."  He looked a bit sheepish.  "I've always had a draw toward larger cities, but there's just something about this place that attracts a person."

Knowing what he meant, Meg nodded, smiling again.  "Yes, it—"

"Could most certainly use a teacher like you!" Amy suddenly interjected, just having to get her remarks in.  He had mentioned no proposal yet, although she supposed he could be waiting for Jo to tell them?  Which was the polite thing to do—but just in case . . . no time like the present!

Meg blushed, turning wide eyes on the blonde woman, but Austin merely smiled and graciously accepted the compliment.  "It's very kind of you to say, Mrs. Laurence. You March ladies certainly know how to charm a gentleman," he said with a jovial grin.

"But if you will excuse my rudeness, I'm afraid I must go.  I've a meeting with the headmaster of Peterskill in a short while; it was delayed earlier because of the rain, and I must jot a letter back home before heading out there."  

"Of course," Meg spoke up in her characteristically kind manner.  "I'm sorry if we've kept you."

"No, no, not at all."  Austin smiled.  

Amy gave Meg's arm an abrupt pinch, and, startled, Meg straightened, recalling their earlier discussion.  "Mr. Bracken," she started, daring to be a bit bolder than usual, not wanting to subject him to another of Amy's invitations.  "Would you care to join us for lunch tomorrow afternoon, before you head out?  I'm sure Jo would be glad for the last bit of time to talk."

He seemed to brighten somewhat at the offer and after a moment, gave a slight nod.  "Yes, if you're sure it would not be an inconvenience?  I don't want to eat her out of house and home . . ."

"No!" Amy insisted, "We'll expect you at three, then.  Good day, Mr. Bracken!"
 

Just as planned, Amy showed up on Plumfield's doorstep the next afternoon with Meg and a bewildered looking Laurie on her heels.

Bess answered the door, pleasantly surprised to see her parents.  "Mother, Father, Aunt Meg.  Won't you come in?"  She stepped back and allowed them room to enter, curiosity flickering across her pretty features.  "We weren't expecting you."

Laurie kissed her forehead and shrugged, looking about as confused as his daughter.  "Your mother and Aunt Meg have been whispering around all morning!  I've never felt so left out.  It's like they're plotting to overthrow the government or something."

Bess raised her brows.  Oh, dear.

But Amy swept right past, waving her hands in the meantime. "No, no, something much more exciting than that.  We haven't time to explain now, though, where's Jo?  We must speak with her."  

Meg nodded.  "Yes, we have a . . . guest coming for lunch, one I don't believe she knows about."

"I think she's in the kitchen with Asia, making lunch," Bess answered, then craned her neck, a curios expression in her eyes.  "A guest?"

Laurie just shrugged again as Amy grinned quite like the Cheshire cat.  "Just call us cupid," she answered, blonde brows dancing.  She touched Bess's shoulder then and, with a "thank you, Sweetheart," left for the kitchen with Meg.

Bess just looked at Laurie and shrugged, too, though a knock at the door discouraged any further exchange.  Opening it, she brightened a little at the sight of the dark-haired man.  "Hello, Mr. Bracken."

"Miss Laurence," he smiled and bowed his head.  Austin turned to Laurie then, the other man's face not familiar.  "I don't believe I've met you.  I'm Austin Bracken," he introduced himself, extending a hand as was polite.

"Laurie Laurence."  Laurie grasped his hand and returned the gesture.  "You've met my wife, I believe?"  He chuckled.

"Mrs. Laurence?  Yes, I do believe I have."  He nodded, a smile twisting at the corners of his mouth.  "She—"

"Mr. Bracken!  You made it.  Won't you come in?  Please, forgive us, we're not quite ready to sit down and eat.  Would you care for some tea, water, anything?" Amy offered, reappearing in the front hall somewhat like a steamroller.  

Austin stepped in a little farther and relinquished his coat when Laurie offered to take it, then addressed her kind questions.  "I'm good for now but thank you," he said by way of gracious decline. 

"Mr. Bracken," Meg greeted with a smile as she and Jo trailed in then.  "I trust your meeting went well yesterday afternoon?"

Jo smiled at the man as well, not the least bit miffed to find that her sister had invited him over at the last minute.  There was no telling how long it might be until she saw him again.

"It did, thank you," he answered, after giving a brief nod in Jo's direction.

"So, then, Mr. Bracken," Amy pushed, getting right to the point with eyes alight, "Will you be joining us in Concord for good, then?"

Everyone seemed to turn their attention on him, anticipation of his answer growing by the second, though all for entirely different reasons.  

"I've pondered over it," Austin said at length, somewhat intrigued with the woman's obvious interest over the outcome of his interview.  "But no, I'll be heading back to Quincy tomorrow afternoon."

Amy's jaw dropped a little.  "You did not receive the position?"

"I did, yes, we had a very nice talk and he offered me the position," he clarified, then smiled a bit.  "He told me I could begin on the spot.  It wouldn't be fair to uproot the family—not when the teaching job is almost identical to what I have back home."

"The family?"

"Yes, in fact," he grinned then, fatherly pride lighting his expression, "Abigail is expecting again."

"Your cat?" Amy took a wild stab.   Meg merely glanced at her sister, though her own brows were lifted with bewildered curiosity.

 "Amy!" Jo chided, a half frown of disbelief belying her embarrassment.  How could she even ask that?  And of his wife?

Austin had the grace to chuckle.  "No, I'm afraid cats and I have never really gotten along.  Abigail's my wife.  We're expecting our third child the month after next."

"You're married!?"