"Would you excuse us for a moment?" Meg asked with a polite smile, tugging Amy along into the kitchen before waiting for their consent.

"He's married . . . "

"I told you this was not a good idea," she felt compelled to remind, "But you insisted anyway!  If you had listened—"

"But how was I supposed to know he was married?" Amy whined, her features clouded with childish petulance.  "He was handsome and applying for a teaching position; I was merely looking out for Jo's best interests!"

"You were trying to marry her off to a married man!" 

"Well, I . . . I didn't know…" she said slowly, a rather pitifully looking sheepish expression crossing her countenance.

Meg frowned.  "Because you never pulled your head out of the clouds long enough to find out.  If you had just—"

Her chin jutted stubbornly.  "I talked to him!  I asked him questions."

"Yes, if he'd like to come over and eat," Meg replied, dry sarcasm lacing her tone.

"But Jo," Amy realized, "She did not look the least surprised or disappointed.  Do you suppose she knew?"

Meg could not resist and rolled her eyes heavenward.  "You gave them so much opportunity to talk, she probably knows the exact pair of trousers he wore to his first day of school!"

"Oh, Meg, don't—"

"What is this all about?" Jo interrupted, coming in with a rather stern look of confusion.  She had managed to excuse herself without being too impolite and the two men were now discussing Laurie's business.

Amy craned her neck just so, attempting utter non-chalance.  "Oh, nothing . . . "

"I know you, Amy Laurence, and that look does not mean 'nothing.'  Now tell me," she demanded, "What is going on?"

Ever the peacemaker, Meg breathed a small sigh.  "Amy noticed him in town a couple of days ago and when she overhead that he was a teacher, she decided to invite him over for dinner, for you to meet."

"Charlotte Gerson was drooling all over him!"

"I'm sure he could have taken care of himself," Jo retorted, then glanced back at Meg, wanting to hear the rest of it.  "For me to meet?" she persisted, "Why?"

"Well…"  Meg shifted a little and turned to Amy.  "She was hoping he would propose."

"What?"

"Now, Jo, calm down," Amy tried to sooth.  "You really must understand, he was positively perfect!  A teacher and handsome and polite—he looked rather well off, too, wouldn't you agree?" she asked, quickly rambling off on another tangent.

Jo slapped a hand to her forehead, eyes rolling heavenward.  "Oh, good grief.  I can't believe this."  Something else dawned then.  "And you locked Nick in the closest!  Amy, how could you?"

Amy touched her neck and waved a casual hand.  "Well, you know, all women do desperate things at desperate times…." She flashed a trademark smile then.

"Desperate?  Extreme is more like it," Meg added her two cents. 

"Well, I don't care what it is."  Jo rested her hands on her hips, having come to a decision.  "You're going to apologize to them both—Nick for being so sneaky and cruel, and Austin for toying with him like a chess piece."

"But Jo, I couldn't!"

"You can, and you will," Jo said firmly with the same sort of look she gave her students whenever something went amiss.

"I shall just die," Amy stressed, ever the melodramatic one.  "I couldn't!  What am I supposed to tell him?"

"The truth?" Meg offered a feeble suggestion.

Amy glared at her.

"Just as I tell the children," Jo continued, "Your foolish actions must have consequences.  Now go.  Now!"

Her face set in a pout, Amy turned on her heel.  "Hmph."
 

Much to her chagrined relief, the explanation of the motivations behind the last day and a half elicited quite a round of hearty laughter.   She would be teased about for years to come, no doubt, but in the end, she supposed that was better than having to deal with a handsome but angry—and now married!—man. 

"That's the March family for you," Laurie said, giving Austin a good-natured slap on the back.  "Never quite know what you're going to get with them."

Austin chuckled, really quite amused with all.  Abigail would be in stitches for sure.  "I must confess, this has to be one of the most interesting trips I've ever taken.  None of them have ever quite topped being a victim of Cupid and his helpers."

Meg blushed, and Amy shifted this time.  "I apologize again, Mr. Bracken."

"No harm done."  He winked.  "I'm sure it'll be quite a fun memory to reminisce on every so often," he suggested, hoping to ease her obvious discomfort a little.  Ladies were always supposed to remain so composed, so straight, and Austin was relieved when she finally allowed a smile to break loose. 

"Yes, I suppose you're right," she agreed at length with a certain amount of reluctance.  It was not every day a respected citizen in Concord tried to match their older sisters up with married men!  Good gracious. 

"Dinner time!" Asia announced then, clapping her hands as she joined the crowd forming in the hall. 

Eager to oblige, the conversation ceased and with smothered chuckles still lingering, they headed into the dining room. 
 

"I can't believe your mom tried to marry Mrs. Jo off to a married man!"  Nan rolled her eyes, grinning from ear to ear.  "Isn't that illegal or something?"

Bess sighed, brushing a hand primly along her skirts.  "She didn't realize he was married," she insisted, naturally coming to defend her mother.  "And besides, he was handsome—you have to admit that much.  Can you blame her?  His wife must be so lucky."

"Yeah, Bess, and don't forget it," Dan spoke then, a softness for the fancy blonde girl hidden beneath the faint sparks in his brown eyes.

She glanced up at him and blushed a little, though her eyes did not leave his for a brief moment.  He really was handsome, too . . .

Nan just rolled her eyes again.

"It's too bad, though," Nat said with a small sigh.  "I mean, I know Mrs. Jo loves Nick, but it would have been nice if he had taken the job at Peterskill.  He could have shown me some things with the violin."

"Don't worry, Nat," Dan said, slapping his gently on the back.  "I'm sure Mr. Bracken wouldn't mind if ya wrote to him, he might have some pointers he could send ya?"

Nat brightened.  "Hey that's a good idea.  I think I will, right now even.  See you all later," he said, turning to leave. 

"Wait, I'm comin' to," Nan said and hopped off the counter.  "Would ya mind askin' him some about . . . " Their conversation gradually drifted off as they made their way upstairs, leaving Dan and Bess alone in the kitchen.

"So, ya want some help?" Dan offered, glancing over the pile of dishes.  They had offered to take care of them while Asia chatted with the adults in the parlor. 

Bess smiled at him just before reaching into the soapy water.  "How could I refuse such a handsome gentlemen's offer?" 

He grinned and grabbed a towel and readied it in his hands, prepared for whatever dishes she sent his way.  "Well, alrighty then."
 

Once they had seen Austin off, Jo, Nick, and Amy remained.  Laurie had offered to give Meg a ride back to town as his lunch hour had long since ended, and she needed to get back with the twins. 

"Well," Amy said with a great sigh, "That was not so bad, was it?"

Nick glanced at her. 

Her features assumed a rather sheepish expression, his glance not missed.  "Well, for most us anyway . . . "

Nick merely chuckled, much to her surprise, and squeezed Jo's arm as he placed a kiss on her cheek.  "I better git back ta work, got some fences to look at.  See ya later, Amy."

Jo smiled, but any words were interrupted when Amy spoke.  "I'm sorry, Nick, for tricking you into the pantry like that," she said, her voice sounding sincere.  "I . . . I shouldn't have, and I hope you can forgive me."

"Nah, it's over now."  Nick offered her a brief smile and shook his head.  "Just don't get offended if I'm a little leery of chasin' after more mice in the near future," he said, teasing her gently.

Amy blushed as he departed, and Jo chuckled. 

"You're lucky," she teased.  "He was fit to be tied when he finally got out of the pantry."

"I suppose I can't blame him, although I only put a chair in front of it. He could have gotten out if he really wanted to and…" she trailed off, looking up with a sigh.  An unusually solemn expression in place, Amy asked, "Are you terribly angry, Jo?"

"Angry?"  Jo turned to her, shaking her head a little.  "No, I'm not angry.  I suppose there is quite a bit of humor it, looking back."  With a little laugh, she smiled again, then frowned slightly.  "But if you ever try to meddle again, I might just take that back!  You were lucky this time—but there's not telling about the next."

Amy grinned, angelic innocence on her face.  "Oh, no, I wouldn't dream—"  A slight rustle around her hem caused her to stop and glance down.  Gracious!  Was that a—a—TAIL? 

With a shriek, she jumped back, cowering against the porch railing.  "Nick!" she screamed, "It's a RAT!"