After Father returned home, Beth's recovery took a turn for the better as she rapidly grew stronger.
In no time she was climbing upstairs and downstairs on her own.
Being with his family again seemed to have the same effect on Father's health as well.
True, he had lost a lot of weight and his body seemed stiff and sore, but his eyes remained as kind and watchful as ever.
"Shall I continue with the next chapter, or do you want a nap?"
Father asked Beth, who was lying on the sofa listening to him read.
Jo, who was also listening, answered excitedly, "Please carry on. I want to know what happens!"
Laughing, Beth nodded and said, "I'd like to hear more, too, Father, but only if you're not too tired."
"I never get tired of reading to you, my dear girl," Father said lovingly, as he turned the page and continued.
"Oh, this color is not right either!" complained Amy from the corner by the window,
where she had set up her easel and was trying to paint a vase of flowers.
Mother and Meg, smiled at the peacefulness of their family at that moment. But the peace didn't last long.
"Oh, I can't believe she's here!" Amy suddenly cried as she glanced out the window.
"Who, Amy?" asked Mother, standing up to look for herself.
"Aunt March! Thank goodness, she didn't bring that annoying parrot," said Amy, screwing the lids back on her paints.
Unseen by their children, Mother and Father exchanged wordless glances that meant "get ready" for this unexpected visit.
Mother opened the door for Aunt March as she strolled into the house as if she owned it.
"Oh, there you are," she said, catching sight of Father.
"How are you, Aunt?" he asked graciously as he stood to give her a kiss on the cheek.
"You go off to war at your age, get sick, take away the children's mother,
meanwhile your small one gets scarlet fever and nearly dies," snapped Aunt March,
"so that the youngest, as adorable as she is"—here Aunt March nodded approvingly at Amy—
"is sent over to my care despite my illnesses . . . and you ask me how I am!" she concluded.
While Father tried to explain his situation to Aunt March, who demanded that Jo bring a blanket for her cold knees and ordered hot tea from Meg,
Amy announced more visitors to the house.
"Here come Laurie and Mr. Brookes," she shouted, waving eagerly out the window.
Cheeks flushing, Meg quickly disappeared into the kitchen to get the tea.
Father stood up, relieved, even for a moment, not to have to listen to his aunt's scolding, and welcomed the guests into his home.
Father and Mr. Brookes had formed a close bond during his sickness, and since then Mr. Brookes had become a regular visitor to the March home.
As much as Meg tried to appear cool, secretly, she was happy to see John so often.
Her pride might not admit it, but Meg's heart could no longer deny her feelings for him.
"I have something to ask you, sir," Mr. Brookes said to Father, not realizing that Aunt March was there.
"Who are you?" asked Aunt March bluntly.
While Father explained, Meg entered with the tea, her hands shaking ever so slightly, causing the china to rattle on the tray.
"Child," Aunt March shrieked at Meg, "I swear you're going to break that cheap tea set if you clink them any harder!"
Turning a deep red, Meg would have dropped the tray if Mr. Brookes hadn't sprung up and taken it from her trembling hands.
As Aunt March sipped her tea, she kept one eye on Mr. Brookes, sensing his obvious attraction to Meg,
and the other eye on Meg, who undoubtedly shared the same feelings toward him.
Meanwhile Jo, oblivious to what was happening, caught sight of Laurie trying to get her attention.
He motioned with his head toward the kitchen, so Jo cautiously got up and crept away.
Laurie joined her a few minutes later.
"What is it?" Jo asked him.
"Something major is about to happen. I can't tell you but . . . ," Laurie began excitedly.
"Then why bother calling me into the kitchen?" Jo asked irritably.
"To save you the shock," Laurie said.
"From what?" asked Jo.
"Something major is going to happen that will change your life forever," Laurie said firmly, looking deep into Jo's eyes.
Then grabbing her arm, he led her back to the living room, where to Jo's horror, the big event was just taking place.
Mr. Brookes was on his knee in front of Meg and he was holding her hand.
"Margaret March, will you marry me?" Brookes asked in a gentlemanly manner.
"What is the meaning of this?" Aunt March demanded.
"This is an outrage! You are only a child!"
"Aunt March, I don't think this matter concerns you," Father said firmly.
"Of course it concerns me! I am the head of the family.
You belong to me! Therefore I have a right to speak!" she said haughtily.
"I love your grand-niece, madam, and I promise to make her as happy and content as she is now," John said kindly.
Looking him up and down, Aunt March said disdainfully, "You're nothing but a poor tutor. How can you make this girl happy?"
Poor Mr. Brookes flushed with embarrassment and anger, but he controlled it admirably.
Surprisingly, it was Meg who spoke up.
"Aunt March! I will not allow you to speak to this man in that way.
He is a good kind person who has helped our family when we needed him. What have you done for us?
You never offered to help Father when he lost his money or even when he was sick.
You never came to visit Beth while she had the fever.
And now you come here and tell me that I can't marry the man who has done nothing but good for our family?
No! I will not allow it!" Meg cried, not caring as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Everyone was stunned. They had never seen Meg react so strongly in her life.
Shaking with anger, Aunt March pointed her walking stick at Meg and threatened,
"I warn you, Margaret, if you marry this man, you will not get a single penny from me when I die!"
Meg took a deep breath and turning her back on Aunt March, she grabbed John's hands and said to him, "Yes, John Brookes, I will marry you."
Jo felt the ground drop from beneath her and before she knew it, she was lying on the floor with a circle of worried faces staring down at her.
"Are you all right, Jo?" Laurie asked, pulling Jo up and giving her a slight shake.
Nodding, Jo said, "Yes, I'm fine."
"Oh, Jo, isn't this wonderful news?" Meg said in a breathless voice as she hugged her sister. "I'm getting married!"
Hearing those words again, Jo fainted. She hoped she would never wake up from the awful nightmare that was about to unfold.