PREVIOUSLY: Meg and Jo arrived at Mrs. Gardiner’s New-Year’s-Eve party. Jo immediately felt isolated and sad.
She could not roam about and amuse herself, for the burnt breadth would show, so she stared at people rather forlornly till the dancing began. Meg was asked at once, and the tight slippers tripped about so briskly that none would have guessed the pain their wearer suffered smilingly.
Jo saw a big red-headed youth approaching her corner, and fearing he meant to engage her 1, she slipped into a curtained recess, intending to peep and enjoy herself in peace. Unfortunately, another bashful person had chosen the same refuge; for, as the curtain fell behind her, she found herself face to face with the “Laurence boy.”
“Dear me, I didn’t know any one was here!” stammered Jo, preparing to back out as speedily as she had bounced in.
But the boy laughed, and said, pleasantly, though he looked a little startled, -
“Don’t mind me; stay, if you like.”
“Shan’t I disturb you?”
“Not a bit; I only came here because I don’t know many people, and felt rather strange at first, you know.”
“So did I. Don’t go away, please, unless you’d rather.”
Laurie Laurence; what an odd name.
The boy sat down again and looked at his boots, till Jo said, trying to be polite and easy,-
“I think I’ve had the pleasure of seeing you before; you live near us, don’t you?”
“Next door;” and he looked up and laughed outright, for Jo’s prim manner was rather funny when he remembered how they had chatted about cricket when he brought the cat home. 2
That put Jo at her ease; and she laughed too, as she said, in her heartiest way -
“We did have such a good time over your nice Christmas present.”
“Grandpa sent it.”
“But you put it into his head, didn’t you, now?”
“How is your cat, Miss March?” asked the boy, trying to look sober, while his black eyes shone with fun. 3
“Nicely, thank you, Mr. Laurence; but I ain’t Miss March, I’m only Jo,” returned the young lady.
“I’m not Mr. Laurence, I’m only Laurie.”
“Laurie Laurence; what an odd name.”
“My first name is Theodore, but I don’t like it, for the fellows called me Dora, so I made them say Laurie instead.”
1 Louisa being quite cruel to this large boy!
2 You’ll find this out later but the cats are Beth’s cats, there’s a lot of them, and they are outdoor cats so idk what we’re talking about re: “returning” here.
3
Laurie, eyes shining with fun