`` Last summer Meg left a pair of gloves over at the Laurences ' and only one was returned . We forgot about it , till Teddy told me that Mr. Brooke owned that he liked Meg but did n't dare say so , she was so young and he so poor . Now , is n't it a dreadful state of things ? '' `` Do you think Meg cares for him ? '' asked Mrs. March , with an anxious look . `` Mercy me ! I do n't know anything about love and such nonsense ! '' cried Jo , with a funny mixture of interest and contempt . `` In novels , the girls show it by starting and blushing , fainting away , growing thin , and acting like fools . Now Meg does not do anything of the sort . She eats and drinks and sleeps like a sensible creature , she looks straight in my face when I talk about that man , and only blushes a little bit when Teddy jokes about lovers . I forbid him to do it , but he does n't mind me as he ought . '' `` Then you fancy that Meg is not interested in John ? '' `` Who ? '' cried Jo , staring . `` Mr. Brooke . I call him ` John ' now . We fell into the way of doing so at the hospital , and he likes it . '' `` Oh , dear ! I know you 'll take his part .
He 's been good to Father , and you wo n't send him away , but let XXXXX marry him , if she wants to .
Brooke Jo John Laurences Meg Teddy left novels part sort