This part of the story moves us forward in time a little and now the family are together once more. Meg and Mr. Brook are contemplating marriage and it is the business of the family to make sure Meg is making the right decision. Since Father is ill the themes of the story are propelled once more by the girl's Matriarch's, of which Aunt March seems to be the most vocal and (since she has a little money) the most influential.
In this part of the story we are treated to a proverbial rollecoaster ride of action and emotion and with the greatest reverence ansd respect it can easily be said that this classic adaption is almost a 'soap opera' in the way it tirelessly treats it's listeners to ever undulating high's and low's.