"Jo?" asked Laurie with surprise. "I'm Laurie, um, Theodore Laurence. Sorry. Didn't mean to be rude but I usually do things without thinking, which my grandfather always scolds me about."

He bowed deeply to Camilla and Susan. "Beg pardon, my ladies. Hope I didn't offend either of you. If it was, it was unintentional. Say, why don't we head to the Great Hall? There should be... stuff to blow up there. And benches to sit down and read stories."

Laurie turned back to Jo with a frown. "Your last name isn't March, is it? I mean... it can't be. Jo's only a year younger than I am and you can't be more than ten...."