Aidan and Amber met in a doughnut shop.

The clouds above the Dublin Mountains are like singed cotton balls and the rose bush branches tremble in the north wind Mam hates so much. The lawn is a frozen square of muck, the white frost crusted on the few blades of grass left standing.

Jo was tailored, Amy was frivolous with ribbons and bows, Meg was plain and sensible; and Beth, who was ill and had no costume changes, wore the same nightgown throughout the dress-up session.