One of us _must_ marry well.

Meg didn't, Jo won't, Beth can't yet, so I shall, and make everything okay all round.

I wouldn't marry a man I hated or despised.

You may be sure of that, and though Fred is not my model hero, he does very well, and in time I should get fond enough of him if he was very fond of me, and let me do just as I liked.
So I've been turning the matter over in my mind the last week, for it was impossible to help seeing that Fred liked me.

He said nothing, but little things showed it.