Author having four sisters in family occupying rural cottage (6)
I believe the answer is:
alcott
'author' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'occupying rural cottage' is the wordplay.
'occupying' indicates a hidden word (letters for the answer occupy part of the clue).
'ALCOTT' is hidden within 'rural cottage'.
'having four sisters in family' is the link.
I am not very happy about this link. Some or all of it may belong to another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for alcott that I've seen before include "Louisa, a writer" , "Louisa May . . . . . . wrote 'Little Women'" , "Novelist" , "Author of Little Women, d. 1888" , "'Louisa May ..., author of Little Women (6)'" .)