A/N: A new weekend a new update. So we start bringing the girls in, they aren't going to arrive all at once, and I hope I'll throw in a few twists before the majority of the girls arrive. So I hope you enjoy these few chapters and hopefully I'll have another update before Christmas.

A warm rain fell, washing the oppressive heat of the proceeding day. A lanky teen wove through the rushing crowed. Every so often a hand would reach out and more back to the teen's side. The teen was unremarkable, a hat rode low on the brow, hiding both eyes and hair. A brown coat covered the teen from neck to ankle. As the rain let up the teen slipped into a doorway. After fifteen minutes a neatly dressed young woman stepped out with a bag in one hand and an umbrella in another. She looked up and down the street before heading in the general direction of the nearest parish poor box.

She stopped by the poor box and dropped in small bag. Then she made her way into a pawnshop. "Hey Oke." The girl said as she came in, shaking off the umbrella.

"Hello Pippy, what have you got for me today?" Oke asked as he turned around.

"Well I got a couple of watches and a money clip for you." Pip said as she put her wares on the table.

"You know you get less for the engraved ones." Oke said as he looked over each watch.

"I've only been doing this for years Oke." Pip said with a roll of her eyes.

"Watch it little girl, you may have been doing this for years but I've been doing my job for twice as long as you've been living. Well you did good kid, I'll give you fifteen for the whole thing." Oke said as he went to put the watches away.

Pip pulled up back her merchandise. "Only fifteen? I give you two gold watches, both with no distinguishing marks and you will only give me fifteen. Thirty five."

"Now Pippy, just cause you think it is worth that much don't mean it is. I'll give you twenty." Oke said reaching out for the watches.

"Twenty-eight, no lower Oke." Pip said with conviction as she began putting the merchandise back in her bag.

"Fine then twenty-eight dollars, it's been a while since you been in." Oke commented as he counted out the cash.

Pip's eyes were on the cash, "Yeah I've been busy." She refused to volunteer information.

"So I gonna see you next week?" Oke asked as he finished counting out the money.

Pip counted the money again and put it into her bag. "Nope I'm heading to Texas tonight. It's been nice been doing business with you." Pip was out the door before Oke could say anything.

Pip walked quickly up the street, she was uninterested in any of the businesses that lined the street. At the end of the block she turned right and settled in for a long walk. She resisted the urge to pick any more pockets as she walked. Finally after walking for nearly a half an hour she ducked into a bookstore.

"Pipsqueak, where have you been? Ron's been looking for you, you are so late." The guy behind the counter called.

"Really Charlie? I thought I was on time." Pip said throwing him the finger.

"Hey don't let Ron see that Penelope Renee, or you'll be doing inventory for the rest of your life." Charlie warned.

"Ron can't do anything to me, remember I'm following my wonderful loving brothers' ideas and I am going to Texas tomorrow." Pip grumbled as she came to sit on the counter.

"Hey it wasn't my idea, they didn't even tell me until after they had sent the letter." Charlie said leaning on the counter.

"I know, I just can't believe you guys would answer a mail-order bride ad for me." Pip said ruffling Charlie's hair.

"Don't remind me. You know you said you would go awful fast when you got the response. Why won't you show us the letter?" Charlie asked.

Pip smiled evilly, "Can't tell you."

"Oh come on I'm not going to tell either Verge or Ron I promise." Charlie gave her puppy dog eyes.

Pip jumped up from the counter, "Nope sorry I promised. Well I have to go finish packing. See you at dinner." She called over her shoulder as she rushed up the stairs.

As she entered her bedroom she didn't fight the frustration she was feeling at the moment. She picked up her pillow off her bed and threw it against the wall. When that didn't make her feel any better she picked up a book and threw it. It smacked against the wall with a resounding thud and she picked up another book off her stack of books. It made contact with the door. Pip smiled this was actually going to be fun. She picked up the final book and when the door open she slung the book at the intruder.

"Penelope Renee, you could have hit me." A tall blonde gasped ducking the projectile.

"That was the idea idiot." Pip said as she flopped onto her bed.

"Why would you want to hit me?" he asked as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Think Verge, why would I be mad at you? Maybe it has to do with you and Ron selling me off to the highest bidder." Pip said snidely as she moved away from Verge's comforting hand.

"We didn't sell you, we just answered a newspaper ad." He tried to reason, "You're the one who agreed to go out."

"Only to get away from you. Now just get out, I have packing to finish so I can make the train." Pip stood up quickly and went to her trunk.

Verge sat on the bed as if waiting to see what other outbursts would come from his sister.

"Verge hey we could really use some help down here." A third voice called out, a bit panicky.

"I'm coming Max, Penny we will talk later." Verge said as he walked out the door.

'No we won't" Pip grumbled as she sat back on her bed. This time she pulled a worn sheet of paper from under her pillow and began reading.

"Dear Miss Donnelly,

I was touched when I read that your brothers had suggested that you write to me. I am

looking forward to meeting you in person. I hope you are as good of a cook as you claim.

But even if you are not there is no use crying over spilled MILK. I am sure we can make

lemonade out of such LEMONS. And one would hope that the cold winter will fan the

FLAME of love, or allow us to IRON out our differences. Hope to SEE you soon.

Sincerely,

Jack Frances."

When Pip had first gotten the letter she had been shocked beyond belief. Her brothers had set her up to be married to a total stranger. But as she reread the letter things began to fall into place. She had been quick to find lemon juice and in a matter of moments the real letter had appeared. She had laughed out loud as she read it and as Charlie had stated she had quickly agreed to become a mail order bride.

Even now rereading the letter she still couldn't believe her luck, she was getting out from under her brothers' thumbs and they had no idea they had provided it all by responding to an ad. She giggled to herself before she began packing the last of her things, even the books she had thrown around the room only moments before.