The train platform at the Brookings' station was unusually crowded; a
couple of families, as well as two groups of young people were gathered to
meet this afternoon train. The families separated the two groups, and it
was apparent that this was not an accident. The female group, Pip, Calyx,
and Hazel stood together in conference only breaking ranks to cast glares
at the group of five guys, who were gathered at the other end of the
platform.
"Can you believe those boys? They stand down there goofing off as if their lives weren't about to change dramatically." Hazel commented. "Do they really believe that these girls are going to accept the truth with out so much as a peep?"
"Probably," Pip snorted, "They're use to getting their way that it hasn't even occurred to them that some of these girls might cause a scene here at the train station."
"I wonder if they'll at least give their girls a chance to back out before marrying them." Calyx asked softly, twisting her unwanted wedding band.
Pip gave her a one-armed hug. "Not all of these guys are like Spot. Look at Blink you don't see him pushing Hazel to bed with him."
"That is because he is a gentleman and wants to get to know me first." Hazel said dreamily.
"Not that is because he is frightened what two angry females who have access to every kitchen knife in the house would do to him." Pip said with an evil grin, her hand going to the key hanging around her neck.
"Imagine what eight angry females with that access could do." Calyx said a quick smile gracing her features. It was quickly replaced by a frown as she surveyed the platform. "Speaking of Blink, where did he and my hopelessly devoted husband go?"
Pip shrugged, smiling at her sister-in-law's sarcasm, "I think they said something about supplies and fortifications. I'm guessing they're at the saloon getting drunk."
Neither Hazel nor Calyx could voice a comment, though Calyx did huff, for as Hazel opened her mouth to respond a train whistle blew drawing their attention to the approaching train. The guys gathered at the other end and stopped their usual rough housing and suddenly become very quiet. As the train pulled up Pip glanced down the platform and was happy to note that they all looked a bit apprehensive. The train pulled in with a final screaming of breaks and a release of steam.
As the steam cleared the passengers began to disembark. First off was an elderly couple. They were greeted by one of the families. A young man came next straightening his bowler hat and coat before he began walking into town.
The next passenger came out near where the girls were standing. She was tall, and the first thing that Pip noticed was that she had dark hair. She seemed to have trouble with her skirt as the wind whipped around the train. She glanced around the platform looking for someone.
"I bet she is one of the brides, should we approach her or should we let the guys?" Pip asked in a low voice.
Calyx didn't answer but went over to introduce herself to the girl. "Hello you must be Saiorse Callan."
The other girl seemed surprised, "Why yes I am, how did you know that?" she asked her Irish brogue thick.
"I'm Calyx Bra-Conlon. My husband and his friends placed the ad that you answered." Calyx said trying her best to be friendly.
"Your husband and his friends?" Saiorse was confused.
"Yes, I'll be happy to explain it all to you after we have finished meeting everyone. Did you have any other bags?" Calyx asked as she led the other girl to where Pip and Hazel were standing.
"No I don't," Saiorse said looking at the other girls strangely.
"So has anyone else come off the train yet?" Calyx asked.
"Yes two girls came off while you were greeting your friend. Hi I'm Penelope Conlon, call me Pip, and this is Hazel Montgomery it's nice to meet you." Pip said holding out a hand to the silent Saiorse.
"Saiorse Callan, did you also answer the ad?" Saiorse asked cautiously.
"Well sort of, my older brother answered for me, but Spot, that is Calyx's husband and another one of my brothers replied and asked me to come help get ready for all of the other girls' arrivals." Pip said with a laugh.
As they were speaking a solid slap rang over the platform, the four girls turned to see a very astonished Skittery holding his cheek while a petite red head was nursing her hand next to another girl just a few inches taller with black hair. Both girls were glaring at the boys. "Calyx those were the two girls who got off while you were talking, think we should go intervene? "Hazel asked.
"Goodness no, let the boys figure it out for themselves. I think the young girl with the older gentleman and the girl over there are probably the other two girls we are waiting for."
"How can you be sure? Maybe the girl is the gentleman's daughter and they aren't here about the ad at all." Hazel said.
"Well if they aren't here about the ad, that means that the guys are a girl short, which doesn't bode well for them." Pip pointed out evenly. "I'll go talk to the younger girl, Hazel why don't you go meet the other one. We'll check on the guys after that."
Hazel nodded and made her way over to the nicely dressed girl standing by herself. "Hi, I'm Hazel Montgomery. I hope you don't think I'm forward but did you answer an advertisement for a bride?"
The girl smiled softly, "Why yes I am. How do you do Miss Montgomery, I am Anne Gordon. How did you know about the ad?"
"I am well Miss Gordon, and I know about the ad because I answered too." Hazel said matter-of-factly.
"Mr. Francis asked more than one woman to come out? Maybe I was mistaken about his intentions." Anne said nervously.
"Oh no there is more than one Mr. Francis, well sort of. Anyway my response came from a different man than yours did. Oh I am botching this up terribly. If you would just follow me Pip will explain everything much better than I ever could." Hazel was as flustered as Anne was and she led her over to where Calyx and Saoirse were standing.
Pip was at a lost of how to approach the older man and the young girl. She causally walked to the bench that was near where they were standing and sat down.
"Now Mr. Sullivan do you think my Mr. Francis will know where your son lives?" The girl asked.
"Don't you worry none Miss Williams if my boy doesn't know where then we'll just ask the townsfolk about him. Why don't you sit here while I go find us a place to stay, it seems your young man isn't here to meet the train." Mr. Sullivan was turning to leave when Pip made her move.
"Excuse me are you looking to meet Mr. Jack Francis?" She asked casually.
"Why yes we are, do you know him?" Miss Williams asked excitedly.
"Well yes I do, in fact I live with them." Pip said smiling.
"Them? Miss..." Miss Williams face seemed to take a look of horror.
"I'm Penelope Conlon, but you can call me Pip, and yes I said them. My brother was one of the young men who placed the ad that you responded too. Though I don't remember any of the boys mentioning that their intended was bringing her father." Pip said looking at Mr. Sullivan.
"Oh no nothing like that girly, I ain't Miss Williams pa. My son lives in this here town I was escorting Miss Williams out on the request of a mutual acquaintance. Since you know Mr. Francis maybe you know my son, I think he is going by Kelly here." Mr. Sullivan explained.
Pip's eyes got huge, before she began to laugh. "Yes Mr. Sullivan Kelly and I are acquainted. Why don't we go meet the guys and the other girls who answered the ad now." She had a mischievous look in her eye as she motioned Hazel and Calyx over.
"Girls I would like to introduce Miss Trish Williams and Mr. Sullivan, he is out west to meet his son, Mr. Kelly. Miss William, Mr. Sullivan this is Mrs. Conlon, Miss Montgomery, Miss Callan and I don't believe we have met." Pip said as she finished her introductions.
"No we haven't I am Miss Anne Gordon." Anne said with a tight smile.
"I'm Penelope Conlon, but you can just call me Pip." Pip held out her hand to shake hands that Anne did. "Well let's go get the guys and we can be on our way." Pip said delightedly leading her little group closer to where the guys were in the middle of a row.
"I demand you give me back my things you street rat." The red head was demanding.
"And I demand that you take us to the nearest police officer this instant." The black haired girl added.
"I'm sorry girls but there isn't anything that even resembles a police officer in this town. But maybe I can be of assistance." Pip said stepping between the huddle of boys and the two girls.
"And who might you be?" The red head asked.
"I am Penelope Conlon, sometime friend to these guys and all around welcome wagon. And you ladies are?"
"I am Helen Black," the girl who had demanded to see the police officer replied, she motioned to her friend, "And this is Michelle Beaufort."
"Well it is nice to meet you ladies, the ladies with me are Miss Anne Gordon, Hazel Montgomery, Miss Saiorse Callan, Miss Trish Williams and Mrs. Calyx Conlon. And the gentleman with me is Mr. Sullivan, he's here for Jack." She smiled sweetly at Kelly who was looking at Mr. Sullivan curiously. "And since the boys have no manners I'll introduce them too, starting from the back we have Racetrack Higgins, Skittery James, Mush Jenkins, Bumlets Hampton and Jack Kelly. Collectively they are Mr. Jack Francis, your fiancés."
"Can you believe those boys? They stand down there goofing off as if their lives weren't about to change dramatically." Hazel commented. "Do they really believe that these girls are going to accept the truth with out so much as a peep?"
"Probably," Pip snorted, "They're use to getting their way that it hasn't even occurred to them that some of these girls might cause a scene here at the train station."
"I wonder if they'll at least give their girls a chance to back out before marrying them." Calyx asked softly, twisting her unwanted wedding band.
Pip gave her a one-armed hug. "Not all of these guys are like Spot. Look at Blink you don't see him pushing Hazel to bed with him."
"That is because he is a gentleman and wants to get to know me first." Hazel said dreamily.
"Not that is because he is frightened what two angry females who have access to every kitchen knife in the house would do to him." Pip said with an evil grin, her hand going to the key hanging around her neck.
"Imagine what eight angry females with that access could do." Calyx said a quick smile gracing her features. It was quickly replaced by a frown as she surveyed the platform. "Speaking of Blink, where did he and my hopelessly devoted husband go?"
Pip shrugged, smiling at her sister-in-law's sarcasm, "I think they said something about supplies and fortifications. I'm guessing they're at the saloon getting drunk."
Neither Hazel nor Calyx could voice a comment, though Calyx did huff, for as Hazel opened her mouth to respond a train whistle blew drawing their attention to the approaching train. The guys gathered at the other end and stopped their usual rough housing and suddenly become very quiet. As the train pulled up Pip glanced down the platform and was happy to note that they all looked a bit apprehensive. The train pulled in with a final screaming of breaks and a release of steam.
As the steam cleared the passengers began to disembark. First off was an elderly couple. They were greeted by one of the families. A young man came next straightening his bowler hat and coat before he began walking into town.
The next passenger came out near where the girls were standing. She was tall, and the first thing that Pip noticed was that she had dark hair. She seemed to have trouble with her skirt as the wind whipped around the train. She glanced around the platform looking for someone.
"I bet she is one of the brides, should we approach her or should we let the guys?" Pip asked in a low voice.
Calyx didn't answer but went over to introduce herself to the girl. "Hello you must be Saiorse Callan."
The other girl seemed surprised, "Why yes I am, how did you know that?" she asked her Irish brogue thick.
"I'm Calyx Bra-Conlon. My husband and his friends placed the ad that you answered." Calyx said trying her best to be friendly.
"Your husband and his friends?" Saiorse was confused.
"Yes, I'll be happy to explain it all to you after we have finished meeting everyone. Did you have any other bags?" Calyx asked as she led the other girl to where Pip and Hazel were standing.
"No I don't," Saiorse said looking at the other girls strangely.
"So has anyone else come off the train yet?" Calyx asked.
"Yes two girls came off while you were greeting your friend. Hi I'm Penelope Conlon, call me Pip, and this is Hazel Montgomery it's nice to meet you." Pip said holding out a hand to the silent Saiorse.
"Saiorse Callan, did you also answer the ad?" Saiorse asked cautiously.
"Well sort of, my older brother answered for me, but Spot, that is Calyx's husband and another one of my brothers replied and asked me to come help get ready for all of the other girls' arrivals." Pip said with a laugh.
As they were speaking a solid slap rang over the platform, the four girls turned to see a very astonished Skittery holding his cheek while a petite red head was nursing her hand next to another girl just a few inches taller with black hair. Both girls were glaring at the boys. "Calyx those were the two girls who got off while you were talking, think we should go intervene? "Hazel asked.
"Goodness no, let the boys figure it out for themselves. I think the young girl with the older gentleman and the girl over there are probably the other two girls we are waiting for."
"How can you be sure? Maybe the girl is the gentleman's daughter and they aren't here about the ad at all." Hazel said.
"Well if they aren't here about the ad, that means that the guys are a girl short, which doesn't bode well for them." Pip pointed out evenly. "I'll go talk to the younger girl, Hazel why don't you go meet the other one. We'll check on the guys after that."
Hazel nodded and made her way over to the nicely dressed girl standing by herself. "Hi, I'm Hazel Montgomery. I hope you don't think I'm forward but did you answer an advertisement for a bride?"
The girl smiled softly, "Why yes I am. How do you do Miss Montgomery, I am Anne Gordon. How did you know about the ad?"
"I am well Miss Gordon, and I know about the ad because I answered too." Hazel said matter-of-factly.
"Mr. Francis asked more than one woman to come out? Maybe I was mistaken about his intentions." Anne said nervously.
"Oh no there is more than one Mr. Francis, well sort of. Anyway my response came from a different man than yours did. Oh I am botching this up terribly. If you would just follow me Pip will explain everything much better than I ever could." Hazel was as flustered as Anne was and she led her over to where Calyx and Saoirse were standing.
Pip was at a lost of how to approach the older man and the young girl. She causally walked to the bench that was near where they were standing and sat down.
"Now Mr. Sullivan do you think my Mr. Francis will know where your son lives?" The girl asked.
"Don't you worry none Miss Williams if my boy doesn't know where then we'll just ask the townsfolk about him. Why don't you sit here while I go find us a place to stay, it seems your young man isn't here to meet the train." Mr. Sullivan was turning to leave when Pip made her move.
"Excuse me are you looking to meet Mr. Jack Francis?" She asked casually.
"Why yes we are, do you know him?" Miss Williams asked excitedly.
"Well yes I do, in fact I live with them." Pip said smiling.
"Them? Miss..." Miss Williams face seemed to take a look of horror.
"I'm Penelope Conlon, but you can call me Pip, and yes I said them. My brother was one of the young men who placed the ad that you responded too. Though I don't remember any of the boys mentioning that their intended was bringing her father." Pip said looking at Mr. Sullivan.
"Oh no nothing like that girly, I ain't Miss Williams pa. My son lives in this here town I was escorting Miss Williams out on the request of a mutual acquaintance. Since you know Mr. Francis maybe you know my son, I think he is going by Kelly here." Mr. Sullivan explained.
Pip's eyes got huge, before she began to laugh. "Yes Mr. Sullivan Kelly and I are acquainted. Why don't we go meet the guys and the other girls who answered the ad now." She had a mischievous look in her eye as she motioned Hazel and Calyx over.
"Girls I would like to introduce Miss Trish Williams and Mr. Sullivan, he is out west to meet his son, Mr. Kelly. Miss William, Mr. Sullivan this is Mrs. Conlon, Miss Montgomery, Miss Callan and I don't believe we have met." Pip said as she finished her introductions.
"No we haven't I am Miss Anne Gordon." Anne said with a tight smile.
"I'm Penelope Conlon, but you can just call me Pip." Pip held out her hand to shake hands that Anne did. "Well let's go get the guys and we can be on our way." Pip said delightedly leading her little group closer to where the guys were in the middle of a row.
"I demand you give me back my things you street rat." The red head was demanding.
"And I demand that you take us to the nearest police officer this instant." The black haired girl added.
"I'm sorry girls but there isn't anything that even resembles a police officer in this town. But maybe I can be of assistance." Pip said stepping between the huddle of boys and the two girls.
"And who might you be?" The red head asked.
"I am Penelope Conlon, sometime friend to these guys and all around welcome wagon. And you ladies are?"
"I am Helen Black," the girl who had demanded to see the police officer replied, she motioned to her friend, "And this is Michelle Beaufort."
"Well it is nice to meet you ladies, the ladies with me are Miss Anne Gordon, Hazel Montgomery, Miss Saiorse Callan, Miss Trish Williams and Mrs. Calyx Conlon. And the gentleman with me is Mr. Sullivan, he's here for Jack." She smiled sweetly at Kelly who was looking at Mr. Sullivan curiously. "And since the boys have no manners I'll introduce them too, starting from the back we have Racetrack Higgins, Skittery James, Mush Jenkins, Bumlets Hampton and Jack Kelly. Collectively they are Mr. Jack Francis, your fiancés."
