It was the latter half of the 19th century when Amelia Pritchard found herself utterly dissatisfied with the monotonous routine of her small coastal town life, she decided that a change was needed. Though blessed with many talents - she could sew, cook, and keep books better than most - the young woman felt a longing for something more. Her existence in the sleepy village seemed to stretch endlessly before her, a life of dull drudgery with no prospects of marriage or adventure on the horizon.

It was then that Amelia stumbled upon an intriguing opportunity - to become a mail-order bride. Bucking tradition, instead of a man from the West seeking an Eastern wife, Amelia endeavored to reverse the formula. She approached a renowned marriage broker and made her unusual request to be matched with a husband from the bustling East Coast cities.

The broker's eyes gleamed with the prospect of an unorthodox arrangement as he rifled through his records of eligible bachelors. At last, he produced a prime candidate?a shopkeeper from Philadelphia in need of not just a wife, but a business partner to help operate his clothing emporium. More importantly, the man hoped to find a woman willing to build a family and provide an heir to inherit his hard-won legacy.