Maggie Brenner, the oldest daughter in the Brides with Grit series book, Sarah Snares a Soldier, grew up on the vast Cross C Ranch north of Clear Creek. Maggie, and all her siblings were adopted by Sarah and Marcus Brenner when Maggie's widowed mother died giving birth to her triplet brothers.

Now an adult, Maggie would have preferred to leave the area to work with young children, but she moves into Clear Creek instead when her younger sisters, Molly and Maisie, take over the town's dress shop.

The Peashooter Society decides Maggie needs a husband to complete her life, even if Maggie longs to work in an orphanage to help children find homes.

Peter Gehring, along with five friends, left New York City on an orphan train when Peter was four years old. He was adopted by a tailor and his wife. Now mustered out of the army, where Peter was a barber, the group of friends gets the chance to live and work together in a small community, thanks to the plan of the Peashooter Society.