You are warned that some people will find that the sex in the story below shocks them.
IF IN DOUBT OR UNDER 18, READ SOMETHING ELSE.
This story contains no reference to real events or to real people
This story may be reproduced in any form provided credit is given to Penelope Caesar.
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Sally Perkins, Betty Pratt and Fanny Prendergast were friends at school. They were all three pleasant, rather plump, and quite pretty. Inevitably they were called the three Ps and because they liked the name, it stuck to them.
Shortly after they left school they used a little money that they had been left by their great grandparents to start a hat shop. They started in the new year. Even from January they found that they were selling many more straw hats than they or any one else had expected. They contacted new wholesalers, and soon also the manufacturers, increasing their stock and widening their range. They listened to what their customers said, chose models that suited the market, and expanded their business. Hats they found could easily be bought on credit as soon as they had a successful sales record. Everything went wonderfully.
In July, the three Ps sat down and planned for the autumn and winter. What they had ordered for the summer would cover amply the rising sales they projected into September; but what then? Betty told the others of a type of schoolgirl straw boater which they could get, and sell, extraordinarily cheaply if they ordered enough of them. Sally said that she had found a line for winter rains, a wide hat of lacquered straw that was waterproof from the Far East - but to get it and sell it cheaper than cheap umbrellas they would have to order a small container load. Fanny argued for a line of straw and plastic hoods which would keep your head warm as well as dry. Again, a big order would be needed. Undaunted, the girls worked out the profit they would make if they sold even half the quantities, and decided they wanted all three. They would have to pay part of the money down. However their accountant introduced then to Mr. B.B. Wolf who would lend them the money at quite reasonable interest.
The rains started in August and continued in September. Sales were only a quarter of what they had ordered for. All the girls cash reserves went by October, paying for summer stock still sitting on their shelves. Fortunately two big suppliers did not push to get their bills paid.
The hoods and waterproof hats came in on time in October, but now the rains held off. They got their parents to give personal guarantees to keep Mr. B.B.Wolf quiet. The straw boaters finally arrived in early November, but the range of sizes was wrong. Almost all of them were too small for most of the girl's customers. They frantically asked for this to be corrected, and were promised replacements as soon as possible.
The replacements came - in January. By then experience had shown that many of the hoods did not last more than one good rainstorm. The manufacturers said they had never claimed the hoods would last longer than that. The girls found they were giving replacements and even money back. Their shop's reputation went right down.
When the three Ps looked at the replacement boaters, they found that many of the brims were coming loose. That was the last straw. They went to Mr. B.B. Wolf in tears. Mr. Wolf explained that the two big summer suppliers had not pressed their bills because he had bought up the debts "to give the three Ps a proper chance." The terms of the guarantees their parents had given now meant that these debts would fall on their parents too. He would take the business at valuation, but it was not worth much now.
But that will mean that our parents will lose their houses, said Betty and Sally. Mr. Wolf said that he was now under financial pressure too, he had helped the three Ps too much. But not to despair, and not to worry their parents yet. There might just be a way of saving the situation and cancelling the debt if they were willing to do something really special for him to earn money to meet it. They said they would all do anything. What was it? He said first, see if they could get away for a business trip from January 20 to February 12. If all three could, it might be possible, and he would then tell them his idea. Come back to him the day after tomorrow.
The girls came. They could all go on the trip. "Very well," he said, " to get out of the difficulty I have got into through trying to help you, I will have to make deals on good terms with three men. Each deal needs to be concluded separately, but what would make a worthwhile sum of money is concluding all three. The details have to be confidential, I can't tell them to you without risking the whole thing. If you will help me with the negotiations on this trip, and we succeed, I will cancel all the debts over and above the value of the business. I don't know what exactly you will find to do to help, but I am sure that you are very persuasive and attractive people." The girls had doubts and wavered for half an hour; but as it was gently rubbed in that there was no alternative. They agreed on condition that they could tell their parents they were all together with him. Mr. B.B. Wolf said "Of course.," and they went on to planning what clothes to take.