Three years after Orrin Elwood left Wetherholt to make his fortune in St. Louis, he abruptly breaks off his understanding with Nett Dairton, telling her to stop waiting for him. Confused and hurt, Nett is still reeling from his rejection when her former fiancé Nathaniel Jackson comes striding back into her life. Nett finds herself falling all over again for the very charming and attentive Nathaniel, who seems to have matured from the boy he was.

Nett's younger sister Lissie is not convinced Nathaniel is as reformed as he appears, and she sends letter after letter to Nett, urging her to be cautious. But Lissie can only do so much; she and Darius have their hands full raising their twins and attempting to repair their own severed relationship with Orrin. He’s such a different man now, and Darius has become worried for his brother—especially when he discovers Orrin has been keeping secrets....