The story of a beloved character rounds out the Miranda trilogy. Five separate times Miranda Griscom has rejected wealthy Mr. Whitney's proposal of marriage, content in her role has housekeeper and nanny for the Spaffords. The community thinks her daft to refuse such a man, but they don't know that her heart belongs to the town's black sheep - who, when accused of murder twelve years ago, she helped to escape. When she learns he has been living in Oregon Territory, can she hope to get word to him that his name has been cleared and his siblings need him?