Before the teacher could get the students inside when a sudden storm came up, a large limb fell across seven-year-old Grace Hunter's right ankle. Though the doctor was able to save her foot, she was left with a pronounced limp. As a child, though she had a crush on her friend Nelda's brother, she knew no man would ever love her because of her foot. When she reached her twentieth year, she still felt the same - no man would ever love her and she still loved Sheriff Lance Gentry. When a measles epidemic hits town Grace and Lance are forced to spend time together. Lance had always thought of Grace as his other sister until he noticed one day she was no longer a girl, but a beautiful woman. But not a woman for him. Yet when he thought of Grace in another man's arms his blood ran cold.