When Greer Galbreath agreed to accompany her fiancee, Brem Baxter, to the Rancho del rio Bonito, the Mexican land grant that had been in his family over one hundred years, she did not expect a warm reception. She knew that Brem's great-aunt Cassandra had been displeased when he broke off his engagement with Musette des Boise, a governess on a neighboring ranch.

But though she was cool to Greer to the point of rudeness, Aunt Cassandra had a more pressing concern to occupy her mind-and so, it turned out, did Greer. She quickly discovered that someone wanted her to leave the ranch-and Brem-and that if she remained her life was in constant danger from an unknown source.