deborah brown is an orphan who is much too old to still be living in the orphanage in massachusetts. when she is offered the opportunity to attend a matchmaking dance with her fellow orphans in texas, she agrees, but she's afraid of men, and certain no one will be interested in a girl who is more comfortable knitting than dancing.aaron tudor loves the idea of finding a sweet orphan at a matchmaking dance and marrying her immediately. he's a rancher who has spent his whole life living in the same house, and he loves the close-knit community there.when deborah first sees aaron watching her at the dance, she's more nervous than ever. he's truly the largest man she's ever seen in her life. surely, he's not as kind as people around her say.after a few dances and much conversation, deborah agrees to marry him, but she makes him promise to wait to consummate the marriage. slowly, over time, she falls in love with the gentle giant. when a range war breaks out with their ranch at the center, deborah is frightened that aaron will be injured.will the two of them be able to save their ranch from the outsiders threatening it?