Charis Lovell’s father handed over the deeds to the homestead and told her to go home, before he sailed away to China on another of his outlandish ventures. With Christmas looming Charis returned to her long abandoned childhood home, to discover her father had actually sold the property, and her hand in marriage, without her knowledge or consent. Ben Ferguson was the local deputy, he had escaped from his large ranching family with an idea of charting his own path, but he still found he was tied to the ranch. When Miss Lovell arrived back in town, seemingly bought as a bride for one of his brothers, his sense of decency was offended. His brothers had grown increasingly rough and ready since the death of their mother and his father ruled with an unsympathetic iron rod. It was not a fate he would wish on the attractive Miss Lovell. Could he rescue her from this fate? Was her destiny to be found within this family? Would it be a happy Christmas for her, and possibly him, this year?