Everyone in Fredericksburg, Texas, believes their newest resident, Alyssa Moreland, is a "true lady." So they don't understand why she's willing to be courted by the local blacksmith, Karl Eberhardt. Surely, Karl isn't good enough for her. But if folks knew the truth about her, Alyssa is pretty sure they wouldn't think she was good enough for him! Karl isn't troubled by Alyssa's secrets, since lots of folks come West to escape from shadowed lives. He refuses to listen when she tries to tell him who she really is. After all, she's such a wonderful person, how bad can her past really be? Alyssa wrestles with her shame and guilt all the way to the altar, where the truth--told by a stranger--tests the depth of Karl's love.