Kissing spitfire Susanne McCord is the farthest thing from Cass Claxton's mind. But that doesn't stop this devious lass from convincing Papa that Cass has sullied her virtue. When the ensuing shotgun wedding provides the escort she wants for her trek to St. Louis, Susanne beams--and Cass fumes. Reaching their destination, the hostile travelers part and vow to annul their paper marriage. Six years later, a transformed Susanne desperately seeks refuge for nine orphans. But when her only hope lies in unfriendly hands, she uses a clever strategy to rope a maverick named Claxton.