Reclusive widow Lucy Neels barely survived her late husband's brutality. All she wants is to be left in peace to manage her southern Ohio farm in the days before the Civil War. But when her only friend, a conductor on the secretive Underground Railroad, begs for her help, she can no longer stay uninvolved. Lorenzo "Renzo" Ross, second son of a Philadelphia shipping magnate, has floundered all his adult life. He's had it with secrets and deceptions. After tracking the fiancee who has jilted him to Rush Crossing, Ohio, he finds himself deputized. When he meets Lucy, his protective instincts, and his desire, are ignited by the independent widow. But Renzo has a dark secret of his own. Harboring fugitive slaves is dangerous and illegal. The last thing Lucy needs is the attention of the mysterious new deputy sheriff. In spite of the risk, Lucy finds herself drawn to Renzo, whose kindness chips away at the walls she's built around her heart. As their attraction grows, unscrupulous slave catchers draw closer to discovering their prey. Out of options, Lucy and Renzo must decide who they can trust, and that sometimes a lie can save a life."