Ariah Scott travels to Portland, Oregon, expecting to be picked up by the man she has agreed to marry, Pritchard Monteer. Unable to be there, his uncle Bartholomew Noon picks her up instead. Rain and floods delay their journey to the coast. Stranded together, Ariah and Bartholomew fall in love. Unfortunately, Bartholomew is married. He was tricked into marrying his father's nurse and ever afterward has had her bedroom locked against him. Now Ariah must decide if she will still marry Pritchard, a childish bungler and forever live next door to the man she loves, or leave and risk being captured by the man who is chasing her.