Letitia Tinsley's well-ordered spinster life is thrown into chaos when she learns her beloved brother has mysteriously disappeared from his gold mining claim in California. Determined to discover the truth, Letty sets out on the treacherous journey west. But there's only one thing more perilous than a single lady traveling alone into the rugged frontier-and that is sharing the passage with Garth Morgan. The wealthy bachelor is astoundingly arrogant-and dangerously handsome. Worse, Letty is forced to lean on his strong shoulders, again and again...    Humbled by the harrowing expedition, Garth resolves to keep Letty safe-though the courageous beauty is unwilling to give an inch when it comes to trusting him. Still, despite her defiant resistance, he's ready to stand with her as she faces the truth about her missing sibling. And by the time they reach California, Garth is determined to stake his own claim on the lovely Miss Letty-if only she will let him...