When Elizabeth (Beth) learns of her parents' intent to marry her off to Rankin Blake, she is horrified, for although Rankin is wealthy and influential, he is also cruel and abusive. Given that her parents have failed to demonstrate any love or affection towards her, there is only one course of action: she must run away from home. So with the help of Martha, her former nurse, she makes her plans to leave, securing a position as a teacher in a small town out West.

But when she arrives in Kirkham she is mistaken for someone else, and as events unfold, learns she has a twin sister, Emily ... and that the people she thought were her parents are clearly not. There is an instant rapport between Emily and Beth, and Emily's warm-hearted adoptive parents take Beth into their household and make her welcome.

Beth quickly settles and loves her new situation, and when it is suggested she marry her sister's brother-in-law Henry (who is the town sheriff), she accepts - knowing that once she is safely married, if ever Rankin Blake were to find her, it will be too late for him to claim her as his bride.

Though she did not marry for love, Beth learns to love her new husband and vows to be a good wife to him. This includes accepting his discipline - something which Beth has no prior experience of, but soon becomes accustomed to! She is not the only chastised wife as Emily also gets spanked by her husband, and so too apparently do quite a few women in the town!

Life is good, until Beth's past catches up with her and threatens all she holds dear...