When Nel finds out her nineteen-year-old niece, who has just received a college scholarship and has her whole life ahead of her, is suddenly married, Nel hurries off to Spain to meet with her niece's partner, Luis. But she can only find his cousin, who has the same name. He suggests to a bewildered Nel that if they pretend to be engaged for his ill grandmother, she might tell them where the couple is. Pretending to be engaged to such an arrogant man? No way! However, with no other leads on the whereabouts of her niece, Nel has no choice but to rely on Luis. So Nel reluctantly slips on the family ring that has been passed on for generations. (*CE note: the heroine's name is spelled Nell in original publication*)