The time is 1891, the place- Arizona Territory. A year has passed since the death of her mother, and seventeen year old Emma Cartwright is struggling to manage life's trials. Acting as the mother figure to her younger siblings, worrying about the overdue mortgage on her family's ranch, and dealing with the eccentric behavior of her clockmaker father have not been easy tasks. Things begin to look up however, when her father decides to take on a new apprentice, a handsome young man who hunts and helps them keep food on the table. Emma soon finds herself wondering what kind of life she truly wants to lead. Is she destined to live the simple, happy life of a wife and mother, or does something more exciting await her in the world beyond? When hired gunslingers come calling to harass the family into selling the ranch, Emma's problems truly begin to multiply, and she soon discovers that a life of adventure may be much closer than she'd ever imagined.