A poor Maine farm girl meets her surprising destiny With her father dead from a Civil War battle and her mother succumbing to tuberculosis, Esther Perry struggles to keep her meager existence going. When an unexpected visitor lands on her doorstep with an incredible offer, Esther is forced to let her farm go and face an uncertain future in a distant city. She finds friendship from an unexpected source, a handsome bachelor catches her eye, and she copes with the loss of her beloved farm. But an even greater challenge awaits - and Esther will have to summon every last ounce of her inner strength to confront the scandalous secret her family has been hiding for years ...