Tiller Bonner, a petite lovely young woman, had two loves in her life. A son, Danny, who was a kindhearted boy any mother would love. Then there was Mary, headstrong with a free spirit at the age of six. Caught between two forces that targeted the impressionable children, Tillie knew her influence had to be a constant in both of her children's lives. Her plans for them would all go up in smoke if the wealthy and powerful grandmother, Mira Bonner, could get charge of them. The impact of two rough mountain men suddenly interjected in Tillie's life changed everything.
Elam Franklin lost his mother when he was just a young boy and everything he knew was self-taught. He could live off the land, but he had no formal education about books or social proprieties.
Nolan Tolivar rode the mountain trails carrying a heart full of grief. His lonely existence was void of purpose until faced with someone else's burden laid at this feet. He had no other option but to deal with these burdens. Considering the circumstances, Nolan knew this was his cross to bear.