Lucy and Elton are neighbors, but not very neighborly... He's jealous of his wife's friendship with Lucy, and she thinks he's an overbearing ruffian, but when her friend suddenly dies, Lucy agrees to marry Elton, but only for the sake of the children. Lucy is still grieving her own loss and is steadfast in her faith, while Elton is an unbeliever, bitter over his wife's death and the murder of his parents by natives. When Elton is elected by Mossy Ridge residents to oversee the native relocation program, he finds himself protecting those he once despised. With Lucy's help, he uncovers a secret plot to incite violence against the natives, and takes a journey toward forgiveness that leads him to the Lord. Just when Lucy dares to love again, Elton makes a confession that breaks her heart. Will love cause him to stay? Or, cause him to go?