Abstract:
Laurel, widowed by the Civil War, is a friend of the Harris family. She struggles to raise her daughter, and she feels responsible for her younger sister who’s lured by a man with questionable integrity.
Laurel harbors a deep secret. If a Harris discovers what she’s hiding, it could shatter her already burdened life. Her hardships mushroom. Finally, she finds a job to support herself and Timmaly. All seems well--until she meets her boss, tall, blond Seth Barkley. He loves Charlotte Ward. He treats Laurel kindly, but with indifference. It suits her, until she falls in love with him.