April 1851, Independence, Missouri. The excitement of wagon trains heading west. A treacherous trip for the heartiest of men. But for Amelia Smith, a young widow, the trials are many, including a secret she is hiding. Kilby Taylor, wagon train scout, takes an interest in Amelia as well as young seventeen year old Mark Bunch. With Oregon on the horizon and the promise of land ownership, the story unfolds with the daily struggles of survival and love for Amelia.