South Carolina, 1865. The army of General Sherman has ravaged the state, and Captain John Hutchinson comes home from the war to find his world-and a way of life-in ashes. He struggles to work his plantation lands again, all the while anxious about a wounded brother wavering between life and death, and though tempted to despair, he finds a source of hope and strength when he falls in love with Emma DuBose. This beautiful young woman soon becomes the center of his life, but their happiness is threatened when John learns of a shocking crime committed at his plantation by enemy soldiers and kept secret from him for months. Embittered by a futile pursuit for justice, John finally reveals the terrible news to Emma, unaware that she is haunted by the memory of her own deadly and brutal encounter during the war. Together, they must find the faith and courage to face an uncertain future and overcome the horrors of the past.