July, 1864 – A Lusty Encounter Goes Unhindered by Dust. At twenty-nine, Miss Matilda Fields is an unwed spinster, indebted to the Rousseau family for safe passage. “TJ,” is a foul-mouthed cowboy and opportunist who does two things well: shooting and avoiding commitments.
September, 1864 – Unto Us, A Son Is Born. A sudden “sickness” takes over the women of the Pella Company, followed by the arrival of a child. Three babes are born enroute. Meet Jane Hamilton and Eliza Hays: two first-time mothers who give birth when violence and disease are striking.