In 1906, a powerful earthquake destroys San Francisco. For William Denny and his sister, Emma, this catastrophe sends them on a reluctant journey back to their former home in Missouri where, 44 years earlier, their lives had been forever and tragically altered.Upon arriving at their home they visit the cemetery in which their mother, Anna, was buried in 1862. Gazing at her tombstone they are shocked to find distinct, clear images of their late mother etched in the moss and lichens covering the stone. These images display key events that took place during the last tragic months of her life, events that William and Emma were barely aware of as young children.At the urging of their longtime family friend, Estill, they are guided to a large trunk in their mother's bedroom. Inside are hundreds of letters and journal entries written by their mother and others. They tell the story of what really happened during those dark days during the Civil War, when their lives came apart and their family was all but destroyed. For William and Emma Denny it is a journey they must take. Through it they discover the eternal power of their mother's love and relive the horrifying forces that invaded their world.This is a story of good and evil, love, endurance and survival, in a time when the nation descended into madness. And through it all is the steel thread of hope, held by a young woman who endured the unimaginable in her quest for true love. In the end, her overwhelming love overcame even the grave and sought to bring peace to her children, along with one last precious wish....