In 1835 Lea Hammond arrives with her married sister and two nephews at the isolated outpost of Fort Brooke, Florida to join Rachel's husband, Captain Ben Carson. Unlike her sister, Lea is drawn to the wild, tropical beauty of the country. She plans to return north but instead, the violent outbreak of the Second Seminole War and an unexpected marriage tie her to the territory she has come to love. As pioneer settlers, Lea and her husband work the unforgiving land and survive the dangers of building a home in the wilderness. Eventually they return to the growing village of Tampa, only to find they must overcome more challenges by man and nature before they can fully realize their love for each other. Only then can they face the future.