It is the summer if 1812 and war has erupted between England and the United States, casting its dark shadow as far as remote, beautiful Mackinac Island. There, young Mary O'Shea suffers many loses. British troops conquer the isalnd. Her beloved father joins the American army on the mainland. And her best friend Gavin, an Indian orphan raised by white settlers, leaves his adoptive home to return to his tribe.
Left only with her sister Angelique, Mary wonders how she will keep her promise to her father to protect the farm in his absence. But with courage and nimble ingenuity, the sisters outsmart British soldiers, endure two harsh winters, and keep their farm intact. Most important, they nurture the dream of a family reunited---until the war ends and their most cherished dream comes true.