A tattered old journal discovered by free-lance writer Dorcas Jamison brings to light a doomed love affair in the days just prior to and during the Civil War era. Dorcas travels to New England to view an old farm house bequeathed to her by an uncle she has not seen since childhood. Intrigued by a tiny gravestone set aside from the family plot on her property, she wonders about the name engraved on the stone and why it is separated from the rest of the family. As she inspects her house, she finds a journal discovered by her uncle who, in a brief letter, urges her to read the journal and attempt to discover what happened to the young woman in question. Wade Benton, a local history teacher, joins her in perusing the journal and their mutual interest in Thanie's existence brings them to realize their attraction for one another as they read about the nineteenth century woman who was drawn into a passionate love affair with the local minister, an affair that ends tragically. Rich in details of everyday life in that era, and underscoring the role women played, subordinate to their husband's wishes, Thanie's life is contrasted with the freedom of choice contemporary women can exercise in their choice of lifestyles.