After a violent encounter, Roy finds Rocky and sees something in her eyes that prompts a fateful decision. He takes her with him as he flees to Galveston, an action as ill-advised as it is inescapable.

The world is cloaked in winter. Christian Adkins is a Renegade soldier longing for peace and the son of the famed Liberator. Jen is an orphaned nurse desperately trying to save children. When the two soul mates are trapped together at the end of World War III, their lives are forever entwined.

Pat Conroy, an ambitious, slightly rebellious idealistic teacher accepts Bennington county, SC's school board superintendent's offer to teach the all-black kids of the pauper fishery community on Yamacraw Island. Staffless 'head' mistress Brown incarnates stupidity and blind rule obedience, her didactic skills consisting in scolding and spanking her students. Pat moves heaven and earth to motivate and educate, but after finally getting trough to pupils and parents is refused contract renewal by the arch-conservative authorities.