Louisa Maria Downs has waited three long years for her soldier-sweetheart's homecoming. But when he returns, John Jacobs stands aloof, his deep blue eyes revealing his longing for her, but his lips strangely silent. Convinced it is God's will for them to marry, Louisa defies decorum and pursues the man who has owned her heart since she was twelve years old.John Jacobs has spent three years fighting to keep the Union intact. Now back home, he longs to marry the young woman he has admired since boyhood. But shattering memories of what he did during the war magnify the bloodstains on his hands. He awakens each day more certain than ever that he is not worthy of the love of a decent woman, much less the love of God.Torn apart by the Civil War, two young couples find restoration through love, grace, and forgiveness.