In 1966, in Harmony Creek, a small, peaceful farming town in Tennessee, lived Matilda Hayes, a twenty-year-old girl who had never crossed the strict boundaries set by her father.
Walter Hayes was a tough, proud farm worker who believed a girl's worth was measured by her submissiveness and discretion.
While other girls her age laughed heartily, went dancing, and dreamed of a better life, Matilda was kept apart, her world limited to sewing, cooking, and a life lived in silence. She had never held a boy's hand. Never had a private conversation with one. Her life wasn't lived, only controlled.
That same year, a terrible drought struck Tennessee. The crops were destroyed. The livestock starved to death. Walter lost his job, and soon their supplies were nearly depleted. For days, the family survived on diluted oatmeal. His younger siblings fell asleep crying from hunger. His mother wept silently every morning.
One evening, Matilda overheard a hushed conversation in the living room. A name was mentioned: Arthur Shaw. Everyone knew him: this wealthy and reserved man lived alone on a large farm on the outskirts of town. He was forty-five years old, respected, and led a solitary life.
After the visitor left, Walter called Matilda. He avoided looking at her.
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