Kate Kerrigan had remained alone in her house when a visitor stopped by. She gave him some food and after he had eaten, he threatened to rob and rape her. She told him that her fine jewelry was in her dresser and she opened the drawer and pulled out a gun she shot and killed him with. His name was Frank Ross and he had escaped from Huntsville after serving 5 years by killing a guard and later killing a couple for their horse. Sheriff Miles Martin came by to take her statement and she sat down to recall her life after he left. One of her ranch hands stopped by and she talked to him about how she arrived where she was.
Kate Cotter had grown up in the slums of NY. Her 14 yr. old sister, Shannon, was raped by 3 men. Kate's father was more of a poet than a violent man. Kate felt it was her responsibility to retaliate for what had happened to Shannon. Kate found out who the men were from a local cop, Sam Sullivan. She visited a friend of her fathers and got a gun. She shot the three men when she went to the bar they frequented. They picked her up intending to rape her too. She found out from Sam the next day that it was thought that the men were killed by a professional hit man.
Shannon was pregnant as a result of the rape and her father contacted his brother, Shamus, in Nashville and he sent someone to pick up the family and move them to Nashville. Isaac Kerrigan and his son, Joe, came to NY to get them. For Kate it was love at first sight. She and Joe were married soon after they arrived in Nashville. She was pregnant with their first child when Shannon's baby was born dead. Shannon died the next day. It rained on the day of her funeral and their father, Patrick, stayed with her body for the hour it took to be laid in the ground. Patrick died of pneumonia 2 weeks later but it was known that he died of a broken heart over what had happened to Shannon.
Joseph Kerrigan died during the Civil War. It was 5 years after his death that his friend, Michael Feeny, came looking for Kate to deliver a letter that her husband had written to her. Michael had promised to deliver it upon Joe's death.
Kate's oldest son, Trace, was working for Arthur Lundy, a gunsmith. His son, Alec, was a drunk and took money from his father. Arthur gave Trace a pistol in exchange for the money he owed Trace. Alec came home one night and demanded the gun from Trace. Arthur had been telling Trace how sorry he was that he ended up with a son like Alec and about the money to be had raising cattle in Texas. Alec and Trace ended up fighting over the gun and Trace was hit in the head and knocked unconscious. This happened after Alec had already knocked Arthur out. Arthur came to and saw Alec aiming the gun at Trace and he shot Alec. Alec didn't die and was mad at Arthur for shooting him. Alec followed Arthur inside, shot and killed him. Alec fell into the street while trying to leave the house and was run over by a wagon hurrying by in the dark. The driver told himself that it was just a dog and didn't stop. Trace woke up and picked up the gun after tripping over it on his way out of the house. Trace had seen the bodies of Arthur and Alec and was certain he would be blamed. A woman saw him leaving the house with the gun in his hand, saw Alec's body and called the police. She recognized Trace as Arthur's apprentice.
Trace didn't go home. He hid in a house on the outskirts of town. He was visited by a local man hiding from his wife's lover. Trace explained to him what had happened to him and asked him to repeat what he said to his brother, Quinn. Willie promised that he would relay the message. Willie went to see Quinn and told him what Trace had said. Quinn was stopped by a policeman and threatened on his way home. Kate had witnessed the cop pulling Quinn into an alley and when he turned away, Kate hit the cop. He never knew who hit him and claimed that he was attacked by a neighborhood gang.
Quinn was the next son and he worked in the library of Arnold Cheatham. Quinn loved books and had heard about Arnold's library and went for a visit. He was hired to sort and categorize his books in exchange for pay and tutoring both himself and his twin siblings, Ivy and Niall. Quinn thought that Arnold had hired him for an introduction to their mother, Kate, but soon found out that wasn't Arnold's motivation. Kate and Arnold become friends but he wasn't interested in anything more.
Shannon had been born while Joseph was away fighting and never saw her. She was often sick as a child with coughing and fevers.
Kate was in a burned out church that was close to her house where she went when she needed time alone. Michael came and gave her Joe's letter that night and Trace came to see her there too. Kate snuck Trace home and they had a family discussion. Kate told them all that they would be leaving for Texas. It had been Joseph's dream for her and Trace had the same dream since he was 8 yrs old. He was now 15, Quinn was 14, the twins were 9 and Shannon was 5.
They traveled to Kansas to meet up with an Irishman who was to help them. Joe had once lifted a carriage off of the wealthy Cornelius Hagan's sister and saved her life. He had arranged for builders to start construction of a home for Kate and her family. She and her children were going to be given help to run a cattle ranch. Trace arrived in Kansas 3 days before Kate arrived with the rest of the family. It was a reunion of a tired family. Brock Davis was given the task of their wagon master and would be taking them to Texas. Brock appeared to be interested in Kate.
Kate met Cornelius and was taken back by how much he resembled her late husband. It was later the night they met that he came to see Kate to explain why. The older boys were curious and asked her about the resemblance but Kate told them that she was not at liberty to tell them the reason just yet. They would have to be patient and wait to receive an answer to their questions. They remained in the luxury of Mr. Hagan's house in Haganville for longer than they expected while things were being prepared for them to travel and for their new house to get ready for them.
They traveled to Texas after having run from a tornado. The tornado picked up Shannon but dropped her safely. She was found and brought back by Brock and his men who had left to investigate a fire. They found a wagon train that had been set to fire with everyone dead and the women had been abused. Kate finally told Trace that her Joseph's grandfather had sired two boys. One from his wife, and one from another woman. Cornelias had become wealthy with the help of the man who had raised him. He was a blood relative to Joseph although he didn't carry the Kerrigan name. Luke promised to keep the secret but was convinced that their family would be better for moving to Texas. Trace promised that they would all work hard to make their ranch profitable.
Some renegades came by the house that was being built for Kate and one of them was named Bill Bodine. Kate had her gun with her when she went to meet them and told them to leave. Brock was there to back her up and they left. Niall was taking a trip to the outhouse late that night when he noticed the men carrying Ivy off with them. He woke up his mother and she sent him to town to get Brock. He had been staying there with a prostitute. Kate, Brock and Trace headed out looking for Ivy.
Cornelius had realized that he missed Kate and her children after they left. He had fallen for her and had set out after her a few days after they left. He was concerned that Brock might be interested in her too so he didn't want to wait to long to pursue her. He was on his way there when he noticed some men and was surprised to see Ivy with them.
Farley was a big black man and Hagan's driver. Hagan got in the wagon and they rode over to the men. Farley talked to him in a fake British accent which Ivy recognized. She was happy to see him. Ivy jumped up causing Bodine to bite his tongue and throw her off his horse. Farley told him that he was going to have to kill him and did with a sawed off shotgun he had with him. Steel threw a machete at Farley and he missed because Kate had arrived and shot him. Farley was hit in the shoulder but with Kate and Hagan there, all the men were killed. Trace arrived after the killing was done. Ivy was eating Farley's biscuits that he had prepared for his and Hagan's breakfast.
Kate was through with her memories and the story she was telling one of her ranch hands. She thought about an unmarked grave of a gunfighter by the name of Jack Hickman. That was a story for another day.