It's 1800 Philadelphia, and the city cowers before a mysterious killer--Yellow Fever. Daniel Armitage and his family are respected members of Philadelphia society. But their status cannot save Daniel's loved ones. His entire family succumbs to the horrifying disease. His mother's startling deathbed confession, shakes Daniel to his soul. Another man is really his father. She makes Daniel promise that he will find his father so he won't be alone. He has no interest in finding the man, but his love for his mother makes Daniel keep that promise. His search takes him all the way to Kentucky--the edge of the frontier--a land of incomparable beauty. Seeking a father with a different last name, he is now considered an illegitimate bastard and is scorned by everyone, even himself. Except for the people who matter the most.