Jonathon Carver, a young Puritan school teacher, meets handsome Nathaniel Morgan, master cooper. He comes to recognize the longings he's had all his life as desire for the love of another man, and Nathaniel provides that love.<br><br>Their love must be carefully guarded, as they live in Colonial America during a time of the call to Awakening of the Puritan spirit. Knowing the penalty for their love is dire, they strive to keep their affair secret.<br><br>Desperate for a way to resolve their situation, they devise a bold plan which could free them to be together. But can their love for one another overcome the structure of the society in which they live? Or will they be destined to forego fulfillment of their desire and go their separate ways?

Awakening

The men dismounted behind the cooperage.


“Be off, or you will be late. I will see to the horses.”


“Soon, I swear. Now be off. Before you are missed.”


Backing into the shadow of the barn, they kissed farewell. With a heart full of love and a head filled with a new perspective on God’s view of eternal life, Jonathan made his way to the breaking of the Sabbath.


The glow of happiness and freedom he had experienced while he was with Nathaniel seemed to fade with each step he took, just as the glow of the sun was fading from the landscape as evening approached. What Nathaniel had said to him about justification, sanctification, and predestination had all seemed to make perfect sense while gazing into his lover’s eyes. Now, as he would soon face the gaze of his father’s eyes, his grasp of those concepts seemed less sure. As he drew nearer and nearer the home of his family’s major investor, his heart became heavier.


Chapter 9