Shadows in the Tree

"We have been marked as traitors."

A mere shadow in the family tree, little could Eliza have realized the way in which her fifth great-grandmother, Maria Catrina, would step from the shadows of her husband's life to reveal the true price paid for loyalty.

The unrivalled beauty and abundance of the Mohawk Valley, engulfed in the fight for liberty, forced the Eamers to choose between the freedom sought by many and the debt to the king who had provided refuge in the burgeoning colony of New York from the religious persecution in their homeland. The impossible choice, once made, compelled them to abandon the land they loved and the hope they would find peace amongst their once-loved neighbours, friends...and family.

Fleeing his impending arrest, Peter leaves Maria Catrina with their young children, telling her she must make her way north to the safety of the king's lands in Quebec. Their exodus through the wild, untamed Adirondack Mountains reveals the darkness of men's hearts and the lengths to which a mother will go to safeguard her precious ones.