In 1871 Louisiana, during the first national Christmas holiday, a landowner and a grieving teacher uncover deadly secrets while investigating a plantation theft tied to her husband’s murder and a mysterious coin.

SYNOPSIS:

In the turbulent South of 1871, during the first year Christmas was declared a national holiday by President Ulysses S. Grant, Magnolia Bend Plantation’s festive celebration is shattered by a daring theft. The crime not only depletes the plantation’s coffers but threatens Elijah Bienvenu with financial ruin and the loss of his family’s cherished legacy. Desperate to save Magnolia Bend, Elijah teams up with Etta Tremont-Delattre, a dedicated teacher he hired to educate the plantation's residents. Etta, still grieving her husband’s unsolved murder two years earlier, finds herself drawn into an investigation that promises both justice and danger.

Their only leads are a box of matches from the White Stallion Saloon and a unique coin tied to a shadowy figure with unclear motives. As their search unfolds, Elijah and Etta uncover chilling links between the theft, Etta's husband's death, and a far-reaching network of corruption. Complicating matters is Jonathan, Elijah’s trusted associate, who secretly manipulates events to sabotage their efforts and plot his own takeover of Magnolia Bend.

From the elegant halls of the plantation to the perilous streets of Wallace, Louisiana, Elijah and Etta must untangle the mystery of the coin and confront the secrets that bind their lives. Battling betrayal, grief, and mortal danger, they race to uncover the truth and reclaim their futures, all while honoring the legacies of those they’ve lost.

A story of loyalty, betrayal, and resilience, this gripping drama explores the complexities of a changing South and the courage of those who fight to protect what matters most.