It was published in 1998 and like other works from Courtenay covers several years in the life of the main character: Jessica Bergman.

Jessica and her dad work each year shearing at Riverview station for the Thomases – the richest family in the district.

In the shearing shed, Jessica becomes close friends with Jack Thomas and William D'arcy Simon.

However, although Billy has murdered his mother and sisters, Jack holds off the mob and sweeps exhausted Jessica off her feet and carries her into the courthouse.

Jack enlists and finds out that he has to leave to war he also mentions that his mothers will was read and he is now sole inheritor of the whole estate.

At the doctors visit Jessica finds out she is pregnant, her parents suspect that she had intimate relations with Billy Simple on the way to town, but she will not say who the father is.

Then at the funeral, when they announce that Meg gave birth, Jessica breaks down, screaming that they stole her baby and attacks Hester.

She helps him to get better and when he is released, Moishe contacts Billy's lawyer, Richard Runche who fights and frees Jessica.

Meg and her mother agree to give her the land entitlement for their old property plus another 10 acres (40,000 m2) on the condition that she never approaches her son, Joey, or tries to get him back.