Going West

Lester, the burly son of a prosperous bookseller, has always preferred the bustle of the city and the thrill of sport to the quiet rows of a library. Though his family lineage stretches back to revolutionary soldiers, he has carved his own path as a lively broker, indulging in wine, women, and the occasional gamble. His unexpected engagement to Molly Dove, a café waitress, ignites a clash with his parents and sisters, who view the match as a step down from their genteel expectations.

The tension pushes Lester toward a decision that will carry him far from the Atlantic streets he knows. Drawn by a sense of inherited duty and the lure of open plains, he volunteers for service on the Texas‑Mexico border, where the realities of war quickly replace his carefree ambitions. As he confronts the chaos of a foreign battlefield, he must reconcile the man he has been with the soldier he is becoming.