In Episode 1, Tess Hartley of New York, having just lost both her parents, is on her way to a friend's home when she is kidnapped in January 1875. She awakens in a brothel and meets Georgie, a prostitute. Georgie and Tess help each other escape, taking two thousand dollars of the brothel-owner's money with them. They get on a train and head west, parting in Salt Lake City. Georgie goes on to San Francisco to be with her grandmother. Tess accepts a teaching position in a small town in Idaho Territory called Liberty Creek.

In Episode 2, Tess has settled in after six months and has a cabin to herself. School is out for the summer, and she spends much of her day at the 4th of July celebrations at Belleterre. She wonders how Nick Marshall, one of her closest friends, feels for her. Nick, on the other hand, converses with the family cook before he leaves the house. She advises him to make his feelings known to Tess, though he denies having any. He leaves to meet Tess and ride with her to his home, but he spooks her horse with his wild riding. She ends up sitting with him on his horse as they ride back to Belleterre. Marietta and Grace give Tess advice on how to get Nick to pay more attention to her. Meanwhile, in San Francisco, Georgie has settled and owns her own thriving dress shop. She has met a doctor, Gabe, and befriended his daughter, Louisa. Louisa visits Georgie in her shop and tells her that Gabe wishes to speak with her. When Gabe comes Georgie's home later to take her to a party they will be attending, he speaks with her grandmother first. Gabe asks Georgie's grandmother is he may marry Georgie. The grandmother gives him her blessing, as well as her own engagement ring. As Georgie and Gabe drive away, Gabe pops the question and Georgie accepts.

In Episode 3, Tess makes a dramatic entrance at the town 4th of July party. She captures Nick's attentions, but also those of his brother and brothers-in-law. The latter pay more attention to her, and he gets frustrated and leaves to talk with his father. John Henry advises him to claim Tess before someone else does, and Nick does just that. He takes Tess away from the party to see the new foal he gave to his sister, Grace. Grace, a trouser-wearing tomboy, surprises them both when she joins them in the stable wearing a dress. Later that day, the Fourth Games are played. Horse races and target shooting are among the events. Grace and Nick do well. In the heat of the moment after a long horse race that Nick has one, he grabs Tess and gives her a big kiss. Later, there is dancing. At night, after everyone has left, Nick sits on the veranda when he is unable to sleep. He is soon joined by sister-in-law Marietta, up late feeding her baby, who convinces him to go to Tess. He goes to her that night and proposes. In San Francisco, Georgie goes to a 4th party with Gabe's two children, who are delighted with the match.

In Episode 4, Tess walks to town the day after and reflects on Nick's proposal the night before. After she accepted, they became more intimate. He quickly left before they went very far, and she wonders what that means. In town, she telegraphs Georgie with her happy news. Afterward, she meets Nick and they ride together to Belleterre. There, Tess talks with Marietta, who assures her that Nick did the gentlemanly thing in leaving before things went any further. Nick and Tess later go on a picnic. Tess tells Nick all about New York, Georgie, and how they came to leave New York together. In San Francisco, Georgie joyously receives Tess's telegram and goes about instructing her employees to finish the wedding gown she started for Tess. As she leaves her shop to go see Gabe, a man watches her. When Georgie and her employees are out of sight, he crosses the street to her shop. At Gabe's, Georgie tells him of Tess's news. He agrees that they should marry just prior to leaving for Tess's wedding and make it a family vacation. At Georgie's shop, the man breaks in. He is especially interested in the to-do list Georgie has left one of her assistants, and a letter Georgie has written to Tess that she will give her on her wedding day. The man plans to meet Georgie in Liberty Creek.

In Episode 5, late July, we are introduced to Christopher Marshall and Lydia Elliot, in England. The young sweethearts discuss their families and their plans to secretly marry. Christopher, fresh from Oxford, is to escort Lydia to Liberty Creek. He is going home; she is going to visit her brother, Christopher's brother-in- law. Several days pass and they board their ship. On the deck of the ship, Christopher formally proposes and presents Lydia with a ring. In Liberty Creek, a man from San Francisco, calling himself Jed Smith, has befriended Nick. The two are working together, along with Nick's brothers, to finish the small house Nick is building for Tess. In the house at Belleterre, Tess sits with Nick's female family members and discuss the wedding. Georgie has sent drawings of the gowns she is making for Tess and her bridesmaids.

Episode 6, in early August, is dedicated entirely to Christopher and Lydia's wedding. We'll not give anything away.

In Episode 7, several days have passed and some more work is done on Nick's house. When Nick spies Tess coming to bring them lunch, he sends Jed to collect the meal and keep Tess away--the house is to be a surprise. Jed does so in a rough way, and Tess is offended. The next day, Jed goes to Tess's cabin in the morning to apologize. Before knocking on her door, he spends some time at her bedroom window watching her dress. When he apologizes for his actions the previous day, Tess is curt. Meanwhile, on the ship, Christopher and Lydia are told by a porter that they are not to leave their room. There is a scarlet fever outbreak. Neither are infected, and they have no problem with the quarantine.

In Episode 8, a two weeks have passed and Georgie and her new family arrive by stagecoach in Liberty Creek. Georgie and Tess's reunion is pleasant, and Tess is glad to meet Georgie's new family. Later, while most are resting at Belleterre, Louisa wakes from her nap and ventures downstairs. Tess meets her there and they walk together. Grace soon rides up on her horse. Louisa is shocked by Grace's independence, but the two become fast friends. Grace plans to take Louisa out riding the next day. That night, Georgie and Gabe are led to Tess's cabin by a strange man. He frightens Georgie, but Gabe assures her that he is harmless. They settle in at Tess's cabin to begin there honeymoon, unaware that they are being watched from the window. In New York, Christopher and Lydia board their train and say goodbye to two new friends.

In Episode 9, Georgie and Gabe are disturbed in the middle of the night by a loud banging on the door. Gabe investigates. A desperate man begs him to come and deliver his wife's baby. Surgery must be performed. Gabe leaves with assurances from Georgie that she doesn't mind. At dawn, Gabe has still not returned. Georgie is rudely awakened by a face from her past. Leroy Buckley, the brothel-owner that forced her to be a prostitute for ten years, has found her. He had been in LC for some time—calling himself Jed Smith, of course. He tells Georgie none of this, and takes her to an abandoned shanty some distance from Belleterre. Before they leave the cabin, he forces her to write Gabe a note telling him that she is tired of waiting for him and has gone for a walk. That same day, Grace takes Louisa out and teaches her how to gallop and jump. Grace tells Louisa about her sharpshooting skills. As they continue their ride, they come across the abandoned shanty just as Georgie is attempting to run from Leroy. He has caught her and pulled her to the ground. Grace fires off six shots with her revolver, but only hits Leroy once in the arm. He runs off into the trees, and Grace and Louisa take Georgie back to Belleterre.

In Episode 10, Gabe paces the yard at Belleterre blaming himself as Steven and some of the women try to comfort him. Most of the men are out searching. Nick discovers Grace and Louisa as they return with Georgie, and promptly deliver her to Gabe. Georgie faints as she is lowered from the horse. Later, John Henry gathers his sons and sons-in-law in his office and gives them Leroy's description. They will start looking the next day. Late at night, Jed Smith returns to the bunkhouse at Belleterre, doctors his wound, and cleans himself up before collapsing on his bunk unnoticed. That same time, in the house, Georgie finally wakes up to find Gabe watching her intently. They have a lovely discussion.