As the story of Josiah and his expanded family of slaves continues, the family expands further when new clientele are taken on, potentially to be adopted. Elaine comes in, injured from an accident at home, with her slaves Marvin and Beth, who have a most unhappy history with Darla. It is a history that killed Darla's marriage, and threatens far worse damage to her as fresh revelations from Marvin, and then from Beth, disturb Darla even further. Conflict arises, deep and profound, as the four become seven, and Josiah is left having to make a map into their future, to end the conflicts and bind them as family. Will his love and lashes succeed in bonding the seven into one, or are the divisions simply too deep for the damage to be undone?