The story is one of love, courage, sadness, and intrigue. It is the history of the Wehmeyer family, starting in Prussia in 1866 and ending in the Midwestern city of Cincinnati in 1960. As two elderly sisters deal with their individual problems of aging, Carrie, the younger sister, begins the saga by sharing with her five year old great-great nephew Alex, the heroic past of his ancestors in the Austro-Prussian War as it involves the inception of the International Red Cross. The boy hangs on every word, proud and fascinated by the exciting history of this branch of his family tree and how the family came to America. Then, four years later, Mayme's mind crosses to a place Alex finds unfamiliar. Carrie shares with Alex's mother the dark secrets of the family, not to be exposed before both she and Mayme pass. The story reveals the reason for Mayme's eccentric personality, the life-long relationship between the two spinsters, and the reason for Carrie's undying love and devotion to her sister.