The Bride of Mission San José: A Tale of Early California

Set in an early Californian mission community, the story balances domestic life and public intrigue as an influential family, clergy, military officers, and foreign agents pursue competing aims. Scenes of music, social entertainments, and family duty alternate with clandestine negotiations, intelligence-gathering, and dealings with local indigenous leaders. A young woman's romantic prospects intersect with political maneuvering, shifting loyalties, and personal sacrifice, while councils, rides, and reports propel the action toward reconciliations and a final marriage that ties together several personal and diplomatic threads.