The Shepherd's Moon

The Shepherd's Moon, a sequel to Up the
Hill, Through the Long Grass, continues the saga of the
McCrea family. Rory and Marta McCrea have moved to the
AmeriBasque Ranch in Montana to continue raising sheep with
the help of their Basque sheepherders. Times are hard,
financially. Both Rory and Marta take on other jobs in Butte
to supplement their incomes. Rory works in a feed store, and
Marta signs on to work for a lawyer. The law firm she works
for hires a new partner, Kurt Bancroft. Rory learns Marta
once dated Kurt while both of them were in paralegal classes
in Idaho. Rory is acutely aware the new lawyer has the both
the education and the wealth he lacks. McCrea wonders if
Kurt's close association with Marta will jeopardize his
marriage to her. When Kurt invites Marta and Rory to a
concert in Missoula, Kurt's girlfriend, Amber, takes an
immediate interest in Rory. Marta, pregnant with Rory's
baby, worries Amber is more beautiful and could turn Rory's
head. Rory's continuing warm relationship with his
sister-in-law, Kelsey, is another bone of contention to
Marta. Rory stays overlong in Boise while Kelsey delivers
the son of Rory's brother, Aiden, creating more of a rift.
Amber's infatuation with Rory turns into stalking, and
finally leads to destruction of AmeriBasque property, a
court trial, and an accident in which Marta is seriously
injured. Can Rory's devotion to Marta bring her back to
health, or will her return depend on the light from a
shepherd's moon?