Their meeting results in a promise: Katrina will wait one year before accepting any other proposal of marriage; within that time, Tom will somehow find his way to Utah to try his hand at permanently winning her heart. It's not a likely match. The brash Irishman is a Catholic, a brawler and a young man without prospects. Katrina is a convert to Mormonism and a refined young woman - one whose wealthy and domineering father heartily disapproves of the uneducated "Paddy" who has invaded their lives.

Spirit of Union: Destiny 1895-1898 is a sprawling historical novel, set at the turn of the century, during one of the most turbulent times in the history of America, of Utah, and of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is filled with memorable historical and fictional characters-both Mormon and Catholic-and packed with romance, high adventure, religious conflicts, and political intrigue. The story is played out in such far-flung places as New York City, the gold fields of Alaska, a beleaguered Mormon colony in Old Mexico, and a vibrant and growing Salt Lake City, where Mormon and Gentile interests often collide.

In his first historical novel, master story-teller and best-selling author Gordon Ryan has spun an exciting tale of romance, tragedy, and adventure-one that will satisfy your itch for a rollicking good read even while it leaves you wanting more.

The morning after his arrival, the steamer Antioch arrived and moored nearby, and, having decided upon his course of action during his walk through Ireland, Tom booked passage on her. He had slept on the docks and kept to himself for two days while waiting for the ship to sail. It was April, 1895 and he was anxious for a variety of reasons to leave Ireland behind him.

The young Irishman had spent part of one of those days amusing himself by watching the comings and goings of a very pretty, blonde young woman. From his hiding place among the crates on the wharf he had been able to observe her without being seen; but what he had seen had intrigued him. She was with an older man and woman whom Tom took to be her parents, two young girls, probably her sisters, and a young man who Tom guessed was an older brother. They were all apparently passengers on the same vessel as Tom and he had watched with interest as she and her family busied themselves on and off the ship during Antioch's several days in port.

One early morning, after a half hour or so of activity on the ship, they had walked down the gangway and walked together past Tom's hiding place, across the wharf, and into one of the streets that led to the waterfront in Cork. Tom had only been close enough to overhear a snatch of the family's conversation, but he had enjoyed listening to her laugh and watching the graceful way she made her way up and down the gangplank and around the wharf.

Though he had been close enough to hear the family conversing, Tom had not been able to understand anything they said. They were clearly not Irish or even English, and he guessed they were speaking a Scandinavian language. The young woman could speak English, Tom knew, because he had heard her asking directions of the ships First Officer. Whatever language she spoke, it had been pleasant to observe her and entertaining to imagine somehow being able to meet her once they were on board the ship and on their way. The idea of sharing the sea voyage with a pretty lass made the prospects of spending nearly two weeks on the water less daunting.

There was no doubt that Tom took a certain pleasure in observing a pretty face and a shapely figure. At nineteen years of age, he had already wooed his share of Irish "colleens," but there was something about this young lady that piqued his interest in an unusual way. While he was watching her, the sunlight broke through the overcast Irish skies and the light glinted off her blonde hair. She was tall - taller than most Irish girls - and had the figure and the carriage of a mature young woman, but her girlish laughter and the playful way she behaved with her little sisters made Tom wonder if she might not be younger than she appeared. No matter, he decided. She was certainly pretty enough to merit his attention and might provide some diversion during the voyage.

It did occur to him that meeting her might be something of a challenge. It was obvious that her family was wealthy. She and her mother wore full-length, high-necked dresses and tailored, dark wool coats. And the ships captain behaved deferentially toward the young woman's stern-looking, well-dressed father. Considering the steerage rules to stay below decks, explained to him when he purchased his ticket, it might take some ingenuity to arrange a meeting, but it pleased Tom to think of trying.

The morning of the day before the Antioch was to sail, Tom had a brief encounter that made him even more determined to meet the pretty, blonde woman. There was a good deal of noise and activity on the wharf as the sailors and dock hands made final preparations to embark. Hoping to buy something to eat before the ship got underway, shivering from the cold, Tom stepped out onto the dock from his dank sleeping place and nearly bumped into her. She was with her brother, and they had apparently been out walking. It was an overcast, chilly morning, and her face was flushed. Her thick blonde hair was plaited into a single, heavy braid. She wore no hat, but the two ringlets that curled down in front of her ears framed her fresh, young face in a way that struck Tom as very becoming. The thing that held his interest, though, was her eyes. They were a deep green color and even though she was momentarily startled by Tom's sudden appearance in front of her, she smiled prettily and held his gaze for a moment before glancing away.

The young woman's brother greeted Tom with a nod, and taking his sister by the arm, steered her around the crates and cargo toward the ship's gangplank. Tom had not responded to the greeting except to instinctively scrape his cap from his head and stare at her as they passed. Now, as they walked away from him, he stood gazing after them. Those eyes and that face had been something to see, no matter how young she was. The challenge of finding a way to meet her, Tom decided, would make an interesting diversion on his first sea voyage.

Just after dawn the following morning, the gangplank would be hauled in, the giant ropes loosed, the ship's massive horn would sound, and under an umbrella of noisy gulls, the Antioch would be underway. This time, however, Tom would not watch it sail out through the breakwater nor observe the plume of smoke from the double stacks disappear over the horizon. Instead, standing at the railing on separate decks, Thomas Matthew Callahan, born October 5, 1875, in County Tipperary, Ireland, and Katrina Hansen, born June 15, 1878, in Horten, Norway, whom Tom had not yet had the pleasure of meeting, would be bound for America.

Chapter One continues ...