Less than a mile away is the Walker Farm. Anna, the farmer’s daughter, always leaves a lamp lit in the stable during stormy nights. Storm knows that place well; it is his home, although he prefers to wander freely around the area.
Anna Walker wakes up suddenly by the insistent lynche that comes from the stable. It’s 4:23 in the morning. Something in the tone of that sound restless her. He knows the sounds of his animals well and this is different. Put on the rubber boots and put on a heavy coat on top of the nightgown.
When she opens the door of the stable, Anna freezes at the entrance. Storm is cast in the straw, with its white sludge-stained coat. But that’s not what makes Anna put her hands in the mouth of the shock. It is the small figure that lies next to it, protected by the massive body of the animal. A girl of no more than 5 years old trembles violently despite the heat emanating from her little body.
Anna screams calling her dad. Samuel Walker, a 45-year-old widowed farmer, arrives running minutes later. The girl’s fever is dangerous. Samuel carefully carries her while Anna prepares dried blankets. When they try to talk to the little girl, they realize something extraordinary: he can’t hear anything. But his emerald green eyes show sharp intelligence that seems to compensate for lack of hearing.
The Walkers take care of Lily all night with medicinal herbs and lots of love. When she finally awakens, the girl manages to communicate her name through lip movements: Lily. And when you see Storm out the window, something magical happens. A small smile appears on her lips.
But here comes the turn that no one expected. The next morning comes a call that changes everything. Nancy Cooper, of the general store, tells them that a wealthy man from New York is asking all over the city if anyone has seen a little girl. Anna’s heart cools when she realizes it can’t be a coincidence.
Minutes later, an official town hall car is parked in the courtyard. A man comes out in impeccable suit, totally out of place in the rural environment. It’s Richard Hale. And when Lily sees him through the window, he shrugs in pure terror. Richard asks for strange activity the night before, but Samuel remains calm. He doesn’t mention Lily.
After Richard leaves, it becomes clear that this man is responsible for abandonment. The Walkers decide to protect Lily at all costs. They seek help from Mrs. Evely Carter, a retired teacher who knows sign language. Through Evely, they discover Lily’s full story. His mother, Rachel Grace, died in childbirth. Her grandmother, Margaret Grace, raised her with all the love in the world, teaching her to communicate perfectly. When Margaret became seriously ill, she wrote a letter to Richard explaining everything. He sent Lily with the letter and a sleeper as proof of paternity. Richard read the letter, looked at Lily in disgust, said something about not being able to have a defective daughter ruining her reputation and abandoned her in the woods to die.
The legal battle begins when Richard tries to claim custody, not out of love, but out of wounded pride. Hire expensive New York lawyers, but the Walkers also have allies. David Foster, a local lawyer, helps them gather evidence.
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