The Bear Flag

Set against the backdrop of the impending U.S.-Mexico War in 1846, the story follows Lt. John C. Fremont and Kit Carson as they embark on a supposed scientific expedition. Cat Reilly, recently widowed and facing dire straits, becomes entangled in a complex web of romance and political intrigue, involving a Russian count and the ambitions of Fremont and Carson. As tensions rise, Cat finds herself at the heart of the political upheaval that leads to the establishment of a California Republic and its eventual incorporation into the United States.