In 1803, the renewed war with France places Britain under threat of invasion. Mary Ann’s contact with the missionary Father Rathbone introduces her to poverty and disease in industrial Manchester, while Lucy’s lover serves in the blockade of Brest. Her neglected husband Chetwyn finds love elsewhere, creating a relationship that may end in disgrace.
The Morlands move between Beau Brummell’s fashionable London and the dangers of naval war, culminating in the Battle of Trafalgar. Public victory does not protect the family from private loss: duty at sea, religious conscience and illicit affection demand conflicting sacrifices. The novel contrasts national confidence after Nelson’s triumph with the personal cost borne by those whose lives depend upon the fleet.
