The war is still on. Captain Sir Richard Giles, Viscount Ashton, has to put a spike in Napoleon's latest attempt to divert British attention from the Emperor's main plans. To do so, he first has to discover what the French are plotting. This task, in turn, requires him to venture far into French waters, pretending to be part of the crew of an English smuggling ship. Dealing with what he finds is not easy. It requires eluding or defeating a French battleship, seizing a French frigate., and capturing a battalion of French soldiers. London Society had earlier been trying to draw in Giles and his wife, Daphne, as they attend splendid functions both at the King's palace and at the Prince of Wales's mansion. Giles is awarded an honor, and Daphne is presented to the Queen. They have a toe in the pond of High Society, but they are not yet prepared to dive into it. There are more important things for them to do.Giles's tasks do not end with destroying the French initiative. He and his frigate, Glaucus, must voyage to the West African coast. Pirates have been seizing vessels of the East India Company and holding the ships, crews, and passengers for ransom. To handle this situation, not only must Giles defeat the pirates, but he also has to attack their stronghold and facilitate a coup d'etat. Even then, his problems are not finished. A French frigate off the coast of Portugal tries to interfere with his voyage home and seize the ships he has liberated from the pirates.Meanwhile, Daphne's intention of spending all her time managing their estate while her husband is at sea runs into difficulties. Her uncle, who owns a factory in Birmingham, is taken ill. Only Daphne seems to be able to solve the dilemmas that arise when a crooked lawyer tries to steal her uncle's company. That task alone would make Daphne overburdened. However, there is still another urgent call on her energies. Her father-in-law, who is at death's door, tries to divert the monies that should go to his wife to his mistress. The weak legal status of married women makes it hard to frustrate these plans. Nevertheless, Daphne finds ways to protect her mother-in-law and the inheritances of her own children. Giles returns to find that Daphne has everything under control. His father's death will not have the devastating effect with which he had intended to burden his wife and his heir.