Held captive in the aftermath of a devastating attack and facing being sold as slaves, two strangers comfort each other, and as affinity grows, they conspire to overpower their guards and regain freedom. Jarvis is the son of a mariner and Gillian is of noble birth, but ignoring class differences, their mutual respect becomes love. This is a story of intense emotions and brilliant ingenuity set aboard a trading ship bound from the Caribbean to London early in the reign of King George.