1805: Giles Courtenay is given command of the 80-gun Argyll and ordered to join Nelson's Fleet in the Mediterranean. On his way, he stops at Gibraltar with despatches for the Flag Officer in Command, who, knowing his penchant for rescue missions, asks a favour of him.
The favour is in the manner of assisting a American friend of the Admiral whose Navy has had a misfortune with some Barbary pirates. Courtenay agrees, with one eye on securing more crew members for his ship. He also meets up with his old friend Piers Tandy and plans a daring rescue operation. Eventually he is able to join Nelson, where he meets up with other old friends, Tim Spellman and Will Charlton. He is also saddled with the cowardly Spencer-White. Together they join in the hunt for the French fleet and take part in the race across the Atlantic to the West Indies when Nelson finds that is where Villeneuve has taken his ships.
In the Caribbean, Courtenay is given the task of re-taking a small Island with a Trading Post which has been captured by the French for some reason which is not readily obvious. With the aid of yet another old friend, the Marines Officer Nicholas Strathmore, he is able to secure the Island and discovers the real reason for its capture which sends him hurrying back to find Nelson, who has already left to return to England. Returning to home waters, Courtenay meets up with Admiral Crompton, and then finds a pleasant event awaiting him at home. Re-joining his ship, he conveys a Flag Officer to his new command and then is closely involved in shadowing the French Fleet when it sneaks out of Cadiz and is finally brought to battle by Nelson off Cape Trafalgar. Courtenay's ship is in the thick of the fighting as usual.