Having captured a French ship and her crew, Hornblower is given command of the vessel and ordered to return it to Portsmouth. Traveling on the vessel is the Duchess of Wharfedale, who is returning home. En route however, they are stopped and take prisoner by the Spanish and put ashore. In prison, they come across Archie Kennedy, Hornblower's former shipmate, also a prisoner. As Hornblower works to develop a plan for their escape, he has to deal with the hot-headed Mr. Hunter who thinks there is only one way to deal with their captors. He also learns something interesting about the Duchess, who is not what she seems to be.—garykmcd