A spirited and passionate saga set in an historic Devon port. When beautiful, free-spirited Rebecca Westbrook - daughter of Morwellham Quay's respected harbourmaster - meets sophisticated Captain Adam Bradley, she confounds all expectations by being anything but charmed by the good looks, perfect courtesy and smouldering sexuality that make Bradley so reminiscent of Jane Austen's Darcy. On the contrary, Rebecca is angered by Bradley's superior manner, and repulsed by his solicitude towards her. For Rebecca's heart belongs to Tom Mason, a young cooper she has known all her life. Her father is insistent that the pair wait until Tom is financially secure before they court openly, but the pain of separation drives Rebecca to desperate measures, her passion overriding all sense. Then tragedy strikes and Rebecca is forced to face the terrible consequences of her actions ... However, she is not alone in her distress. Morwellham Quay was once the greatest copper port in the Queen Victoria's Empire, but now its inhabitants face a devastating era of change that mirrors the troubled and irrevocable coming of age Rebecca must experience.