The wild blood of the Lovedays cannot be denied. Romance and adventure continues to colour their lives. An uneasy truce has been declared between Adam and St John to end their rivalry and bring to justice their common enemy. A series of tragedies blight the family, bringing them to the edge of ruin, or have these events been instigated by the man who has sworn to destroy them, the evil and corrupt smuggler, Harry Sawle. But Sawle evades justice and to survive the Lovedays must exact their revenge upon him. No longer young and innocent their stepbrother, Richard Allbright returns from the war with France with sinister consequences for the family. And in Australia revenge is also on Japhet's mind. He must triumph over his adversaries or fail to achieve his dream of returning to England with pride and honour.