Edward Brazier is enlisted by Prime Minister William Pitt to assist his
investigation into smuggling activity in Deal. However, with his love
Betsy now locked into a loveless marriage with Tom Spafford, a useless
drunk, and living as a prisoner, Brazier is distracted from his mission.
Having foiled Spafford's plan to steal Betsy away to her family-owned
plantation in the West Indies, Brazier finds himself taken captive. Only
his ingenuity will help engineer his escape and his cunning use of
subterfuge will then allow him to infiltrate the smuggling gangs of Deal
in a determined bid to unmask those in control. But with suspicion
raised around him and his enemies banding together, can Brazier survive
long enough to bring those responsible to justice?