John Smyth, accustomed to a life of privilege and ease in eighteenth-century England, drops out of school to take charge of his family's shipyard, leasing out its beloved schooner, "My Glorious C" for quick profit, when his father dies.
The young heir also finds himself drawn to Lady Sideris Douglas, who is betrothed to Aldin "Ali" Langford, son of the baron who arranged the lease of Glorious. Against the objection of his closest adviser, he and Ali join the ship's crew on what is supposed to be a routine channel crossing to France.
John soon faces agonizing consequences from his misguided decisions. The schooner disappears, the trustees are arrested for fraud, and his shipyard is seized, soon to be auctioned. Even worse, Ali realizes what's going on between John and Sideris.
Driven to correct his wrongs, John embarks on The Fourth Ship--the same ship whose mast crushed his father to death and that he vowed never to set foot upon.
"With its intriguing plot, competent prose and engaging characters, there's much to recommend this story. It builds enough suspense to keep readers glued to the pages..." -Kirkus Reviews