Marriage of convenience with interesting depictions of early 19th century droving, farming, the battle of Trafalgar and British country life. A naval officer, grief-stricken at the recent death of an adored, beautiful but profligate wife, and horrified to learn of the debts she has left, as well as his responsibility for five young children, marries a competent, plain, thirty year old country lady to care for his children and estate in his absence. A story in the old HR style, with a largely absent hero and a heroine who learns she is less perfect than she once thought.