The sinking of the Brig Minerva results in many deaths, while for others, the future is suddenly brighter. But it's not always easy to leave the past behind... Annie Dresden is 26 years old, with no fortune, and nothing but a quick, practical mind to recommend her. Taken in by her apothecary uncle after her father's death, she's happy to be his assistant, but there's no future for her as an apothecary. The only proper career for a woman is as a wife and mother, but for Annie the possibility is dwindling. When a long-forgotten suitor returns, it seems fate has given her another chance. A man turned away by her father years ago for lack of fortune is unexpectedly wealthy, after his brother drowned aboard the Brig Minerva. For eight years, he's dreamed of marrying Annie, and she's not about to throw away her last opportunity for a family of her own. He loves her, and he's a respectable man - that's a strong enough foundation for marriage, isn't it? But Annie soon finds that her husband has his own ideas about marriage, making her new life unexpectedly difficult. And when disaster strikes, all her hopes of a happy future are thrown into turmoil, and she is left wondering whom she can trust.