A strange and enigmatic woman called Indigo Jones comes onboard the Charlotte Rhodes, with an offer for James Onedin. Her ship, the Samantha, is damaged, anchored off Cork, and she wishes him to bring her home. However, when he enquires about the cargo the ship is carrying, she becomes evasive. When pushed though, she does admit that the ship carried fever. As usual, profit blinds James Onedin, and he agrees to help the ship home, that she may discharge her cargo and return for another shipment without delay. He is also more than interested in how the young lady managed to get shipments of guano out of South America without paying the high export duties. She will not say, of course, but he plans to find out. Anne has already been dismissed from her post at the shop, due to no fault of her own, just that she is a woman, and no-one will work with her as she tries to do a man's job. Her father urges her to go back to James, but she is as stubborn as he, and refuses. James enlists Alber (thetvdb.com)