These are dramatic times in England's sea-faring history--the English and the French are battling it out for control of Canada in the frozen waters off the coast of Newfoundland. The year is 1708 and Matthew Loftus has come a long way from his humble beginnings as an orphan in Whitby. Now a successful fur trader sailing the Newfoundland coast, he wants to put his skirmishes with privateers and pirates behind him--until the English Navy sails into the colony of Esperantia and puts it under their protection. Forced by the Navy to sail a rescue mission to Hudson's Bay, Matthew discovers that the true agenda is to foil the French. In the ensuing clash of wills, Matthew escapes with his life but not his ship. He must navigate his own way back through the hostile waters of the Canadian coast and prevent the colony from falling into the wrong hands, and also, to prevent the woman he loves from marrying his rival.