Persephone

Having lost the Danish fleet to the British, Napoleon sets his sites on Portugal.  He invades, and at Lisbon, Sir Thomas Kydd and  his ship Tyger, are assigned the task of bringing British citizens off to safety.

Kydd is surprised when one of the British refugees turns out to be Persephone Lockwood, an old flame of his.  She doesn’t want preferential treatment, but Dillon, Kydd’s confidential secretary, persuades Kydd to give up his cabin on Tyger for her.

Portugal decides to declare war on Britain, but do nothing in hopes that will satisfy Napoleon.  At the same time, Russia declares war on Britain.  However, the Regent of Portugal decides to take his parliament to Brazil before Napoleon can take Portugal.  As a result, Tyger is sent on patrol.  Kydd is unable to get get Persephone aboard.

Left stranded, Persephone must make her way to Oporto before the French army arrives.  She travels in disguise in the company of an American woman and an orphan boy.  Fortunately she is able to get passage from there to England.

When Kydd runs into Persephone in London he feels a real need to impress her, but how can he achieve that?  It isn’t long before he is in the company of the Prince of Wales, but will it be enough?

Having achieved his goal, now Kydd must decide between retiring from the navy and standing for parliament, but that will mean buying land.  Unfortunately his bid for parliament fails.  It is shortly after this that Kydd receives the shock of his life.  He turns to his good friend, Nicholas Renzi in search of an answer.

Can Kydd win a land battle with all guns a-blazing or will it result in all his dreams sinking away?  Author Julian Stockwin’s latest historical naval novel takes a different twist compared to his past novels.