Anne Lister and Ann Walker's trip to London is blighted by tension. Anne refuses to introduce Ann to her society friends, and simmering resentments on both sides of the relationship boil over when Miss Walker takes Anne to task over her financial borrowing.Back in Halifax, in the run-up to the Northgate ceremony, Anne is privately dismayed to realise she cannot count on the support of her family and receives terrible news about a friend. The ongoing mission to divide the Walker estate puts the couple under even more strain when Captain Sutherland arrives from Scotland determined to destroy Anne Lister's reputation. Is the marriage strong enough to survive constant attack?