When 133 African prisoners are thrown overboard from a slave ship in suspicious circumstances, Garrow challenges the brutal trade that regards slaves as cargo. It is a case that amounts to a declaration of war.

Returning from war, weary and wounded, British sailors are treated with contempt and abuse at the Greenwich Hospital. One man bravely exposes the corruption, and finds himself in a Newgate cell. Southouse accuses Garrow of mixed motives as his uses the case to attack The Admiralty - and in particular its Under Secretary, Sir Arthur Hill.

Having failed to save a twelve year old mute boy from the gallows,Garrow enters the civil court to hear Hill's accusation of adultery against him in a deeply depressed mood,despite Sarah's assurances. Silvester,previously his adversary,defends him in the spirit of fair play and does well,demolishing Hill's Admiralty cronies,the prosecution witnesses,whilst Mary,Sarah's loyal maid,refuses to perjure herself. However,it is the dogged and devoted Soutouse who saves the day by bringing in a surprise,last minute witness to expose Hill's hypocrisy.

William ends up risking his reputation as he returns to the Bailey to defend James Hadfield, who is on trial for high treason for trying to eliminate King George III. He continues to enjoy an "irregular" relationship with Lady Sarah Hill and finds himself ostracised and impoverished. Separated from her husband, Sarah learns from Southouse that she has no independent rights of her own.

General Thomas Picton, the Governor of Trinidad, is accused of allowing the torture of a young mixed-race girl - and in prosecuting, Garrow is keen to expose the injustice of the colonial system. But he faces a dilemma when Melville offers him a proposition - if he will limit his prosecution, the lord will use his considerable influence to reunite Lady Sarah with her son.

Garrow successfully defends a man falsely accused of murder at a polling day riot. Approached by the victim's daughter Garrow agrees to find and prosecute the real murderer putting himself in grave danger from the man's colleagues and chief magistrate of the constabulary. Lady Sarah seeks documents to discredit Lord Melville and legally regain her son.