Max Van Der Rheede is in prison, and James is a free man once again. Elizabeth and Margarita hope James will get back to sea soon, they think his recent experiences have dulled his spirit and depressed him. Little do they know he has bested Samuel with a contract for nitrate which will keep the Onedin Line busy for 20 years, and without her knowing Elizabeth will pay for it!

More unfolds as Elizabeth receives a letter from Daniel telling her he is has resigned from his post as an overseas ambassador and is to return home. She is overjoyed.

James sails for his first cargo of nitrate, he strictly forbade Margarita to accompany him on the voyage but being yet another Onedin wife of spirit she stows away.

During the voyage she falls pregnant and in due time delivers to James a son, happiness for him, but tragedy for Elizabeth when she receives a telegram telling her that Daniel's ship has been lost with all aboard......

This is the end of the arguably one of the finest TV drama series that will ever be made. The story was left so that it could have been continued. Indeed in a radio interview with Cyril Abraham, the creator of the Onedin Line, said that the outline of the story ran up to the present day (then the 1970's). I wonder if that was just in his mind, or did he put pen to paper? And if he did do they still exist? What interesting reading they would make.