Howard Laing

James Onedin is a poor ship's captain who dreams of owning his own ship and, eventually, his own fleet of ships. When he meets the spinster daughter of ship owner Captain Joshua Webster, he sees his opportunity to advance himself and his dreams by marrying the older woman to get control of her father's ship. As he builds up the fleet he had always wanted, he finds that he loves Anne Webster Onedin more than he ever expected.