Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N.

In 1807, Captain Horatio Hornblower is tasked with a covert operation to Central America to arm and support Don Julian Alvarado's rebellion against Spanish colonial authorities, an ally of Britain's foe France. The mission places him on a collision course with the colonial authorities and Britain's war with France as an ally of Spain.

Hornblower and the Lydia launch a surprise night attack and capture the 60-gun warship Natividad, a far more powerful vessel. He then reluctantly surrenders the ship to Alvarado, and they go their separate ways, with the mission's outcome unsettled.

A Spanish lugger arrives with the news that Spain has switched sides, reshaping alliances in the region. Hornblower must decide how to proceed with Alvarado under the new geopolitical climate.

Two passengers, Lady Barbara Wellesley and her maid, board the Lydia fleeing a yellow fever epidemic. Hornblower cannot refuse their passage to England, setting the stage for an unexpected relationship.

Lady Barbara is gravely ill after tending wounded sailors, and Hornblower nurses her back to health. As the voyage proceeds, they grow closer, and a forbidden romance begins to develop.

Barbara confesses she is engaged and Hornblower admits he is married. They acknowledge their feelings but accept that they cannot act on them, yet their bond remains intense.

After arriving home, Hornblower learns his wife has died in childbirth, leaving him with an infant son. The bereavement radically changes his personal life and future career.

Hornblower is given command of the Sutherland, a 74-gun ship captured from the French, and is assigned to a squadron commanded by Rear Admiral Leighton. Leighton has just returned from his honeymoon with Lady Barbara, adding a personal complication to the command.

Leighton’s squadron enforces the blockade of France, and Hornblower learns that four French ships have broken through to support Napoleon’s Iberian campaign. He argues for a broader patrol plan rather than a narrow, cautious approach.

In violation of orders, Hornblower uses a French flag and the enemy recognition signal to persuade a harbor garrison that the Sutherland is French. He then disarms all four enemy ships, but fort cannon fire forces the British to abandon the Sutherland.

Hornblower and his first officer Bush, along with Quist, are captured and taken to Paris for execution. They escape with the help of disguises, making their way to Nantes aboard a captured vessel.

Disguised as Dutch officers, Hornblower and his men sail from Nantes to England, freeing British POWs along the way. He is hailed as a national hero upon arrival, though Leighton has died in the attack.

Back in England, Hornblower learns Lady Barbara is there. The two share a final embrace, acknowledging the complexities of their past and future.