In the shimmering heat of summer, 1795, Kit and Samuel Cade are returning to Cornwall, taking the coach and four from London to Truro. Their travelling companions each have their own challenges and stories, and they are thrown together as they face the perils of stormy weather and the dangers of the road.

Lieutenant Edward Pascoe, badly wounded in a naval battle with the French, is heading home to begin a new life in Cornwall. He finds himself captivated by the beautiful Bethany Strange, yet she holds a secret that brings him further pain. Will Kit ever be able to see the shy governess, Alice, again?

The wealthy and sophisticated Mrs Meredith Darling has inherited a Cornish estate that she is uncertain she wants. Turning to Samuel Cade for guidance, she forms an unexpected friendship with him, but can they overcome the difference in their ages?

Will the stagecoach reach Cornwall safely, free from attack by highwaymen, and will love blossom during the week-long journey?