[1] Two children are born in the novel: A son, Valentine, to George and Elizabeth Warleggan; and a daughter, Clowance, to Ross and Demelza Poldark.

Two of Demelza's brothers, Sam and Drake Carne, enter the story and become major figures, as does Elizabeth's cousin Morwenna Chynoweth.

As Book Two closes, it is late spring of 1795, and Drake Carne learns from Geoffrey Charles that the Warleggans are pressuring Morwenna to marry Ossie Whitworth.

Key events are the failed Royalist expedition to France, the rescue of Dwight Enys, the death of Aunt Agatha, Morwenna's marriage to Ossie Whitworth and George's dawning realization that the paternity of his son, Valentine, may be in question.

So he followed her up the stairs and into the bedroom smelling of old wood and new paint and there, after a few perfunctory caresses, he began carefully to undress her, discovering and removing each garment with the greatest of interest.