Soon after, Captain Aubrey takes HMS Worcester on blockade duty around Toulon, France, until the ship is sent for refitting.

With Worcester refitting, he is reassigned to HMS Surprise on which he, Maturin and Professor Graham seek a new ally among the pashas on the coast of the Ionian Sea.

In reviews at the time of the 1991-92 reissue of this novel, one reviewer described Maturin's "hair-raising infiltration of the enemy coast" and then the mission of the title by Aubrey and Maturin, "to the Greek islands to tinker with the balance of power at the fringes of the Turkish empire", summing it up as "splendid adventures at a stately pace".

After a time together in their new house on Half Moon Street, Maturin settles in his rooms at The Grapes, where Diana comes often, and from which he walks to breakfast with her daily.

Jagiello brings the Maturins to port in his own carriage, which upsets, making Stephen’s arrival rather last-minute.

While she is doing gunnery practice with gunpowder bought from a fireworks firm, Worcester encounters the French ship Jemmapes.

Babbington has fallen in love with Admiral Harte’s daughter Fanny, but her father wants her to marry the wealthy Andrew Wray.

A few shots are exchanged, killing the captain and first lieutenant of HMS Surprise, and the Worcester, a poorly built ship, is strained beyond usefulness.

Thornton tells Aubrey to take her to Malta to refit, then shift part of his crew to the Surprise for a mission to the Seven Islands on the Ionian coast.

The Surprise takes the blockade runner Bonhomme Richard, filled with spices, dyes, and heaps of silver.

Aubrey visits the three beys, Ismail, Mustapha and Sciahan, choosing the last as the best ally for Britain to take Corfu, if not more of the Seven Islands, from the French.

Rumour spreads that Ismail has permission to take charge of Kutali, causing the locals to beg Aubrey to protect them.

Graham travels by land to Ali Pasha of Ioannina learning that Mustapha lured Dryad and the transports into his port, and is sailing on his ship Torgud to take Kutali.

See also Recurring characters in the Aubrey–Maturin series On 5 and 6 July 1808 the 38-gun British frigate HMS Seahorse, Captain John Stewart, fought an action against the much larger Turkish frigate Badere Zaffer (of 52 guns), Captain Scanderli Kichuc Alli, and an accompanying Turkish corvette, the Alis Fezzan.

After a long and bloody action the Turkish frigate surrendered when her obstinate captain was overpowered by his remaining officers.

[1] Aubrey loses favor inside the Admiralty: "He can't get things right on shore, but he is quick enough to put Worcester to trim, taking slack out of the sails and the crew until Worcester is the ablest ship in the line bottling up Napoleon's navy in Toulon.

The old ship "gives up the ghost after one too many skirmishes"[1] and Aubrey shifts to HMS Surprise to "tinker with the balance of power at the fringes of the Turkish empire.

[2] First, "there is little excitement as HMS Worcester settles in with the other blockading ships, some with crews showing signs of strain from remaining constantly alert but inactive.

Beginning with The Nutmeg of Consolation in 1991, the novels were released at about the same time in the USA (by W W Norton) and the UK (by HarperCollins, the name of Collins after a merger).