Jan tries to advise Rebecca, telling her the best thing is to go to London, consult a doctor and have the operation done privately. She is afraid because abortion is against the law. Jan tells her that that's the best advice he can give her.. but a few days later, he gets a call from Rebecca's daughter Deborah. Its obvious that she went for a backstreet abortion and is now very ill. She dies, calling for Hugh. Jan is very upset, realising that although he did love Rebecca, her heart was with Hugh.
After Rebecca's death, Jan begins to think about the upcoming war. He worries about leaving Isabella, who is young and flighty but when the war breaks out, he joins the army and so does his nephew Esmond.
He continues to worry about Penmarric, his elderly mother and his wife, but then his sister Mariana, who has developed a drink problem after an unhappy marriage, kills herself. Jan and Esmond get leave to attend the funeral. When he goes home, he finds that Jonas who has turned into a sullen unpleasant young lad, has been bohtering Janna, pestering her for money and saying that he will reveal that Jan was the father of her baby whom she aborted. During the leave time Jan decides that he has to sort out his nephew.
He invites Jonas to the house and begins to bawl him out, Jonas says that Janna gives him money because she knows that Jan made her pregnant and treated her badly and caused her to have the abortion that killed her. Jan tells him this is not at all true, and uneasily realises that Jonas is now a sturdy lad of 16 and could hurt him if they fight. THey start a fight but Jan knocks his nephew down and he hits his head. He realises that the boy is dead. Janna comes in and they decide to cover up what has happened... because Jan is innocent. It was an accident. They manage to work out a plan, puncturing Jonas' bike to make it seem as if he has to walk home, and then Jan disposes of the body down a mine adit - Since the mine is now long closed it will never be opened, and Jan can ensure his safety for his lifetime. He goes backt to war, feeling guilty about Jonas' death and prays for a just punishment.. He and Isabella have been trying to have a baby, but soon after he gets back to his regiment, she writes to say that their brief time in Penmarric has not produced a pregnancy. Then his punishment arrives. He is taken prisoner and spends months in captivity. He finds it uncomfortable and very boring, but he accepts it as making up for his violent act against Jonas. Letters arrive from home, and people he knows tell him that Jonas has disappeared, and his bike has been found. Its believed that perhaps he just left Cornwall.. or that he might have had an accident.. but there is no sign of him. Simon Roslyn, Jonas' cousin, a lawyer, who has never liked Jan, says that he wants to investigate as he does not believe the boy would have abandoned his bike, nor run away. He suggests getting a detective to look into matters and Jan agrees, playing along. He gets more depressed as letters from home seem to suggest that Isabella is getting on Ok without him and he fears that she might leave him. He keeps on making the best of prison life, but he is afraid. He organsises games and lessons for the other prisoners, needing to occupy himself. Finally, the war ends and he is repatriated. He arrives in London, fearing that Isabella will not be there. But she is, she welcomes him and they return to Cornwall.....
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