General Thomas Picton, the Governor of Trinidad, is accused of allowing the torture of a young mixed-race girl - and in prosecuting, Garrow is keen to expose the injustice of the colonial system. But he faces a dilemma when Melville offers him a proposition - if he will limit his prosecution, the lord will use his considerable influence to reunite Lady Sarah with her son.

Garrow successfully defends a man falsely accused of murder at a polling day riot. Approached by the victim's daughter Garrow agrees to find and prosecute the real murderer putting himself in grave danger from the man's colleagues and chief magistrate of the constabulary. Lady Sarah seeks documents to discredit Lord Melville and legally regain her son.