George increases the strain on the struggling poor, driving Ross to make a risky gambit. The adversity the Poldarks face, however, may not be confined to Cornwall alone.

The Poldarks, Enyses and Warleggans enjoy London's distractions. George dotes on Elizabeth, delighting at the prospect of an heir and announcing plans to host a charity ball, but their domestic bliss soon comes under threat. At the Warleggan ball Adderley takes a fancy to Demelza, betting George he'll cuckold Ross within a month, which gives rise to deadly complications.