When Anne and Ron Jackson's, Carruthers Chandlery expands to selling cruisers it seemed a sound move. But they had not reckoned on their Manager's other ideas. Domestic life is not plain sailing either as conflict between Ron and his ex-wife flares with much wider repercussions than themselves. During those years, 1950-1962, Britain's other wars intrude into their lives too, from Franks' National Service to the Cuban Nuclear Missile Crisis that drags them all into danger.