SPOILERS!!!
When the characters are in Brussels, they hear that Napoleon has escaped from Elba and has gathered an army of a thousand men. Wellington and the Prussians get ready to face the French army in the Netherlands when Napoleon invades the country. I have to say that this part about the military actions felt too long for me and I got bored. As we know from history, the British and Prussians win the war and Napoleon is apprehended and sent to St Helena.
During battle Joe, Hornbream's grandson, is about to be bayoneted when Jarge saves him, taking the blow himself and dying. Sal finds him afterwards, and she buries him there herself. Another casualty is Kenelm, who dies during battle, leaving Elsie a widow. And Northwood is injured in the head and as a consequence, he has problems of memory from that moment onwards.
Back in Kingsbridge when the troops return, Hornbeam has plans for his grandson, but he disapproves when he sees him walking out with Margery, a shop girl. Hornbeam tries to talk to Joe, and he says that during his time in the army he learnt that everybody is equal and he has met many ordinary people who were excellent and also those who were despicable. Then he tells him that he is alive thanks to Jarge Box, who has been Hornbeam's enemy for years. Hornbeam is shocked to discover the truth, and he feels that he needs to do something to show how important Joe's life is for him, so he sends Joe to talk to Sal because he wants to give her something as thanks. What Sal wants is a shop. In Brussels he made money, selling people things they needed, so that is what she wants to do now, and Hornbeam could give her one of the houses he owns, and she could have her shop downstairs and live upstairs.
Roger and Kit have returned, and as Roger still owes money, they can't stay in Kingsbridge. They return to Barton, and they take residence in the barn where they plan to have their workshop and start their business again. When they get there, Fanny, the maid that helped Kit as a child is there, and Will has the house in total disarray.
Amos and Elsie continue their friendship, but he feels that something has changed between them. Yet, he is doubtful, and it is Jane who pushes him to ask Elsie to marry him. He eventually does, and Elsie agrees to marry him.
Some years later Hornbeam feels tortured by his own thoughts, and he goes to the cathedral's roof and jumps to his death.
Sal marries Colin Hennessey, the Irish man who she befriended and was found guilty of combination at the same time. Sal has always felt attracted to him, and with her shop he was a regular customer. And as they had both lost their spouses, they got together after some time.
Amos becomes the mayor of Kingsbridge and is happily married to Elsie. When Spade and Arabella tell him that he should be a good candidate to be a Member of Parliament, both he and Elsie refuse because they don't want to leave Kingsbridge and their Sunday school. So they convince Spade to stand for election, and he is finally elected, and he and Arabella move to London.
Northwood dies after falling off his horse, and his son Hal, who is really Amos's, inherits the title. He is to go to Oxford, and even though Amos is sad that he can't be involved in his son's life, he is happy for the opportunities that he has. And Jane asks him to be a mentor for Hal as he will surely need some advice, and he will turn to others rather than his mother.
I liked the book, but I don't thinks this one is the best in the series. There are parts that I found repetitive, and the part about the war in Waterloo was well written, but I found it quite boring. However, I think the book was entertaining and you feel invested in the characters and their circumstances.
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