married for twenty years to edward berry lyddie is used to the trials of being a whalers wife in the cape cod village of satucket massachusettsrunning their house herself during her husbands long absences at sea living with the daily uncertainty that edward will simply not return and when her worst fear is realized she finds herself doubly cursed she is overwhelmed by grief and her property and rights are now legally in the hands of her nearest male relative her daughters overbearing husband whom lyddie cannot abide lyddie decides to challenge both law and custom for control of her destiny but she soon discovers the price of her bold war for personal freedom to be heartbreakingly dearincludes the fascinating story behind the story of the widows war a map of colonial brewster and a driving tour of the village of satucket