This is book 20 of the "Aubrey-Maturin" series.

This note contains spoilers for the book.

This is the last of the Aubrey/Maturin books that O'Brian completed (there were three chapters or some such of a 21st when he died), and not a bad note to end on at all. Although we never get to know if Mrs. Wood eventually accepted Stephen's proposal of marriage.

They do actually get to Chile finally, anyway.