Bujold continues to enjoy throwing Penric into Situations, often ones where he seems to be doing the Bastard god's will in the world of humans but with no specific directives. But when Penric's ship is captures by pirates (claimed by the Bastard) and he is thrown into the hold with a pair of orphans (claimed by the Bastard), who are daughters of a sex worker (claimed by the Bastard), Penric can take the broad hint that his task here is to rescue them. But he must at the same time rescue himself!